Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

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

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bobw
Posts: 3841
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:52 pm

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by bobw »

I shot a couple of deer and 2 antelope with my 50-140 using a 570gr ppb cast 1 to 20 at right on 1500 fps at the muzzle. Ranges 90 to 175 yds those big bullets just whistle thru, shot in the vitals. Nothing small about 50 cal holes but I could not see any evidence of expansion either. 50 in 50 out. I went to 1-40 with my 1st antelope in my 45 2 7/8 , a little expansion but not much more. Oroville uses 1-70, I just haven't got there yet. My line a thinking is on smaller game like deer and antelope it might be best to place your shot to break bone that breaks them down(shoulder shot) and be done with it. As far as it goes the 50-70 is enough but you need softer bullets for smaller game like antelope and deer. Dick Savage just sent me some pics of a young buffalo bull he took today with 1 shot low behind the shoulder with his 50/70 shooting a 473 ppb. I'll let Dick post his own story and not guess at his data. Bottom line is that a sample of 2 is just that. Dan, I got a 515141 mold I could easily cast some at 1 in 60 or 70 and send them to you to try.? bobw
bobw
Stephen Borud
Posts: 1015
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:29 pm
Location: Casper Wyoming

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by Stephen Borud »

pete wrote:Marathonman;
Man you're an antelope machine. A good informative post but that's surprising about the 50's performance I wouldn't have thought that. As you know a lot of buffalo and I'm sure a lot of antelope were killed with it in it's heyday. Do you know what velocity you were getting? If you did it again would you go with the longer barrel?
We went out this weekend but it was foggy, rainy, snowy so we went out late and came home early....... in fact I never took the rifle out of the truck to hunt. The rancher was impresssed with my Shiloh and that somebody would use one instead of the usual scoped rifle. We're going back out Wednesday thru Friday. As you know Colorado doesn't have the antelope density of Wyoming but there are alot more people so it's far from a certain thing with a bp gun.

Stephen;
That sucks about that doe. You've still got possibilities and the elk story with a Sharps will be better anyway. :) Are using your 44-77 for both antelope and elk?

Pete 44/77 for antelope! The elk will be hunted with the 50 2 1/2! I have until the end if December to hunt elk! I've never killed an elk with a Sharps, so I'm looking forward to it!


Stephen
Marathonman
Posts: 1000
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2002 6:47 am

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by Marathonman »

Thanks Pete I don't know about being a machine but I have taken quite a bit of game over the years. I didn't really mean to slam the 50-70 with a short barrel but it is way inferior to my 30" barreled 45-70 business rifle at least for me. This is all subjective of course and depends on all the variables some of the time etc. Sharps eventually stopped making the 50 calibers and with enough shooting I might come to the same conclusion. Like Bob kind of said though my sample size of 2 antelope with a 50-70 in my entire hunting career is hardly a big enough to make a firm conclusion that fits everyone or makes me an authority capable of making big statements that others should pay attention to. (I like long sentences to make me sound smarter than I am.) :lol: I never chronographed my load but it fits the balistic tables found in several publications I'm sure. I know the weather you mentioned was tough. I got the heck out of Wyoming in one day for the same reason!
I had gotten possession of a big "50" gun early in the fight, and was making considerable noise with it.

~Billy Dixon~

Adobe Walls 1874
Marathonman
Posts: 1000
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2002 6:47 am

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by Marathonman »

bobw wrote:I shot a couple of deer and 2 antelope with my 50-140 using a 570gr ppb cast 1 to 20 at right on 1500 fps at the muzzle. Ranges 90 to 175 yds those big bullets just whistle thru, shot in the vitals. Nothing small about 50 cal holes but I could not see any evidence of expansion either. 50 in 50 out. I went to 1-40 with my 1st antelope in my 45 2 7/8 , a little expansion but not much more. Oroville uses 1-70, I just haven't got there yet. My line a thinking is on smaller game like deer and antelope it might be best to place your shot to break bone that breaks them down(shoulder shot) and be done with it. As far as it goes the 50-70 is enough but you need softer bullets for smaller game like antelope and deer. Dick Savage just sent me some pics of a young buffalo bull he took today with 1 shot low behind the shoulder with his 50/70 shooting a 473 ppb. I'll let Dick post his own story and not guess at his data. Bottom line is that a sample of 2 is just that. Dan, I got a 515141 mold I could easily cast some at 1 in 60 or 70 and send them to you to try.? bobw

