adkbuck

Chenengo, Nice work behind that lens!

WNY, Please include me in the Challenge. Thanks!

Hi Pygmy, I get a 3-inch clover leaf at 3 feet using my high velocity ventilated rubber pancake! Gran Torino rocked, good application for the MI Garand!

What is your favorite gun to keep your pests down? I will start things off with my Model 50 bug gun.

Its kind of interesting to hear what Jessica Brooks-Stevens of Barnes Bullets had to say about the California Lead Bullet Ban, Not the preachy sermon one might expect...... "If anyone thinks the folks at Barnes Bullets have been rejoicing since misguided California legislation put a future ban on lead bullets for all hunting beginning in 2019, think again.(http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/14/california-lead-ban-copper-/) Jessica Brooks-Stevens, daughter of X Bullet inventor Randy Brooks, said Monday at the 36th Annual SHOT Show in Las Vegas. “His reasons were so far from that it’s not even funny. It was more about performance. It only happened to work for the condor issue in California. “We don’t support the legislation. We think this type of legislation is bad for hunting, bad for the base. People shoot lead-core ammunition because it’s cheaper to shoot. I know some hunters in California who have put their guns up over this. That’s not good for our sport. Bans like this hurt the future of the sport for everyone.” Brooks-Stevens said Barnes copper bullets will cost hunters 50 to 75 percent more to purchase. “Pure copper is expensive,” she said. San Diego Times Union Tribune Jan 14, 2014

Wood Chucks (Field): Browning A-bolt in 270 Winchester, Near House: Remington 870 Express Squirrels and Rabbits: Remington 572 Field Master (peep sight) / Ruger 10/22 (scoped) Grouse. Woodcock, Pheasant and Crow: 3-shot 12 gauge Ted Williams Model 300 semi auto. Turkey: 12 Gauge Remington 870 Express Muzzleloader Deer (NY): Thompson Omega Deer (ADK): Remington 7600 in 270 Winchester, one with scope, one with peep sights for bad weather. Deer (CNY): PSE Vengeance, Remington 870 Express Coyotes: Whatever is in my hand, After deer season: Browning A-bolt in 270 Winchester.

Time to smell the coffee! Any proposed ban of lead projectiles for whatever reason is just part of the incremental elimination of hunting. Lead poses an ingestion hazard primarily when its particle size is extremely small. There is an inverse relationship between particle size and adsorption by the body. Lead and many other metals become a problem when their particle size becomes very fine dust as in airborne dust or paint borne fine particles a thousandth of an inch in diameter or smaller. The fragments associated with bullets striking game are typically much larger and do not pose a threat. The dangers of lead bullets are greatly exaggerated by the left and our easily convinced "moral superiors". The most significant study shows the facts. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2008 tested lead levels in the blood of 700 North Dakotans. Most (81percent) had consumed wild game, including venison. Most (62 percent) ate venison at least once a week. None of the people tested had lead blood levels above the CDC's recommended levels. In fact, the average lead level was below that of the overall U.S. population. No one has ever been documented to have gotten sick from eating game killed with lead bullets. Not ever. The fact is, copper bullets will increase the already high cost of center fire ammunition significantly. For instance the cost of 270 Winchester increases from a typical $20 per 20-round box to $37 per box for Barnes 130 grain spire points. What bothers me the most is not the cost of ammunition for a hunt but how hunters will practice less with the high cost of ammunition. If you ask me commercially manufactured ammunition has already gotten prohibitively expensive and is stopping a lot of hunters from practicing with their selected ammunition beyond bench shooting and sight-in. Other facts: Large slugs and shotgun slugs tend to fragment much less. Copper rifle slugs fragment less but they too will also fragment. Their petals break off and they have some fragments ...it can't be helped...its a science known as "fracture mechanics". As an engineer I can tell you when copper moving over 2000 fps hits something, some fractures must occur. Copper yields more than lead but it also fractures and some small fragments will be created although less In number than with lead. Eventually since copper is also known to have toxic effects on humans, after it has been more widely used it will be claimed that even copper projectiles pose a risk. Copper has been shown to cause cirrhosis of the liver and many other diseases and death in humans. Copper hull paint has been used for years because it is toxic to marine life. It will then be claimed that copper and most other metals have at least some toxic effects and should not be used in game hunting. Eventually what this type of leftist political correctness will lead us to is a ban of all hunting using high velocity metallic projectiles because metal fragments are present to some degree in the meat of anything that is shot.

