Monday, June 29, 2009

[Double D]

Good morning,  Montanan, MT_Sourdough, dpe, Southpaw, Forster, Atlaw, pab1, newstart2k, Skunk, kitchawan kid, lurker, CJ, Bilmac,thxmrgarand, Syncerus, Mcwoodduck, Brennemanj83, Old Shooter,TY22, Canon6, burntmuch, Grimjim, CJ, Bilmac, rparsons934 wis_sharpshooter, BBF, Blue Duck, billy_56081, hunt-m-up, Gun Runner, Chilachuck and Lucky Guy.

A scorcher here in Cut Bank today, 75 degrees and clear skies....

Thinks are getting settled down after a month of visitors.  This weekends Victorian Riflerman shoot went well, had a great time.

Broke a tooth this weekend.  Had the wife get me in to the Dentist this afternoon. Been meaning to stop in to see if they had any lead  x-ray backers for cast bullets.  Knew I was in trouble as soon as I walked in the door. Big game heads every where. Hunting pictures on the bulletin board. The Dental Assistant and I get into a protracted conversation on good gopher guns.  The Lady sits me down in the chair and takes and x-ray.  I ask her is the x-ray film has lead backers.  "yes we use it for casting bulllets."  Darn!

[Oldshooter]

Hello all,
75 Degrees was our low last few days!

 We are cooking down here! I went out to do some chores yesterday and had to give up at 18:00 due to the fact that sweat was running in my eyes and blinding me. That was in the shade!

 

[1Southpaw]

Still 75 here , just finished making 23 fuse /quills . Getting ready for the 4th of July  fun shoot here @ the farm . We will be mortar bowling @ 100 yards . Made up a bunch of trial charges in 1.25 , 1.3 and 1.4 oz. will try them out tomarrow or the next day .  We will have 10 pins set up @ 100 yards to shoot @ .
Sounds like we wuill have visitors in from from all around . should be a good time .

[Mt_Sourdough]

In the past, some people have asked me about my bicycle hunting.  Well, this week end I loaded up and headed into the mountains with my bicycle to do some scouting.   This particular bicycle, was given to me by a friend last year.   Its not an expensive bike, but for hunting duties, it is just right. 
   I got up into a drainage drainage where access is limited (no motorized access) in Plum Creek and State Land.  Plum Creek owns the road that I ride up.  They gave me permission to access it with bicycles years ago.  One particular canyon/draw I camped in had two large herds of elk and al least 5 bears.  3 adults, with one of those adults had two cubs.  At sundown, the drainage sounded like the deep congo with all the noise that the elk herds, bears and birds were making.
  By the way, that's my 444 accompanying me this time.

[pab1]

My son has been on vacation with his mom this past week and when he got back today he said he wanted to go fishing. After dinner and his baseball game, we had about two hours before sundown to fish. We tried the pond I usually do well in for about an hour and a half with no luck so we crossed over to another pond at a spot where I caught a nice rainbow earlier in the day.

After about 5 minutes he had a fish on and we could tell it was a nice one. He did an excellent job fighting the fish which was much bigger than anything he has tangled with before. He was very excited but didn't try to rush things. He showed great patience as he brought the fish near shore several times only to have it run and strip more line out. I was finally able to net it and we were both hooting and hollering! He caught a beautiful, fat 10# rainbow. I had him lift it in the net so it wouldn't thrash and fall onto the rocks, then I held it up while he took a picture. I have never been as excited about any fish I've caught as I was over him catching this fish.

He landed this fish on a 4'6" Wally Marshall medium-lite Dock Rod.






Here is the fish I caught earlier in the day at the same spot my son caught his, along with another fish from that trip. I had to use the self-timer to take these pics.

[Blue Duck]

Dandy fish in those pics.  Congrats.

[Skunk]

Double D: Sounds like the dentist to have. Should have picked up some of those braided action cleaning swabs and a few used dental picks while you were there.

Great pics Sourdough and Pab1. The smile on the little guy says it all.

[mcwoodduck]

Double D,
What is a Victorian Riflerman shoot?
And let us hear you take on a good Gopher rifle.

Pab 1,
Those pictures may get me to want to take fishing back up.
WOW.

[Double D]

Opinions on good gopher guns are like any opinions, everyone has one.

My opinion is a good accurate rimfire with a good trigger and a fixed 6x scope.  I prefer single shots my 581 Remington .22 Lr served well for a long time.  I am now using a BSA1215 in 17 Hornady Mach 2.  Even thought there are some issues with extraction of the 17 HM 2 in the little BSA Francotte action, I am still shooting while my friends are clearing jams and loading Magazines for their 10-22's.  I don't enjoy shooting my 10-22, but it does still have a factory trigger.  I keep threatening to make up a 17 HMR on one of my BSA Martini's, but for the cost of ammo for the HMR, I migh as well shoot a centerfire.

I have used centerfires on gophers even up to my .404 Express.  The .223 seems to be the big Magnum for gophers, but a good 22 Hornet or 218 Bee seems a better choice.  A 17 Hornet or Bee of some sort appeals to me also.

The Victorian shoot was announced  at  http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,163373.0.html but the in depth description will be found at http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.com/topic/8131

[BBF]

good insurance that 444.
I've been thru Montana several times and remember seeing herds of pronghorn along the Highway. Great State

[1Southpaw]

Wow , Nice fish , haven't ever caught one that size.   Years back my dad had a hired man that fished when ever he could . His record was a pond caught 14 lb some oz  Rainbow . It was a deep as it was long . full of shrimp .  The pond is a 30  surface acre reservoir .

[1Southpaw]

Doug , A 17 HMR is cheaper to shoot and will rack up a higher body count than a 10-22 . Jams , feeding problems , multiple misses , etc. The 10-22 are real ammo burners .....  I have 2   

[mcwoodduck]

I have 3 10/22's and one of them is no fun to shoot.
It is a factory T model and has a great trigger in it.  It too is factory.
It wears a 3-9X40 Leupold Var X II scope and it is no fun to shoot cause you hit everything with it.  there is no skill involved in shooting the thing.  Out to 75 yards you put the cross hairs on what you want destroid and slowly...Bang.... Squeeze the trigger and you hit it.
I have had it jam but have fixed that with ammo and cleaned mags.

[Double D]

McWooduck,have you got up to McDoel for Picket pins with those 10-22's? 

[mcwoodduck]

OK.
But it will have to be next year.
This year is hunting for white tail (nov) in NC and maybe a spring turkey hunt.
Next year is Mt with a friend that grew up in Cascade.  He talks about shooting ghophers and has a Marlin in 17 HMR.
last time we were there I was more interested in Bird hunting on our free time with the bulk of the 2 weeks after deer and elk.
What are Picket Pins?

[Double D]

Picket pins=Belding Ground Squirrels, northern California's equivalant to the Montana's gophers or Richardson Ground squairrel.