hunting with a fowler

[tddeangelo]

So, took my new-to-me fowler for squirrels and had a great time.

I have some shooting bags for my rifles, and I feel like I've sorted out my bag setup and loading process when hunting/shooting and loading from the bag. I felt like I had 5 thumbs and 3 left hands when trying to load from the bag with the fowler, though.

What are some good bag setups for hunting small game? (eg- what kind of shooting bag, how do you set it up/store shot, powder, measures, etc. )

Appreciate any feedback.

[Bob McBride]

Here’s one of my Fowler setups. It’s for a big bore but my small game stuff is the same. I like a wide shallow bag for two finger access, with my cards/wads/balls loose (I can easily feel the difference), my measure/s hanging from the strap, and my shot bag separate.

[tddeangelo]

I'm assuming that leather "horn" like thing is for shot?

I don't even know what to call it ,but I'd like to learn more about it!

[Bob McBride]

I'm assuming that leather "horn" like thing is for shot?

I don't even know what to call it ,but I'd like to learn more about it!

It is. I just call it a shot bag. It's handmade so you just have to find a style you like and make it or have someone make one for you. They come in every shape and size and strapped or not for storage in your bag. I have used dozens of different styles but i prefer it to hang for a 12 bore or bigger as it weighs my bag down too much. One of my pet peeves is putting things back in my bag and grabbing another thing, etc. I like to try to go into my bag once for what i need for a shot.

[Brokennock]

Each one holds 1oz. of #5 shot. I load 60 grains 3f, 2 thin "over shot" cards, a lubed felt wad or small lubed ball of shredded sisal rope (like tow only more a available), the wads are placed just past the muzzle then one of these shot cartridges is placed on the wads folded side down and all of it is pushed in until the shoulder of the twisted end is right at the muzzle, tear or cut the twist off, place a other over shot card, and ram the whole mess home. Shoot squirrel (or rabbit, or partridge, or pheasant) and repeat.
I keep another similar tin filled with overshot cards and lubed felt wads,


The extra divider between overshot cards is from when I used to carry some of them with a nick in the edge to allow air to escape when seating them over the shot. Since I started building the whole load at the muzzle and pushing everything down together I don't need the nicked cards anymore.

[Nordnecker]

I'm looking forward to responses on this thread.
A wide shallow bag would definately help me, I think.
Brokennock- Lots of good info for me to think about. Is that just brown paper like a shopping bag? I need to learn how to do that. Any help would be much appreciated.

P.S. I found your post on the other forum but the pop-up adds were terribly distracting.

[Brokennock]

I'm looking forward to responses on this thread.
A wide shallow bag would definately help me, I think.
Brokennock- Lots of good info for me to think about. Is that just brown paper like a shopping bag? I need to learn how to do that. Any help would be much appreciated.

P.S. I found your post on the other forum but the pop-up adds were terribly distracting.

Yes, just brown paper shopping bags.
I was going to p.m. you a link to that thread. There is a way to stop the pop up ads, but, I don't remember how I did it. I will try to copy and paste the whole thing and send it to you. Might take a few messages, just like posting the whole process did to begin with.
I've used newspaper too, and the brown paper sold in rolls for wrapping packages for shipping.

[Daryl]

I just use Tracks fowling bag. Works for me, for wads and primer and Dickson-esk shot flask.

[rich pierce]

Brokennock, nice setup there. Going to cipher on that some.

[Brokennock]

Brokennock, nice setup there. Going to cipher on that some.

Thank you.

[rich pierce]

Brokennock, where did you get those tins?  Nice size and look very handy.

[WadePatton]

...
P.S. I found your post on the other forum but the pop-up adds were terribly distracting.

Look for extensions or add-ons to your browser for controlling/eliminating popups and flashy things.  Sometimes one has to do some manual blocking but a lot of it can be automated. 

My normal focus level cannot tolerate such distractions, so I either pave the way with blockers, or don't go.

Just watching to learn here, have a fowler in the plans, a few guns out.

[Brokennock]

Brokennock, where did you get those tins?  Nice size and look very handy.

I get the tins from Specialty Bottle online. Then it is a matter of using heat, cold blue, and such, to darken and finish them. I'm sure you will outclass me on that. Then if I want to, I make and glue in a divider.
Specialty Bottle has a lot of great small tinsel, slip lids, hinge lids, round and rectangular, and obviously small bottles. And, I can by individually. Some similar places online make you buy large lots of the item.

