November 15th here in Michigan. Are you boys starting to think about deer season? Where do you hunt and what rifle do you carry into the field?.

Yip, it'll be here quick... but I can't think about that right now...

Do you know where that pic was taken Jeff?

No, it was shared by a buddy of mine because he noticed the EG, but i think he just came across it on the internet. I sure would like to hear the details of that hunt!!

The majority of my buck hunting here in PA will be done with a camera this year.

Do my eyes deceive me, or is he wearing a buckskin jacket? If so, I hope he changed out of his buffalo plaid before the pic was taken!

Jed used to know all about the Hunter and Buck, Iv for gotten!

First, so as not to hijack the thread, I would say that I really never know what gun I am taking until the night or morning before the hunt.

Second, I've been thinking about 2019 deer season since the last day of 2018 deer season. Bow season already open in SE Pa, soon to be open here in Va. I usually hunt in Pa, Va, and WV every year. Some years in western states as well. When I was a younger man I used to hunt almost every year in Canada as well, but I fear those days are behind me as mountain hunting and riding horses, buzzing around in tiny airplanes and sleeping on the ground are a younger man's endeavor.

Funny I spend way, way, way more time bowhunting every year than gun hunting. I own one bow. I don't even know how many rifle I own. Bow hunting is a great challenge, but rifles are so much more interesting than bows.

Getting back to the picture, I though Jeff might know where that picture was taken because of our common ancestry in Upstate NY. However, I'm thinking that pic was taken in the late 40's, maybe early to mid 50's in a western state like MT or ID. Just a WAG really based on the snow, the man's dress and his scoped what looks to me to be a post war EG.

Another example of a man that had the means to buy a 30-06, but chose the 300 Savage instead?

Waaaaay too early to predict which rifle I'll carry. I have a .30-30 G coming that has a lot of good juju (I think), and it and my 1918 M250-3000 will certainly get to play backup, or first chair depending on how I feel when I get up that morning. I got a new-ish Ruger #1 6.5x55 that beckons mightily, and just this evening I bought a 1929-vintage M1903 Springfield NRA Sporter** (.30-06!!) that spent its 90 year life on Kodiak Island killing grizzlies- talk about some real juju. Maryland and Pennsylvania whitetails will be a cake walk for it! The beastie is in very nice original condition. I'll probably load it down to .300-level to take it easy on the local deer.

I wish sometimes I had one of my Dad's go-to rifles to trot out one frosty morning. But, I already passed them down to my nephews, his grandsons- a fact I kinda think I may have jumped the gun on. Oh well.

Too many guns, so little time....




**Forgotten factoid: Springfield Armory was in the business of building sporting rifles for a few years in the mid-20's to early-30's. The idea was born from the public's need for a top shelf commercial bolt gun, of which nobody was building except for custom rifles. The M1903 Service Rifle was the basis for it, with pistol grip stock, Lyman 48 sight, and best of all a "star gauged" barrel which had passed stringent dimensional inspections. They always maintained a reputation for being wonderfully accurate, and as ruggedly reliable as the Service Rifle. The guns are pretty rare- they cost a lot of money, and were sold only to NRA members. Production stopped after only a very few thousand, when the Winchester M54 and Remington M30 bolt guns started filling the need for a quality factory bolt gun. Hemingway had one that he subsequently shipped off to Griffin&Howe for further customizing. (And Hemingway certainly had the means to buy a boat load of .300's but chose the mighty .30-06 instead. )

Addendum: I'm taking delivery of a Winchester M54 in .22 K-Hornet (rechambered by Lysle Kilbourn himself), with Lyman Targetspot scope, that I might dial in to punch a gnat's eye at 100 yards and take it with me to Pennsylvania (where it's legal to use such things for deer). I'm not above jelly-braining a deer for a positively dead-right-there approach.

We hunt in two weeks. Raining here now so it should be un-f'n-believable out on the ridges come opening day. I am jacked! Probably hunt the 284 out in the long country.

We hunt in two weeks. Raining here now so it should be amazing out on the ridges come opening day. Unfortunately, I have a customer that wants me to enlarge a pond that day! Nothing to do between now and then to speak of though!

Probably hunt the 284 out in the long country.

What will you use in the 'short' country?

Don't be like that. It makes your butt look big.

