Your "perfect" antelope gun
- Thread starter gobigorgohome
- Start date
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
I doubt I'll ever get drawn again but if I am lucky enough to get another draw, I 'think' I'd go with a .25-06. In my previous post, # 30, I went with my Schultz & Larsen in 7x61 S&H. Out of what I have available,
it was the Schultz's 'turn'..
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
This youngster believed the .338 was a reliable speedgoat cartridge . . .
As for me, I do have a .25-06 MK-V Ultralight topped with a Leupy 3.5-10X. That rig, combined with a suitably slippery bullet of a 100 grs or a little more, that will shoot in a 1:10, should do the trick.
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As for me, I do have a .25-06 MK-V Ultralight topped with a Leupy 3.5-10X. That rig, combined with a suitably slippery bullet of a 100 grs or a little more, that will shoot in a 1:10, should do the trick.
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Another nice one of Mr. & Mrs. Elmer, Thanks Boomer.
I have some in one of his old books with a 333 OKH and Antelope.
I wonder if the # 1 in the picture is a 338 Win.Mag.or if it is the 338- 378 that he praised frequently to be such a powerful rifle.
I have some in one of his old books with a 333 OKH and Antelope.
I wonder if the # 1 in the picture is a 338 Win.Mag.or if it is the 338- 378 that he praised frequently to be such a powerful rifle.
A 25-06 with a 100 gr. load will drop an Antelope like the Hammer of Thor, I have witnessed it.
As an aside we stayed at an old rancher's place about 40 miles SW of Maple Creek when we hunted back in the '60s.
Naturally we had our big powerful toys and he found that amusing because his Antelope bagging method differed from ours.
We would hike all over his pastures as he leased about 4000 acres of bald rolling hills until we had luck.
However, his method was to drive his old 48 International out about 20 minutes away from the ranch buildings, park the truck, tie a red rag to the radio antenna and hunker down behind some Sagebrush about 50 yds from the truck.
Usually within an hour or two he would be back for us to butcher another...... his rifle.... An old M92 Winchester 25-20 SRC.
In later years I bought the rifle when his eyesight began failing, if only it could talk..
As an aside we stayed at an old rancher's place about 40 miles SW of Maple Creek when we hunted back in the '60s.
Naturally we had our big powerful toys and he found that amusing because his Antelope bagging method differed from ours.
We would hike all over his pastures as he leased about 4000 acres of bald rolling hills until we had luck.
However, his method was to drive his old 48 International out about 20 minutes away from the ranch buildings, park the truck, tie a red rag to the radio antenna and hunker down behind some Sagebrush about 50 yds from the truck.
Usually within an hour or two he would be back for us to butcher another...... his rifle.... An old M92 Winchester 25-20 SRC.
In later years I bought the rifle when his eyesight began failing, if only it could talk..
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I no longer have many of the old magazines, and got the photo online. I remember the article though;, the photo was taken at the Lander One Shot, and I think the rifle was a .338 Winchester. I'm not sure if it was a #1 or a custom rifle built on a Farquarson type action. Somehow the lever and trigger guard doesn't look quite right for a #1, but it might be the camera angle.
CreamySmooth
CGN frequent flyer
Blaser R93 in .257. I've taken up to moose with it.
I think you you are right Boomer, look closely at the receiver, it looks just a touch blocky to be a Ruger.
Unless my old eyes fail me the Ruger receiver blends into the barrel a bit smoother ( guess I could go look at my #1 to confirm ) !
Hard to believe that Keith would use "just" a .338Win instead of the .338-.378 or some other thunderboomer of his own concoction. If that's a #1, it's been, at the very least, re-stocked. Very cool; I don't think I've ever seen that photo.
duncansuds
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Weyburn, SK
I think it's funny that many think antelope is a long range hunt. They are dumb as ####, will stay very close until fully spooked, because they are faster than anything else that might be trying to get em. If you can't get within 150 yard of an antelope... You are not even trying. If your choosing to take at a longer range because they are a little more susceptible to lighter bullets and such, then so be it. 243 is plenty for these, but use what you want. I would be using my 7-08. It's what I have available.
