Sharing a rifle

[lilbiggun]

I'd consider sharing a rifle. In 16 years up here I only had 1 rifle break and it was just a secondary, I wanted to shoot at the cabin.

A 100 lb pack is common. Buddy shot a goat one time. He took his bag off his frame and strapped the goat to it. I strapped his bag to my pack ( with the camp and his rifle) and we set off down the mtn. We stopped by the butchers to turn in his goat and his pack was roughly 120lbs and my combo was pushing 100.

I told him if he wanted to do that again I was gonna shoot him on the mtn.

 

[kansasdad]

Seems like sharing a rifle would prevent the hunting partners from hunting separately. If one of you were to go off "scouting" without the weapon, that is really what you are doing, just scouting, and not "hunting" for the duration of the un-armed period.

 

[Summitthunting]

UMMMMM....deep into some tidal (up to yer ass in Gator's & snakes) swamp.

If there is a time for more than one gun, this is it!

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I have shared and will do it again in the right circumstances. I'd say you have appropriate circumstances.

 

[1_pointer]

A throw down rifle... hadn't thought of that. I have an old Kimber I could leave up there, save me the weight next year when I go back too. What about rust protection?

I was thinking about taking my fishing gun for kicks (and ptarmigan), and if our rifle implodes, we'll gun one with the the ol pistola... Do you think a .40 would work or would a .44 be better?

I wouldn't count on it being usable the next year, but if one wanted to try that route I'd make sure the whole thing, including the bore is super well coated with one of the new miracle finishes.

The pistola would be another option, but depending on the type and make one may not be saving that much weight over a rifle.

 

[sbhooper]

There are arguments for doing it either way. It is not difficult to trip and fall in the rough country and I have heard of stocks being broken. If all goes well, one should be plenty.

Either way, a hundred pound pack for 20 miles is quite an undertaking on flat land, let alone the mountains. The heaviest that I ever hauled was a 110 pound pack and it was downhill all the way. Friggin near killed me, but I had no choice. It was the last day of a cow elk hunt on the Mescalero and the sun was going down. When the hunt is over, it is OVER there. We could not come back and get the meat the next day.

 

[Buckmania]

Guess you weren't really asking a question?

x3

 

[Buckmania]

Really? Two guys, gear, food, two sheep. You're at max capacity right there. That 8 lbs could make it unrealistic to pack all that weight 20 miles.

Each guy has 50 lbs of gear, pack weight and food. Add in roughly 70 lbs of sheep and you have 120 real lbs. This isn't the 100 lb packs you hear about that are actually 80 lbs. Most guys couldn't pack a 100 lbs with the best pack out there. Fact.

I'd take more time getting out with the extra weight of a rifle long before I'd make another 20 mile trip out of it

 

[lbirch]

One word, CrossFit! Loose 8 lbs, in my case 30...take both rifles.

 

[Jon Boy]

One word, CrossFit! Loose 8 lbs, in my case 30...take both rifles.

seems kind of like two words to me Cross and Fit?

 

[TBinKodiak]

My friend and I shot our rams at the same time on my last hunt. I don't think they would have stuck around long enough to transfer the rifle, since they were spread out and 40-50 yards away with a cliff behind them. We also had to be about 10 feet apart due to terrain and, other than throwing the rifle, they were gone within seconds of the first shot.
I've also tumbled and slid down enough mt sides to know that things get damaged on hunts. I'd leave the hide and get a Euro mt before I'd leave a rifle behind on a long hike in hunt. Just my opinion.

 

[Bambistew]

Thank my lucky stars it all worked out... Even managed to dump two within 30 seconds of each other, all with a rifle that didn't fail, and was still hitting right where it should have been when we needed it to.

Almost getting chewed on by a grizzly, and having the rifle 20 yards from my reach is another matter altogether. I'll be packing a pistola from here until I die. 30' from a mama and 3 cubs is a bit too much to handle. Don't think the wife will be sleeping outdoors for a while.

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

Don't think the wife will be sleeping outdoors for a while.

Keep her in the kitchen

 

[dustinf]

Thank my lucky stars it all worked out... Even managed to dump two within 30 seconds of each other, all with a rifle that didn't fail, and was still hitting right where it should have been when we needed it to.

Almost getting chewed on by a grizzly, and having the rifle 20 yards from my reach is another matter altogether. I'll be packing a pistola from here until I die. 30' from a mama and 3 cubs is a bit too much to handle. Don't think the wife will be sleeping outdoors for a while.

Well done.

Thank goodness you didn't bust your rifle's stock...

 

[Oak]

Don't think the wife...

Congrats!

Now post some sheep photos.

Please.

 

[1_pointer]

Good deal. Did you bring the rifle home?

Sounds like it about got a bit 'western' with the grizz. Looking forward to the pics.

 

[Bambistew]

Sounds like it about got a bit 'western' with the grizz. Looking forward to the pics.

It got more "western" when it came time for the knife fight with a pack of hungry wolverines.

Epic adventure...

 

[LopeHunter]

How heavy was the pack as you started the hike outbound? I hike with 72# for training but have been over 100# for a few miles during hunts and wears on the knees a bit.

 

[noharleyyet]

I make the guide carry two rifles for me.

Oops...can I say that here?

 

[1_pointer]

It got more "western" when it came time for the knife fight with a pack of hungry wolverines.

Epic adventure...

Very interested in hearing about that! One of the funniest hunting related stories I've read was about the guy in AK who guided Fred Bear to the then world record brown bear. He had figured out a way to trap wolverines and get them out of said trap and into a box alive. He strolled into the F&G office with a wooden box that had all kinds of racket coming out of it. When asked what it was it started to take the lid off, but stopped at the vehement request of the F&G personel who was doing their best to climb their chair!

PS- Compared to what I did last week, I have to say...you suck!