Men I Knew, Who Hunted Thier Entire Lives, With Just One Rifle.
- Thread starter Mustangs Rule
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BrentD
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Beware the man with just one gun.
He may be boring.
He may be boring.
Mustangs Rule
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I am with you 110%. I see these young hunters, often married with a kid. They are drooling over some 1000 yard "whosi-whatsi-its" rifle with a scope made by Hubble to view stars with. They spend way too much money, on gadgets too while back at their rental, "baby needs new shoes" and mom needs more pampers
They dream of a big monster 4x4 pickup towing quads and they run around in the offiial expensive camo pattern of the month.
Yikes such followers of hunting fashions, and far too many have a far too big gut.
And all the while, on any day of the week, they could go to online gun sales, or into most any used gunshop and buy a well made Interarms mauser action rifle in 30-06, 270, 7mm mag or .308, often wiith a scope and a well fitted stock, for a handful of peanuts compared to these super expensive sniper rifles.
Next they could go into most any used clothing store, buy some used wool pants, a few plaid shirts, even a brown or greenish tweed sport jacket for another handful of peanuts and they are done.
The original camo clothing was Scottish tweeds to match the heather. I cruise those stores still. Most all my hunting clothes come from such places. The only genuine camo I have is a face mask.
Mustangs Rule
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Boring as in "boring" a hole right through the center of a bullseye with each shot.Beware the man with just one gun.
He may be boring.
OntarioHunter
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Hmmm. I've been called a lot of things, some rather vulgar, but never "boring."Beware the man with just one gun.
He may be boring.
OntarioHunter
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Definitely some validity to those observations. I was a family man with working wife and middle class income. We lived okay in a very small 1929 home. My late wife NEVER complained about my hunting even though some years it was hard enough justifying the cost of ammo (which was a LOT cheaper back then). I sure as hell could not see me taking advantage of her love and devotion by pissing away funds on toys like guns I really didn't need. Big trucks and ATVs would have been a huge slap in her face. Shooting stuff doesn't mean that much. We never had fights over money because we were considerate of each other. She tended to go overboard with credit card at Christmas but it's hard to be critical of that. My answer to what do you want to see under the tree was always "I can't think of anything I need." Let her load up the kids.
Mustangs Rule
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Once again, I am in a 110% agreement with you.
I picked out some of your words
“by pissing away funds on toys like guns I really didn't need” and that “Shooting stuff doesn't mean that much.”
Once any hunter has one scoped rifle of reasonable caliber that can hold a 1 ½ inch group at a hundred yards, all other hunting rifles can go into the parenthesis of his life. They just become an unnecessary add on.
When I was a teen I spent my money on a few cheap guns. When I graduated from college as a present to myself I bought a used scoped Safari grade Belgium Browning in 30-06 for a whopping price of $180. I had to sell my old clunker guns and still I had to make payments on it. I have that rifle today. All other hunting rifles have been in the ( ) ‘s of my hunting life.
Later, I bought a few other firearms when the money I spent did not in any way affect the responsibilities of my larger life and marriage.
Every big game hunt I have ever been on in the past half century however, could have been admirably handled with that first fine rifle.
Being from New England I am sucker for classic Winchesters and I bought some at the right price. Living on the dry desert for years they we all I ever needed especially the .270.
When I left the desert country and moved to the cold wetter north country I bought a stainless synthetic rifle, as it matched my needs. I recall sitting covered in rain gear in a heavy wet snow with my stainless Sako Finniight. Not the place for a blue and walnut pre-64 model 70.
I bought based on real need.
Much of my life has involved being with young people as general building contractor till 50, hiring young men, and from then on after going back to college to become a biology educator at the high school level.
Over and over I have seen so much firearms silliness.
A young man buying another gun to, “protect his family” when that “gun money” would better protect them by replacing bald tires.
Seeing a young father buying yet another firearm when it was so obvious his children needed braces on their teeth.
I was seeing family members have to bear the burden of their dad’s right to bear arms.
