Where Fowlers used on Squirrels?

[Panzerschwein]

Were flintlock fowling pieces, specifically American ones, used on small game such as squirrel and rabbit?

The name seems to signify they were intended for use against waterfowl or by extension other birds, but how realistic would it be for them to be used to hunt small game?

[Rt5403]

I believe fowlers we're used on just about everything.

[rich pierce]

They don’t seem to have made any squirrelers or rabbiters. 
It all comes down to what gun, who carried it, where, and when. A new Hudson Valley fowler or colonial- made British-style fowler from Long Island’s north shore was most probably destined for waterfowling until it became a hand-me-down gun. Trade guns of smaller bore were not as suited for commercial waterfowling and were used everywhere for about every purpose.

[Avlrc]

They probably used something like this for upland game.  40 inch barrel, 1/2 inch bore at muzzle, light 6 pounds.

[Tanselman]

If many "past their prime" rifles in areas no longer considered frontier country were later reamed out to a smooth bore for use on small game, it seems reasonable to me to believe earlier fowlers would also have been used at times on smaller four-legged game, if the owner needed something quick for the cooking pot. I doubt guns were restricted to "only one use" back when things were a little tougher.

Shelby Gallien

[T.C.Albert]

I would think the ability of the shooter would be a factor as well. Spraying lead all through something as small as a squirrel with a fowler when a single head shot with a rifle will save more meat is still the preference of guys that have the ability to consistently shoot squirrels in the head with a rifle. For myself, I need a blunderbuss loaded with chain and nails to hit anything! I imagine lots of old timers back then had the same issue.
Tim A

[Bigmon]

My blackpowder pal Tim always says to find a nice stick when hunting squirrels with a fowler.  Been bit too many times by "half dead" squirrels!!

[RonT]

I've found that they work quite well, and believe they to used what they had, smooth or rifled.  Here's a couple of my fowlers, a New England with a .560" bore, an an English with a .540" bore.by Graig Osborne.   
Cheers,
R

[Dwshotwell]

I don't have a picture handy, and my dad has the gun at his house, but we have an original fowler (percussion, 1830-ish, New York) that has a pewter squirrel inlay on the cheek side of the stock.

[backsplash75]

Squirrel guns in the 1750s to 70s appear to be most likely small bore fowlers, likely the half inch bore guns sometimes seen in period records.


-"12 guns 1/2 inch bore & 3 feet 9 inches barrel @ 15/" Gill 1771 goods shipped to Garlon Anderson Hanover County by Dobson, Daltera and Walker (Liverpool) Gill Gunsmith in Colonial Virginia p14

John Hook's store sold guns"ones four feet long with half-inch bores or break-off guns..." p56 Buying into the world of goods: early consumers in backcountry Virginia
 By Ann Smart Martin

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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-02-02-0091

Thomas Jefferson to Virginia Delegates in Congress, 27 October 1780
Thomas Jefferson
to Virginia Delegates in Congress

RC (NA: PCC, No. 71, I, 495–96). Only the complimentary close and signature are in Jefferson’s hand.

Richmond Octo. 27. 1780

Gentlemen

I must beg the favor of you to Solicit the sending on to us immediately a good supply of Cartridge Paper & Cartouch Boxes.
Nearly the whole of the former Article which we had bought at Alexandria, Baltimore &Ca. and what the Board of War sent from Philadelphia
has been made up and forwarded to the Southern Army: there remains now but a few Ream to make up. I fear we have lost 2000 cartouch Boxes
on the Bay which we had had made at Baltimore Our distress for these is also very great[,] muskets being really useless without them.
 I must entreat the greatest dispatch in forwarding these Articles

A very dangerous Insurrection in Pittsylvania was prevented a few days ago by being discovered three days before it was to take place.
The Ring-leaders were seized in their Beds. This dangerous fire is only smothered: when it will break out seems to depend altogether on events.
It extends from Montgomery County along our Southern boundary to Pittsylvania and Eastward as far as James River: Indeed some suspicions have
 been raised of it’s having crept as far as Culpepper.2 The rest of the State turns out with a Spirit and alacrity which makes me perfectly happy.
If they had arms there is no effort either of public or private Enemies in this State which would give any Apprehensions[.]
Our whole arms are or will be in the hands of the force now assembling.3 Were any disaster to befall these, We have no other resource but a
few scattered Squirrel Guns, Rifles &C. in the Hands of the western People.

