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

[44hunter45]

UPS Tracker says something exciting coming tomorrow. "Adult Signature Required".

This arrived today:



Gear list is almost done except the race to see if the 35 Whelen or the 358 Norma build finishes first.

UPDATE - Had the first real hurdle. I am sure there will be more. Talked to the riflesmith in Washington and my two Mausers with him are not as far along as he led me to believe. It is doubtful they will be ready before I need to start working up loads.

Hail Mary to @p_ham. Watch this space. A bucket list hunt deserves a bucket list rifle.

 

[gagrimes1]

Well it's time to get this semi-live thread started.

Early May. Successfully drawn for 2024. I don't mind telling where my tag is, since if I'm successful it's one and done. Well, I don't -- but to protect the odds after I shoot a 55" bull, I've edited it out.
I've scrubbed the post to be Nottellum Creek.

Thank you Idaho HT brothers who provided encouragement to keep drawing when I was going to give it up. Realizing the tag and the unit is kind of an "Oh shit" comparable to walking up on that bull you just shot and realizing you now need to start breaking it down and packing it out.

Bi-polar as I am, this will be a physical and mental challenge. But I'm up for it. Many of you have offered tips, volunteered to sherpa and glass with me, and provide general cheer-leading. None of you have heard me snore in camp yet.

This is a tough unit, and I'm not 30 years old any more. My plan is to scout the hell out of this and have a good time whether I shoot a bull or not. The goal is anything with forked fronts, but I will tag anything legal toward the end.

I have been e-scouting every night and getting the trails burned in my brain. This is essentially a wilderness hunt in all but name. If I were crazy enough to pack in a chainsaw, I could. The legal roads run around the perimeter of the unit. but not through it. It is not too big in square miles. My on-the-ground scouting goal is to have hiked all the major trails in the unit before the opener. My old paper maps show a ton of lesser trails, too. A lifetime's worth to explore.

My first on the ground trip will be May 18-19. Driving in to base camp Friday afternoon after work and hike up as far a 2019 burn on Saturday. Overnight there and explore Sunday. I want to work the bunny trails before hitting the black diamonds. Hopefully I will toughen up as I go. I've found living on Heather's Choice and Gastro Gnome are about the most pleasant weight loss program a guy can have.

I have not been up this place past the campground. This will be new territory.

Good luck on your tag…shoot straight

 

[p_ham]

What was and what will be.
Got it torn apart and the necessary parts into the ultrasonic for a bath.

 

[noharleyyet]

Take your time Paul, Imma send him Ken Jr's 300RUM...

 

[TheTone]

Winchester and a leupold? Classic American hunting stuff

 

[p_ham]

Trued up a handful of actions and bolts today.

Got the .358 barrel in the lathe and dialed in, then found out that my rented reamer has a .5" shank instead of the standard .4375".

Pulled the barrel back out of the machine and made a reamer holder. Guess I'll do the barrel tomorrow.

 

[44hunter45]

How true was it? Hard to tell from the pics, but looks like the front face took a little true-up.

After looking at the #3 quarter rib, I see a CCM designed one-off banded front sight in my future.
Next year when I bring the Mausers in....

I gonna have trouble sleeping until the next installment.

Take your time Paul, Imma send him Ken Jr's 300RUM...

I really want to do a 358 Norma vs 300 RUM recoil comparison. Need @mtmuley or @BackofBeyond to have a range meet-up some time. There are some common Hammer bullet weights available.

2300 here. And so, to bed....

 

[p_ham]

How true was it? Hard to tell from the pics, but looks like the front face took a little true-up.

After looking at the #3 quarter rib, I see a CCM designed one-off banded front sight in my future.
Next year when I bring the Mausers in....

I gonna have trouble sleeping until the next installment.

I really want to do a 358 Norma vs 300 RUM recoil comparison. Need @mtmuley or @BackofBeyond to have a range meet-up some time. There are some common Hammer bullet weights available.

They're all blending together, but I think the face was .003, the lugs were .0015, the threads were .005 or so. The bolt took .0015 on the lugs and face.

I did an XP100 today that the face was .010 out, the lugs were .004, and the threads were .015 off center. POS.


The 358 Norma should be pretty close to 375 h&h recoil wise. The RUM is probably more sharp than the Norma.

 

[p_ham]

Barrel did a few RPMs today.
Still need to cut the extractor groove but it's all cut and chambered.

 

[p_ham]

 

[BAKPAKR]

That is going to be a pretty special gun to shoot a moose with.

@44hunter45, I have never shot bullets that weighed more than 210 grains in my 300 RUMs. They are fine in a 9.25 pound rifle but, for me, 200 gr bullets are too much in an 8.25 pound rifle (unbraked). 230 gr bullets at a hair under 2900 fps are too much for me without a brake in my 9.25-9.5 pound 30 Nosler.

 

[44hunter45]

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I see there is a #1 stock not getting any love while this project is being done. Maybe that bottle of whiskey needs to go to that guy.

 

[p_ham]

I see there is a #1 stock not getting any love while this project is being done. Maybe that bottle of whiskey needs to go to that guy.

It's still on the bench at least!

 

[p_ham]

Popped it out of the bedding this afternoon. Hoping to get some rounds downrange before I head out for my hunt Wed afternoon.

 

[perma]

Holy cow, a thread about a backcountry moose hunt with some gunsmithing from p_ham!? How’d I miss this one?

Following.

 

[44hunter45]

I realize I kind of left my health issues hanging in an earlier post.

I did get my second shingles vaccine shot. My doctor said I crashed and burned on my first scouting trip due to Post Herpetic Neuralgia. Translation "Nerve pain after having Herpes Shingles." I felt like I had been rolled in barbed wire and then electrified. The fact that our backpack belts are all right where my Shingles blisters were made it even worse.

He put me on Gabapentin. That stuff is magic. It is really why I started fixing up my old trucks and doing more home repairs recently. Different people respond to it differently. It has turned me into the energizer bunny.

I've been getting some road time in. I actually broke into a run a couple of times tonight out there. Trust me, a 62 year old fat dude running is not good to watch in any way!

So I am getting healthier and more fit as the days go by. I will not be in "Sheep Shape" but I will keep working.

I had a sleep study recently and (shocking!) I have apnea. Serious apnea. They are giving me some time to do it, but the sleep specialist wants me at a BMI of 25 or lower within two years. I've lost 25% of the delta this month.

 

[Sytes]

He put me on Gabapentin. That stuff is magic

A tough SOB retired co-worker came down with shingles and he shared it as rough as heck!

Great to hear your success reducing that fire-like feeling. Since 2012, I've been on gabapentin daily/max dose.
I may borrow your description! Hah! Barbed wire wrapped/electrified - quite visual! I usually share it as very cold hands placed under hot water. Thousands of fire-like needles throughout my body.

Way to keep at it with your fitness routine! Age is.an ass kick itself. Keep on keeping on! Moose time is a great motivator.

 

[p_ham]

 

[44hunter45]

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I'm running out of excuses really fast.

 

[44hunter45]

Watching a lightning fire close to the unit. Not time to panic yet.