A father buying yet another rifle,,,, for his son,,,who is 7 years old.
I grew up under the no nonsence mentor ship of WW2 combat vets, even two WW1 vets.
My first real hunts were with such men.
I was friends with their kids and grand kids. We hunted together, the kids used their fathers guns mostly.
Typically there would be a locked cabinet in the basement or in the attic with small number of firearms. It seemed like most dad’s had just one hunting rifle maybe two at most. One from the USA, another being a sporterized Mauser or Arisaka rifle back from the war.
Very few of them had any military firearms
As far as handguns there were few of them too. A rare Luger, mostly 1911’s, but even those were rare. What these guys cared about was not firearms but their family.
Zigmond was Sargent in the Army, a tanker in the battle of the Bulge, very hard of hearing. He had a Savage 99 in 300 Savage, an Ithaca model 37 shotgun and a Marlin model 39 lever action .22.
Most years he went deer hunting in Maine. He put four kids through college as a carpenter foreman. I worked under him. He took me to the hunters safety classes to get my first license. My dad was not a hunter.
Harold did have a Japanese semi auto handgun. He was in the Navy, fought in the battle of the Corral sea. He swapped something with a Marine for that pistol
He was a mason boss and put all four of his kids thought medical school.
These were the men,,, I served my trade apprenticeship under.
They were deeply patriotic, grateful to the government for the GI Bill, for housing loans and for the federal aid to education their children were given for college. They graduated debt free
And lets NOT forget “Bubbles”!
He was an ex marine who fought early in the Pacific Theater of WW2.
He got so fat after the war, he earned that name. He looked like one huge round bubble on top of another. He had one shotgun he used for duck hunting. Those who went with him feared he would sink the duck boat if he move wrong. They paid more attention to him than incoming ducks.
Before during, and after college I worked under all these men.
One spring after school let out, in 1968, I showed up at the crew and Juan the laborer was not there. I worked with him every summer since high school. I was friends with his son.
I asked where Juan was? I found out that Bubbles, the foreman, fired him for being drunk on the job just last week.
Eddie was second in charge of this crew. He was Bubble’s younger brother. Eddie volunteered to join the Marines and fought in the later battles in the Pacific.
I told Eddie,,,, that Juan’s son had just been killed in Vietnam the previous week.
Eddie went up to his brother Bubbles and told him
Bubbles left the job and went the company office and wanted to give Juan another chance and know where he lived.
He was told that insurance and company rules would never allow them to rehire anybody who has been fired for being drunk on the job.
Word about this went through the crew.
One after another those WW2 combat vets all went to the company office and threatened to quit unless Juan got another chance.
Bubbles went to Juan's house. He spent the day there. What was said was forever between them
Juan showed up for work the next day.
Every vet from every crew in that company showed up. Each one wanted to shake hands with and give a hug to a little dark skinned immigrant, who never got drunk on the job again.
All such great men. Most were hunters too. They might have been short on guns, but they were long on heart.
MR.
Howie
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I only have 4 and every year it's a fight. I love em all and hate to have to choose. Your first, your favorite, the BIG ONE, the fun one.
Ain't it great to live in America? God bless and save this country.
Ain't it great to live in America? God bless and save this country.
Nick87
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No stories of a one gun hunter, that sucks about your grandpa. That's along time to go through all that.
shrapnel
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One man, one gun is like a black and white western movie. They represent something we all can relate to and remind us of days past and hunting when it was a simpler time with no gadgets, just a rifle and a knife.
My dad was that kind of a guy, thankfully I learned many things from him and guns were one of those lessons. He had 4, a sporterized 1903 Springfield, a colt 357 magnum, a Savage 22 and a Mauser 98 that he was given from a client he guided back in the 1940’s.
He taught me to aim and shoot well, which gave me an appreciation for both guns and ammo. One thing I did get from him was a love for guns and I always wanted more.
Years later I have dozens of guns and use several each year in pursuit of big game. I enjoy hunting as much for the rifle I use as the game I pursue. The most of what I shoot is varmints and that requires even more guns. There is no limit.
