day hunt or is that a squirrel in your pocket?

The Burtilino/schreangaust gun.....so ugly but it kills stuff

Pocket Trash....checked bag of parched corn tied to my canteen....firekit/tobac pouch/compass/book in left pocket.....Powder measure is an original Pipebowl Also use it to measure shot when taking my time to load....shot snake and scarf with gun eqipment in right pocket....knife in trousers pocket

At the "onion Patch" my favorite place at my camp.....trying out the camera's timer

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Well I was able to take my new gun for a walk yesterday and for a few hours this morning (saw nothing this morning). I traded a horn strap to a buddy for a broken up .54 smoothbore parts gun. So after a week of gluing/soldering/polishing and rawhide wrapping It was ready to go. And man is This gun is ugly.
I decided to leave my shot pouch at home and just carry all my gear in my pockets. In my right pocket I carried some loose .32 cal ball, my shot snake and a small scarf with turn screw, cleaning toggle and spare flints wrapped in it. In my left pocket I carried a pocket compass, notebook/lead pencil, fire kit and tobacco pouch.In my trouser pocket I carried a pocket knife. These items along with my horn with attached new (old) pipe bowl powder measure and canteen/food wallet was all the stuff I carried.
I know it sounds like a lot for a day hunt (though I’ve seen many folks carry A LOT more) I wanted to try out a simple rig for an upcoming few day hunt I’m getting ready for. I have to say this set up would work for a many day hunt with the addition of a few items in a knapsack/wallet.
The clothes I wore was a pair of viriginia cloth trousers, Linen waistcoat, wool jacket and hunting shirt. On my feet I wore my wool stockings and a pair of mocs. The temps went from 40-upper 50’s so I went with wearing a knit cap under my round hat. I have to say that I was really comfortable all day long. I covered a lot of ground and would then plant myself in a blind. I never once got overheated/cold.
Right off the bat my new rig got it’s first test on speed loading. Along the top of the first ridge I walked I came across a few squirrels hanging out eating hickory nuts. I pulled up on the first squirrel I saw and bam! Or should I say *long flash…….bang! A hangfire….and yup you guessed it lack of follow through (DOH!) So I quickly loaded watching the squirrels move off to my left.
I dropped down to the next table and ran the direction I had last seen the squirrels bolt. Well either I overestimated the distance they traveled or am way faster then I thought (probably the first) but looking into the trees ahead of me I almost walked right by a big fox squirrel 20 feet away. SO I pulled up and Bam….dead squirrel.
The rest of the day was less eventful though I did see around 20 deer, flush a few grouse and see the world’s biggest woodpecker. I also gathered some dogbane shoots for making cordage. It was just nice to get outside and scout out some area for fall turkey.
The pocket “shot pouch” seemed to work out really well. It cut down on the straps and all the weirdness that goes along with that. Nothing to cut into my shoulders or shift around to get in the way. I also knew which pocket to get into for what so it got rid off the digging thru a pouch for everything. I also wouldn’t really have needed much more gear to stay out for a few more days at all. I’m going to head out with this kit a few more times and then try it out at the Welbourne event for 2 nights out.
Now please before the hate mail starts I am by no means suggesting hunting/shot bags are wrong. In fact I’m a huge fan of shot bags I have quite a collection at this point. In fact they end up being décor in different rooms as I keep buying/making more. I’m just putting some info out on something I felt like trying.