Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Things that worked / Things that didn’t 2024 version

Things that worked well
• Crispi Shimek: These are 400 gr, shorter version of the Guide/Wild Rock. They weigh exactly 1 lb less than the Wild Rock – and feel like it during a long day on the mountain.
• 6.5 Creedmoor/150 ABLR: Killed 4 animals with this combo (cow elk, an 8 pt, 2 does). The elk was close, quartering to (40-50 yards). She went 75 yards total but mostly stumbling downhill. Blood trail was excellent. All the deer were pass throughs with jellied innards. None traveled more than about 40 yards. This combo is more effective than any of the similar sized 6mms IMHO. Any new hunters from this point on in my family will start with a 6.5 creed versus the standard 243. As to the 150 ABLR, I know the 147 ELDM has a higher BC but the ABLR appears to hold together well. This winter, I’ll figure out drops and calculate a real BC. I’m hoping its near what Nosler claims (0.634).
• Sitka Ambient Series: I bought the first gen 100 gr ¼ zip hoody the first year they came out. It has replaced all my fleece as a mid-layer. Last year I bought the 200 gr zip jacket. My theory was that I could hike in with the ¼ zip, cool down a bit, and put the 200 gr on to still hunt the remainder of the day. Worked to perfection, at least for me. That combo is quiet, breathes, lightweight, and is very comfortable even when sweating. It moves sweat well. Some kind of wind break over this (Black Diamond Alpine Start works well), makes it a wind resistant puffy combo of sorts.
• Buck Pursuit Pro (659): I’ve used Gerber Gators, clip point, for years. I have no complaints with them, except they are black handled. I’ve spent more than a few minutes searching for one at dark while field dressing. The Buck Pursuit Pro comes in 2 flavors – a camo, 420 steel version and an orange handled 35VN steel blade. The 35VN steel stays sharp and isn’t horrible to sharpen. I did 4 deer this year before I touched it up. You can get it shaving sharp inside of 5 minutes. Interestingly, I shot an 8 pt 2 weeks ago, gutted it, apparently laid my knife down, then commenced to dragging. I got to the skinning shed and discovered I had no knife. Went back to the scene of the crime and it was sticking out of a small leaf pile, apparently where I laid it. Took 15 seconds to find. Paid for itself that day. I also bought the smaller companion (661). I skinned my buck with that knife. I like it for that purpose.
• EXO Packs: I’ve been using EXO packs for 3-4 years now. This year my buddy and I killed 2 elk in 24 hours and we hauled elk for 2 straight days. Not IDdave packout but 2 miles, up/down about 1000 feet. Loads ranging from 70 lbs to approaching 100 lbs (rear bone in + boned front). We averaged 1.5 miles/hour, rest breaks included. I pondered buying a new K4 but the K3 does everything I need it to do – comfortably. I use this pack year round for hunting and training. It has a lot of miles on it and despite a few blood stains, it remains in great shape. Highly recommend them.

Things that didn’t work well
• Dry Shod Teebeedee boots – My daughter needed a pair of boots for deer PA season. Went to our local boot store and found Dry Shod Teebeedee boots. “Rated to -20 degrees" as stated on the box and boot. I decided I needed a pair as well so we walked out with 2 pair of wonder boots. Ah – not even close. It was ~ 25 the first day and windy. Our feet were cold by 10:00, really cold, like not feel your toes cold. We took turns climbing down and going for short walks to get feeling back in our feet. They will work great for barn boots, but cold weather hunting boots they ain’t. Prob good for 40-50 degrees.

What worked/didn't work for you all?

180 grain Barnes ttsx shot from a 358 carbine. But they always work.

Worked:
.308 Winchester and 130TTSX
.308 Winchester and 125 Nosler BT

30 caliber 160 grain Hammer Hunter out of my 300 Win mag. Two shots, two animals. Two icepicks, hit @ top of heart/lungs. One whitetail buck ran 600+ yards and had to have a follow up shot. One 6x6 elk, ran 800+ yards, still alive. Neither animal recovered showed any internal damage, no apparent expansion based on what myself and two buddies, in each case, saw. Just zipped through.

Changed to 168 classic hunter, four straight DRT’s on deer. If I use this rifle on elk again, I’ll go with Accubonds or NF’s.

That is interesting but not from a positive standpoint......

I've shot a few elk with 180 AB from a couple of 300 magnums. They work as advertised.

160 grain hand loaded NP in my wife’s CZ 7x57 on her moose hunt. One perfect shot at about 80 paces through the trees hit the cow and went through top of heart and bottom of both lungs. Nine steps and 30 yards later she tipped over. Poured all the blood out of the chest cavity. Fairly easy as these things go.

Good info - I have a moose hunt planned for Sept. I also have a pile of 160 gr 7mm Partitions on my bench. I've always liked the NPT for just plain killing.