My boys enjoy hunting as much as I do, but are more like my father than me, as they don’t have a fraction of the guns I have.
As far as one guy, one gun, life would be boring if I was limited to one of anything. I still admire my father for the man he was and the example he set…
My dad was that kind of a guy, thankfully I learned many things from him and guns were one of those lessons. He had 4, a sporterized 1903 Springfield, a colt 357 magnum, a Savage 22 and a Mauser 98 that he was given from a client he guided back in the 1940’s.
He taught me to aim and shoot well, which gave me an appreciation for both guns and ammo. One thing I did get from him was a love for guns and I always wanted more.
Years later I have dozens of guns and use several each year in pursuit of big game. I enjoy hunting as much for the rifle I use as the game I pursue. The most of what I shoot is varmints and that requires even more guns. There is no limit.
My boys enjoy hunting as much as I do, but are more like my father than me, as they don’t have a fraction of the guns I have.
As far as one guy, one gun, life would be boring if I was limited to one of anything. I still admire my father for the man he was and the example he set…
My father, before and after his time in Korea, only hunted with a Winchester Model 54 .270. He inherited that rifle when his Dad passed away before he shipped out to Korea. That rifle is in my safe. I've used it to take a couple mule deer.
Mustangs Rule
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I consider the Model 54 to be my favorite Winchester. Is yours a carbine or full rifle?
I once had a conversation with my wife asking her thoughts about downsizing to one big game rifle, one rimfire, and one shotgun each. There's something about the simplicity of it all is certainly attractive. We both came to the conclusion that it'd be impossible. The majority of the guns we own were given to us by various family members (living and deceased). Something just wouldn't seem right selling guns that weren't really ours to sell.
Mallardsx2
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I have a friend who has killed more game than most people and he only owns a .22, a shotgun, and a 30-06. I always envy his simplicity. lol His dad will eventually leave him more guns than he knows what to do with though. That likely played a roll in why he didn't own more. lol
Mustangs Rule
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Hmm. the word "simplicity" was just used in post 34, 33, and strongly exampled in post 31. There is something both noble and admirable about that word, that concept. There is no excess "fat on it", no waste.
Japanese Zen Monks and Samurai Warriors both embrace a concept called "Orioki" which means "just enough". All needs are fully met without excess or waste.
Original native hunters knew about this, they lived by this creed or broughtn it at their peril. The study of ecology is all about, just enough. without excess.
I was studying "surplus killing" among predators, espeacially wolves, in which they would kill way beyond their needs, and that led to so much waste.
Upon further examination of this seemingly terribly wastefull habit there were things to learn.
Normally it occurs during the winter and it is a way of storing food for harder times that might come. Next a host of other animals benifit; crows, magpies, ravens, hawks, eagles, weasels, foxes, skunks, raccoons, coyotes, bobcats. They all feed on the surplus killing. Nothing really does go to waste at all.
What does seem to be a theme however is how when anything is connected to man, waste occurs. In one of the Wyoming elk feeding grounds where the elk were somewhat confined and they just ran in circles wolves killed 19 elk, many young. It is easy to seriously apply harsh judgemnets to them,
Now switch to the dumsters in Kotzubue, Alaska, whch is one the fly in captiols for trophy caribou hunting. Thse dumpsters are filled with rotting caribou meat. Just thrown away because of the high cost of flying it back to where the hunters come from. They take the hide, head antlers and a few choice cuts of meat and leave the rest to truly be wasted.
Of course this is against both natural and man's laws, but this practice is so common place there.
Japanese Zen Monks and Samurai Warriors both embrace a concept called "Orioki" which means "just enough". All needs are fully met without excess or waste.
Original native hunters knew about this, they lived by this creed or broughtn it at their peril. The study of ecology is all about, just enough. without excess.
I was studying "surplus killing" among predators, espeacially wolves, in which they would kill way beyond their needs, and that led to so much waste.
