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Post by grasshopper on Oct 30, 2021 21:25:11 GMT -7
I’m not sure if this falls quite into hunting stories yet or not as no games even been hunted, yet. A buddy called me today to relate a story he knew I would laugh at but also hurt my neck from shaking my head so much. It seems a fellow business owner in the home building industry called my buddy today asking what type of setup he should buy for some “long range” whitetail hunting, problem is he called my buddy after he went out and bought what he thought an appropriate outfit. I guess this fellow met some other pretty wealthy business owners who hunt and invited him to go hunting on 1200 acres of land they just bought in Oklahoma. They also informed him to be ready to take some long range shots. To me “long range” is very subjective, for me here in the southern Blue Ridge 150 and for sure 200 yards can be long range. I guess these guys were telling him between 600-800 yards would be about right. So this fellow goes to a local higher end “outfitters” shop we’ll call it. He ended up buying a Blazer rifle in 300 win mag and a Nightforce scope that cost almost as much as a $6K rifle and looks like a baby Hubble telescope on the rifle!!🙄 I just don’t get some of these guys today and their need to try and take these extremely long and difficult shots at game that most likely result in a miss or God forbid a wounded animal that will be cheated out of an honorable death. They have absolutely no idea what it takes in study, practice and actually applying those skills to be successful! Just because you have the money to purchase “expert” level accessories that sure doesn’t make you any sort of expert or sofa sniper! Ugh! Makes my head hurt friends! Anyway, as the title says it just kinda reminded me of the old time “Dude” cowboy that was as my dad used to say “all hat and no cattle”!
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Post by Bullshop on Oct 31, 2021 7:43:31 GMT -7
Sad but true! Why society equates wealth and notoriety with wisdom I do not understand. Something I do absolutely understand though is when every book of the new testament in so many ways warns , "" beware the deceitfulness of wealth "" that I should do exactly that. Success as it is taught in our society is the great lie that turns the many from the truth of success.
I recently asked Tina this question, If I preach a sermon and start by asking who has the greatest influence over people God or Satan ? She responded that most people will say God. I told her the true answer is in the Bible, "" many will come but few will enter ""
Beware the deceitfulness of wealth " !!! It is not sin to be wealthy but it sure makes being successful a lot more difficult.
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Post by Bullshop on Oct 31, 2021 18:02:31 GMT -7
Many years ago when Tina and I were newly weds before we ever moved to Alaska I had a neighbor in MT. the moved from Cal. and bought a ranch near my property. He seemed well off or just played the part well. He was the perfect example of what the point of your post is about. He came over and asked me one day what a Henry rifle would be worth. I told him if it was collector grade could be as much as $30,000.00. He got all excited and told me the local auction house had one they were going to auction and the auction house owner told him he could get it for less than $5,000.00
I told Rick my neighbor that I would go with him to look at it and advise on what I thought the value might be. Well on inspection I saw what the auctioneer told him was a rare valuable Henry rifle was actually a Martini Henry rifle 577x450. I was explaining to Rick who had been a regular bidder at every weekend auction the difference between what he thought he was getting and what he was actually getting. The auctioneer standing next to us got visibly upset but didn't say anything. Rick my neighbor would have gone happily about his business thinking he bought a $30,000.00 rifle for $5,000.00 when he really would have bought a $400.00 rifle for $5,000.00 and may never have known otherwise but I couldn't let that happen. He was grateful but the auctioneer not so.
When Tina and I decided we were selling out in MT and moving to Ak. we started selling off some guns to help finance the move. I had an original Sharps conversion carbine in 50-70 gv. He was still happy that I saved him from the Henry rifle affair so when he found out I was selling the Sharps he wanted it and he knew I wouldn't try to cheat him. He knew the prior elk season I used it to take a spike elk so he was pretty excited about it. The elk I shot with it was maybe 30 yards and the original Laurence rear barrel sight with that tiny little nub of a front sight were not very useful beyond that range.