Farthest north an antelope was shot was in Leduc ,there is a few in Stettler and the odd one out in Delburn.Some half wit shot a yearly doe that was hanging out will some cattle in Pine Lake a couple years ago...........HaroldI grew up in rural Alberta. I'd use this. Its a 1966 Sako Forester in .243. With an old 4X Swarovski scope it will put three shots into a 3/8 in. group at 100 yards using discount brand factory ammo. And the trigger does break like an icicle.
By the way, I've seen antelope as far north as Innisfail (just south of Red Deer) and about a decade ago a pair wintered near Ponoka (that's way north of Red Deer).
I've not thought of them as especially long-range game. It's more a case of using them as an excuse to utilize this or that or the other gun, rather than just the same old do-it-all rifle. Rationalization, man...rationalization!
If you wake up one day and realize that you have fair-weather deer guns, foul-weather deer guns, plains game guns, buffalo guns, elephant guns, moose guns, elk guns, antelope guns, skunk guns, starling guns, cowbird guns, ground squirrel guns, coyote guns, groundhog guns, feral cat guns, squirrel guns, bumblebee guns, spider guns, frog guns...you just might be a redneck...er, gun nut!
I can just picture Johnn or Kevan standing in front of a gunsafe as they prepare to leave for a hunt, hand on chin, deep in thought....what to do? What to do???
If you wake up one day and realize that you have fair-weather deer guns, foul-weather deer guns, plains game guns, buffalo guns, elephant guns, moose guns, elk guns, antelope guns, skunk guns, starling guns, cowbird guns, ground squirrel guns, coyote guns, groundhog guns, feral cat guns, squirrel guns, bumblebee guns, spider guns, frog guns...you just might be a redneck...er, gun nut!
I can just picture Johnn or Kevan standing in front of a gunsafe as they prepare to leave for a hunt, hand on chin, deep in thought....what to do? What to do???
I have been reading this thread with great interest as I want to go to Wyoming in 2018 for an antelope. It is great to hear that shots within 200 yards are common. I always assumed it was a long distance game. I was planning on using my 257 Roberts, or my 7mm-08 but now I think I will scrap the antelope hunt and start shopping for a cowbird gun. I am ashamed because I never knew I needed one before. Is there a cowbird defense thread I should read.
The cowbird gun is a nice thing to have, but in a pinch any good grackle gun, starling gun or (if you are careful to pick your shots) even a house sparrow rifle will fill the bill.
It's also important to have worked up separate loads for male and female cowbirds. Solids are best for females; there's little visible damage to the carcass, and it then serves as a decoy to lure in males. For male cowbirds (or "bulls"), a lightweight highvelocity bullet is best; it blows 'em up real nice, eliminating any chance of a dangerous charge.
It's also important to have worked up separate loads for male and female cowbirds. Solids are best for females; there's little visible damage to the carcass, and it then serves as a decoy to lure in males. For male cowbirds (or "bulls"), a lightweight highvelocity bullet is best; it blows 'em up real nice, eliminating any chance of a dangerous charge.
if you ever tasted one you might change your mind. My father was raised on them and did not like the meat any more. In my experience Antelope is second only to Big horn sheep for eating.
Regarding meat, only one word comes to mind.. Marinade !
It wasn't too bad if they grazed around grain fields but the ones that lived in the Sage... different story.
I always heard how terrible antelope meat was. The first time I tried it, just a few years ago, was when I took a buck in sagebrush country...no crops within many miles. I was prepared for the worst. My wife cooked it up carefully, got the recipe from the internet....and we both loved it! Doesn't taste like beef and don't try to make it taste like beef; it tastes....like antelope! To each his own...
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
The ones we got tasted fairly close to the same as Alberta Mule Deer to me.
