Krag hunt again

[jon_norstog]

to the list;

I talked my brother into coming down to SE Idaho for this year's elk hunt. We had been hunting the upper Fish Creek drainage in the Lolo zone (thaT's in Idaho, north of Syringa and Lowell) but a huge winter kill followed by the entrance in force of the wolves has made that are an elk-free zone.

This year we hunted the west end of the Island Park zone, east of Spencer, in the Centennial Mountains. A lot of that are is opencountry, so I bought a (gasp) 7mm Mag. A Kar98 built up locally. But I took the Krag along, too. Good move.

Some areas we hunted were a mix of open woods and big clearings, 2-300 yard shots. And some areas were wooded in pretty good, 100-150 yard shots max. So about half the time I caried the Krag. It's lighter and easier to carry.

Compared to the Lolo country, hunting this area was a picnic. No vine maple, not too many deadfalls, topography a lot easier. Weather, the worst day was about like an average day in the Lolo zone. We had 3 days that were almost sweltering. The wooded areas are open, no underbrush, just grass and flowers. And elk s**t all over the place. Someone ought to make those guys wear diapers.

neither of us scored. Oh well. I jumped the biggest bull elk I've ever seen, at about 25 yards. 6 points plus brow tines, big as a Clydesdale. I counted the points as he ran for it. My tag was for a spike - I missed the draw for the "any bull" hunt.

I took Chuck in Idaho's advice and got maps and stuff ahead of time. I downloaded USGS topo sheets, also GIS info from Idaho F&G, state lands, etc etc. We had **good** maps. We went out to scout in August before we bought tags. I went out before opening day to grab a really nice caMPsite we spotted on the scouting trip.

Thanks, Chuck!

This i a little OT as regards Krags. Just wanted you all to know, when I was carrying the Krag I felt like I was in the company of an old friend. When I was carrying the 7-mag it felt like just another appliance.

I'm gonna look for another woodsy area that the wolves haven't hit yet, so I can sell the 7 and just use my Krag!

jn

ps: watch for pictures!

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[target-panic]

Sounds fun Jon.......I've never been on an Elk hunt, but it is on my to-do list for sure.

[jon_norstog]

Target-P,

You can use that Krag of yours most areas. This year I tried to dope the range every half hour or so creeping around the Centennials. Most of the time I was in areas where I could get off at least one aimed shot before an animal was 2oo yards away. The real open areas, half my field of view was out of the range of the 7-mag. My conclusion is that the old rifle will work just fine as my main elk gun. I could have put that big bull down just fine with it. I may sell the 7, actually.

Well, I hear Michigan has elk again, along with Kentucky, PA and Virginia. Those are prime Krag hunt states IMHO.

thanks for the comment, and don't just think about en elk hunt, plan one. Contact me OL if you want to plan an Idaho hunt.

jn

[Bill Hollinger]

Thanks Jon. I always enjoy reading your posts.

I had a 7mm Mag once. I hated that rifle. I had more deer run after being hit than any other rifle. I double lung hit a deer twice no more than three inches apart. That deer ran for days! We found him three days later after the yotes got ahold of him. For the last 20+ years I only hunt with my M1A. With my M1A, I feel as if I can do no wrong! Wonderful is the feeling of hunting with an old friend.

[gunner]

Hi Jon,
the Big elk makes me envious. I was hunting on last saturday and the only thing i`ve seen was a to fast hopping hare. I use the LE for hunting with good results. Only one piece was walking a few steps till it fell down. I think the mag`s are a bit to fast to make a great damage at short distances. A friend is shooting a .300 WSM. for hunting in mountain area. This makes sens because the distances starts at 400m and going up to a little less than 700m.

Regards

Gunner

[jon_norstog]

Bill, Gunner,

thanks for the replies. I guess a magnum has its place, as Gunner notes. This 7 I got because it was a custom mauser, something I understand. It will stick the first 3 or 4 shots into 2 - 3 inches at 200 yards, shooting from a rest. If I see an elk at 400 yards and conditions were right I would take the shot. With the Krag I would work up closer, hoping not to scare the animal.