Anyway Rick bought the Sharps carbine and as he was fondling it he said to me "" now I will be able to shoot elk at 1000 yards wont I Daniel ""
It seemed like it was going to be a whole lot of trouble trying to explain otherwise so I just said , "" yea Rick you sure will "" Tina looked at me kinda weird and I just smiled at her about another modern day dude.
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Post by grasshopper on Oct 31, 2021 18:33:21 GMT -7
Your story about the neighbor you had before you left MT was a perfect example of what I call the “Dude” mentality my friend! I knew you would get it as I did, folks just never seem to understand it takes time, effort. Study and lots of practice to become truly proficient with just about anything and be truly good at it. Whether it’s shooting, cutting with a chainsaw or telling people about the wonderful promise of eternal life thru Gods word I believe it really takes all of those time, effort, study and lots of practice.
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Post by Bullshop on Oct 31, 2021 20:06:11 GMT -7
One winter I was hunting the pipeline corridor for caribou. I was shooting a Euro cartridge the 6.5x57. I had spent much of the previous summer developing loads and putting together a shooting system of rifle, ammo, scope, laser, weather station, and computer program. As you say it took quite an investment in time and effort to come together to where I had absolute confidence to quite long range even considering 800 yards.
I chose a good high vantage point to lay out my ground mat and set up the rifle on a bipod to shoot prone and have the rest of the system equipment placed handily around me.
I spent a couple hours ranging every prominent feature in the corridor and noting the range so I could quickly have the range of anything that came into view. After some time a very nice bull stepped into the corridor and stood broadside. The range was something just over 600 as I recall and the shot was a perfect heart shot. The bull paced a small circle then fell. Just then another nice bull stepped out and stood next to the downed caribou just looking down at him. The next shot filled the second of the two tags I had with me so was a done deal. As I was gathering up my equipment two young fellas from Greely walked over to me and asked if this was a good area for caribou. I had just started to explain what had just taken place and as I pointed to where my two caribou were lying I looked and there was another bull just stepping into the open corridor. Without hesitation the one fella with a rifle started blazing away. I could see his bullets impacting some 30 ft or so short of the caribou and I told him so. He snapped back at me saying BS there is no way I am missing by 30 feet. Anyway the caribou weren't in much danger as all shots were wide misses. After the shooting had ended I asked what range his rifle was zeroed for and he didnt know. I asked about the ammo he was using and he didn't know. He said he bought the rifle and ammo new a couple days ago and they sighted it at the store. His last words to me were " I know damn well I didn't miss by 30 feet"
That little experience shows the difference between someone that has done the homework and is prepared for the test and someone that has no clue there was even a homework assignment.
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Post by grasshopper on Oct 31, 2021 20:35:08 GMT -7
Ugh! I really hate to hear you had that experience with anyone bud, but I especially hate to hear you had it with a couple of knuckleheads from Greely!I guess the quality of troops must of really gone downhill a bunch after I departed huh?🤣 It is another great example of someone doing their homework and everything correct to obtain success vs someone not putting in any effort with negative results and still not learning why. Like they say bud, you just can’t fix stupid!!
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Post by Bullshop on Nov 1, 2021 7:49:37 GMT -7
No offence meant my friend of guilt by association as I have witnessed more than just Greely personal doing the same thing, people that you think would/should know better. I had one Delta local come into my shop looking for a bigger gun for shooting caribou. I asked what he was using and he said a 22-250. He was not a hand loader so was shooting factory varmint type ammo with 50-55gn bullets.
He told me that his shots from this rifle were """" BOUNCING OFF """" His procedure was to drive down the Richardson until he spotted a caribou, stop, shoot, and drive on to the next caribou when the previous did not drop but ran off. This for a number of attempts before he decided since the caribou were not dropping like in the movies his bullets must be bouncing off.
What was that you said ? Oh yea, " you cant fix stupid " !!!
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Post by missionary on Nov 1, 2021 16:49:27 GMT -7
Reading all this gives me the ebby-gebbies !
Years back in a gun shop I heard a feller talking about taking "sound shots at deer". He was right proud of pointing his long barreled shotgun stocked with 00 buck and letting fly at that "big ol buck sneaking through the woods" when it was just a bit to dark to see him.
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