A decent buck, but certainly nothing that is going to impress (I'll lay that responsibility on the shoulders of the cook), he does have some large brow tines all considered. When you have only a few days to hunt crown land in mid November you take what comes (Edit: and I am always very thankful for game in the freezer). But the real story is the rifle; a poor old abused .303 that had seen better days long before I was on this planet. Converted to a .22 trainer some damned fool turned it back to a .303, and along the way Bubba also removed the charger bridge and D&T'd it and put on buck horn sights to boot. Not to mention the most hideous baby-poop brown paint job on what remained of the wood. Well it was about to be sent to the RCMP to be destroyed before I stepped in to take it on as a parts piece. To my surprise it shot just too well. So I decided it would make a decent back-up rifle. Some new synthetic stocks, a side mount scope and a mag, and it at least had some dignity restored. As much as I love my .257 WBY Vanguard I decided stalking bush where any shot is guaranteed within 75yds, perhaps a 100gn 3500fps round wasn't going to be my best choice. Call up the reborn SMLE. So about 10:30 I decide to check out a favourable area out back of an oil lease and this guy busts me, well just I figure that's going to mean fresh tracks and game that doesn't have a couple of hours head start, so I decide the stalk is now on. Well the poor fool decided to double back right towards me and was crouched down trying to sneak back the other way. Needless to say it didn't work. So anyway the old retired service rifle, later retired training rifle and then retired game getter is once again back putting meat on the table with dignity. Perhaps it deserves a nice re-bluing now too. Thanks for reading my ramblings.
GD
GD
Last edited:
I'm a happy hunter. Dorian, why's your moose hunt over for the year?