Unfortunately the attempts to ban lead bullets are not based on good science: http://www.huntfortruth.org/myths/ I have nothing against using copper for bullets as long as it is not imposed on me by a bunch of politicians using politically contaminated science. Copper, by the way also has its own toxicity problems, although rarely discussed: http://www.arltma.com/Articles/CopperToxDoc.htm

Vince, A buck will rub a tree and gouge it but will not remove bark completely to the ground as shown in the picture. Porcupines will remove all of the bark and eat the inner layer to the ground. If a porcupine did it you will see his teeth marks through the damaged area.

I agree. Thanks for posting. Many of the problems in our society today can be attributed to the breakdown of the family. It is at its worst in today black culture. I wish black leaders including our president would speak up for the family. I'm not holding my breath waiting for that to happen.

Born, That's a good question. I don't think I've ever seen any definitive studies or results. Like some of the others I hunt both. I would say its more a matter of your persistence, your ability to go in early and stay late and your willingness to be patient and be ready when the opportunity presents itself rather than whether its public or private land. The other thing is to not get discouraged. If you keep doing the right things consistently you will be successful.

Nice work. I especially liked the shot of the bear rugs!

I saw it last night on Fox.

Just saw this new NRA TV spot: http://home.nra.org/home/list/good-guys-tv then click on "safety" I thought it was very effective. There are several new ones but this one was the first one I just saw on TV.

Wow, Nice Job Indian. Wingbone calls are special. I like using wingbone calls although I always need to get reacquainted and practice with mine before each turkey season. I liked adding a rubber button or small faucet o-ring slid up a bit from the mouth end. I helps me have a consistent way to insure that my lips my are in the correct location on the call. I like having that there as it makes it less likely that I will make a bad note.

VJ, Excellent article. I like the concluding remarks that says it depends on the size of the deer. He also mentions range. The 30-30 and the 223 have somewhat similar capabilities and limitations. One has more bullet mass and diameter and the other more velocity. We are blessed with so many good deer rounds. With perfect bullet placement its all academic. Of course, in the real world, shot placement is often is a bit off. Buck fever, small unseen twigs, excitement all result in a little less ideal shot placement. Its then that the tried and true deer calibers line the 243, the 270's the 30-06 7mm's and 308 based cartridges can save the day. Thanks for the post.

You sure can conjure up with some good questions and many of them! I would want one rifle to be small caliber and dirt cheap to shoot. The second rifle would have to do everything well for me in the big game department. A bolt action 22 caliber rifle for small game, plinking and general practice and my bolt action 35 Whelen (mine is a Remington M700 CDL) for everything else. The 35 Whelen is a forgotten cartridge but shoots as flat as the 30-06 and has the authority to cleanly drop any game in North America including big bears. It is very inexpensive to reload and is often called "the poor Man's Magnum". Unlike "true magnums" the brass is very inexpensive (same cost as 30-06) and it does well with a relatively modest amount of a variety of powders. For deer, my favorite loading is 200 grain Remington PSPCL loaded to about 2850 fps. For bigger game I like and 225 grain Speers or Nosler Partitions loaded to 2780 fps or 250 grain Speers or Noslers loaded to 2685 fps. The 35 Whelen, originally a wildcat, is merely a 30-06 necked up to 358 caliber. What could be better than to develop a magnum performance capability on a 30-06 action and using the 30-06 case. There is something special about the 35 Whelen. Maybe it is because it bears the name of an Army Ordnance Officer, Colonel Townsend Whelen who played a leading role in its development. He like Jack O'Conner was a man who ahead of his time. Maybe its because I loved the his famous Book "The Hunting Rifle". Maybe because I feel an appreciation for things of great value and great simplicity that are forgotten by our modern culture. That being said, it has some disadvantages especially for those that don't reload. It is a cartridge that is not as easily available in remote areas and can be hard to find anywhere due to its lack of popularity. It also really shines with heavier bullets, especially 200, 225 and 250 grain. Ballistically speaking you lose a lot with lighter bullets. Why it has never really been popular is a puzzling question. Bryce Towsley wrote a good article about the forgotten 35's in November 2013 American Rifleman magazine. He owns and loves several 35 Whelens. Probably no one else on the site would likely give the 35 Whelen a second glimpse, but for one gun to take on anything from deer on up Alaskan Bears that is inexpensive to shoot and practice with ....well...I don't think you can beat it.

