littlebighorn
Well-known member
You know it only takes one!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.
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