Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2016 14:03:16 GMT -7
In the spring of 1989, while working out at King Salmon, Alaska, harvested my first caribou with a Mannlicher-Schoenauer Model 1903 6.5x54mm carbine. I'd had Jaeger install one of their quick detachable scope mounts set up for the Weaver 3x I'd supplied them (this in 1986). The Weaver 3x scope had a German #1 pointed post reticle, which Weaver offered in the late 1970's. A most befitting power range for a scope on this fine carbine, as was the German #1 reticle - my personal favorite reticle for all hunting rifles I scope.
On a slightly overcast cold winter morning a best friend, John, and myself had ridden our 4-wheelers up the Naknek River drainage towards Naknek Lake in search of caribou.
After rolling across the landscape for an hour or so, we spotted a small band of 14 caribou. John had been living in King Salmon since 1985 and knew the area well, while also having become a fine hunter of caribou n' moose in that area. He suggested we slip around a small rise and intercept the band of 'bou.
Dismounting our iron ponies we made contact with the 'bou at about 80 yards. They were slowly moving away from us at an angle. At the beginning of the day's hunt, I'd loaded the 6.5 Mannlicher with CIL/Canadian, factory 160 gr roundnose ammunition - a long story for another time, but I had acquired just over 900 rounds of this CIL ammunition!
Once we began the stalk, I chambered a round and applied the safety. The 'bou noticed our presence and as they began to start their fast walk away from us, I placed a 160 gr roundnose bullet just behind a small bull's left shoulder. At the shot he went down, yet regained his feet and began to step off. Later, when field dressing the 'bou, found where that slow moving 160 gr roundnose had caught the rear edges of the shoulder blade and then slid across/forward on the shoulder blade and out the front of the left shoulder, not causing much damage.
Having worked the smooth Mannlicher action, had already chambered another round ready for use. As the 'bou was still angled away from me, I placed the second shot just in front of the left hind quarter, angling towards the right shoulder. The 'bou went down for the count, the bullet having come out on the front of the right shoulder.
As the rest of the band moved off at a quick pace for other parts of the river drainage, John and I approached the caribou laying on the snow covered tundra.
When I checked on the downed 'bou, it was not until I had the opportunity for a close-up look that I noticed that in the 'bou's allowing me to harvest him, he had given me a hunter's gift.
I hollered over to where John was scouting the tundra for a 'bou for himself, and told him I may now harvest any 'bou from here on out, no need for trophy hunting (which I don't do anyway, would rather eat meat, can't eat big antlers). He answered back over his shoulder, "Why's that?" I replied, "This young bull has the coveted 'double shovel' antlers." The antler rack measures 23" high and 19" wide, the only antler rack I kept from my years in Alaska. Hey, I don't have to have a cathedral ceiling house to display them in!!
Never did a fancy mount for that caribou antler rack, rather it resides with me as it was cleaned up after the hunt.
As for the Mannlicher-Schoenauer Model 1903, it is a delight to carry in the field, and provides adequate cartridge performance - if you do your part, it won't let you down.
See another Thread entitled "The Finest All-'Round Deer Gun", for a splendid read about the Model 1903 and the grand 6.5x54mm cartridge being used in the field.
waidmannshiel,
outsidebear
Regarding antler: instead of hanging 'em on a wall I prefer to make a usable item, be it knife handles, spatula handles, cribbage boards, sewing/beading needle cases (will post pictures in another thread soon), butt plates, candle holders, knife sheaths, powder measures, etc.
On a slightly overcast cold winter morning a best friend, John, and myself had ridden our 4-wheelers up the Naknek River drainage towards Naknek Lake in search of caribou.
After rolling across the landscape for an hour or so, we spotted a small band of 14 caribou. John had been living in King Salmon since 1985 and knew the area well, while also having become a fine hunter of caribou n' moose in that area. He suggested we slip around a small rise and intercept the band of 'bou.
Dismounting our iron ponies we made contact with the 'bou at about 80 yards. They were slowly moving away from us at an angle. At the beginning of the day's hunt, I'd loaded the 6.5 Mannlicher with CIL/Canadian, factory 160 gr roundnose ammunition - a long story for another time, but I had acquired just over 900 rounds of this CIL ammunition!
Once we began the stalk, I chambered a round and applied the safety. The 'bou noticed our presence and as they began to start their fast walk away from us, I placed a 160 gr roundnose bullet just behind a small bull's left shoulder. At the shot he went down, yet regained his feet and began to step off. Later, when field dressing the 'bou, found where that slow moving 160 gr roundnose had caught the rear edges of the shoulder blade and then slid across/forward on the shoulder blade and out the front of the left shoulder, not causing much damage.
Having worked the smooth Mannlicher action, had already chambered another round ready for use. As the 'bou was still angled away from me, I placed the second shot just in front of the left hind quarter, angling towards the right shoulder. The 'bou went down for the count, the bullet having come out on the front of the right shoulder.
As the rest of the band moved off at a quick pace for other parts of the river drainage, John and I approached the caribou laying on the snow covered tundra.
When I checked on the downed 'bou, it was not until I had the opportunity for a close-up look that I noticed that in the 'bou's allowing me to harvest him, he had given me a hunter's gift.
I hollered over to where John was scouting the tundra for a 'bou for himself, and told him I may now harvest any 'bou from here on out, no need for trophy hunting (which I don't do anyway, would rather eat meat, can't eat big antlers). He answered back over his shoulder, "Why's that?" I replied, "This young bull has the coveted 'double shovel' antlers." The antler rack measures 23" high and 19" wide, the only antler rack I kept from my years in Alaska. Hey, I don't have to have a cathedral ceiling house to display them in!!
Never did a fancy mount for that caribou antler rack, rather it resides with me as it was cleaned up after the hunt.
As for the Mannlicher-Schoenauer Model 1903, it is a delight to carry in the field, and provides adequate cartridge performance - if you do your part, it won't let you down.
See another Thread entitled "The Finest All-'Round Deer Gun", for a splendid read about the Model 1903 and the grand 6.5x54mm cartridge being used in the field.
waidmannshiel,
outsidebear
Regarding antler: instead of hanging 'em on a wall I prefer to make a usable item, be it knife handles, spatula handles, cribbage boards, sewing/beading needle cases (will post pictures in another thread soon), butt plates, candle holders, knife sheaths, powder measures, etc.
