44hunter45's 2024 backcountry Idaho Moose semi-live hunt thread.

[44hunter45]

To answer Terrific Tom T. You're dang right the markings are deep and crisp.

 

[TradeGun.62]

Great looking rifle. Never shot one, but always thought the .358 Norma was an underappreciated cartridge.

Hunting moose vicariously thru you, 44hunter45!

 

[44hunter45]

Cross posted in @p_ham thread about the rifle.
She shoots so good it makes me looks like a marksman.

 

[noharleyyet]

Cross posted in @p_ham thread about the rifle.
She shoots so good it makes me looks like a marksman.

View attachment 336185View attachment 336186

Amazon sells Lungs?

 

[44hunter45]

Tag - Check
Outfitter - Check
Rifle - Check

18 days until the opener.

 

[44hunter45]

Amazon sells Lungs?

I sure see a lot in my Instagram feed. They must be for sale? Why else post them?

 

[TheTone]

Tag - Check
Outfitter - Check
Rifle - Check

18 days until the opener.

I’m heading up next week. Really hoping to get in at least one morning hike up the drainage. Doubt I’ll see much though making a quick/short out and back

 

[44hunter45]

I’m heading up next week. Really hoping to get in at least one morning hike up the drainage. Doubt I’ll see much though making a quick/short out and back

If you could pin a bull elk for me, that would be great. Not doing any archery this year. Saving my shoulders for lugging that rifle around at the main event.

 

[44hunter45]

I spent some time on the IDFG outfitter area map today. Two outfitters working my zone, but they don't overlap very much.
It would have bothered me before, but now I think I'm with the outfitter I would have chosen anyway.

It focuses me down to a smaller piece of a huge unit. I think that is good. Now I don't have to worry about trying to cover every inch of it.

 

[TheTone]

If you could pin a bull elk for me, that would be great. Not doing any archery this year. Saving my shoulders for lugging that rifle around at the main event.

I’ll take a bugle with me. Gotta practice anyways

 

[44hunter45]

August 26, 2024 update:

I spent part of Friday, all of Saturday and Sunday in the unit. Its a big tough country. I spent my time high glassing the upper basins. Saw one track.
Lived on huckleberries. Scratched the snot out of my truck on USFS roads. Had a good time of it.

I'm told one lake I was at is an Idaho super secret honey hole for West Slope Cuttys. I didn't even take my rod in. Some other time when I can really hang out I will come back. I just had too much ground to cover this trip.

I had plans to leave home at dark thirty Friday morning, but work happened.

First hike and bivy location.


Second hike and glassing spot.



I really felt like I was rocking it in terms of fitness. The 6+ hour drive home left me so stiff I could barely walk this morning. I should have downed about 3MG of Vitamin C before bed.
I'm getting my legs back now.

I bumped into one of the guides that works for my outfitter. They are excited about my hunt and have been talking about amongst themselves.

To end this post. Not matter how crappy your trip starts out, these little buggers just make life happy.

 

[littlebighorn]

That's cool country. High country views are amazing.

 

[TheTone]

Amazing country! Complete and utter shame the lack of wildlife

 

[TradeGun.62]

Beautiful country. Makes you feel like a moose just has to be there somewhere!

 

[Elktrack]

Beautiful country. Makes you feel like a moose just has to be there somewhere!

They used to

 

[BAKPAKR]

To end this post. No matter how crappy your trip starts out, these little buggers just make life happy.
View attachment 338043

I agree with this 100%!

 

[44hunter45]

On crutches after stepping in a hole yesterday and hyper-extending my left knee. I was throwing hay to the horse and went down hard. Ended up rolling in horse shit for a while cradling my knee. I'm hoping against hope that nothing tore.

I'm a little better this morning, but taking it easy. Already paid for an MRI on this knee once this year. The earlier verdict was that I have a "good knee for a 62 year old former athlete."
Icing and monitoring before I decide if I need another trip to the orthopedic surgeon.

@Big Fin mentioned in the Mackenzie Sheep hunt thread that he was months from 60. Hang on brother. Its frustrating when you work to get in shape and your joints just give you a hearty FU.

 

[glass eye]

I feel your pain. After stretching my tendons and ligaments in a motorcycle accident at age 13, I have hyperextended my left knee countless times because of my sloppy knee.

Around age 30 something I finally started using a neoprene brace when hunting and that really helps a lot.

 

[44hunter45]

I feel your pain. After stretching my tendons and ligaments in a motorcycle accident at age 13, I have hyperextended my left knee countless times because of my sloppy knee.

Around age 30 something I finally started using a neoprene brace when hunting and that really helps a lot.

I can't find one that doesn't turn me purple below the knee. Chunky legs are a fact of my genetics. All those squats I did as a kid are biting back now.

Most recently tried the ones with velcro. As loose as I can wear them, they still cut off my circulation.

I am really intrigued with @Dsnow9 K tape option. I may have to go to the Othro's staff trainer or PT to learn how to apply it.

 

[44hunter45]

Walking without a cane today. As long as I don't do anything stupid I'm on pace to be saddle ready by September 30.

I talked to the outfitter about 20 minutes yesterday working out last minute details. Arrival dates, gear lists etc. We set expectations on what I consider a shooter on day one vs day 10. The season officially opened Friday 8/30. He believes it would be a random thing if any of the four other tag holders shot a bull early. They are taking in elk hunters now.
He agreed that they would pack out any other kills I make at no additional fee. He is having me exchange my regular tag for a Whitetail tag. I will be at the IDFG office in Lewiston on Tuesday. It could get sticky because the Whitetail tag archery season is open. Not a huge deal, but he didn't want me to see a toad WT after the Regular tag season ends November 3rd.

I got my load dialed in Thursday evening. 250 Speer Grand Slam at 2900FPS out the muzzle. Vihtavuori N550 is the secret sauce. She is a little spicy with this load, but still less than a 12 gauge turkey load. I would laugh at my 338 brethren, but this bullet has the BC of a brick. T-Rex medicine at 100 yards, Whitetail medicine at 500 yards. At 450 it's 1800 FPS and 2000 ft/lbs. Speer says the Grand Slam minimum reliable expansion velocity is 1700 fps. I'm a 400 yard max game shooter, so NBD.

I spent yesterday prepping brass for a bigger run. I will shoot out to 500 for drops this week and get my dope printed and taped to the stock.

That pile of brass will get thinned down to about 60-80 matched by weight. I will do the same for my hoard of bullets. In the "weird hunting rituals" department, I've been hoarding a brick of Norma LR Magnum primers for about 8 years waiting for the day I could make these loads. OCD at its finest.