Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred Brackin
As a small note and only knowledge from reading mysteries of that era I think many more of those shotguns might 20 gauge rather than 12 as compared to the US.
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Twelve bores are still fairly common - a 20 might be a vermin gun rather than a sporting one so might well be a "lower class" weapon than an aristocrat's. Twelves are traditional for grouse and pheasants whilst you might use a ten bore for geese.
...of course, there are always punt guns...
Quote:
Originally Posted by whswhs
Kipling's poem "The Land" puts it this way: "I can fish—but Hobden tickles. I can shoot—but Hobden wires." That is, the poacher relies on quiet, unobtrusive snares, and takes small game with them. Poachers had an easier time when every Englishman was an archer . . . though the game laws back then were a lot more harshly enforced.
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Indeed - the poachers in
The Ballad of Minepit Shaw were using crossbows to hunt Lord Pelham's deer. Although I have no idea if that was normal or not.