a canoein' khuk? Pt. II

Runs With Scissors

Runs With Scissors

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Dec 3, 2000
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Well friends, it's finally happening...

A few months ago I'd posted in regards to a khukuri to take canoein' solo. At the time I wanted the biggest, baddest willy whupass khuk I could find, but...Now there's been some changes to the plan, which have excluded the big huge khukuri. Instead of just canoeing, I'm hunting for a blackie along the way, and instead of going alone I wound up with my closest friend coming. (almost regretfully but the family woulda gone hysterical if I'd gone alone anyways)

In any case, weight is now a potential issue. and you know the saying...if you take care of the ounces the pounds will take care of themselves...So anyways, I wound up going with my 17 inch Chiruwa AK. It's definitely the most versatile khuk I own, and hard to go wrong with. It's got the thinnest edge out of the bunch, which may be a little nicer on green stuff. Also it's quite a bit lighter than my 18 inch WW2 and barely heavier than my Sirupati...an overall decent compromise I believe, especially between brown Vs. green wood.

As far as other knives I'll have a Bark River Highlander, an AG Russell Woodswalker, and a Leatherman Super tool with me.

For you gun nuts, I'll be using my Savage .308 Scout Rifle with a 2.5 power Leupold. Ahem..yes, I can hit very well with it, and yes, I believe it's got more than enough horsepower for the task at hand.

My choice of handguns is still up in the air, but I'm leaning towards the Taurus 605 .357 Snubbie. (Never mind that it's my least liked handgun, it fits the bill) Still may make a last minute choice towards my Smith .45 revolver or a 1911.

And lastly, I shall have my slingshot...weight be damned, a slingshot is a must have item....love them things... :D

My buddy will probably have an opensighted Ruger .338 rifle and a Colt Anaconda .44 Mag.

I looked at the river yesterday. It's uhmm....pretty damn high right now...but if I want a blackie from that area I need to get it in the next couple weeks before the bears start tasting like hell from filling up on salmon. Also be nice to avoid the swarms of riverboats that come with salmon season.

It's only a two day trip in a relatively small river, but it's one I've been putting off for more years than I care to admit, so I'm pretty excited about the admittedly very small venture. I'll try to remember to take a few pics while I'm out playing also. (Even if I weren't excited, I'd still let y'all know about the khuk, just because I think "what knife should I choose for________" threads that a person doesn't conclude after two dozen suggestions are kinda on the rude side. And I really do appreciate all the suggestions put forth during that little bout of Spring Fever I was suffering. :D
 
Sounds like a great adventure. What load are you using in your 308Win.? And, yes, I too believe the 308 is enough gun for black bear (depending on load). Note that a buddy took a black bear with the 6.5x54 MS using the original 160gr. round-nosed softpoint load. Good luck.

Jeff
 
devo55 said:
Sounds like a great adventure. What load are you using in your 308Win.? And, yes, I too believe the 308 is enough gun for black bear (depending on load). Note that a buddy took a black bear with the 6.5x54 MS using the original 160gr. round-nosed softpoint load. Good luck.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Taking a dig through the ole gun closet it appears that I have four options...

#1 option is the 165 grain Remington Extended Range Boat Tails....I've shot alot of these, and its what my rifle is sighted in with. a decent load for caribou and open space, for black bear and closer ranges...hmmm....I think It's a smidge lighter than I'd prefer

#2 Federal Gold Medal 168 Grain Sierra Matchking BTHP Same sentiment as stated above, but lacking familiarity.

#3 Federal Premium 180 Grain Nosler Partition- Now we're talkin'...something I'd feel pretty comfortable with in a closer range with a blackie. Also something I've fired a few times through my rifle.

#4 Windchester 200 Grain Silvertips...It sounds the best, but I'm not a real big fan of Windchester cartridges. I've had thier handgun rounds come unseated, thier shotgun rounds with inconsistent powder charges, and I've never fired any of these...all of which give me a shadow of a doubt....

So...all things told, I think it's gonna be the 180 Grain Federals...If I do my part it oughta do it's part, eh?

Under the given circumstances 100 yards would be a very long shot, but...I will have to be pretty darn quick to get the shot off, hence my comfort with the .308 Scout Rifle vs. a slower, larger, clunkier, and only a little bit hotter 30-06.

It never ceases to amaze me how much guys get wound up about that extra 100 FPS per given bullet weight. when comparing it to the '06.
 
Runs With Scissors said:
Well friends, it's finally happening...

A few months ago I'd posted in regards to a khukuri to take canoein' solo.