Thanks for your offer on the bullets. I don't think I'll need them this year but may take you up on it some time! I'm leaning towards my 45-110 for my moose the week after my wifes surgery. Interesting about your 50-140. I had a mule (Original Sharps with some Shiloh parts) in the late 1970's that never shot worth a hoot. I bet you could get her talking now though if she still was around.
I had gotten possession of a big "50" gun early in the fight, and was making considerable noise with it.

~Billy Dixon~

Adobe Walls 1874
Marathonman
Posts: 1000
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2002 6:47 am

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by Marathonman »

Stephen, I can't wait to hear about your elk hunt witht the 50 2 1/2. My first elk with a sharps was with that cartridge using greasers and it pole axed her right quick! One shot went full length and lodged under the skin in her neck. I really like your more traditional rifle though and what you've been able to do with it so far!

Good luck!
I had gotten possession of a big "50" gun early in the fight, and was making considerable noise with it.

~Billy Dixon~

Adobe Walls 1874
Denali
Posts: 240
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2004 8:17 pm
Location: Eastern Washington

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by Denali »

Congratulations Marathonman and BobW. Good luck Stephen on your elk hunt. Takes some guts to go after one with a longbow! I have one but chicken out using it when it comes time to hunt.

Got my cow elk today with the muzzleloader. Fortunately it was only about 1/2 mile from the road. I spotted it at about 150 yards through the pines feeding in the Quilomene area near Ellensburg. I stalked to within 90 yards and shot it broadside towards the upper last 1/4 of the lung area. Punched right through. Elk spun around, trotted 10 yards, got dizzy and fell over. Took a couple minutes to completely expire. The 45 cal 0.30" meplat hardcast flatpoint (saboted) using a 45-110 case full of powder (as a powder measure) produced an exit hole just slightly smaller than a quarter.

I picked up my 44-77 Sunday. Man I love the balance of the Business rifle! I had an extra 1/2" length of pull added and it fits PERFECT! I'll have to shoot it to fireform some brass later this week before I go back to work.

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pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by pete »

We went back out Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for antelope after the opening weekend and came home without an antelope. The drought had a lot of them moved somewhere else and some bad luck sealed the deal. We 3 good stalks and one thing or another worked against us.
Stalk 1 had me work to within less than 150 yds. but they moved out when I was still hidden behind a little rise. I didn't see them leave but my wife watched from about 300 yds said they just trotted off without seeing or smelling either of us. ESP I suppose.
Stalk 2 I got to within 190 yds. of the closest doe but she was quartering toward me and there were 2 other does a little closer to her than I was happy with considering a 15-20 mph wind to go with it. The next closest one was 214 but again with the wind I didn't feel good about it. They walked off never knowing I was there.
Stalk 3 The next day we found the bunch from stalk 2. After working them for almost 2 hours I crawled to what I thought was within 200 yds. By then all I could see was their heads since they had laid down and it was tough to tell range exactly since the range finder wouldn't pick up. Add to that one was staring straight in my direction I decided the range was fine. I was all set up on shooting sticks waiting for one to get up. I waited almost 1/2 hour and when one got up I ranged her at 239. So more crawling was in order. While I was crawling closer I peeked up to see them running for their lives. As I wondered what happened I saw 2 horses running over to see what was going on. I won't repeat what I said at that moment.
pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by pete »

I tried to edit the last post but it wouldn't let me. Anyway I guess I'll have to start practicing at a little longer range in reasonable windy conditions. You Wyoming guys have it made :)
Stephen Borud
Posts: 1015
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:29 pm
Location: Casper Wyoming

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by Stephen Borud »

Shoot Pete, you had some close calls but no go! I'm heading out Saturday for my last chance for a antelope doe. Crossing my fingers! Then it will be time to hit the hills for elk! The Big 50 is itching for some action!

