Put your hunting where you mouth is!

[kombi1976]

This is a hunting arms forum and I'm definitely not leveling this criticism at everyone but I often get the distinct impression that some people do a lot more hunting than others and that those others are nonetheless quite "knowledgeable" about something they rarely do.
So with that suspicion lurking around I feel it may be time to, as the title says, put your hunting where you mouth is.
When was your last hunt?
And since this is a hunting arms forum what rifle/shotgun did you use to take said game?
Afterall, the real world is led by people who actually do, not wannabes who spend their time sounding off on internet forums.
I realise this isn't a photo forum so posting a pic as well may be against board policy here.
That of course also opens us up to people who lie, although you could BS that a pic you posted of a hunt 5 years back was one you did last week.
Nonetheless, let's be up front.
And you may as well include the ammo/projectile used and how satisfied you were with it.
That way we REALLY know who is out there on a regular basis when comments are made about how good this or that is.
Here's mine to start:

Date: 2nd August 2008
Location: Yarramin, NSW, Australia
Game: 2 Wild Goats/ 4 Rabbits
Arms: Tikka T3 Lite Stainless 9.3x62/ Sportco Martini .22 Hornet
Optics: Lynx 1.75-5x20/ Tasco Mag IV 3-12x40AO
Ammo: Hand loads - 270gr Speer/ 40gr Nosler Ballistic Tip
Satisfaction(out of 5): 4; deadly but pencilled through/ 5; explosive and accurate.

Ed. I almost forgot....this may go some way to discouraging the tendency some have to saying "oh you may think that it's reasonable but it always blows up on game" or more commonly "you can never use that cartridge on that game - it's not powerful enough."
If it's dead it's dead and people will give their own reasons for the their satisfaction or lack thereof.

 

[blargon]

Well, some places have things called Seasons. If I could walk out the door and hunt whatever I wanted, I would. Not saying you can do that either....

But here I have about 10 days of moose hunting in October and 2 or 3 weeks of Deer/Bear hunting in November. The seasons are longer, but I can;t just take 2-3 months off work to do it. The only thing I can hunt right now is coyotes, and in the summer I'd rather just target shoot and spend time with my kids.

The last game animal I shot was a small whitetail in December, with a NEF muzzleloader, FFFG loose powder, 250gr SST, and it performed great.

Don't know if that meets your criteria as a "hunter", but thats the way I've been doing it for 20 years.

 

[kombi1976]

I have no issue with that, blargon.
Yeah, we have seasons on some animals but the bulk are feral and pests so it's open season all year round.
Doesn't mean however that I don't go months at times without hunting because, like you, my wife and 3 little boys are first priority.
I'm trying to weed out the "know alls" who stroke their guns but never get further than the range where they shoot very little and talk a load of crap with their do-nothing buddies there as well.
Believe me, those guys exist the world over and we have plenty of them too.
I won't start on about the twerp who was throwing his weight at the range this morning....
And I was aware that as this is a Canadian forum that many of you would probably not have hunted for many months because of seasons.

 

[blargon]

You guys have seasons on the goats, or are they free game?

 

[icehunter121]

Good post there K but you are missing one thing...the friggen cost of it. I live in rural Alberta and the country to me is only 2 minutes away. If I take a week off work I lose 1500 bucks pay,plus the cost of gas and everything else out here. A week in total would cost me about 4 grand.

I (quit) hunting about 6 years ago because of the cost. I still love to go out blasting gophers,pigeons and such but to actually just take a week off...well it strains the ol pocket book lots. I still have the memories of hunting,i hunted everything from rabbits to grizzly..I still have all my rifles and added more to the collection.

Just spending a day out here costs about $150.00 bucks and that is just shooting varmints....with no license required....I could send you 10,000 pics of past hunting trips,but until the economy levels out...its gonna get worse...

 

[TheTooner]

... as this is a Canadian forum that many of you would probably not have hunted for many months because of seasons.