[Brokennock]

...
P.S. I found your post on the other forum but the pop-up adds were terribly distracting.

Look for extensions or add-ons to your browser for controlling/eliminating popups and flashy things.  Sometimes one has to do some manual blocking but a lot of it can be automated. 

My normal focus level cannot tolerate such distractions, so I either pave the way with blockers, or don't go.

Just watching to learn here, have a fowler in the plans, a few guns out.

I think the forum he is referring to, where I have a tutorial on making the cartridges, has a setting somewhere so that members can block most, if not all, the ads.
I don't see any ads there when using my smartphone. I do see a few along the edge of the page when on my laptop.

[Nordnecker]

I revisited the post and, for some reason, the adds weren't as bad.
When I got home yesterday evening, I tried to make a few of these paper cartridges. My gun is .54 so I used a 1/2" dowel that I had. I started with a thin paper bag. I am only using a 55 grain measure of #6 shot. It ended up about 1 1/8 long, not including the fold and twist, and fit into the muzzle easily.
Then I tried a thicker paper bag and it certainly made a more durable cartridge, but was a bit snug in the muzzle.
I suppose the overpowder cards and chunk of sisal will hold the cartridge in place (while loading with the muzzle pointing upwards) until you cut/ tear the twisted end off. Is this true?
If I use the thinner paper, I think I can leave the dowel as is. If the thicker paper is better, I'll need to shave a little off of the dowel.
Do you have an opinion as to which is better?
I don't have everything I need to fire this in my gun. I need to get the wads/ sisal in order to complete this set-up. I'm really looking forward to trying it.

Being able to ram all of this down at one time and especially not having to cut slots in the overpowder cards to let air escape is very appealing.

[WadePatton]

Reduce your dowel diameter for thicker paper if you want to change the fitment into the bore.

There is also "Reader View" offered on my browser--that cuts out all the extraneous junk and distractions, and I use that a lot too.  If you've not tried that, it's the simplest way to cut the noise back on about any site.  In Firefox it's the little square page looking icon in the right end of your address window.  Click on, click off. 

[Brokennock]

I revisited the post and, for some reason, the adds weren't as bad.
When I got home yesterday evening, I tried to make a few of these paper cartridges. My gun is .54 so I used a 1/2" dowel that I had. I started with a thin paper bag. I am only using a 55 grain measure of #6 shot. It ended up about 1 1/8 long, not including the fold and twist, and fit into the muzzle easily.
Then I tried a thicker paper bag and it certainly made a more durable cartridge, but was a bit snug in the muzzle.
I suppose the overpowder cards and chunk of sisal will hold the cartridge in place (while loading with the muzzle pointing upwards) until you cut/ tear the twisted end off. Is this true?
If I use the thinner paper, I think I can leave the dowel as is. If the thicker paper is better, I'll need to shave a little off of the dowel.
Do you have an opinion as to which is better?
I don't have everything I need to fire this in my gun. I need to get the wads/ sisal in order to complete this set-up. I'm really looking forward to trying it.

Being able to ram all of this down at one time and especially not having to cut slots in the overpowder cards to let air escape is very appealing.

Yes, once I pour the powder down the barrel and set the 1st thin card, actually I use 2, just inside the muzzle, then the lubed felt wad/tow/sisal/jute, pushing it all just a little further in with each added component, it holds everything there just fine while I place the cartridge and open the top.

As far as the dowel size is concerned. I like the cartridge to fit a little snug, but, it isn't a round ball, it doesn't need to seal the bore, the wads do that. You could mark the middle of your dowel and sand one half down for use with thicker paper, or for more layers of thinner paper, an have both sizes depend on needs.

[Daryl]

I took some more pictures of that fowler bag that Track sells.
Disregard the pill bottle of wads, LOL.
I lined the underside of the lid with 14 oz. denim for some weight and also used flattened .69 cal. balls for buttons.
It still has the loop and peg closure.
It actually has 6 pockets/pouches.  3 inner, 3 outer.

[Pukka Bundook]

To be very honest, I don't know why blokes on this side of the pond make such heavy weather of using the smooth-bore for small game.

