Every one of them I have seen had the "Non Pour Balle" warning on the flats. It isn't a slug gun, the barrels are light enough you could do damage to them using slugs in them.
Every Frenchman I ever met was crazy about woodcock hunting, and much more crazy about woodcock eating. I never met one who felt that way about rabbits or hares.
I suppose things change, but, the gunmakers I talked with about their hunting had Spaniels and English Cockers. Nobody mentioned ferrets. The Bruchet's apprentice, Jerome, had a cocker.
Hervé Bruchet was not a hunter or shooter. I don't believe Richard Levi was, either. Both guys told me that on Friday, when they walked out of their respective shops, they were all done thinking about guns, shooting or hunting until they came back on Monday morning.
Hand building fine guns was their job. Both men were passionate about other things.
Best,
Ted
I don't know where they hunt woodcock in France. The only time I ever was involved in an attempt to walk up European woodcock (as opposed to seeing the odd doodle along with pheasants and partridge in a drive) was in Scotland. The only way to traverse the cover we walked was by following sheep paths. Brush about waist high or a bit higher. Don't think pointing dogs would have been very useful. A nice little flusher would have been just the thing. All we had were a couple Scots whacking the brush with sticks. We were too early for woodcock.
