I got drawn for hunt DI404 - Any seks bison.

I've been trying for at least 30 years. It might sound/look like good news, but... What it REALLY means is:
1) I will die before next fall, or
2) I will be crippled before next fall, or
3) I will be in jail by next fall, or
4) The End of the World As We Know It will come before next fall!

In case of #4; you better be ready.

 Paul


PS - I didn't remember this thread when I titled this one: http://www.thehunterslife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13720

Paul

Cynic!


.



Wait, the resident scientist is a cynic?
Mebbe I shouda been paying more attention.

So now I know how to plan my Alaska visit next Fall. I haven't had Buffalo in years and it's a personal favorite of mine!:MOGRIN:

Quote from: Jamie.270;152502Cynic!

Well, when you've been trying to get "chosen" for 30-some-odd years without success, and then "all of a sudden", you actually get chosen, "How is this gonna get screwed up?" can't be too far from the thoughts of a practical person!

Paul

Akshully, Rick, it would be great to have you along on the hunt!

Paul

Excellent news!

I got my "certificate" noting that I passed the on-line "Bison Hunt Orientation" training. There were a couple of pieces of information that were new to me. 1) For bison hunting ONLY, hunters can use radios and "walkie-talkies", and 2) I thought there was a minimum caliber. Nope. Rather there is only minimum weight bullet - 200 grains - and deliver 2000 ft-lb to 100 yards. If you can get a 200-grain, .17 caliber bullet to carry 2000 ft-lb to 100 yd, you can use it. Now I wait for my personal "start time". One thirty-day period between October 1 and November 30, and one between February 1 and March 31.

Paul

.338 MAI oughta deliver 2k ft-lbs out to 100 yds.
Ol' John would be proud of that.


So, is this usually a long(er) range affair in rugged country, or is it more of a shooting across flat ground, like from blinds?

Well, congrat's pal. Bout time something came thru. Been a long time in the making. You don't need to worry about finding something suitable to shoot it with. I'm surprised radios are allowed on a buffalo hunt. Sure would be handy for getting a kill out of the jungle. You can give Rick my part of the beast when the hunt is over. I'm not fond of buff.  ......Paul H

Quote from: Jamie.270So, is this usually a long(er) range affair in rugged country, or is it more of a shooting across flat ground, like from blinds?

There are four bison herds in Alaska. They are: Delta, Farewell, Copper River, and Lower Yukon. Only the first three have hunts allowed. The particular herd I can hunt - Delta - is associated with the Delta Barley Project, which is yet ANOTHER busted agricultural experiment (in the '70s), by the State of Alaska. (Barley grows great in the Delta area, but the morons refuse to acknowledge that the "distance to market" makes ALL Alaskan agriculture products non-competitive.) Therefore, generally speaking, the terrain is rolling farmland. Because this is 'new' farmland, when the fields were cleared of the old-growth timber, the trees and bushes were just pushed into windrows that are 10-15 feet high. Plus, most of the fields are separated by rows of trees left for windbreaks. Therefore, I know of no one hunting from blinds, and "long" shots are the norm according to those that have been on the hunt. Fish and Game "strongly encourages hunters to stalk within 100 yards). Yeah, right. From what I hear from people I know that have been on the hunt, 300 yard shots are not "uncommon". The good news is that a bull bison is as big a target as one is going to see on the NA continent.

Ol' John would indeed like the use of his .338 MAI on this hunt, but he also knows that I made the 1879 Martini-Enfield in .50 Alaskan just for this very hunt. (Besides, the MAI got blooded the fall of '17 at Rick's place in Missouri.) While the Martini-Enfield has also already been blooded, it was created for this bison hunt. Therefore, it's the one I will be using, with my own swaged, jacketed bullets.

Almost as we speak, I am getting all the pieces together to start swaging those bullets so that I can get some focused range time with them. I will also be testing Hawk and Northwest Custom Projectile bullets. NwCP has a 500-grain rebated boat-tail that I would hope would work. Hawk's 400-grain bullet may get 'the nod' IF it shoots the straightest. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a BC that will let it deliver 2000 ft-lb to 300 yd without upping the MV (and max pressure). Therefore, I will be doing my best to get my own swaged bullets to shoot consistently. If my BC calcs are correct, (and I will measure them at the range), I should be able to get my bullets to deliver 2000 ft-lbs to 300 yards with a muzzle velocity of 1682 f/s. Which, given the sights on the rifle and the calculated BC of my swaged bullets, should mean a drop of about 28" at 300 yd. For anything but a bison, that would mean aiming 'off hair'. However, I should be able to stay "on hair" at anything under 275 for sure and maybe even 300, and 2000 ft-lb of impact energy (at a 300 yd shot), is thumping, even on an animal that will likely be over 1500 pounds of live weight.

I have never gotten I-3031 to 'work' for a single cartridge I have used it for. However, from what I read online, more than one person reports good results with it, so I'll give it another try. Looks like Reloder 7 is also popular "on the 'net". What I have used for my reloads so far is Accurate 2495, and if I3031 doesn't show immediate potential, I'll go to the 2495. The only reason I will be trying the I3031 again is that it shows lower max pressure for the same MV. Heretofore I have wanted to keep the muzzle ENERGY down to a figure that I can "shoot all day". For this hunt, I will be willing to up that ME figure IF NECESSARY. Therefore, if I have to up the MV (and attendant ME) because of a 'poor' BC, in order to get the desired 2000 ft-lb at 300 yd, I'll want to keep the max pressure down as much as I can, and that's why I am willing to fiddle with I3031 again.

This is The Project for the upcoming year, so y'all will be seeing the results of that attention posted here at THL. Stay tuned.

Paul

I received a letter in the mail today from a "ranch" in the area in  which I am allowed to hunt buffalo. Here's a photo of the letter:


I cut out the "trespass fee". I want you to guess what that fee might be. In 2009 it was $200.

In the next post, I'll post the whole letter.

Paul

I'll take a guess at $500 for the trespass fee and cabin rates seem reasonable. :drama:

I'mma guess the 'trespass' fee is somewhere north of $1k.


So, $1,200 sounds about right.

Comment not necessary, I think.

Paul

PS - One comment I will make: Notice the misspelled "acers".

Paul

Quote from: gitano;153386

Comment not necessary, I think.

Paul

PS - One comment I will make: Notice the misspelled "acers".

Paul

Holy cow!
$.67 per "acer?"
Such a deal eh?




PS: Somehow I think these people got the idea that they own the bison.