Classic book online

troy2000 · 01-19-2008, 05:29 PM

While I was surfing the net the other day, I stumbled into a book posted digitally by google. It was originally published in 1869, and is entitled, "On the Wing: a Book for Sportsmen." It's about hunting with muzzleloading shotguns back in the day. The author starts with picking a suitable gun; tells you how to load it properly; and goes from there. He gives such advice as not leaving the ramrod in the first barrel you load while you load the second, because removing it will slow you down if you have an unexpected chance for a shot. He also comments that shooting away the ramrod is something beginners do frequently; and dryly observes that although a relative of his once killed a partridge with a ramrod, he doesn't consider one a reliable substitute for shot.

He works his way through hunting the different types of American game birds mostly, although he also throws in a chapter on rabbits and hares. Toward the end he goes into detail on how shotgun barrels were made at the time, and even quotes the hunting and game laws of several states at the time.

It's a good read. I enjoyed it on its own terms, and also as a window into history. Much of the hunting advice he gives is rock solid; birds and dogs haven't changed that much in 140 years. And it's an online freebie. Here's the link:

On the Wing: A Book for Sportsmen - Google Book Search

I tried posting this review in the Review Forum, and was told I didn't have permission. ??!??

Seabeescotty · 01-19-2008, 05:44 PM

Cool! I'm going to check it out, I love stuff from the old days. I've been told a few times I was born a hundred or so years late. It sounds like time well spent. I looked into building a muzzle-loading twin about twenty years ago, when I was really into black powder. I still have a couple of rifles, two percussion revolvers, and two single shot pistols, but I don't shoot 'em as much as I used to. Dang it, your gonna get me off on another tangent! Just joking, anything guns is good. And thanks for posting this book! Scotty

troy2000 · 01-19-2008, 06:34 PM

Check out page 142, Scotty, where he describes "toling" for ducks by having a dog run back and forth on the bank until the ducks get curious and swim over to see what's going on.

I looked up the term online, and found a couple more references to it from the same time period.

Seabeescotty · 01-19-2008, 06:46 PM

All my little terrier mix knows how to do is chase deer into the forest. I keep thinking, someday he won't make it back. We have some big cats out in these woods. I try top keep him close to the house and shop, but he doesn't listen very well. Scotty

troy2000 · 01-19-2008, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seabeescotty

All my little terrier mix knows how to do is chase deer into the forest. I keep thinking, someday he won't make it back. We have some big cats out in these woods. I try top keep him close to the house and shop, but he doesn't listen very well. Scotty

My male Beagle managed to squeeze under a temporary fence after a rabbit the other night, and got nailed by a car. It turned the upper bone of his right front leg into toothpicks.

They've been working on him for a couple of hours this afternoon trying to put it back together, and I'm waiting for a phone call when they're done. I may wind up with a three-legged rabbit hound anyway, but the vet said she'd do her damndest for him.

His little partner in crime is going nuts. The two of them haven't been separated for more than an hour at a time since I brought them home, and she's been jumping up on me and whining because she can't find him.

Cyrano · 01-19-2008, 08:15 PM

Sorry to hear about your dog, Troy. I hope he comes through tit okay, even if he ends up with more metal in his leg than a box full of porch screws. They can do a lot with bone epoxy these days. Maybe he'll get lucky. I'll send good thoughts his way.

Windwalker · 01-19-2008, 08:37 PM

Troy, please post and let us know how the dog does. You have my sympathy and my hopes for a full recovery.

troy2000 · 01-19-2008, 10:43 PM

Just got a call from the vet; she was very close to tears. She worked for hours putting the bone back together as best she could, then found the sharp fragments had severed the major nerves. So even if the leg healed, it would've been unusable. And she says with that kind of nerve damage it would be worse than useless; it would most likely atrophy and have to come off anyway. So I told her to do it and be done with it.

At least the little bugger's still alive. I'll pick him up Tuesday morning on my way home from work, and reunite the pair of them so the little gal will stop whining and talking to me.

ArkansasHunter · 01-19-2008, 10:54 PM

That is sad troy and I'll say a little prayer for your pet.

My Lil Herbert is haveing surgery this comeing Tuesday morning at 7:30 am to remove a lump off his left hip.
This vet said it was common and would be an easy operation, if it's not and goes south I want be around for a little while to recoup...

troy2000 · 01-19-2008, 10:58 PM

Beagles are pretty resilient dogs, A.H. I predict he'll be out chasing rabbits anyway, missing leg or no. And better a front leg than a back one, if it had to happen.

It's not like they're fast enough to catch one anyway; happiness for them is trailing one and keeping it moving ahead of them.

Herbert's another matter entirely, though. We can't afford to lose the OGGR (Official Gun and Game Rodent)...

