Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,392
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Post by Snyd on Aug 31, 2016 21:47:30 GMT -5
Thanks Dick. I really enjoy reading your hunt stories and learning from you and other experienced wheelgun hunters. Next week I'll be heading out looking for a big hairy Moose. I've seen griz in the area also but don't want to see one this trip. Season is open but I've already got one on the wall. It'll be another solo hunt for me. I screwed up a few years back and missed a bull with my scoped 45 Colt BisHunter, got all excited and in too big of a hurry. So I'm hoping this year will be the year of taking care of some unfinished business and getting my first handgun kill.
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Post by sixshot on Sept 1, 2016 1:10:29 GMT -5
Well with all your experience up there I'm sure you'll make it happen this time, nobody was born doing it & failure with a revolver can bite any of us. My good buddy Callshot can vouch for that but he didn't let it hold him back either. We got on an average bull early in the season, actually there were 2 bulls together, I had him set up at about 50 yds. with a rest as they came to water & he was packing his Redhawk 41 magnum & a good cast bullet. I told him as they approached to let them drink & I'd stop them when they started to leave. They drank for a long time & old Steve was really getting nervous, he had never killed anything with a handgun. When they finally turned to leave I let them get broadside & grunted & Callshot had him dead still in the scope at 47-48 yds, slam dunk huh? He just barely nicked the brisket. It was actually my fault, I should have stopped them going to the water & he wouldn't have had time to get nervous. First time jitters can get anybody & it just bit my buddy in the Hillary! A week later we're back in the same area & I look up into some real dark timber & there stands a bull that will go 44-45 inches, a very good Shiras moose & he's facing us head on at about 90-95 yds. We're on 4 wheelers & I ease back to Steve & point out the bull, he's a dandy, I'm glad we didn't get the first one now. I whisper to Steve to slip over to his right & move up just a bit & get a rest to shoot from & I start my video camera rolling. As Steve moves away from me the bull slowly starts walking closer towards us, maybe 10 yds but still head on. All of a sudden Steve shoots, no, wait for him to turn I'm thinking! The bull just looks at us & Steve goes rapid fire, I've messed it up again, I should have stayed right beside him & talked him through it. Now his gun is empty & everything is quiet, I look over & he's standing there like he frozen to the ground, not moving, the moose is doing the same thing. I actually yell, RELOAD! He reloads & fires 3 more shots all rapid fire & the bull turns & goes back over the top as I'm videoing. I walk over to Steve & his eyes are glazed over like he's drunk & he's never tasted booze in his life. We hurry up to the top & nothing, no moose, no blood, nothing, he's gone. It can happen to anybody & I let him down not once but twice. He was mad now, mad at himself,at the moose & probably at me but he didn't say anything, we just walked back to the 4 wheeler's & went home. Another week went by & we go to another of my favorite water holes, a place where one of my son's had taken a bull moose with the bow when he was (I think) 15 years old, me & another son watched him shoot it. As we eased our 4 wheeler's up the narrow canyon trail I thought I saw something so I stopped & backed up about 5 yds & grabbed my binoc's & cinched them down real fine into the dark pines. There, looking down at us was a fine bull moose. He was patiently waiting out the hot fall day so he could walk the 100 yds to the cool water we were approaching when I spotted him. I tippy toed back to Callshot's 4 wheeler & whispered there was a nice bull in the black timber above us & to ease off of his 4 wheeler, we would use the seat for a rest. After a few directions he located the bull in his scope on top of the 41 Redhawk. I ask him if he could see the throat & he said he could, I said can you see the base of the throat where it meets the shoulders & he nodded yes. I told him he would get one good shot & to place his crosshairs on that exact spot & SQUEEZE the DAMN trigger & if he didn't I would shoot him, joking of course.... He eared back the hammer & settled in behind the scope & took about 5-6 seconds so I knew he was squeezing & let it rip. The bull whirled & disappeared in 2 steps & we took off up the hill, after about 15-20 yds we heard the bull coughing & I clubbed Steve in the chest so hard I about knocked him over. By the time we covered another 40 yds the bull was down & out, 63 yds head on, one shot with a cast bullet from a 41 magnum & a dead bull moose & my hero Callshot had became one of the few men in Idaho to take a bull moose with a sixgun. We never found the bullet but it had entered that little soft spot where the wind pipe goes into the chest cavity hit the top of the heart, went through one lung, exited the diaphram & back into the intestines for something like 4 feet of penetration. Hell, I was standing next to Superman! I went into a crazy little dance & Callshot was just standing there in that trance again, looking at that magnificent bull he had just hammered, he wasn't dancing, I don't think he could move, didn't bother me any, I was dancing enough for 3-4 people. Its not how you start, its how you finish. One guy commented, you couldn't knock that smile off with a grinder! Dick
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Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,392
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Post by Snyd on Sept 1, 2016 1:47:02 GMT -5
What great story! Here's my Moose Hunt 2011......