Stephen
Hartford Pete
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:17 am
Location: Very Southern Colorado

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by Hartford Pete »

pete wrote:We went back out Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for antelope after the opening weekend and came home without an antelope. The drought had a lot of them moved somewhere else and some bad luck sealed the deal. We 3 good stalks and one thing or another worked against us.
Stalk 1 had me work to within less than 150 yds. but they moved out when I was still hidden behind a little rise. I didn't see them leave but my wife watched from about 300 yds said they just trotted off without seeing or smelling either of us. ESP I suppose.
Stalk 2 I got to within 190 yds. of the closest doe but she was quartering toward me and there were 2 other does a little closer to her than I was happy with considering a 15-20 mph wind to go with it. The next closest one was 214 but again with the wind I didn't feel good about it. They walked off never knowing I was there.
Stalk 3 The next day we found the bunch from stalk 2. After working them for almost 2 hours I crawled to what I thought was within 200 yds. By then all I could see was their heads since they had laid down and it was tough to tell range exactly since the range finder wouldn't pick up. Add to that one was staring straight in my direction I decided the range was fine. I was all set up on shooting sticks waiting for one to get up. I waited almost 1/2 hour and when one got up I ranged her at 239. So more crawling was in order. While I was crawling closer I peeked up to see them running for their lives. As I wondered what happened I saw 2 horses running over to see what was going on. I won't repeat what I said at that moment.
I don't know where in Colorado you are but this drought is getting tiresome in the southern end. I have a buck antelope tag for our area, SLV, (one of 5 tags) it took me 10 years to draw. It is a muzzleloader tag though so no Sharps. It opens this Sunday, oddly. Wish it wasn't after the rifle season as they are a litle spooky for awhile. Have seen some good bucks so we will see what happens.
-plc-
pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by pete »

Stephen;
Yea the pieces just wouldn't come together and my wife said at one point suggested that next time maybe I should use the .243. I'm not quite ready for that yet. Good luck on the antelope and elk. Looking forward to a story.

Pete;
I'm in southern Colorado, probably not as far south as you. Yea the drought is old hopefully it won't be a bad winter and we get rain next year although I'm pretty skeptical anymore. I don't understand why the ml season is after the rifle season either. I hunted ml antelope once in the ml season and 5 times in the regular season since there was no ml season then. I killed 5 bucks and now I can't even get an antelope with a Sharps anymore :P Good luck on your hunt sounds like a heck of a license. Let us know how it goes.
Hartford Pete
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:17 am
Location: Very Southern Colorado

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by Hartford Pete »

Pete, yes, I am between Monte Vista and Alamosa, about 35 miles north of the NM border. I have killed a couple of does here with a muzzleloader back when they just issued 100 tags for bucks and 100 for does good statewide, but now the Valley tags are very hard to draw. My tag is good for the whole Valley which is a good thing. Even though the antelope rifle ended last week, the next round of deer and elk hunters will be ramming around keeping public land bucks in a frenzy. Luckily I may be able to avoid that scene. I will report on my success or failure.
Where do you do your Sharps shooting?
-plc-
pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by pete »

Pete;
We shoot 2-3 silhouette matches a year up at Watkins, east of Denver. I'm not good enough to be a big time competitor but just have fun trying to knock a few down. Good luck with your antelope hunt.
Hartford Pete
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:17 am
Location: Very Southern Colorado

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by Hartford Pete »

Well, I was succsessful on the muzzleloader antelope hunt yesterday. I planned to hold out longer but I have looked over a lot and this one was worthy due to his great mass. Saw others with longer horns but mass really helps the score. Notice I cannot reach around them and my mitts aren't tiny. I was well satisfied and apologize for the obvious poor shot placement visible in the photos. That was the second shot at 169 yds but put him down permanently as the first shot at 129 was too low and though it would have killed him it would have been a long wait. Gun is a T/C Hawken with a .58 cal. green mountain drop in round ball barrel. Son Wyatt is with me. He got a doe with a rifle (his first) awhile back during rifle season using a landowner tag a rancher friend gave us.

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Denali
Posts: 240
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2004 8:17 pm
Location: Eastern Washington

Re: Anybody draw a tag they been waiting years for?

Post by Denali »

Nice work Pete. Thanks for sharing!

Mike
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