Vintage Hunting and NCOWS

[Big Goose]

Our hunt took place in north central Montana last Thursday , October 25.
It was a bit on the cold side and windy--- 30 mph +. The buffalo ( a herd of some 450 animals on nearly 50,000 acres) were really skittish.  Once we loacated the herd- which took most of the day- were hunkered down against a big rock on the edge of a coulee where it looked like they were drifting towards. The lead cow, the one that Colton shot with the Spencer, winded us and spooked at a sort of rocking horse gallop. She was about 60 yards in front of us and a bit uphill, and distanced herself some 20 yards in front of the herd and had no calf with her.  I leveled my 1859 Sharps and tucked the blade front sight just ahead of her shoulder andasked Colton if he was ready to take the lead cow. His answer was a sharp boom from the Spencer and her hide pukered for an instant right where iI had been aiming. Her stride increased and at about 110 yards the Spencer spoke again. This time she stumbled and it was obvious the Colton had broken her off side leg just below the shoulder. She slowed and was lost in the sea of buffalo that hurtled past us.
  The buffalo were some 10 or more animals deep and offered no chance for a shot for me... finally just at the tail end of the herd a lone cow came sprinting to catch her companions. Same distance maybe 60 yards and she was moving right along. Again I nestled the front bade into the rear notch and swung across her chest ... when the sights crossed in front of her shoulder I squeezed the trigger. KERBOOM --- the 565 grain slug propelled by 95 grains of very old Curtiss & Harvey 3F blackpowder ignited by an RWS musket cap  slammed into her ribs just behind her shoulder.
   I quickly dropped the lever and stuffed in another paper cartridge and fumbled  another cap on the nipple. Again, she was enveloped in the herd,  then as the herd steadily loped away, the two cows and a young bull and yearling heifer  stood by themselves some 180 yards away. I couldn't tell at that point that one of the cows was the one that I had mortally hit, but Colton's was obvious with a broken shoulder.
He held high on her hump and touched off annother shot.  We could plainly hear the slap of the 385 grain bullet hit her once again in the chest.... she disappeared over the edge of the coullee and the othe three followed.
  It took us a while to get into position on the edge of the coullee where Colton's cow was down, At that point we could also see that the other cow was the one I had shot, though she spooked not offering a good angle for a shot. Colton's cow struggled to her feet and her put her down for keeps.
  I had to circle around the bend of the coullee to get another shot at my cow where she had bedded down.  She did get up as soon as I poked my head over the edge and I put anouther bullet into her--- quartering away at about 80 yards. She went down  as well.  We smoked a pipe of kinnikinnik with our Assinaboine guide and placed a final offering of prairie grass and sage for our buffaloes.
The Spencer load was 37 grains of C&H 3f and 385 grain bullet from a mold that I have shortened. Starline brass and Winchester LR primers.This load shoots remarkably well in this AS carbine regularly grouping 3 " or so at 100 yards.  We recovered only 2 of the bullets( one from the spine shot and one from the long shot, both against the hide on the far side) the other two passed through. Colton's first shot was excellent, penetrating both lungs and actually creasing the back side of her heart. Second and third shots were equally as fatal and of course the spine shot anchored her. It says a lot about the effectivness of a heavy bullet at rather modest velocities, as long as your range is reasonable. And did he ever make that Spencer sing.... his first two shots were remarkably fast!!
The Sharps as I mentioned earlier was loaded with paper cartridges stuffed with 95 grs. C&H 3f and that big .54, 565 grain slug . I did recover the second bullet penetrated over 3 feet of bison hide, bone and muscle and was nearly through the hide on the far side. As with Colton's both shots were fatal therough the lights. It was an awesome hunt and as fine a time a man can have with his son.
We are blessed.... I just about have all of the meat processed. just a couple hundred pounds of burger left to grind. should be all finished by the time our Minnesota deer season opens on Saturday!
Take care all, and good hunting,
Big Goose

[buckskin billy]

awesome pictures big goose. i hope to take my sharps on a buffalo hunt soon

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Big Goose and Colton ,
Thanks   for the awesome photo's and story . Hope your Deer season goes as well as your Buffalo hunt went . Goose I know you are as Proud as proud can be , sharing that Hunt with your son . Congratulation and thanks again for sharing this with all of us .

[Rafe Covington]

Congrats Rowdy, very nice deer and great shooting.