Gunner, my grandfather came over to the US from Telemark area, Norway, partly because things haD Gotten a little hot for hime at home, but mainly because the hunting waS Good. He homesteaded in western North Dakota, scandalized the Norwegians by refusing to farm. he hunted, fished, had a garden,and wrote poetry and plays. Dad said they never spoke English at home, and they always had fresh meat - usually jack rabbits or prairie chickens.

Well, this is a good country for a hunter. Someday, I think, the world will straighten itself out, the number of humans will shrink, and the animals will come back in their numbers. That's what the Indians say. Until then, this is a pretty good place for animals and for people who love their freedom.

I get off topic sometimes. I think the old guns have their use in the old world, where the contest between men and animals was more even. It doesn't hurt a person to have to really work to get a shot at a beautiful animal like an elk. It doesn't hurt if the animal wins, and lives for another day. That's hunting, I think, when the animal has a chance, and the hunter has a chance.

Well, I could go on ... Thank you both for posting on this one.


jn

[gunner]

Jon,

for me is the good thing on hunting not to count the dead bodies. I like to be in the nature enjoy the noises in the woods and like to see the animals. And i let the trigger untouched sometimes when i`ve seen some beautyful and majestic deer in the morning fog. So as you said: one day the deer has the luck and on a other day the hunter.

Best Regards

Gunner

BTW.: Sometimes OT`s are a very fine theme to talk about.

[jon_norstog]

Gunner,

That's what happened this year. We went up to a place called Keg Spring looking for elk. It was 8500 ft elevation, the elk were gone down lower.

On the way we saw 4 mule deer does and buck. They just stood there watching us while we watched them. The buck was pretty ordinary, not fat and delicious - looking at all. Paul asked me if I wanted to shoot it. I said, "no, I want to hunt elk. How about you?" He said it as too easy, this buck just standing there.

We drove on, then got out to hunt the elk. Later I heard a blast like the A-bomb. After about 15 minutes I called my brother on the radio to see if he shot something. He said it wasn't him. Somebody with a bizango magnum must have shot that poor dumb buck.

Same thing last year, I passed up a shot at a nice whitetail buck to keep on hunting elk.

That's hunting! And yeah, A lot of time I just get overwhelmed by the beauty of the the woods, or amused by what the small animals are doing. Weasels, especially, they really knock me out. They think you're gonna rip off the dead mice they got aging outside their lodges, run out and give you the bad eye, then grab their dead mouse and drag it into their house.

The ravens try to lead you to an animal so you'll shoot it and leave them a nice pile of guts. But they don't understand you can't follow them fast enough ... 'cause you're on the ground crawling over down timber and through brush.

Yeah, Gunner I hear you on hunting.

jn

[gunner]

Jon,

that is really hunting. I wish i could go on tour with you. You must have great areas. We here, we have small plots of wood and a bit of meadow normally. And not so many animals in it. Some have the luck ( and the money ) to have huge areas in our mountains with deers, chamois and other nice animals. Sometimes if you know such a guy, you`ll be invited to go hunting in those mountain areas, and then you dont really know what is more beautyful, to hunt or to have a eye on the nature. Dont know if there is a saying in the states for hunters, we wish us " Waidmansheil" like good luck to you.

Regards

Gunner

[jmoore]

We here, we have small plots of wood and a bit of meadow normally. And not so many animals in it.

Gunner

Oddly enough, whitetail deer thrive in such an environment. In Georgia, the real trophy hunters (not me!) concentrate their efforts in areas that are so heavily populated that firearms aren't allowed. Deer seem to like the suburbs as much as people. I often dream about being able to hunt in an area that has no plane, train, or automobile sounds permeating the woods. Even in the National Forest tracts I hunt there is no real escape. Still, being able to stalk w/in rock throwing distance of your quarry is rewarding no matter the setting, even if all you end up doing is observing.