This winter

Share your tales (tall or otherwise) of hunting adventures.

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Gunnison
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Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:03 pm
Location: Western Utah

This winter

Post by Gunnison »

I noticed that not much has been said lately about critters being shot with a BPCR this winter. Anybody have something they haven't posted yet?
pete
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Location: Colorado

Re: This winter

Post by pete »

Gunnison;
I don't have much positive bpcr hunting stuff to report from the winter. In November I took the Sharps out for a coyote, called one up and hit him in the rear knee area when he moved just as I shot. After trailing him for 2 miles and missing again I felt bad for him which made the challenge thing wear thin so I went back home and went back out, followed him for another mile and killed him with my .243.
In general I think bpcr is by far more about target shooting than hunting, it's not even close. The modern rifle, muzzleloader, and bow hunters are very passionate but bpcr not so much. Except for coyote hunting I pretty much use bp exclusively but I think a lot of guys don't use a bpcr much because there aren't any special seasons for them. If there were special seasons I think you'd see much more participation. There aren't any magazines devoted to it like there are for bow hunting or even primitive bow hunting or muzzleloader.
Marathonman
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Re: This winter

Post by Marathonman »

Pete, why would you post a horror story like that?
I had gotten possession of a big "50" gun early in the fight, and was making considerable noise with it.

~Billy Dixon~

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Don McDowell
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Re: This winter

Post by Don McDowell »

With the weather we had last fall, hunting just didn't pan out to good. The only time between blizzards in October I had to go out for deer before the season closed, it rained, so much for those couple hours. Same with antelope, just didn't have time to mess with it. Then went one afternoon in November looking for cow elk, then the cold front moved in dropped the temps about 30 degrees in a matter of minutes, along with 40 mph winds...
Will see whether I get to go thise fall, to Jackson for a buffalo, or Pinedale for a moose in a couple of weeks, or will I get my license money back and have the CSA 75 rebarreled..
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Tebbeman
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Location: Central Illinois...I miss Texas

Hunting with the BPCR

Post by Tebbeman »

Pete,

I beg to differ with you as I have hunted with my 50-70 Shiloh Sharps for the past few seasons and it has helped me collect a dozen hogs, whitetail deer, elk, and two bobcats. I like the renewed challenge of using this range limiting rifle with open sights and on occassion the MVA 4x scope. I even hunt your home state, in fact six of the guys I shoot with, all with our BPCR guns and all have harvested our cow elk. I do agree that if we had a dedicated season, or would be included with the "muzzleloader" season (which really is a scoped, powder pelleted, copper jacketed bullet, modern rifle more equal to a CFR than a muzzleloader) I believe more men would use their BPCR to hunt. That's my 2 cents worth but I have a dollars worth of opinion left if you care to hear more. Shoot straight, and preferably in the chest.

KT
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rdnck
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Re: This winter

Post by rdnck »

I only got to spend one day in the field this year, and did not get to fire a shot. On the same trip, a friend of mine got a nice hog in the 200 pound range with his 45-70 Shiloh Roughrider using Stephen's bullet. About 80 yards, complete pass through, DRT.

Pete, you need to learn how to use your rifle. Every year we get another sob story of misses and wounded game. It ain't the gun. Loaded correctly and used properly, a Sharps is one of the most effective hunting rifles in the world.
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pete
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Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: This winter

Post by pete »

Maaan I think I'll change my user name to Rodney Dangerfield. Oh well I'll see if I can address the various posts.

Marathonman;
I sort of understand your position but this is a hunting forum and excrement occurs and telling some of the not so pleasant situations is part of the game too. I wasn't happy about how the whole affair went down but when all was said and done I was quietly satisfied with my determination to try and end his suffering and finish what I started. All in all I walked over 6 miles and took more than 6 hours tracking him in snow and patchy grass, snow and bare dirt. Several times I lost the trail in bare ground and it really tried my determination and patience to find it again. I check in on some of the other hunting websites and have seen similar stories and generally if the person did the right thing to resolve the thing the responses were supportive.

Tebbeman;
I'm not sure what your disagreeing with. I stated that bpcr is mostly a target shooting affair compared to hunting. If you look at all the posts directed toward target shooting like load developement, sights, etc. it dwarfs the hunting side. I've hunted big game almost exclusively since 1990 with bp either muzzle loader or cartridge. The only exception was 1995 for mountain goat and that was because my Hawken weighed 12 lbs. and was too heavy for my solo backpack trip. I'll have 20 prefence points for elk this year and when I go it will be with either my Shiloh or Lonestar.
This past fall I hunted deer too and passed on a 2 point buck at 45 yds because I wanted a bigger one and later turned down a 237 yd shot at a decent 4 point because I didn't feel comfortable at that range. I went home without a deer but I didn't give in and use a modern scoped rifle.
I'm glad for your success .....how about a story or 2 and some photos.

rdnck;
Looking back at my post I don't think it was a sob story and I didn't blame the gun. I said the coyote moved just as I shot and I have it on video. If you've ever hunted/called coyotes much especially in open country you should know most times they don't stand still very long especially when they're circleing down wind. My second shot was when he was running and a coyote even a 3 legged one can move pretty fast.
While I didn't blame the gun for the bad hit I will say though that a .243 with a 58 gr. V Max at 3600 fps and a 9X scope is an infinately more efficient coyote killer than a any Sharps cartridge.
Marathonman
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Re: This winter

Post by Marathonman »

Pete, I like you and enjoy most of your posts. This is one though that you should probably let go of. When Rodney Dangerfield says he doesn't get any respect it's funny. When you say it it's like you are anticipating respect for doing what you should do in the first place. Every ethical hunter follows up on bad shots. It's a given not an option. Don't blame the coyote for being a coyote. By stating he moved just a you shot sounds more like "I did my part it's the coyote who screwed up the shot!" And no I don't need to see the video. Your other observations are controversial and posting those in public will likely test how thick your skin is. Don't make a target out of yourself and not expect people to take pot shots at you.

Let it go Pete.
I had gotten possession of a big "50" gun early in the fight, and was making considerable noise with it.

~Billy Dixon~

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Gunnison
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Location: Western Utah

Re: This winter

Post by Gunnison »

One of the worst things that can happen to any ethical hunter is for his intended target to move as they squeeze the trigger! It doesn't matter if you're shooting the latest greatest super magnum or a bpcr it usually turns a good shot into a bad hit. Pete, thumbs up for doing the right thing and finishing the job! There are many people in this world who'd said, " It's just a coyote." and left it to suffer.
pete
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Re: This winter

Post by pete »

Gunnison;
Yea you're right the results are usually not good. A clean miss would have been a lot better. Ironically if he wouldn't have moved I might have hit right under him. Thanks I appreciate it.

Marathonman;
I like most of your posts too but I think you're blowing this out of proportion, I was just responding to comments made from others and the Dangerfield remark was just a joke. I should have put a Smilie after it.
Initially I posted the story as if I was having an upfront conversation with a fellow hunter, but I guess I've learned another lesson about the difference between that scenerio and some talk forums. I don't know why you think I " blame" the coyote and it doesn't matter I guess but if you look you'll see I repeated the coyote moving issue as response to the statement about learning to use my rifle. Also, I had no intention of showing you the video I brought that up because it verified what happened and showed me again that what I think happened isn't always the case that's all.
You are right though I'll let this die.
Straightneck
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Re: This winter

Post by Straightneck »

pete;; you posted a hunting story and that's what happened,,, it takes a pair to post oops and things gone wrong, and you did what was responsible and right by going back out to finish it. and that takes a pair also. I enjoyed reading
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