More photos from The Shelburne Museum-

[fishingpol]

I getting these up before the power goes out here. Things are slowly ramping up weatherwise.

The log cabin was full of taxidermy mounts including the brown bears. I had to get a picture of the cut-off logs with identifying tags. Every woodburner should have a set of these in their living room for those "What kind of wood is this?" posts.

The two punt guns were used by market gunners. The guns were about 9 feet long. I wondered what happened to the one with the damaged breech. There is also an exhibit of antique Vermont rifles until the end of October when it closes for the season. One house included a large collection of wood bird decoys and carved birds that filled the house. Being a bird carver, I could have spent half of a day in that house alone. I have books of wildfowl decoys, and to see them in person was really neat.

I learned two things from the trip. 1.) Buy a better camera. 2.) Take more pictures.

This museum is about 1 1/2 hours from West Lebanon if anyone is making the road trip to Woodstock this fall.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes, that indeed looks like a nice place to visit.

 

[woodsmaster]

Pretty neat idea with the wood. Looks like a cool place!

 

[fishingpol]

It is a great place to visit.

Here is a pic taken from the lighthouse. All the buildings you see have exhibits and items of interest in them. It is not one large museum building, but acres of land and buildings with a steamship plopped in the middle of it. It is much like Old Sturbridge Village in Ma. without character actors.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

I love the "punt" gun mounted on that boat.

 

[fishingpol]

That type of gun is what led to the federal waterfowl bird treaties in the early 1900's. Gunners would sneak up on a flock of sleeping ducks at night and fire into them killing over 50 birds at a time and wounding many more in one shot. The "punt" is the boat it is mounted in. It is surprising how many birds were taken by the market gunners. Enough to drop the population down and make it a concern.

I believe the guns in the photos had a two inch bores. They were considered shotguns.