Hunting season, successful stunts

[bearskinner]

I've had two recovered bullets, from previous successful hunts, that are in good enough shape to Reload and reuse on two hunts again this year. A 405 grain hardcast .458, originally used in a 1874 Shiloh Sharps to harvest an Elk way North in Saskatchewan. I Reloaded it and used a 1885 Winchester High wall breech loading rifle and harvested a nice Elk with it.
The second was a .454 Casull, 300 grain bullet that took a 400lb hog. Reloaded it and harvested another large hog with an open sighted .454. I am amazed that it all came together, and during my 12 days on the road, traveling 6400 miles, I actually succeeded in cleanly and humanly harvesting two critters, filled both my freezers, had a fantastic time, and created an awesome story to tell. 4 hunts, from 15 years apart, using two bullets to take 4 animals.

 

[skeets]

Geeeze if you put that many miles on to get critters you had better use them bullets over again ... Congrads on the season, I would enjoy a trip like that,and unless I hit the lottery I will have to just try to kill a deer, and hopefully by not using my truck this year,,lol. My old Chevy truck killed more deer during the time I had it than I did

 

[bucktail]

I took a deer from a ladder stand I put on a power line pole in a corn field that hadn't been harvested yet. I've never recovered any bullets that were fit to reuse.

 

[bearbait]

I can honestly say I've never heard of that one, congrats on 2 great trips. Next week I'm gone on a bow hunt for deer, then the next week a rifle hunt. Like skeets said I would have to win the lottery for a trip like that...damn I've been putting in for the moose draw here for almost 40 years with no luck so I won't hold my breath waiting for a lottery win.

 

[Hillbilly77]

I took a deer from a ladder stand

In all my years of hunting I've never even seen a deer in a ladder stand. That must've been some shot!

 

[helomech]

Why would you reload a used bullet? But congrats on the hunt.

 

[bucktail]

In all my years of hunting I've never even seen a deer in a ladder stand. That must've been some shot!

Not much of a shot. Getting the deer into your stand is the tricky part.

 

[bearskinner]

Why would you reload a used bullet? But congrats on the hunt.

Haha, because of all the recovered bullets I have collected over the years, only these two were still intact and it very good condition. I've hunted with a handgun my whole life, and know I can get close, to be very effective. The antique rifle I used, was a tribute to a dear friend that passed and it was left to me. I harvested the elk with it for my buddy Ian.

 

[David Page]

Congratulations fellow reloader!

 

[lescarpentier]

That hard cast looks like a Beartooth 425gr Pile Driver Jr. Those bullets are hard and always seem to exit. It even looks like the gas check stayed on the base.Did you relube and resize before you reloaded?

 

[bearskinner]

That hard cast looks like a Beartooth 425gr Pile Driver Jr. Those bullets are hard and always seem to exit. It even looks like the gas check stayed on the base.Did you relube and resize before you reloaded?

The .458 is a cast performance 405 grain GC. I think the only reason it was recovered in the first place, is I made a 165 yard shot, going straight away from me, literally, aiming at the bulls eye. It was a total surprise that the bullet traveled thru 6' of Elk, and came to rest in the cartelege of the ear. The .454 is a Sierra 300 grain 3/4 jacketed. It was originally a complete pass thru on a big Hog. My son saw a small disrupted spot on the trail, and dug down in the hard soil about 6" and retrieved it, about 15 years ago. actual weight the second time was 282 grains. The .458 was gone, a clean pass thru, just about perfect heart shot. The .454 in an open sighted revolver blew up on the off shoulder, and most of it still exited. I would post a couple pics, but don't care to offend any non hunters who come here for tractor porn, not BBQ porn.

 

[skeets]

Thats way to much pistola for me,, I ll stick with my 29

 

[bearskinner]

Thats way to much pistola for me,, I ll stick with my 29

Having spent so much time in Alaska, I've used the .454's a lot. It seems to be the common carry for moose and big Bears. I just have always liked the .45 cal in general. You can load it down to extremely light loads, or heavy recoiling .454's, and even have extra cylinders in .455, which is a .475, necked down to a .45 cal bullet.

 

[sheepfarmer]

How about some pics of the countryside you were hunting in ?? Has to have been pretty nice

 

[skeets]

I agree the .454 is a beast and can load her up and down, Im just a sissy

 

[bearskinner]

How about some pics of the countryside you were hunting in ?? Has to have been pretty nice

I guess I should have stopped and smelled the roses, and took more pictures! Mostly hunt pics, although I did swing thru Sturgis, Deadwood, and Big Timber. I put 6400 miles on the truck in the almost 12 days on the road, so it was pretty much drive, sleep, hunt, repeat!

 

[Creature Meadow]

Nice, I have recover a number of bullets and keep each one, none in shape to reload though.

Our deer season is in full swing bow and muzzle loader has passed and rifle started last Saturday.

I have 3 in the freezer thanks to my hunting buddies as my back has not allowed me to go much. Back is well and yesterday had 4 adult does, one small back, and 6 fawns in the field at once eating beans and the food plots we planted.

No shooting does from the stand I was in we keep it quiet there in hopes of taking a trophy out of it. Tomorrow to another stand for some meat and Saturday for more meat.

We can shoot six deer per year so itry to fill my tags each year goal is 5 does and 1 trophy.

I have good friends that don't eat a lot of meat so by season end should have 15 to 20 for me to process and freeze this lasts us through winter.

Lots of ground meat, sausage, steaks, and meat for stews and chili.


We will add some squirrels, duck, geese, rabbits, quail, and bear to the mix as well. fresh wild game is our favorite and for the most part organic and healthy.

I enjoy the outdoors and the benefits it provides for my family, one of God's wonderful creations.