Didn’t buy a lot of new stuff this year. Did pick up a cheap Wind Shear vest at Cabelas this Fall and I think it worked well. A couple of mornings in PA were cold and windy and my torso stayed warm. I am happy with it

I still hate Muck boots, especially the Arctic Sports. When cold their soles become rocks

Thats my go elk load in same caliber

One additional to things that worked: Fenix HM50- R

This light is a rechargeable light, weighs less than 2 oz and throws 400 Lumens for several hours with 700 Lumens possible. I like a minimum 400 Lumens for wandering around the mountains at night. Anything less and I feel I can miss things. Cliffs are something I'd like to see before I get to them.

I've been using the HM70-R the past few years. It weighs 7+ oz just the light, plus another 3 oz or so with spare battery. You could land an airplane with the Lumens it puts out but it is big, bulky, and heavy.

If I was doing it over, I'd buy an HM60-R and be done with it.

+ Excalibur 340 Mag - Killed 2 bucks last fall with my 340. Can't beat this crossbow for the money. Didn't get a buck with my rifle or shotgun (too picky) but that was OK since I tagged out with the 340.

- First Lite Kiln Hoodie - Bought this for use as a mid layer thinking I could use it along with a light poly base layer and medium weight fleece top under a wool shirt and gore tex jacket down to 30 degrees. The hood is nice if it's breezy but it didn't really add much to the typical warmth of this system. I would've been warmer if I just wore a heavyweight fleece mid layer. Limited use last fall but kind of disappointed so far. I should add that I'm hunting whitetails out of an elevated stand except for the walk in and back out.

44 grains of IMR 4350 over a large rifle primer. Guessed about 2500 fps from the 22” barrel.

I didn’t work in 2024 and I’m gonna do my best not to work in 2025. Edk

Finally saw the black bear I'd been hunting for 2 years, on the last day of the hunt (for me) on Oct 15/24. I knew he was dominant from all the evidence. But when he appeared coming out of the trees toward me (really the bait behind me) at 65 yrds he was stunning in both beauty (fall coat ready for winter hibernation) and size. I watched him to 20 yds below me and he was ready to climb up to where I was standing. He smelled me and was used to that scent as it meant the "grocery man" had arrived, but he never looked up at me. I turned and walked away because he was too big (~500 lbs) and too gorgeous! I was wanting a bear of not more than 200 lbs but knew he was a monster from all the sign - no other bears, no other wildlife and his scat marking the area. I didn't get a pic because I'd have to drop my rifle to get my camera from its case around my neck on a strap - my only regret.

The other plus was the load in my .375 H&H: I finally got some 300gr SBTs, and with a new powder (StaBALL 6.5) the mean from 3 shots into moa was 2674 fps/4763 ft-lbs from the 22" barrel as per Garmin Xero.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

Worked:

The Remington Corelokt Tipped 150 grain in .300 WSM took my cow elk at 250 yards. Hit behind the onside shoulder and lodged behind the offside shoulder. I was worried it was too light of a bullet for elk after gallon jug tests.

Nope.

Recovered bullet retained 93 grains of weight for 62% retention!

Hornady GMX bullets - never any complaints.

That's interesting. I haven't noticed that. I wear Arctic Sports for nearly 6 months of the year, hiking around and snowmachining down to -40F. No issues that I have noticed and certainly haven't noticed the soles becoming too hard.


As for me, what worked:
7mm 150 grain Scenar on elk. No surprise there but it was a first for me.
King's XKG line. Normally I consider King's Camo as Walmart level quality, but took a chance on some extreme cold weather pants in the line. From Arctic Sea Ice to hiking through 30 MPH winds on ridge lines in blowing snow in negative temperatures, they blocked the wind and were warm. I did have a 3 inch section of sticking seam unravel, which I still need to repair but other than that, they have been impressive.


What didn't:
Nothing I can think of, this year at least. The two things above was all that I used that was new to me.

Worked, 120 BT in 7mm-08
Didn’t work, 165 Horn interlock in 308, 2 deer both broadside and shot thru the ribs. Little hole in little hole out, couple drops of blood. Must be to hard

Worked- Havalon knife and 130 ttsx.

What worked-A puffy, Elements coat from Kuiu. I never thought I would buy a puffy because my thought was they must be noisy and fragile. Due to the cold and wind we had in November, and being on sale, I bought one. Turns out I really like it. Kept me nice and warm on long glassing sessions and sits. It easily stuffed in the pack when going on the move.

What also worked-A Marsupial bino harness/case. This one closes up fully and did a fantastic job of keeping dust, rain/snow, pine needles, off the glass. Just a pinch more effort to pull from the case compared to my Kuiu case/harness, but the Marsupial gives much better protection. Always trade-offs.

What didn't work as well as anticipated was the 125 gr. Partition shot from a short barreled/suppressed 6.5 CM. A lung shot buck ran way longer than I've ever had go with the exception of an 85 gr Barnes TSX. If it wasn't for some patchy snow here and there, I doubt I would have found the dead buck that day, if ever. This isn't the first buck to go some distance with with the 125 NP from my 6.5 CM. I know NPT's are supposed to open up just fine even at reduced velocities, but I'm going to try some 120 NBT's. Those worked very well on deer in my .260.