Instead of just canoeing, I'm hunting for a blackie along the way,
and instead of going alone I wound up with my closest friend coming.
Click to expand...
If you do get a Black Yonv please bury a piece of his/her heart in the place where he/she gave up his/her breath for you. Won't hurt nuthin and you'll never be sorry you did it.:)
 
Yvsa said:
If you do get a Black Yonv please bury a piece of his/her heart in the place where he/she gave up his/her breath for you. Won't hurt nuthin and you'll never be sorry you did it.:)
Click to expand...

I've got no problem at all showing respect for an animal taken. Although I've never quite heard of doingthat. (Not that I've got any problem with it)

Would you care to expound on the philosophy or reasoning behind doing this? (Just burying a chunk of heart without knowing the philosophy behind it doesn't seem like it'd be entirely right either, ya' know?)

Please pardon my ignorance.... :)
 
Runs With Scissors said:
Please pardon my ignorance.... :)
Click to expand...

Please pardon mine as well - I'd like to hear this too.

RWS - with the target you have in mind, if you're not sure what bullet to use, use the heaviest. (The Nosler should be fine though.) You won't be sorry. If it's unfamiliar ammo shoot some of it first to establish a zero if for no other reason. Any of it is better than 147 gr. ball and that's done the job in the past. And stick close to your buddy. If you think this person is your closest friend now, wait and see how highly you think of them if the .308 fails to do the job. ;)

Ever considered a semiauto with 10mm softpoints for a trail sidearm?

Slingshot: every group ought to have someone with a shotgun, just because. Added benefit - excess 00 buckshot cartridges can be dismantled for slingshot ammo if there's no call for shooting. Probably not appropriate for this trip, but something to keep in mind in the future.

What Kismet said. Especially what Kismet said.

Good luck and take pictures. :)
 
Yup, I think I'm gonna stick with the 180 grain rounds, just for the love of weight. The 200 Grain Windchesters seem nice, but I only have 20 of them, not enough for me to zero in, familiarize myself with the round, AND go hunting with.

I halfway like the idea of a 10mm, actually. My only problem with the round is nowadays due to consumer complaints, litigation, or some other such thing it seems hard to find 10mm ammo that is loaded to it's full potential. I suppose I could buy a set of dies for the 10mm, but I already have some for my .45 ACP, and I'm not sure how much there is to gain with a hot loaded 10mm vs a hot loaded .45 auto, ya' know?

I do know some pretty knowledgeable folks that keep a 10mm for boondockin', so it's not outside of my realm of consideration.

I'll be plenty careful. Now that I've shot my mouth off on the forums here I gotta be extra sure not to go in the drink, and have a successful hunt, just to save myself embarassment.... :o :D
 
The 308 was my first serious rifle. You sure have a lot of guts, Runswithscissors. Hope your trip is awesome and safe.



munk
 
Runs With Scissors said:
I've got no problem at all showing respect for an animal taken. Although I've never quite heard of doingthat. (Not that I've got any problem with it)

Would you care to expound on the philosophy or reasoning behind doing this? (Just burying a chunk of heart without knowing the philosophy behind it doesn't seem like it'd be entirely right either, ya' know?)

Please pardon my ignorance.... :)
Click to expand...
No problem.;) Burying a piece of the bear's heart symbolically leaves the spirit of the bear there to roam forever wild and free.:D

I looked back and saw on your first post that it seems you have intentions of eating Blackie. That's good and as it should be.:D
It's been since I was kid that I've eaten bear meat but the best I can remember it wasn't too bad. A little greasy when it was cold is all.;)

On another note I have a Killer Bear Claw necklace made with some very, very, old Chevron Beads and a couple of bear canines.:cool: Worth a lot of money but to me it's priceless as I never dreamed I'd have one.:eek:
I made it myself from claws and the beads I both bought and had gifted to me. Another one of my pride and joys is the large Grizz claw I have. I need to find it again one of these days, another one of those things I put up so I'd know where it is.:rolleyes: :grumpy:
 
Yvsa- thanks for the explanation- I like that, and should I be fortunate enough to get off a decent shot, I'll be sure to do it. (It's almost a given that I'll see Blackie, I just don't know if I'll be able to get the shot off.)

As far as eatin'....dem's goooood vittles! One man's greasy rack of ribs is another mans JUICY rack of ribs! Cholesterol and blood pressure be damned! :D

I'm definitely very picky about eating what I harvest...kinda always been my way of showing respect in the past. I wouldn't interfere with another mans trophy hunt, but it aint for me. A friend of mine knows of an island in Valdez that has HUGE blackies, plentiful and there for the taking, problem is that they eat so much fish and gut piles from each other that the meat is filled with parasites and inedible. Vanity has tempted me that way a few times, but, the better part of me has always passed on the "opportunity". I hope to always have the character to shoot at what will nourish my family, rather than what will look good hanging on my wall, ya' know?

OOH!! OOH!!! talk about the claws...bear hunting story...