I am with the greatest esteem Gentlemen Your most obedt. humble sert

Th: Jefferson

1. This letter was read in Congress on 2 November 1780 together with one of 26 October from Jefferson to President Samuel Huntington. Both letters were “referred to the Board of War, to take order.” A note to this effect by Charles Thomson on the letter of 27 October is followed by the words “Acted upon.” Probably this action did not take the form of sending the supplies requested (Journals of the Continental Congress, XVIII, 1004; Boyd, Papers of Jefferson, IV, 69, 77).

2. Although trouble with Tories in the southwestern counties of Virginia had been endemic since early 1779, their disaffection was especially serious and widespread between March and October of the next year. British agents assisted the Tory leaders to enlarge the unrest in the Virginia and North Carolina back country into a full-scale uprising and possibly to draw in Cherokees as allies. An immediate objective was to gain possession of the patriots’ valuable lead mines in Montgomery County, Va. Colonels William Preston, William Campbell, and Charles Lynch, aided by Colonel Benjamin Cleveland of North Carolina, the victory at King’s Mountain in early October, and harsh punishment meted out to captured Tories, ended most of the overt disloyalty by mid-autumn (Louise Phelps Kellogg, ed., Frontier Retreat on the Upper Ohio, 1779–1781 [Madison, Wis., 1917], pp. 23–26; Maud Carter Clement, The History of Pittsylvania County, Virginia [Lynchburg, Va., 1929], pp. 178–79; Hening, Statutes, X, 324–26; Jameson to JM, 25 November 1780).

3. That is, militia to oppose the British under General Leslie in the Portsmouth neighborhood and to aid Gates’s army in North Carolina.

--------------------------------------------

October 27, 1768
The Pennsylvania Gazette

PHILADELPHIA, October 27.


On Thursday, the 20th Instant, the Honourable House of ASSEMBLY of the Government of New Castle, Kent and Sussex, upon Delaware, met at New Castle, when JOHN VINING, Esq; was chosen Speaker,
and JAMES SYKES, Esq; Clerk.


One of our Correspondents writes us as follows, viz.


Amwell (New Jersey) October 17, 1768.


"On Wednesday, the 5th Inst. a melancholy Accident happened here,--- On the Afternoon of said Day, Captain DANIEL READING, Son of the Honourable JOHN READING, Esq; late of this Place, deceased,
and two other Gentlemen, each with his Fowling Piece, charged with small Shot, went out to divert themselves, in the Pursuit of Game in the neighbouring Woods. And they having discovered a Squirrel
 on a Tree, one of the Gentlemen presented; but the Object moving, he took down his Piece, and, as he confidently thinks, half cocked it. Whilst they were walking about the Tree, in order again to
 discover the Game, the Gun of the Gentleman, who had presented, being in his Hand, accidentally went off, and Captain Reading being at a little Distance, in a Direction nearly straight before the
 Muzzle of the Gun, unhappily received the Charge in his Right arm, rather above the Joint of the Elbow, which not only lacerated the Flesh, and fractured the Bone where it struck, but broke it
off short, a little above where it entered. With much Difficulty he go home, in most excruciating Pain, which continued for some Days. Skilful Surgeons were immediately called to his Relief,
 who willing, agreeable to his own Desire, and that of his Friends, to use their utmost Endeavours to save his Arm, did not proceed to an Amputation. Little or no Fever ensued,
 and after a few Days the Pain abated, and the wounded Part began to suppurate. But notwithstanding many flattering Symptoms of a favourable Issue, yet, on the Morning of the 15th Instant,
 he unexpectedly and suddenly expired, without any visible Mortification in the Part, unless livid and blackish Streaks, under his wounded Arm, and on that Side, might be judged Indications of it.


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http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924092232226#page/n473/mode/2up

Col.Henry Lee to Col. Davies- Sept 17 1781 Prince Wm Co.

"...besides We were disappointed in getting the 229 stand of Arms form Colo. Peyton's to press the delivery, but he shewed me a Lre. from you forbidding the delivery of Public Arms,
but the order of yr: Board, and said he should put those he had in the hands of his own Miltiia who were ordered on duty & wee without.  We have not above 80 guns in the County that are anywise fit
for Service and about as many Squerill Guns.  His Excellency has ordered the Fairfax militia who were well Armed on the same fatigue..."