Upon further examination of this seemingly terribly wastefull habit there were things to learn.
Normally it occurs during the winter and it is a way of storing food for harder times that might come. Next a host of other animals benifit; crows, magpies, ravens, hawks, eagles, weasels, foxes, skunks, raccoons, coyotes, bobcats. They all feed on the surplus killing. Nothing really does go to waste at all.
What does seem to be a theme however is how when anything is connected to man, waste occurs. In one of the Wyoming elk feeding grounds where the elk were somewhat confined and they just ran in circles wolves killed 19 elk, many young. It is easy to seriously apply harsh judgemnets to them,
Now switch to the dumsters in Kotzubue, Alaska, whch is one the fly in captiols for trophy caribou hunting. Thse dumpsters are filled with rotting caribou meat. Just thrown away because of the high cost of flying it back to where the hunters come from. They take the hide, head antlers and a few choice cuts of meat and leave the rest to truly be wasted.
Of course this is against both natural and man's laws, but this practice is so common place there.
Boarmaster
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I dont really care about what others choose to spend their money on. Everyone chooses their own priorities. I can tell you I enjoy researching and putting together a new set up. Its a hobby. My problem is I dont let go of the ones go I dont use anymore.
I could still be hunting with only the old ruger but I hate to think of missing all the fun I had putting together and hunting with my newer rifles. Nothing practical about my hobbies.
I could still be hunting with only the old ruger but I hate to think of missing all the fun I had putting together and hunting with my newer rifles. Nothing practical about my hobbies.
Mustangs Rule
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Usually I pay for new by selling old. The small core of what I keep needs to work for me in the present. Only twice in over 50 years of buying, and swapping have I regretted selling a gun. Most always I was glad to see them go to a new owner who appreciated them. Otherwise I feel like I am getting all clogged up. Same goes for a lot of my other posseions.
My grandfather had a dairy farm that was neat and ship shape. Most other farms looked like junkyards when you drove by. Not his.
If he saw no further use for something he either threw is away, sold it or gave it away.
Replace "he " with "she", "woman" with "man" "whore" with "variety is the spice of life " and the above works for me
I agree with Shrapnel, I was content with having only one husband in my life but rifles, cars, boats, music albums --shoes/boots, couldn't do it.
AlaskaHunter
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My hunting mentor in Alaska (now in his 80s) used a
Winchester pre-64 Model 70 in 300 H & H for everything
from tiny Sitka blacktails to big grizzly bear/moose.
His farthest shot was 350 yards on a Boone & Crockett moose.
He was not a plinker...he did not practice...always shot a 180gr partition.
Each fall, he checked his rifle for 3 inches high at 300 yards and was good to go.
Winchester pre-64 Model 70 in 300 H & H for everything
from tiny Sitka blacktails to big grizzly bear/moose.
His farthest shot was 350 yards on a Boone & Crockett moose.
He was not a plinker...he did not practice...always shot a 180gr partition.
Each fall, he checked his rifle for 3 inches high at 300 yards and was good to go.
Mustangs Rule
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That is one of the most impressive photos I have ever seen in my life. It speaks volumes of the man your father was.
I have a photo of my maternal grandfather taken during the great depression. He is standing next to a huge draft horse.
People just get mesmerized by full humanness they see.
There is a Spartan quality in your dad, yet kindness is there in abundance.
I like having a small core of fine firearms that are appropriate to my needs, with some exra wiggle room. but not too much. Having as many guns as you have would be a source of irritation for me. To each their own. I could get along just fine with what your dad had, just add a shotgun for upland birds. A Springfield is a noble firearm, so is a Mauser and would add most older Winchesters and Savage 99's. They came from era when quaitiy and reliability really mattered. They were build by true craftsmen.
For handguns, vintage Colts and pinned barreld Smith and Wessons revolvers said all I need to hear. I have a couple revolvers, nothing so pristiine that I cannot feel good about taking them afield.
During my residential contractior years I figured a 1/4 of my work, minimum, was buiding space for people to store their precious junk.