Shot flask or shot belt over the shoulder, that dumps the shot load you choose, a few wads in a weskit pocket, Caps the same, in a different pocket, and powder flask in a side pocket.  Nothing to hang, strangle you, or interfere with free movement....

If a flint is used always prime from the same flask.

Best
Richard.

[John SMOthermon]

Doesn’t get much easier than that Richard, plain and simple.

However some of “us” tend too carry more than “we” really need.

I intentionally left out the kitchen sink..... but did include the wash pot!

[Daryl]

Taylor and I both have Dickson flasks. just like that one on the left, Richard. His is real, while mine is an Italian copy.
It is what I use.

[Brokennock]

I don't carry that much, less than some people listed even. But, I like things organized. I tend to carry the tin of premade/measured shot "cartridges" shown elsewhere, instead of a big thing of loose shot. I don't like messing with loose shot in the field, especially when bird hunting as the dog doesn't like to wait, lol.
Another small tin of overshot cards and lubed felt wads or lubed shredded jute rope (poor man's tow?), and a leather bag of roundballs. Flint wallet at the bottom of the bag has 3 flints, a wiper, a ball screw, some toothpicks, and a couple cleaning patches. Slipped in between items or in the little flat sewn pocket on the front of my bag would be a few very non-period alcohol prep-swabs for cleaning/degreasing the pan and steel.

[tddeangelo]

I revisited the post and, for some reason, the adds weren't as bad.
When I got home yesterday evening, I tried to make a few of these paper cartridges. My gun is .54 so I used a 1/2" dowel that I had. I started with a thin paper bag. I am only using a 55 grain measure of #6 shot. It ended up about 1 1/8 long, not including the fold and twist, and fit into the muzzle easily.
Then I tried a thicker paper bag and it certainly made a more durable cartridge, but was a bit snug in the muzzle.
I suppose the overpowder cards and chunk of sisal will hold the cartridge in place (while loading with the muzzle pointing upwards) until you cut/ tear the twisted end off. Is this true?
If I use the thinner paper, I think I can leave the dowel as is. If the thicker paper is better, I'll need to shave a little off of the dowel.
Do you have an opinion as to which is better?
I don't have everything I need to fire this in my gun. I need to get the wads/ sisal in order to complete this set-up. I'm really looking forward to trying it.

Being able to ram all of this down at one time and especially not having to cut slots in the overpowder cards to let air escape is very appealing.

I hadn't even thought of paper shot cartridges.

Being pretty new to this, I'm not quite sure how those are constructed. Is there a step-by-step on how to roll those tidy paper packages?

[Brokennock]

I revisited the post and, for some reason, the adds weren't as bad.
When I got home yesterday evening, I tried to make a few of these paper cartridges. My gun is .54 so I used a 1/2" dowel that I had. I started with a thin paper bag. I am only using a 55 grain measure of #6 shot. It ended up about 1 1/8 long, not including the fold and twist, and fit into the muzzle easily.
Then I tried a thicker paper bag and it certainly made a more durable cartridge, but was a bit snug in the muzzle.
I suppose the overpowder cards and chunk of sisal will hold the cartridge in place (while loading with the muzzle pointing upwards) until you cut/ tear the twisted end off. Is this true?
If I use the thinner paper, I think I can leave the dowel as is. If the thicker paper is better, I'll need to shave a little off of the dowel.
Do you have an opinion as to which is better?
I don't have everything I need to fire this in my gun. I need to get the wads/ sisal in order to complete this set-up. I'm really looking forward to trying it.

Being able to ram all of this down at one time and especially not having to cut slots in the overpowder cards to let air escape is very appealing.

I hadn't even thought of paper shot cartridges.

Being pretty new to this, I'm not quite sure how those are constructed. Is there a step-by-step on how to roll those tidy paper packages?

Yes. But, my tutorial is posted on another site. I will send a link in a p.m. as I don't think it is allowed to post it here. It is a little more involved than many think is neccessary, but the results are very consistent/uniform. And those who have tried it have been very pleased to have gone through the extra steps.

[Clark Badgett]

Gentlemen, as far as paper cartridge making is concerned. I have found that using newsprint, available at art supply stores, is far superior to using paper bags. I will say that the small paper sandwich sized bags are nearly as good. I've also found thin brown packing paper at Harbor Freight that is nice to use as well. Heavier paper is horrible for cartridges (grocery bags and typing paper). Historically, white and brown cartridges are extant.