“Most of us had only fowling pieces and squirrel guns.  Dunmore having gone on board of a British Man-of-war, half of the minute men were discharged.”

Greene, Raleigh Travers. Genealogical and Historical Notes on Culpeper County. Virginia. Embracing a Revised and Enlarged Edition of Dr. Philip Slaughter's History of St. Marks Parish. Culpeper, VA, 1900.

The Pennsylvania Gazette, April 8, 1762, JAMES HARDING, At his store in Front and Arch streets, has imported … “a parcel of neat cocking and squirrel pieces.”

[rich pierce]

Thanks, Backsplash.

[Dennis Glazener]

I love to see period documentation like this.
Thanks for posting it.
Dennis

[Tim Crosby]

 Great research work. Thanks for taking the time to do it.

   Tim C.

[oldtravler61]

  Well that pretty much answers that...thank you backsplash... like reading anything that proves historical accuracy.... Mike

[LynnC]

Now that was fascinating reading!  Thank you Backsplash! 

Now I am wondering do very many of these “squirrel guns” still exist?  Where they an imported arm or manufactured here?  The one Alvrc posted photos of is a nice looking gun. I wonder if it is American made.  I recall seeing English proof loads for the largest to the tiniest bores in the old Dixie catalogs. You have my curiosity up.

[rich pierce]

I think by deduction that if squirreling guns were common in the last quarter of the 1700s we should see some in books and collections. I’m voting for “Kentucky fowlers” of small caliber. We can only guess that they were distinct from “smooth rifles”.

The term “guns” was often, but not always, meant to indicate a smooth-bored arm, distinct from rifles. 

It’s unusual that this term has eluded us for decades. I wonder if it was a somewhat scornful usage in this context, where they were arming for battle. Sort of “trifling small bore guns suitable only for squirrels”.  We will never know. I wonder/hope some mention is found outside the context of arming for defense/war.

[Jennison]

I agree with Rich.  That there is a difference between a "squirrel gun" and a fowling piece makes sense.   As for the one anecdote in particular, the person who accidentally discharged his fowling gun into his buddy's arm, he was shooting at a squirrel for entertainment ("went out to divert themselves") and not in the "normal" course.  Fowling pieces were intended at least, to be used on say, passenger pigeons and turkeys.  That said, there are accounts of squirrels and hares being a menace in the 18th century, with bounties placed on their little heads.  I'd imagine in that case, any type of gun would be employed.   

[backsplash75]

I think by deduction that if squirreling guns were common in the last quarter of the 1700s we should see some in books and collections. I’m voting for “Kentucky fowlers” of small caliber. We can only guess that they were distinct from “smooth rifles”.

The term “guns” was often, but not always, meant to indicate a smooth-bored arm, distinct from rifles. 

It’s unusual that this term has eluded us for decades. I wonder if it was a somewhat scornful usage in this context, where they were arming for battle. Sort of “trifling small bore guns suitable only for squirrels”.  We will never know. I wonder/hope some mention is found outside the context of arming for defense/war.

The Pennsylvania Gazette, April 8, 1762, JAMES HARDING, At his store in Front and Arch streets, has imported … “a parcel of neat cocking and squirrel pieces.”

Rich,
I think the 1762 PA gazette quote mentioning neat cocking and squirrel guns indicates that these were likely originally (in that case anyway) pretty run of the mill English fowlers, just with smaller bores/lighter guns; likely the half inch bore variety that were shown to be imported for sale in Virginia up the thread. Would be nice to find specs in Birmingham or London gunsmithing accounts or an English fowling treatise down the road to firm that up, not to say there were  not American analogs in the smooth rifle way.

Archer Payne Jr 1791 Colonial Williamsburg Collection

[rich pierce]

Backsplash, it sure seems so as far as imports are concerned. Sure would like to see some!

[backsplash75]

Backsplash, it sure seems so as far as imports are concerned. Sure would like to see some!

Rich,
I suspect there are some out there in the wild, they are just not discernible from normal English fowlers other than the half inch bore if the hypothesis is correct.