My father in law was born with no fingers on his left hand, not that you can hardly tell by the way he handles a weapon...anyways....

He went out to a berry patch with his ought six, saw a BEAUTIFUL blackie, one of the largest I've ever seen to this day, infact. shot him one time with the ought six, killed 'im instantly. Got to cleaning him and then realized the bear had NO claws what so ever on his left front paw, nor were there indications of him ever having had any in the past.

We still have a good ole time teasing him about the time he met his kindred spirit...and then killed it. :D
 
Scout Rifle good.

I recall reading that the pioneers into Kentucky preferred bear meat to venision. They referred to Deer meat as being "insipid". I might have to look that one up.

Anyway, I hope you have a good trip, and I (obviously and within reason) belong to the more is better crowd when we are talking bullet weight.

My first rifle was a 303 Enfield. Good rifle, fast bolt, and for some reason reminds me of Savages.

Good luck and God Speed.
 
RWS:

I was hoping you would answer with something in the 180gr. class. Any 180gr. spitzer would be good, but Partitions or Grand Slams are even better.

A few years back I was deer hunting in northern Michigan adjacent to camp Grayling. Had been sitting in the snow for several days and not seeing any deer, was getting discouraged. Was sitting on a hillside and from across the ravine heard noise of something coming my way through the snow. It was a funny sound though...more like big feet padding through the snow as opposed to hoofs. Sure enough, it was a black bear headed straight towards me. Just as a precaution I raised my rifle and snicked the safety off in case he took special interest in me. The bear passed by at about 10 yards and there was no indication that he even knew I was sitting there.

After I caught my breath, I followed his tracks a ways hoping to catch sight of him again. Never saw him...he was in a hurry to go somewhere. That bear siting was the high point of my deer hunting trip. And, I'm really glad the bear wasn't to interested in me. At the time I was armed with a Ruger M77 in 7.62x39mm. :eek: Hardly bear medicine.

Jeff
 
I hope you have a great time, mate. Be safe and enjoy the whole thing.


~ bamboo
 
RWK,

THIS IS AWESOME! I've planned on one day taking a long canoe trip in Alaska for years.

I'm sure the Fed will work fine for you. The only 180-grain .308 I've used, the Winchester Fail-Safe SXT, is no longer made- my results lead me to believe it was probably an excellent larger-game round, and I bet there just wasn't much demand for it.

The Scout I shot was probably more accurate than I am- as someone else mentioned, though, it'd probably be a good idea for at least one of you to have a 12-gauge shotgun, but I reckon that open-sighted .338 should work fine. :p

Thanks for sharin' the trip with us. Be safe, and fill your heart.

John
 
Runs With Scissors said:
Instead of just canoeing, I'm hunting for a blackie along the way,
Click to expand...
I pray for a mutually beneficial relationship for you and the bears. All mortal beings die sometime. May any deaths on your trip be good ones.
 
Heya 45-70- for what it's worth, I'd rather have a Marlin Guide gun chambered for your namesake with a Scout Scope, but fundage being what it is I guess I'll run what I brung.... :D

Cliff- it's a just a run of the mill 17 foot Old Town fiberglass hand me down. To be honest I'm not overly impressed with it's stability, but it does paddle real easily..everythings a trade off I guess. One of my buddies has a Grumman in the same size, I remember diving into lakes off the bow of that thing...talk about stable! One of these days I'd like to get one more like that. (even though the aluminum smudging does annoy the hell outta me)

Devo...Sounds like a good trip! I kinda think that even just seeing critters like that is rewarding, even if you don't get meat on the table.

John- I think the Federals ougta work fine. We used to use Federal Classic 180s for Caribou, and never had one that didn't go all the way through with a helluva exit hole...(and ruin alot of good meat! :mad: ) Incidentally, I talked to my friend last night, and he's already decided to trade in the .338 for an 870, so that's good news,eh? I'm a huge fan of the Scout Rifle. I figure it'll perform as well as my half blind broken down a$$ under the less than ideal circumstances of hunting. :D

Everyone else, thanks for the kind wishes.

Truth be known, I feel a little bit silly for being so excited. a two day trip hunting Blackies is nothin' to most guys I know up here. Almost something you don't wanna talk about. Black bear tags are most often purchased as an incidental item, just in case you see a good one while you're hunting moose or caribou.

Truth is though, I've wanted to make this one tiny little trip since about '93. But...being a blue collar worker in my twenties trying to raise a family, settle into a home, etc. there's always been higher priorites in the past. Either the boss wants me to work overtime, the wife wants me to catch up around the house for things I've missed while working overtime, or my friends were going through the same cycle, badly timed with my own.

Oh well....I'll go out, have fun, learn a little something, and try to bring back a cool story and some pictures for you guys.
 
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