Okay, well now I'm hopelessly hooked! I went on my first "official" handgun hunt. Rifle stayed home. I was packing my 45 Colt Bisley Hunter w/355 wfn's as my hunting gun in the Wyoming Combo Holster and of course as any other time I'm in the woods here in Alaska - my 4" 454 Redhawk was on my hip in the Simply Rugged Pancake, my "Oh $4it!" gun. On to the hunt.....
3rd solo moose hunt in a spot I've killed 2 meat bulls before with my rifle, a 40 incher and a fork. I motored in on my atv, pitched my tent and was ready to hunt for 5 days. I saw a cow and calf headed in the first day, nothing that evening. Did some calling that night. I didn't see one moose the second day, saturday.... bummer. But, I had done some exploring and found a moose freeway through the woods leading to a saddle where there was a nice little treed, rocky overlook into the old burn area from 6 years ago.
Sunday morning I still hunt my way down the trail to "rocky point". It was pretty warm so I took my long johns off, stuck em in my pack and out of the still clam air I her RAKE- RAKE, SNAP! RAKE RAKE!!...... A bull!! unmistakable sound. It sound like someone using a 5 gal bucket to tear the woods down.. My heart starts pumping and my mind starts racing...." is this gonna be it?!?!l..... a bull with my pistol?!?!?"
I peek up over the rocky point, peer into the woods with my binos and bingo! I see the bull now on the move left to right. I get a quick look at him, probably 45ish, nice palmated brow tines. I alos see a glimpse of another moose's head, looks like a cow.
I head off paralleling them down my little ridge hoping to get in position.
I was looking for a shooting lane and a spot where I could scrape the brush and hopefully pull him in to 50 or so yds and hopefully have a kneeling shot. Well, you know how things go, critters don't always cooperate. I got to a spot, saw the moose still on the move through the brush… I scrape… he stops, then keeps going… somewhere along the line I ranged him at 92 yds. I grunt, he stops then picks up his pace. He doesn't want to come in. I figure he doesn't want to leave the cow he's with so I attempt to close the gap to get closer…. I close it some… maybe 15-20 yds but everything is happening very fast and I feel like a kid on his first deer! I find a shooting lane, the cow slips through fast…. there's the bull! ug, long way out, I can't get a shot if I kneel, it's offhand I line up, he whips around and as I pull the trigger BANG he's quartering away on the move back the way he came….AAAAHHHHH!!!! Not good, I see the other moose follow him and get clear view and it's a forked horned bull….. what just happened…. I think I screwed up is what happened…. Did I get to excited and impatient?… probably… did I wound the bull…. I seriously doubt it….but the aching thought lingers….. man, this is going to haunt me… I continue up the trail….
As I slowly crept up through the woods my mind returned to the days of still hunting whitetails, mulies and elk in the mountain woods of Western Montana with rifle in hand. That was over 20 years ago before I moved to Alaska. I found there are different and better ways to hunt moose up here which mainly include staying put in a good spot and waiting for them to move through within, or close, to range. Calling and lots of glassing distant areas. The woods are much thicker and brushier up here, moose have bigger ears and noses and….. most of all…. if one spends much time sneaking around in thick brush sooner or later you'll come upon a Big Brown Fuzzy that could ruin your day! We see LOTS of grizzlies here. Plus, with moose there are fewer scattered across a larger area than in the typical deer mountains so a guy doesn't want to limit himself to a small patch of woods for the day. I say all that to say this…. as I was kicking myself for how the situation had just played out, I realized that my still hunting skills have not really been used in years. Getting close to a critter in the brush takes patience. I got impatient. I was wondering if I'd get a second chance on my hunt. I figure the bulls were down in the thick stuff now…. and then…. what's that!?! No way! the bulls had circled back up to the saddle and were in the woods about a 100yds out standing, looking right at me. It was weird though, the small one was directly in front of the bigger one, I could see one body, two noses and sets of eyes and a tangle of antlers. It looked like a two headed moose! Here we go again! I get a second chance!