[Panzerschwein]

Thanks so much Backsplash, and all others as well!

Perhaps I need to commission a 1/2” bore smoothbore squirreling piece in the near future?

[T.C.Albert]

It is almost Christmas. Call it a "Griswolder". I just wonder if you could load it with swan shot?
Tim A

[James Rogers]

It is almost Christmas. Call it a "Griswolder". I just wonder if you could load it with swan shot?
Tim A

Maybe one could roll 2 or 3 down a 1/2" bore before they start to spill out the muzzle? 

[Dphariss]

Were flintlock fowling pieces, specifically American ones, used on small game such as squirrel and rabbit?

The name seems to signify they were intended for use against waterfowl or by extension other birds, but how realistic would it be for them to be used to hunt small game?

Its a matter of cost. How much lead does it take to kill a squirrel in the top of a tree with a fowler. How effective were they REALLY?  I mean how did they pattern with the shot and wadding of the time. Would they pattern well enough to reliably kill a squirrel? Could the owner SEE well enough to use a rifle?  Traders it seems use a LOT more powder and lead than a rifle. This is the reason the Traders did not want the natives using rifles. The military did not want natives with rifles either since natives armed with rifles were a far more formidable foe than those armed with cheap “traders”.

Below is from page 77 or “British Military Flintlock Rifles” by Bailey.

 

On the following  page it continues “..in the Colonies, nor suffering any to be imported.”

I think any student of the rifle in America would benefit from reading chapter 6 of Bailey. Significant numbers of rifles were in native hands by the 1740s. Some rifles were in Militia use in New York in the late 1600s.
The fowler was not considered much of a weapon on the frontier especially if the enemy had rifles. And they did.  But there were large numbers of them in the populated areas. It is my opinion that these were Militia arms. Most men were required to have an arm and a supply of powder and lead. So its unlikely that some store keeper, clerk or other city dweller would have a rifle that they would never fire anyway. Thus they procured the cheapest thing they could find that would make them “legal”. A light fowler. Muskets, were another option but were more expensive to feed since the ball was much heavier.  So there were LOTS of light fowlers  That never saw any significant use.  I patterned a 50 caliber smooth rifle years ago and  with modern 7 1/2 shot, if enough shot was used, it will probably kill a squirrel most of the time. But it took a lot of shot to get the pattern density up. And 7 1/2 is not a good size for squirrels by modern standards. Or so I have read. Still costs more to shoot a squirrel with the 50 smooth rifle than with a round ball.
 I wonder if smooth rifles were “squirrel guns” or if squirrel guns were small bore rifles? Shame someone did not document this at the time.   I also suspect that they had killed off most of the larger game by this time to protect the crops.
IIRC this was equal volume of shot and powder. AND this critter target is a lot bigger than a Fox or Gray Squirrel. I shot it a number of times with various charges and i think this was the best one.
It shot fairly well with a RB at this distance with about 60 gr as well. Would have killed a squirrel most of the time from a good rest based on limited testing.
OK …. I went back to the cost thing. I used my 62 gr measure and #8 shot, all I have, and found this is going to be just over 3/4 oz of lead. 337 gr average of 2 charge (modern 20 ga target loads with #8 use 7/8 ounce, about 382 gr. ). A ball from the same rifle, it shot best with .480” with heavy patch, will weight about 1/2 that. So if you bagged every squirrel shot at with the shot charge and missed  1/2 those shot at with the ball it would average out and for someone with marginal eyesight it would be a win for the smooth rifle. Though the ball might shoot well enough with less powder. I have sold the rifle and the SB barrel years ago and the buyer told me he had the smooth barrel straight  rifled. And it shot balls a lot better. I don’t remember how I wadded these loads but IIRC I punched out some 50 cal wads from 12 or 20 gauge shotgun card wads. It was good enough to kill deer at 50-60 yards with the 480 rb but shot best with 120 gr of FF at that distance. I have never really been able to understand the smooth rifle thing. But maybe they WERE squirrel guns. But they apparently fell from favor in the 19th c when SB rifles were apparently the norm. A 32-36 or a 28 even, would be a massive savings in powder and lead. And 40 or even a 32 would kill deer with decent shot placement.





Cost of a rifle. And poor colonists.
Here are some other quotes from Bailey.