[jspick]

In 1980 I was hunting in my home state of Colorado. In a good spot that required one to hike in to get something.
I had my Marlin 336, 30-30, open sights. My eyes were younger then.

I had been tracking this big 4 point mulie buck around an aspen patch for a couple of hours, never getting quite close enough to see enough of him to get a shot. He knew I was there but never busted out of there, just kept ahead of me.
I came through a small spruce grove and looked up to see my 4 point buck about 80 yards away walking on a small finger ridge just getting into some more thick aspens.

Rats, Just too slow. But slight movement, off to the right of me caught my eye. I looked and there, 30 yards away, were 2 small 4 point bucks eating away. I slowly raised my rifle and took aim at the closest one and squeeze off a shot. He jumped and ran towards me and dropped about 10 yards in front of me.

Movement caught my eye! I looked back and there the second buck was getting up to his feet and came running my way. He fell, with a crash, to the ground between me and the first buck. Now he was alive but hurt bad so I walked up and shot him in the back of the neck to finish him off.

Now I had two bucks down and one tag! I gutted both and proped one open and cover it with branches to keep the ravens and coyotes off it. I started dragging the the other buck out. It took me several hours to get it 1 1/2 miles out and up a steep hill to my treasured 1970 International Travelall. It had a 392 ci engine with a 4 speed and 4 wheel drive and posi-trac front and back. That thing could not get stuck. Anyway.

I got home, hung up my deer and called my brother and said I got your deer tag filled for you. Of course he didn't believe me when I told him I shot two bucks with one shot. The next day he came to my place and we drove up to get "his" deer. We hiked in and got to the deer. We started draging it out and he said this is for the birds. He is 6 ft. 4" tall and I'm only 5 ft 6".

We tied the front and back feet together and he slipped his big arms through the legs and grabbed the antlers with one hand while I pushed and lifted the buck up on his shoulders. He looked at me and said let's go this will be easy. I followed him down the trail. We got to a small shale slide and he started across. About half way across he lost his footing and did two and one half somersults sideways down the moutain!

All I could say was "stop, deer". He landed on his head with his feet in the air, still hung onto the buck. I hollered at him "Are you alright?" He said "I'm fine, get me out of here". Then it hit me how funny he looked and I started laughing as I made my way to him. By the time I got to him I was laughing so hard I had to sit down. He didn't think it was so funny, but then he didn't see himself upside down with his feet in the air trying to get out of the wreck.

Anyway, I got him out and we loaded the deer up on his shoulders again and out we went. Needless to say I have never shot two deer with one shot again and my brother has never helped me to get any game out again!

I will never forget that hunt!!

John

 

[liightfoot]

Never did that. Butt I did fire one shot and the buck had four holes!!!!!!!!!!! One 30/30 round, shot him in the neck as he turned his neck, which exited, entering the chest and out the stomach!

Liightfoot

 

[azmick]

Good stories guys.
Kinda puts the "A 30-30 ain't enough gun" crowd out on a limb :mrgreen:

 

[Nframe]

Some good stories guys!

I shot a nice 7 pt buck here years ago with my 44 just as he was lowering his head to eat, I shot him in the neck and it lined up with his front foot and blew it off. He was DRT (dead right there) and I had a lot of meat.

 

[onenut58]

That was a good story and funny to where your brother fell over.I have fallen a couple times packing meat and its a unpleasant feeling.You loose your footing and the meat drags you to the ground.It always pulls you to the down hill side it seems.The trustee old 30-30 has more than proved itself many times over since it was invented.
My grandpa hunted his entire life with one and he killed deer bear and elk and moose.He never put a sling on it just carried it in his hand or tucked in his arm.
My wife shot two elk with one one heart and lung from about 50 yards and another neck shot from about 25 yards.My dad carried one in his truck behind the seat year round and I took to doing the same.I hunt with a larger caliber rifle for the most part but have seen to many large animals killed with a 30-30 to under estimate them. My dad stopped on the way home from work one evening where he was working on a forest service bridge. He shot a big cow elk out at about 150 yards heart and lunged it.
They are limited on range and adequate to kill a griz bear at close range. I would just feel more comfy with a more powerful caliber for dangerous game like a griz bear.For black bear they are just fine and they hold a lot more rounds in the tube than most rifles.
I think a 30-30 and a 357 magnum are two of the most underestimated rounds there are.Both have killed plenty of any kind of game in north america.

 

[jspick]

onenut58,
I do agree that the 30-30 can kill a grizzly bear. I know some who have done it, BUT I would never knowly take a 30-30 out after a grizzly bear. I have a story about grizzly bears too.

John

 

[parson45]

I think a 30-30 and a 357 magnum are two of the most underestimated rounds there are.Both have killed plenty of any kind of game in north america.

Problem is: if we were all satisfied with one rifle, one handgun, one shotgun, the firearms companies would all go out of business.

 

[liightfoot]

Beware the man with one gun!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sebago Son]

Beware the man with one gun!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah?

Which One Of Us Is That? :lol:

Drew

 

[parson45]

Obviously, you do not have to beware me. :lol:

 

[onenut58]

If I had to pick one gun to hunt with for all types of hunting. I think I would use a 30-06.How ever I am like most every one else and hunt mostly with a different caliber.But a 30-30 has fed ,protected and been a love of many people for a long time.They are like a ruger 10-22. Almost every one has one and for those who dont they dont know what there missing.