That's me. I last hunted at the end of last hunting season - early December, 2007. I get my living by painting now, so in summer I don't take days off to go shoot varmints. I wouldn't use the term "hunting" for that, anyway, but I don't object if anyone else calls it that.

 

[stubblejumper]

Of course I give far more credibility to the person that gives a report of his personal results with a particular bullet or cartridge,than I do to the person that gives an opinion based on hearsay,with no actual first hand experience.If I don't have actual first hand experience with a particular product,I prefer not to offer an opinion on that product.I also don't consider sources such as Chuckhawks to be credible,because all that his site does is paraphrase the manufacturers advertising claims,will little to no personal experience with a product.As far as the time frame is concerned,if a particular bullet or cartridge performed great for five or ten years previous,I expect that it will still perform the same way.I don't need to kill an animal with that cartridge or bullet every month to confirm that it is still suitable for the application.

 

[catnthehatt]

Of course I give far more credibility to the person that gives a report of his personal results with a particular bullet or cartridge,than I do to the person that gives an opinion based on hearsay,with no actual first hand experience.If I don't have actual first hand experience with a particular product,I prefer not to offer an opinion on that product.I also don't consider sources such as Chuckhawks to be credible,because all that his site does is paraphrase the manufacturers advertising claims,will little to no personal experience with a product.As far as the time frame is concerned,if a particular bullet or cartridge performed great for five or ten years previous,I expect that it will still perform the same way.I don't need to kill an animal with that cartridge or bullet every month to confirm that it is still suitable for the application.

X2!
I haven't hunted big game with a rifle since last fall, but did do some damage control hunting this past week ( beavers)still get out every other day in the bush, and see animals all the time travelling on the highway, and do what comes natural to real hunter.
I wonder how many of us , when we first see an animal up a break or in a field while travelling think " nice critter, range, yup he's be down with my ( insert favorite here)".
the first thing I do is look for vital zone target aqusition, be it a moose, deer etc.
On ducks and geese, it's "gun up and swing"!
And, of course, I'm forever messin' with my rifles making sure they are ready for hunting season.....
Cat

 

[Noel]

As Icehunter mentioned if I could afford it I'd be out after gophers every single chance I could.

Having said that the only hunting I've been doing is culling blackbirds for my Aunt and Parents up at home, they were over run this year.

-Sterlingworth Fox double 12 bore
-Ithaca 37 Ultralight 16ga
-Winchester Model 12. 12ga
-FN Browning Trombone 22RF w/ IVI hollow points.
-Anshutz Model 111 22RF
-Remington 870 20ga

Ammuntion is what ever is cheapest that I can find or whatever came with the gun when it was given to me.
For a change I have put a couple hundred rounds through paper this year but it is with several rifles so I wouldn't say I got any better with any of them, just load developement.

 

[MTM]

I hear ya kombi, but its the same in B.C. our seasons for big game start in August up north for sheep but everything else pretty well starts in Sept. Bears are open in the spring and I used to hunt there every year with a few buddies. Great first outing and a relaxed style of hunting. (spot and stalk) I'm no longer interested in eating Bear so I don't hunt them any more. I've shot truckloads of varmints in past years but have given that up. My last animal was a decent 4 pt. Mulie taken in the Kootneys in Oct. last fall. I hunted a couple of more trips in Nov. and saw several nice Deer but not the one I was looking for. The Mulie was taken at long range with my STW and 160 TSX, the rest of the season I alternated between my STW and .416 Rigby loaded with the 350 TSX at 2700ish. The big guys may have seen the Rigby and kept there heads down. I live in an awsome hunting province but we do have seasons.

 

[icehunter121]

MTM...^^^^^ owes me a hunt in BC.....just cause I am such a nice guy...

 

[MTM]

Come on out and bring your 460. We'll have a 460/nutbar Safari. Should be able to get on a couple of spikes. Oh ya factory loads or hotter only.