Seabeescotty · 01-20-2008, 06:53 AM

Oh man, sorry to hear that! I had a little dog that my daughter left with me, who got run over. It crushed a back leg, and they repaired it and left it on. It did atrophy, but he got around pretty good on it, though it never touched the ground. He was a character, learned to do handstands to pee on bushes, and lived to be 14 years old. Once your little guy heals and gets used to three legs, he'll be fine. I just hate to see animals suffer! Scotty

01-19-2008, 05:29 PM	#1
troy2000 Resident Armed Liberal Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 9,471 Images: 9	Classic book online While I was surfing the net the other day, I stumbled into a book posted digitally by google. It was originally published in 1869, and is entitled, "On the Wing: a Book for Sportsmen." It's about hunting with muzzleloading shotguns back in the day. The author starts with picking a suitable gun; tells you how to load it properly; and goes from there. He gives such advice as not leaving the ramrod in the first barrel you load while you load the second, because removing it will slow you down if you have an unexpected chance for a shot. He also comments that shooting away the ramrod is something beginners do frequently; and dryly observes that although a relative of his once killed a partridge with a ramrod, he doesn't consider one a reliable substitute for shot. He works his way through hunting the different types of American game birds mostly, although he also throws in a chapter on rabbits and hares. Toward the end he goes into detail on how shotgun barrels were made at the time, and even quotes the hunting and game laws of several states at the time. It's a good read. I enjoyed it on its own terms, and also as a window into history. Much of the hunting advice he gives is rock solid; birds and dogs haven't changed that much in 140 years. And it's an online freebie. Here's the link: On the Wing: A Book for Sportsmen - Google Book Search I tried posting this review in the Review Forum, and was told I didn't have permission. ??!?? __________________ If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. -Anatole France Last edited by troy2000; 01-19-2008 at 05:33 PM.

01-19-2008, 05:44 PM	#2
Seabeescotty Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Jay, Oklahoma, God's country. Posts: 4,050 Images: 18 Blog Entries: 1	Cool! I'm going to check it out, I love stuff from the old days. I've been told a few times I was born a hundred or so years late. It sounds like time well spent. I looked into building a muzzle-loading twin about twenty years ago, when I was really into black powder. I still have a couple of rifles, two percussion revolvers, and two single shot pistols, but I don't shoot 'em as much as I used to. Dang it, your gonna get me off on another tangent! Just joking, anything guns is good. And thanks for posting this book! Scotty __________________ Adapt, improvise, overcome.-Gysgt Highway, Heartbreak Ridge

01-19-2008, 06:34 PM	#3
troy2000 Resident Armed Liberal Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 9,471 Images: 9	Check out page 142, Scotty, where he describes "toling" for ducks by having a dog run back and forth on the bank until the ducks get curious and swim over to see what's going on. I looked up the term online, and found a couple more references to it from the same time period. __________________ If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. -Anatole France

01-19-2008, 06:46 PM	#4
Seabeescotty Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Jay, Oklahoma, God's country. Posts: 4,050 Images: 18 Blog Entries: 1	All my little terrier mix knows how to do is chase deer into the forest. I keep thinking, someday he won't make it back. We have some big cats out in these woods. I try top keep him close to the house and shop, but he doesn't listen very well. Scotty __________________ Adapt, improvise, overcome.-Gysgt Highway, Heartbreak Ridge

01-19-2008, 10:43 PM	#8
troy2000 Resident Armed Liberal Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 9,471 Images: 9	Just got a call from the vet; she was very close to tears. She worked for hours putting the bone back together as best she could, then found the sharp fragments had severed the major nerves. So even if the leg healed, it would've been unusable. And she says with that kind of nerve damage it would be worse than useless; it would most likely atrophy and have to come off anyway. So I told her to do it and be done with it. At least the little bugger's still alive. I'll pick him up Tuesday morning on my way home from work, and reunite the pair of them so the little gal will stop whining and talking to me. __________________ If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. -Anatole France

01-19-2008, 08:15 PM	#6
Cyrano Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New York Posts: 2,359	Sorry to hear about your dog, Troy. I hope he comes through tit okay, even if he ends up with more metal in his leg than a box full of porch screws. They can do a lot with bone epoxy these days. Maybe he'll get lucky. I'll send good thoughts his way.

01-19-2008, 08:37 PM	#7
Windwalker Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 3,596	Troy, please post and let us know how the dog does. You have my sympathy and my hopes for a full recovery.

01-19-2008, 10:54 PM	#9
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 10,716	That is sad troy and I'll say a little prayer for your pet. My Lil Herbert is haveing surgery this comeing Tuesday morning at 7:30 am to remove a lump off his left hip. This vet said it was common and would be an easy operation, if it's not and goes south I want be around for a little while to recoup...

01-19-2008, 10:58 PM	#10
troy2000 Resident Armed Liberal Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 9,471 Images: 9	Beagles are pretty resilient dogs, A.H. I predict he'll be out chasing rabbits anyway, missing leg or no. And better a front leg than a back one, if it had to happen. It's not like they're fast enough to catch one anyway; happiness for them is trailing one and keeping it moving ahead of them. Herbert's another matter entirely, though. We can't afford to lose the OGGR (Official Gun and Game Rodent)... __________________ If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. -Anatole France Last edited by troy2000; 01-20-2008 at 09:20 AM.

01-20-2008, 06:53 AM	#11
Seabeescotty Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Jay, Oklahoma, God's country. Posts: 4,050 Images: 18 Blog Entries: 1	Oh man, sorry to hear that! I had a little dog that my daughter left with me, who got run over. It crushed a back leg, and they repaired it and left it on. It did atrophy, but he got around pretty good on it, though it never touched the ground. He was a character, learned to do handstands to pee on bushes, and lived to be 14 years old. Once your little guy heals and gets used to three legs, he'll be fine. I just hate to see animals suffer! Scotty __________________ Adapt, improvise, overcome.-Gysgt Highway, Heartbreak Ridge