Happy Birthday Elmo. Congratulations on marrying well too!

I was thinking that if the surface water of the Lakes are cooler than normal this will reduce the amount of lake effect. I am an incurable optimist. I don't mind the cold as much as the deep snow especially since I make maple syrup. . I have to admit if the current precipitation trend continues into the cold weather it could be a lot of snow. Like those Indians in fasteddie's post I am getting more wood.

Just for the heck of it I'm adding a little extra logs from standing dead wood to the wood pile. The best information I have found indicates that the 2014 -2015 winter should be both dryer and colder than usual. This may impact the mid to late hunting seasons. Several continental long range forecasts I have seen seem to agree based on the predicted location of the jet stream show that the Eastern US will have a colder and dryer than normal season: http://beforeitsnews.com/weather/2014/08/winter-forecast-for-2014-2015-highlights-2443436.html This view for a dryer winter is further strengthened for us that live and hunt East and Southeast of the lake by the colder water in lake Ontario. In addition to the surface water being colder (see below) is the colder than normal massive deep water. This will insure colder surface temperatures with the autumnal mixing that will take place. This should result in less lake effect snow southeast and east of the lake. Hopefully the colder than normal temperatures will still give us plenty of light tracking snow for the deep woods hunters and the colder temperatures will hopefully give us a stronger than normal rut.

Grizz, I have never had a desire to Hunt Africa but after viewing your photographs its awfully tempting! Congratulations. You did an exceptionally nice job of presenting your trophies to the camera.

It sure looks a lot like a reincarnated animal rights person.

For your 44 magnum I think you should use a ballistics calculator like this free on-line one: http://www.handloads.com/calc/ All you do is input the weight of your bullet in grains, its muzzle velocity, at what range would you like to sight in for zero, the height above the bore of your sight or centerline of your scope and a couple of other variables and you can easily test out a whole bunch of sightings. Look at the resulting bullet path and see which one you think you like and fits you requirements.

I'm not an "expert" but the trick is to zero your rifle to be about 1.5 to 2 inches high at 100 yards. Your centerfire rifle is a an extremely capable weapon and can be made to shoot very flat deviating no more than 1.5 or 2 inches from muzzle to over 200 yards out. If you are using any cartridge in the 30-06 family, 308 family or any other high performance flat shooting high velocity round there is no reason to not zero your rifle under 200 yards. A 200 yard "true zero" or BZ0 "battle sight zero" will result in your bullet approximately doing the following (assuming you have a scope mounted 1.5 inches above the centerline of the muzzle, with iron sight things are slightly different.) Bullet crosses zero at about 40 or 50 yards ...... (this is the "near" zero or "rising" zero, not to be confused with the true zero or BZ0) Bullet rises to maximum of about 1.5 inches high at 100 yards Bullet Passes through zero again 200 yards Bullet will be about 3 inches below zero at about 250 yards. Hence you can hold dead on out to about 250 yards and not give up an significant capability at short ranges. For slower cartridges like the 30-30 Winchester if you sight in 3 inches high at 100 yards your BZ0 or true zero will be at about 150 yards. You might be more comforatle with a 30-30 having a zero at rue zero at 100 or 125 yards so you bullet deviation is less at various ranges. It will take a little trial and error and firing a few groups to get the confidence in your gun and load. Pick up good book on rifle shooting accuracy for hunters, there are quite a few good ones out there. Wayne Van Zwoll's Hunter's Guide to Accurate Shooting: How To Hit What You'Re Aiming At In Any Situation. Is a favorite of mine. The bullet drop becomes more pronounced over 250 yards. Now we are talking about long range shooting and knowledge of your bullet's path is more important. There are fancy reticles and sighting software but it can be kept simple and "foolproof" without the added stuff. If a little common sense and knowledge of the external ballistics of your cartridge are applied, an ordinary practiced rifleman can be deadly to 400 yards (not necessarily advocating taking long shorts). Even hunting in forested areas you might have some longer range opportunities at or beyond 100 yards near a beaver meadow or a clear cut. Sighting in this way gives you some respectable capability without giving up anything short-range-wise.