 

[mackillan]

Gophers

Only gophers and coyotes this summer. Deer and bear in the falls. No elk or moose this year

This is a hunting arms forum and I'm definitely not leveling this criticism at everyone but I often get the distinct impression that some people do a lot more hunting than others and that those others are nonetheless quite "knowledgeable" about something they rarely do.
So with that suspicion lurking around I feel it may be time to, as the title says, put your hunting where you mouth is.
When was your last hunt?
And since this is a hunting arms forum what rifle/shotgun did you use to take said game?
Afterall, the real world is led by people who actually do, not wannabes who spend their time sounding off on internet forums.
I realise this isn't a photo forum so posting a pic as well may be against board policy here.
That of course also opens us up to people who lie, although you could BS that a pic you posted of a hunt 5 years back was one you did last week.
Nonetheless, let's be up front.
And you may as well include the ammo/projectile used and how satisfied you were with it.
That way we REALLY know who is out there on a regular basis when comments are made about how good this or that is.
Here's mine to start:

Date: 2nd August 2008
Location: Yarramin, NSW, Australia
Game: 2 Wild Goats/ 4 Rabbits
Arms: Tikka T3 Lite Stainless 9.3x62/ Sportco Martini .22 Hornet
Optics: Lynx 1.75-5x20/ Tasco Mag IV 3-12x40AO
Ammo: Hand loads - 270gr Speer/ 40gr Nosler Ballistic Tip
Satisfaction(out of 5): 4; deadly but pencilled through/ 5; explosive and accurate.

Ed. I almost forgot....this may go some way to discouraging the tendency some have to saying "oh you may think that it's reasonable but it always blows up on game" or more commonly "you can never use that cartridge on that game - it's not powerful enough."
If it's dead it's dead and people will give their own reasons for the their satisfaction or lack thereof.

 

[mackillan]

Who the F are you to...

Who the F are you to use a ###ual metaphor against men who go to the range. Some guys are too old or handicapped or too busy for a period of time. You are a nobody forgeigner to come in year and shoot off your face like you are hitler or sumpin

This is a hunting arms forum and I'm definitely not leveling this criticism at everyone but I often get the distinct impression that some people do a lot more hunting than others and that those others are nonetheless quite "knowledgeable" about something they rarely do.
So with that suspicion lurking around I feel it may be time to, as the title says, put your hunting where you mouth is.
When was your last hunt?
And since this is a hunting arms forum what rifle/shotgun did you use to take said game?
Afterall, the real world is led by people who actually do, not wannabes who spend their time sounding off on internet forums.
I realise this isn't a photo forum so posting a pic as well may be against board policy here.
That of course also opens us up to people who lie, although you could BS that a pic you posted of a hunt 5 years back was one you did last week.
Nonetheless, let's be up front.
And you may as well include the ammo/projectile used and how satisfied you were with it.
That way we REALLY know who is out there on a regular basis when comments are made about how good this or that is.
Here's mine to start:

Date: 2nd August 2008
Location: Yarramin, NSW, Australia
Game: 2 Wild Goats/ 4 Rabbits
Arms: Tikka T3 Lite Stainless 9.3x62/ Sportco Martini .22 Hornet
Optics: Lynx 1.75-5x20/ Tasco Mag IV 3-12x40AO
Ammo: Hand loads - 270gr Speer/ 40gr Nosler Ballistic Tip
Satisfaction(out of 5): 4; deadly but pencilled through/ 5; explosive and accurate.

Ed. I almost forgot....this may go some way to discouraging the tendency some have to saying "oh you may think that it's reasonable but it always blows up on game" or more commonly "you can never use that cartridge on that game - it's not powerful enough."
If it's dead it's dead and people will give their own reasons for the their satisfaction or lack thereof.

 

[blargon]

Who the F are you to use a ###ual metaphor against men who go to the range. Some guys are too old or handicapped or too busy for a period of time. You are a nobody forgeigner to come in year and shoot off your face like you are hitler or sumpin

Relax and take your meds. Which personality are we talking to now?