Yes, to the original question;

I've got several places to go, from 1/2 mile paddle off my back yard, walk from my B.I.L.'s yard, 40 mile drive to southern Adks.
- October 19 starts the season with my Savage Mzldr (legitimate 150yd rifle with smokeless powder, Parker pills and scope), norther tier NY
- October 26, Northern tier rifle starts, with my 99 x 270 Redding (..have I told you about my 270 Redding!!)
- November 2, crossbow off my back yard (with a crazy reverse bow from the Great Enabler)
- November 16, rifle Southern tier, and a few extra days off work around Thanksgiving.

I have tags for four (4!!) deer across all the disciplines, including two doe permits, so there's no excuses for me to be eating beef next year!

Well could be getting warmed up on knocking down the herd with our crop damage permits, but the fellow with the farm, misplaced them. The 303 F gets opening day in WV, the K with Noske scope gets the 2nd deer in WV. The Ruger #3 in 25-35, that I got from 7-57Steve, gets MD opener.

Good luck to all our members venturing out to fill the freezer in the coming days. I really live for this time of year. Gets my blood pumping. I always plan a full range day to get my fix on shooting, BSing with the guys, and just being outside in the cool fall weather. I picked up a 99 E last year in .243 to give to my grand daughter as her first deer rifle. Still playing with factory loads on that, and so far it really seems to like the Federal Fusion stuff, but I'll buy a couple others to try just to make sure what's most accurate out of it. I'll carry that rifle for deer here in Minnesota's gun season. 'Want to "bleed" it before I pass it down to my son for his little girl. He'll carry my .300 EG this fall. Nothing I'd like to see more than for him to take a deer with my 300. My old Mauser, a veteran of World War II and decades of deer seasons will make the trip. If I fill a tag with the 99, I'll switch off and hunt with it.

Probly that 250 BB I got from Roy, that rifle shoots lights out, with the 87 grain core locks! but iv not Bloodied it yet!

Joe- what??!! They lost the crop damage permits? "Gee, sorry officer, I don't have a permit. My dog ate it along with my homework last night." Why don't they just open their property to general hunting instead of having a couple guys do it all in a bacchanalia of blood sport? It also would be an ideal venue for a bunch of young newbies to get their feet wet in a controlled environment. I often wonder too just how many "crop damage" permits are issued in our state due to political payback, back room deals, trumped up need, and outright bribery.

I'm not sure how I feel about treating deer like a commodity instead of a noble game animal.

I'm happy just shooting one scraggly deer per year. Truth be told, I'm just as happy when I don't. I can't work up the enthusiasm for it like I did when younger. Doesn't stop me from going out, but the glass of whiskey and fine cigar tastes just as good at the end of the day while listening to all the other tales of prowess.

The buck was shot by Fred Goodwin in Maine, 1949.

I know how it makes me feel.

Consider the "like" button hit.

Waiting on a 99F in 250 to arrive. If it gets here soon and I have some time to suss it out, I might get a chance to hear, " the spiteful crack ", on opening day in the Catskills. Otherwise, it might be a 99F in 308 or a Ruger 77 Ultra Lite in 257 Rob.

Our rifle season starts Nov 2. Bow season is September 28. I’m ready to go hunting. I will start rifle season with a 99f 358. I want a 284, but it will have to wait a bit.

Few nice ones in my area. Broadhead or bullet? We'll see....

Bare hands.

Already bloodied a 1899A in .303 Savage on a 262 pound black bear on Friday the 13th. Unlucky day for the bear. And there is a story too. After 5 hours in stand I was wet, cold and needed to take a break so I hiked out to truck. 45 minutes later as I snuck in to my stand, near the tree stand I saw a big round head and ears near the bait. I slowly raised up and shot the bear in the neck and it dropped. As I cautiously took 4 or 5 steps forward all h*** broke loose as he charged my way. I dropped back on my butt and fired from the hip with the muzzle about 3 feet from the bear. He was probably just running after the knock down shock wore off vs. charging me? Another quick shot missed as he disappeared into bog. It was open bog so I followed the blood trail and found him on back within 50 yards but still alive. As I moved in for final shot he jumped up and I put him down for good with shot in shoulder. Tough bear. Amazing how fast you can work a lever gun when needed! First shot was in neck about 2" to side of vertebrae? Why he didn't stay down? 2nd shot took out ribs and lung on one side. 3rd shot never touched bear.
Meat at butcher being made into brats (minus roasts and stakes I cut out first). Maybe some will be left for U.P. Savage Fest!
there are pictures on 2 cell phones and in the dark so I'll see if I can get a good one to post?

Joe:

There are certain words that you can't say anymore.

