Happy Thanksgiving new found friends...

[Ratdog68]

I'm gonna do something I haven't done since 1991 for my Thanksgiving Day. I'm going hunting ! In '91 I bagged two moose (one for me, one for my father) up north of Kotzebue, AK. I spent the night with my father in colder than -10F weather (plus windchill) without the luxury of being in camp. The weather had made the river ice too dangerous to cross... so we spent the night with no shelter, keeping a fire going to keep our spirits up. We made it to camp the next morning and got a good sleep. The next day, we mended a split runner on the sled my father made (Eskimo style basket sled, made of oak)... then, we travelled via snow mobile and had another "near death" episode when we found soft ice on the river. We both got out of it without getting wet, and salvaged a sled loaded with two moose (quartered). Rest in Peace dad ! It was great to have been able to hunt with you in your later years !

This year, I'm going to set up camp in Western WA State and see if I can find a black tail deer with my name on it. I know... I haven't proven my brand new Cherokee rifle (life's been busy) yet, but, I'm setting out anyhow. I've got a good book for evening time... and will have only myself to please on this outing.

Now, for the advice of others in the know. I read that T/C advises to use 90 grains of FFG with a 240 grain maxi-ball for optimum performance. I have only FFFG powder (777) and have two options for lead. First is a .433 cal round ball, and a .45 cal sabot with a 180 grain, pointed (I think it's a polymer) tip. Any input on my available mix for my T/C Cherokee? For "back-up"... I have my .45 Patriot pistol which will be loaded with 20 grains of FFG (777) and the .433 cal lead ball, patched, impregnated with borebutter. I've got plenty of fresh #11 percussion caps too.

Thank you in advance, and Happy Thanksgiving to all of ya.

 

[OleCodger]

Godspeed!!

RD, I can't help you on the advice that you're seeking. However I couldn't resist the opportunity to wish you the best of luck on your deer and a safe trip. And I firmly believe there is an mighty good chance that your Dad might just be watching to make sure you do everything right!!!!

 

[Ratdog68]

First Hunt with dad...

I was 25yrs. old and visited him in Kotzebue, AK after he'd moved back up to his homeland. We set out on a winter day with snowmobile and I was riding in the sled he'd made. We found a herd of caribou and the chase was on. He paralleled the herd at 35mph and was hollering at me: "Shoot 'em ! Shoot 'em !!". I was hollering back at him (while bouncing around in the sled, across the bumpy tundra): "Stop, so I CAN shoot !!" Well... it became apparent that he wasn't going to stop (BTW... Kotzebue is the only area where it's legal to shoot from a moving snow mobile/sled)... so, I put the .30-06 up and started watchin' the caribou appear/vanish/appear/vanish (up/down) in the scope. I experienced that "in the zone" "focus" and everything went into slow motion and I could hear nothing. My breathing calmed and as I saw "brown" enter the scope's view, I squeezed the trigger. I managed to hit my target in the neck and his head dropped and he tumbled (dead) at a full gallop of 35mph. The next thing I heard was "Shoot 'em again !!!" We limited that day and had a full sled of caribou. We got meat for ourselves, and for some of the elders in our family that didn't have anyone to hunt for them.

Thanks for the well-wishes. It's hunts like this that allow a feller to spend a little time in reflection of times gone by and savor some of life's best moments.

 

[BHP FAN]

Triple Seven is at LEAST 10% hotter than Goex of the same granulation,I've used it in my .45-70,but I have only gone as high as sixty grains,by volume in a measure.Test fire first,and set your sights accordingly.It's ''barky'',and flat shooting.

 

[Ratdog68]

Had a good time this weekend...

Drove 70 miles from Seattle and found a nice camp site and did a little scouting around. The first area I tried out had too many ORV's blasting around the woods, so, I went elsewhere. By noon, I'd found a nice perch that looked pretty good for having game in the area. I saw a doe/fawn, but the fawn looked a little small to be without mom... so... I cut 'em some slack and didn't drop the doe.

I found sign of bear in the same area. It'd been stripping bark off stumps to raid the grubs. Amazing critters, those bruins.

Heard some 'yotes yesterday, and found a nice beaver pond/dam.

Two hours after being by an area... saw a dead doe alongside the road. Being I was in the truck, wearing cammo... it would've been the proper redneck thing to do to load her up and bone her out... but, I didn't. LOL

The only "trajedy" of the outing was discovering a "berry" I don't like. The bush looks a little like an azalea and the berry looks like a little, black colored blueberry. While working through some thick brush, one of the berries got mooshed onto the barrel of my new rifle. When I picked it off... it'd stripped the blueing off, down to bare metal. Argh... well... a dab of "bore butter" kept it protected the remainder of the trip. Gotta make a repair to it now. :banghead:

 

[arcticap]

At least you didn't gouge your new stock by walking into a single barbed wire strung out in the middle of the woods like I did once.

Still sounds like you had a good ol' time kind of adventure though.

 

[Ratdog68]

Thanks BHP... I didn't get a chance

to do any shooting... just "hunted". I need to take a range day and tinker with this puppy and bring my pad/pencil along and find out what it likes for measure and bullet type.

 

[Ratdog68]

Ouch !! There'll be NO

more gouging stocks with barbed wire !!! Didja shoot the fence?

 

[arcticap]

There weren't any fenceposts, it was just a piece of old rusty barbed wire that was strung up.

Didja shoot the fence?

No, it wasn't that bad and the fence had already beat me to the draw!

 

[Ratdog68]

Brings a tear to my eye...

M'be a little stock finish oil and a good hard rubbing? A good flooring stain store could match the color for you if you wanted to dab a touch of stain on the scratch to help it blend in. I've got one in my neighborhood that matches colors REALLY good !

 

[arcticap]

That's a good idea, thanks.
Now that you know that accidents happen, I saw a nice little nylon covered neoprene butt stock protection sleeve that was put out by Browning. It's made for expensive Browning stocks when going out into the field.
Don't make the same mistake that I did. Put something over your stock to protect it and don't leave home without it!

 

[Jefferson Herb]

The beauty marks keep the memories of the trip alive.If you don't want to scratch it ,don't use it. I love shooting my stub twist Elsie far more than the modern guns,I just load it accordingly;still it's twist.......