 

[Gatehouse]

I jsut got back from a sheep hunt a few days ago. Nothing else is open until September, but I was out scouting for deer on Wednesday.

I didn't shoot anything, but I'm pretty sure the 130gr TTSX would have worked on a stone sheep.

 

[mackillan]

Insulting joke

You only have one and it narcissistic. You need to relax and realize you are using up precious time on your grannies compuer insulting and ordering people around like a lil kid. Typical nobody on the net

Relax and take your meds. Which personality are we talking to now?

 

[Boomer]

We are quite fortunate up here. Seals and black bear in the spring, spring geese, moose opens at the end of the month, two caribou seasons, one ending late in the winter for the hard core types, not to mention a healthy supply of wolves. While you can't hunt them south of Nunavut, polar bear bears are around from break-up till freeze up and keep life interesting. Maybe I'll get a moose, we'll have to see how the time works out.

 

[hakx]

It's what you make of it. I try and take every oppurtunity if work and $$ permits. I haven't chased a bear for a few years, but I placed it in there anyway for the oppurtunity. March / April is my downtime. Usually spend a lot of time at the range fighting off the doldrums. Some seasons overlap, and others start earlier depending on which WMU in Alberta I am in.

Mid Aug / October - Archery starts Mid

Mid Oct to Nov - The various primitive seasons start

Nov 1 thru Dec - General Rifle season .

Dec thru Feb - Coyote

March / April - Reloading time!! Maybe smack a bunny

May / June - Spring Bear

June / July / Aug - Varmint-o-rama and scouting for the upcoming season.

Hakx

 

[Longwalker]

I'm not sure why I'm responding, don't have anything to prove to anyone, but I will post anyway.
I am a thoroughly committed hunter. I live in a rural area and hunt year round, but not every week. If you want to know how much I hunt, here's a "year in review"....
During the last big game season Sept-Dec 07 I bagged four mule deer, one whitetail, one elk, a pronghorn antelope, and helped my brother hunt moose on a special draw tag. I had a bear tag but did not see one during the season.
I use a variety of rifles, last year mostly my Sako M85 graywolf .308, but also killed game with a BRNO 7x57, Sako Finnbear 25-06 and a Custom Sako .35 Whelen. I missed two deer when using my marlin 45-70.
I hunt both upland birds and waterfowl, and use a Winchester Model 12 12ga. pump for most waterfowl hunts. Last year I shot roughly a hundred ducks and geese in about fifteen or so hunts. As is typical here, we bagged 5 species of geese and a great variety of ducks, and a few snipe but no cranes last season. We mostly hunt in farm fields and over decoys. Most shells used were 2-3/4" steel #1's.
I hunt upland birds behind a pointing dog and with a 16 ga o/u mostly, either my Merkel or a Browning Citori. Last years upland bird bag was sharptail and ruffed grouse, pheasant, and grey partridge.
I hunt fur animals in the off season. I was not successfull killing a coyote last winter, but did have a couple of missed opportunities. Killed a few snowshoe hares with a .22 during our traditional Christmas rabbit hunt and later on in winter.
I hunted wild boar and Roe deer in Germany in January, bagged two of each with a borrowed 30-06.
Shot a bunch of beavers and woodchucks for damage control at my bush camp this spring. Used a win 9422M.
This spring I taught a hunter education class to 19 first time students, and the same class was also taught the Canadian Firearms Safety course.
All summer I train versatile hunting dogs, ( currently a Pudelpointer) so I suppose you could say I "hunt" planted birds while dog training. I also shoot ground squirrels (gophers) for rifle practice and varmint control in summer. Use a Anschutz .22 hornet for that.
Our Waterfowl season opens September 1st. On the preceding Sunday I will teach a shooting skills lesson as part of the Delta Waterfowl program for first time hunters, and on Monday I will be out at dawn, mentoring a first time hunter. Elk season opens two weeks after.
Last year was a good year for me, but not unusual.