I won't go into details:

But: "Crop damage permits" is moving up the list.

Fast.

Just so you know.

Good on you with your bear. Wish I could still move around in the wood like that.

Good job, Bruce! More excitement than I ever care to get, including getting charged by forkhorns.

"bacchanalia"

Thanks Gary! My quest for knowledge has been fulfilled for the day.

Wow, good show, Bruce! Living the good life!

That story needs to made into a movie! Good thing you didn't have one of those awkward, slow bolt guns.

The 270 110L got time last year but the 30-06 110L got the 8 point. Both those and the 243 110L may make the trip to the UP if both my brothers come up this year. The '99 in 308 is on consignment.

Anyone got a 1959 110L in 308?

No but I got a unicorn in the corral outside.

The car insurance companies pay the state to take out the deer. Doesn't really matter, we can take 10 doe in a day anyway, on the base license, then throw in an extra buck tag, and the late buck season in my zone, I couldn't butcher that many deer.. But, John just called and said Dave found the permits. There is another guy who is on the crop damage tag, and he picked up the original back in April, made copies for the rest of us, just got around to bringing them back. So, when Randy invites us down to Virginia to take a couple Blacky's out on the CD tag, your not going?

The part about the car insurance was just a joke. Parts of our state have deer like squirrels have fleas. I know a Christmas tree farmer that culls 25 doe, then gets more tags, and he just dumps them on the compost pile. Not a very noble end. We could always import more "Yotes, the state has no limit on them.

This always goes. 99F in 300 Sav from 1957 topped with a Leupold M8 6X that is good from 25-250 yards, at least for me anyways. I never know what the backup will be, but I seem to gravitate towards this one.

I have a unicorn but it ain't fer sale. 1959 MCL in 308

I will be hunting the Catskills in NY State come November. My firearm of choice? My 99E carbine in 300 Savage, shooting handloads, most likely loaded with Sierra 180 grain round nose bullets. I might also hunt here at home in NJ with my Savage 20 gauge "rifle".

Whereabouts in the Catskills? My camp/club is in East Branch, Delaware Co.

Im thinking my pre war R in 303 will get the nod for opening day. I will know for sure after the boys decide where they are sitting. If im hunting the point i will only have a 50-60 yard shot so i might take the 1899 250-3000 with a Lyman 301/2 peep. Decisions decisions. Lol

I haven't harvested one with a .250-3000, so the 1943 EG with the Griffin & Howe/Unertl will be the go to this year.

setting up an elk camp the 10 of Oct.
going to use the 1967 110 30-06 i got from Roy (1 of 2 bolt guns i still own) for Elk and will be using the 1951 300 savage EG for backup and Deer.
Roy i worked up a 165 sierra load for the 110 that is consistant 1" at 100. dead Elk walking!

I hope you mean 1957 and not 67. Sounds like a good shooter!

the date code is R. whatever it is i will take it to my happy hunting grounds.

I wish I remembered the story on that one. That's what happens when we get preoccupied and get OLD!

One week to deer season here so tomorrows bear hunt will be a scouting trip.

Roy, Scout yerself up here and clear some bears out of my apples!
the 110 is the rechecker job that stayed here.
speaking of bears, someone bear hunting close here shot a Griz by mistake. costly cause he reported it.

If the rains not to bad today I may go hang a couple of trail cams! need to get a stand or 2 out. would have done that already but for my buddy Bear hunt! Happy Hunting All!

My friend Liam passed on a spot and stalk bear today that was a real keeper. Glassed him u at about 1300 yards. He couldn't see it and didn't take his guides advice so we came home empty handed.

I had another bear tag to fill but this was Liams hunt so we walked away. Heartbreaker for me. It was a good bear albeit a very tough cross canyon hunt. I woulda done it in a flash.

Should have passed him the 284....

Or called in a time-on-target 105mm barrage.

The real slap in face was we were within 800 yards of that bear when we got back to the truck after a mile hike uphill. We could have side-hilled 400-500 yards in some steep shcit and called him the rest of the way across open hillside.

I will be heading up to Curran Michigan for the Nov 15th opener. This year I am taking two Bolt Action Savages. One is a 1990 110 WLE in 250 Savage and the other one is a 1926 Model 20 also in 250 Savage. I have not killed a deer with the Model 20 that wears
the Lyman bolt peep. The model 110 has scored several nice bucks, it has Burris 3X9 glass and will shoot 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards if I do my part. Good Luck to all. I will update closer to the opener.

300Savage