This time I'm at a disadvantage, they know I'm there. I freeze, watch and wait. They seem nervous. I'm looking at them through my binos and they are staring me down looking kind of nervous. There is no noticeable breeze. Now that I know there are 2 bulls and not a cow and a bull I'm thinking that maybe a cow call will bring the bigger one in for a closer look. It's getting to be that time of year and a mature bull without cows has got one thing on his mind! Or, if they will just look away I could drop down and watch and wait or skootch around and get a bead on him. I decide to call. Here's where it's weird again, one of those split seconds where several things happen at once. Just as I start to let out a soft ..muhwaaa.. they turn their heads away but by then then I've let out the call, they snap their heads back and are on full alert…AAHH… I think I would have rather been undetected if possible. But I wait and watch, then the little bull takes a nervous looking dash off to the left quartering toward me. The bigger bull takes his attention off me, starts to follow the little bull then stops. The little bull bolts off…. the bigger one had moved to a spot where I've got what looks like a clear shot but he's still probably at least 90yds out. But, it's now or never. Again, a standing off hand shot. Now I can put 6 in a 9 inch group at 100yds with a rest, consistently hit the 4 inch metal gong kneeling, sitting, leaning against something at 50-70 yds, and standing off hand consistently hit well inside a 12 inch box. But, I have'nt spent much time shooting off hand at 100yds. And of course now the adrenaline is flowing. But the kill zone on a moose is pretty big if you have a clear shot at it, 24 inches anyway. So, I line up at/behind the shoulder BANG! he turns around facing/looking the other direction, I have a second shot BANG… then a cow that I had never seen that the bull was obviously looking at, takes off and he busts out after her. I'm actually feeling good about my shots. a 1200lb moose can take a couple double lung shots and not even look like he was hit. I'm thinking I double lunged him on at least one shot, he'll go a couple hundred yds, stop and try to catch his breath cuz his lungs are filling up and then fall over dead. Maybe farther cus he's chasing the cow. I head up through the woods to where he was when I shot. I can't find any blood. I'm still thinking he could be laying dead within a few hundred yds. I begin a grid/ zigzag search. The sinking feelings set in….. did I miss? did I kill him but can't find him? The nature of the woods there gave me good visibility, I did my grid search for over a half mile out and back and for for several hours. the more I searched and replayed the scenario the more I think I just plane missed. But at the same time I felt good about the shots, but then that leads me down the road of "did I hit him?". Any of you guys who have hunted for years know what I'm talking about.
I continued with my search for the possible dead bull that evening for a few more hours because I don't give up easy. I never found a drop of blood or the animal. I am confident that I just plane missed. Too far of a shot for an excited newbie handgunner to be taking offhand. I'd be butchering if I'd been rifle hunting. But, I don't regret my handgun hunt. I learned a lot and am looking forward to many years of a new found passion. What fun it is being in the woods with only your revolver. I feel a sense of newness in regards to moose hunting. Like the boy on his first deer hunt.
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Post by contender on Sept 1, 2016 7:20:44 GMT -5
Awww,,, just what I needed,,, a good pair of moose hunting stories this morning! I remember when sixshot told the story of how callshot got his moose, and it made me smile all over again to read it again. And Snyd,,, we do understand your feelings, the excitement, the heartbreak, & desires to return & do it all over again. As our hunting seasons are just now starting,,, so begins our favorite time of the year.
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cmh
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 3,745
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Post by cmh on Sept 1, 2016 7:37:55 GMT -5
Great stories gentlemen
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Post by bradshaw on Sept 1, 2016 8:11:57 GMT -5
Snyd.... since a flinch (jerked trigger) throws a shot farther off target than a poor position or poor sight alignment, and since FOLLOW THROUGH is so critical to accuracy afield, we must remember to BREATHE. DEEP ASPIRATION is the only way I know to clear eyesight and calm nerves. Keeping breathing calms an adrenalized bloodstream. Of course, the trigger is squeezed exactly the same in offhand as from a rest. The only difference: in offhand the gun never stops moving! Oxygenated blood cools nerves and calms the mind. The mind pulls the trigger.