Rafe

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
Today we walked around looking for the Turkeys that have disappeared . Apparently they are on the other side of the Creek on a different Farm ? But after all that we were headed out and what did we spot ? Well it was an Excellent very large rack Buck . We sat in the Jeep and watch him with the binos  . We first spotted him at about 200 yards away . We slowly moved down the dirt road till we were about 50 yards from him , he wasn't paying no attention to the Jeep  he had his mind on a doe . He was a beautiful critter .

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
What is your choice for a Vintage Hunting rifle ? I enjoy a 1873 Winchester ( uberti ) in 44wcf , a 1876 in 45-60 , a Remington RB in 45-70 , a Marlin in 45-70 .

[Cliff Fendley]

My favorite hunting rifle that fits in the NCOWS time period is model 94 Winchester chambered in 32 W.S.

[pony express]

I harvested a tasty spike buck several years ago with my '94 Win 38-55. (About 1907 vintage, octagon barrel, 1/2 magazine) It didn't react any different than one shot in the same place with my usual .308 Win, but with a lot less damaged meat. Unfortunately, can't see the iron sights very well for hunting anymore. If I use the "shooting glasses" I use for CAS, I can see the sights clear, but the deer are a bit blurry, now they added an "antler point restriction" so I have to be able to see him clear enough to count points before I can shoot....Guess it'll be the scoped .308 again this year untill I figure something else out. Maybe a tang sight on one of my lever guns might help.

[Carr Creek Kid]

Henry in 44wcf or NWMP 1876 carbine in 45-75 

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Pony Express
Congratulations on your buck with the 38-55 . Have you ever considered using a Malcolm scope on you rifle

[buckskin billy]

congradulations on your deer pony express.
my guns of choice are a c.sharps bridgesport rifle in the 44 2 1/4sbn(44-77) and a 1860 henry .45 colt. i have taken deer with both these guns. i also use a model '66 in 44special,a '76 in 45-75 and a iab .54caliber paper cutter percussion sharps. i have not taken any deer with these guns yet.

oh yeah how could i forget my old 54 caliber hatfield i got one doe with it

[bear tooth billy]

The last buffalo I shot was a 1500lb bull taken with my 16 lb Sharps big fifty, black powder from 125 yds. I wore my
period clothes and field dressed it with a ripping and skining knife. Unfortunately the buffalo ranch sold out  and with it my
chance to get reasonably priced buff meat. I was able to harvest 3 buffs, with 3 calibres, 45/70, 45/90, and the 50/90
Sharps rifles.

                                          BTB

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
Tomorrow is the opening day for Rifle season . I can't wait to take my 1873 in 44wcf out to the woods . I have my ammo loaded with Swiss powder , really wanting to go the extra mile for the Vintage hunt . The weather is going to be on the warm side but dry opening day . Now to figure out my Hunting attire , boots are easy will use my old Buffalo runners .

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
Opening day of rifle season was WINDY and warm . Didn't see any does , just Bucks . We wasn't able to have our campfire because of the wind . So all Cooking was done in the building with a Coleman stove . We always eat real good while at camp . We ate tenderloin and fried taters the next day we had steak and fried taters . I guess you can tell we aint no vegetarians . Best of luck to all the Hunters out there . Remember The worst day of Hunting is better than the best day of work .

[dusty texian]

Rowdy it dont get better than hanging around the old camp ,cooking game and having a sundowner around the campfire .Last wk. we roasted wild pork ribs on the mesquite coals in less than two hrs. after I shot him . Cant wait to get back to the ranch life .Boil your coffee water in the morning ,cook eggs outside on the porch. Thats living. Dusty.

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Dusty
Post a picture of the Buck and wild hog here ,  That was a fine looking Buck you killed with your 1876 Winchester .
I sure would like a plate of them ribs also . I think you are living the LIFE . Enjoy

[dusty texian]

Rowdy if you can make it down to Texas  with that old 44-40 of yours in the spring ,for Turkey and Hog ,I am sure we will have a plate of them ribs together . Looking forward to it . Dusty.

[dusty texian]

Here is a Wt. buck and Hog I got with my old 76 Winchester 45-75 .I took them both on a hunt in West Tx. last Wk. Was like hunting in the 1800s . This old ranch has ran the same brand since the late 1800s.Old wooden corrals rock house and barns . Like stepping back in time . Kinda makes you not want to go back to town . Dusty.

[dusty texian]

Here is the hog.Dusty.

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Dusty
That sounds like a Wonderful place to Hunt . Between the History and the natural beauty , well you just can't get no better than that . Most of my Hunting has been in my home state of Kentucky . So the thought of going to Texas is Exciting . But time will tell .