Bear Bums – Bear Hunting

When it comes to hunting, “tradition” is associated with a lever-action rifle; especially the old flat-sided Winchester and Marlin rifles chambered for 30-30 Win. However; these aren’t the only lever rifles that enjoy success with big game hunters. According to Sportsafield the Browning BLRtops the list. With the introduction of modern powders, at about the turn of the century, many gun calibers and gun types fell out of favor. Other calibers weathered the storm of change and survive even until now. One such caliber is the 30-30. The last few years saw the introduction of plastic tipped bullet technology making it possible to stack bullets safely without having the old blunt ended bullet we once thought needed for lever guns.

Killed with a 100 year old Winchester 30-30 lever gun

These new technology’s make the choice of a lever gun as “the best” a very, very difficult question to answer. Now, I guess we can’t rule out grandpa’s old 45-70, or 25-35. Even the 30-30 becomes quite the little spit fire. Read the rest of this entry »

One crisp October afternoon in 1966 I remember staring at a huge mule deer buck in the back of our horse trailer. Dad had just returned from Mike Harris Canyon, on the Idaho/Wyoming border, from a one day hunt. He caught the buck sunning on the east slope of a steep deep canyon we kind of claim as a family “secret spot”.

With his 8mm he hammered this big old deer. We still have the B&C score sheet showing the buck’s score at 189 6/8. A great trophy in most anyone’s book.

The 8mm brought home a lot of game. Deer mostly, but also antelope, elk (from the Selway river) and at least one bear. Dad got the 8mm just post WWll and I received it after his death. Now my son has that rifle.

I called Mitchell Mauser earlier this year and purchased a German military, stored since WWll, rifle that looks almost new. It came with a thick coat of grease, but with a quick clean it shoots like I can’t believe. It’s already harvested a porcupine and a few prairie dogs. This gun’s action is the famous Mauser German action we should all covet. Here’s a Mauser/8mm brief history. Read the rest of this entry »

The subject of proper rifle storage has different meanings for different people. Some will say the most important aspect is safety; where others will argue it is ensuring the rifle is safe from damage like fire or corrosion.  Most of us including me want all of the above with the least effort.

No matter which example is your idea of proper rifle storage, here are some suggestions for you to get your rifle out from under the bed or stuffed in the garage in a corner and into an improved environment.

I’m a gun safe fan but a good cabinet is the same.  Even a big box or small shed is better than the random corner of the room or under the bed stuff.  We all should consider our rifles prized possessions and treat them as if our grandkids will inherit them and use them.  That said a cabinet or safe seems a better investment or gift.

Likely my most imprinted memory of the night before opening day of the duck or deer or elk hunt, as a kid, was the smell of Hoppe’s Gun Solvent as we cleaned our gun in preparation for the hunt.

The post season cleanup of a gun doesn’t hold the excited memory but is pretty important in keeping a rifle functional for me and my grandkids.

The first rule in storing rifles is to keep them away from moisture/humidity and keep them stored at a stable temperature. Many gun cabinets/safes are equipped with the ability to add warming units. Some rifle owners use a simple low-energy “curly fry” fluorescent bulb and find that these will run continuously for about 10,000 hours with very low power consumption. Read the rest of this entry »

This week a friend of mine brought out his new rifle and we sighted it in together. He just purchased a .375 H&H magnum

download duma online

in a Browning stainless model. What a gun! He explained to me it was my fault he had purchased this caliber.

Well, I like bear hunting and as I thought of a caliber that would leave no one doubting I felt comfortable with his purchase.

Shooting a big bear is a feat! You have to find the beast, get close enough and place that shot. Then with bears you have to find them after the shot.

Several years ago my daughter shot a big black bear at approx. 150yds with a .280 Remington

. This big boar received another 280 slug and 2 shots from my .300 Ultra mag before the bear was stopped as it closed the distance to us. More of a worry to me than the ones that attack or come closer are the ones that may get away wounded or lost. Read the rest of this entry »