It is so easy to miss. That is why I believe there is no such thing as an easy shot. David Bradshaw
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Post by brobertson on Sept 1, 2016 8:21:12 GMT -5
Thanks Dick. I really enjoy reading your hunt stories and learning from you and other experienced wheelgun hunters. Next week I'll be heading out looking for a big hairy Moose. I've seen griz in the area also but don't want to see one this trip. Season is open but I've already got one on the wall. It'll be another solo hunt for me. I screwed up a few years back and missed a bull with my scoped 45 Colt BisHunter, got all excited and in too big of a hurry. So I'm hoping this year will be the year of taking care of some unfinished business and getting my first handgun kill. Perry, Are you going to use your .500L on your moose hunt or your .45C?? Bob Great thread by the way!!
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Post by bulasteve on Sept 1, 2016 9:31:35 GMT -5
The big boomers often have us reaching for a shooting glove of some kind. After you pick one, stash a couple of extras ! Hunting and its cold or wet weather often again have us needing to be able to shoot with a glove. I'm still nailing this down too. Hey, I've two folding, low sitting chairs meant for the beach, wonder if they'd work for me ? Kinda brightly coloered for the woods though..
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Post by alukban on Sept 1, 2016 9:34:51 GMT -5
I love these stories!
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jdoc
.327 Meteor
Posts: 727
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Post by jdoc on Sept 1, 2016 9:53:32 GMT -5
This has been the best thread. I have read in sometime. Thank you all.
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Post by bulasteve on Sept 1, 2016 10:24:17 GMT -5
I'm seeing a 2lb moose steak over a hardwood fire..There is a few Labatts Blues in the cooler behind me..fall colors aglow..Camo Crocs for camp mocs on..a friend or three to share with(except for the 2lb steak).
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2016 11:12:37 GMT -5
Axe strongly recommended I get a shooting glove for shooting my 454 and it has paid off tremendously. If you aren't using one I would start. That inverted T is a target Ross used and still uses. I have the horizontal line like you showed and it is too hard for me to hold the same right to left consistently. That T gives me a good aiming point each time.
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joej
.30 Stingray
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Post by joej on Sept 1, 2016 11:13:27 GMT -5
That is why I believe there is no such thing as an easy shot. David Bradshaw I disagree, that "easy shot" is one that the other guy made. If one is going to shoot the 454's or the 500 Smith "Elmer Style" just keep in mind that cylinder gap. A couple months ago I tried to tell a youngster that he probably needed heavy leather support for his "home-made" rest he was about to shoot a 500 S&W from, but he just nodded, smiled and squeezed the trigger anyway - and blew hell out of that bag. I think he listened to me afterwards when I told him, if he wanted to shoot that cannon using his knees as support some day, he should do so by having that cylinder waaaay out in front of his legs/knees. I know I saved an ole fool a couple of years ago from blowing a few fingers off, when he asked to shoot a S&W 500 having a 4" barrel. He actually cupped his support hand around the cylinder on the leather bag from a front rest, as he took aim with the hammer back - I hurried up walking over to him and quickly placed my thumb between the hammer and firing pin as I leaned over his shoulder - he looked at me, as if he was going to cuss me out, but I spoke first and told him that he was shooting a high pressure cartridge and that cylinder gap was very dangerous. I put a target over the leather rest and showed him how to hold that revolver - when he touched the round off and completely shredded that paper target - he seemed amused but never thanked me for my "advice". He was a smoke pole shooter and about my age, which at the time was right at 7 decades. I also think I might have saved the owner of that 500 S&W from some type of "expense"?
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Post by bulasteve on Sept 1, 2016 11:29:06 GMT -5
I remember using a hickory tree for a rest, right hand knuckles against tree and touching of the 44mag SBH.. Cheese grated knuckles and bark grit in eyes. Lesson learned. Ouch.
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Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,392
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Post by Snyd on Sept 1, 2016 12:10:19 GMT -5
Lots of great info here. BREATHE, Follow Through, etc. I'll try that other target also.
Shooting gloves. I wear my hunting gloves, you can see them in the first pic. For consistency mostly so the gun feels the same in the woods as it does at the range. But they do help my trigger finger from getting bit!
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