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February 9, 2022
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I have been saying I was going to do a deer hunt with an old Winchester for some time now but kept chickening out. This year I finally packed the gun case for the trip with this Winchester 1894 rifle from 1909, and managed to leave town without swapping it out for a modern rifle. And boy am I glad I did! I had the most incredible hunt and stalk on this deer and was met with success. I did fret some about the rifle being out in some wet and snowy weather we had (you cant tell from these photos after the storm broke) but I took good care of her and wiped it down every night and got it warm and dry : )
Thought you all might enjoy a couple pics
February 9, 2022
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Maybe should’ve posted in the hunting section. Got somewhat sidetracked while posting : )
July 14, 2016
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Well done Matt! That’s a fine deer and a fine takedown 1894! What calibre is it?
I hunt sambar down here and need to take one with one of my old Winchesters.
A man can never have too many WINCHESTERS...
February 9, 2022
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Chris D said
Well done Matt! That’s a fine deer and a fine takedown 1894! What calibre is it?
I hunt sambar down here and need to take one with one of my old Winchesters.
It’s a 30-30, and thank you very much!
March 23, 2007
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The 30 WCF was ground breaking when it was introduced. It still performs today! I favor it too. Thanks for posting.
November 7, 2015
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Matt H. said
Maybe should’ve posted in the hunting section. Got somewhat sidetracked while posting : )
That’s OK, if it has pics I’ll find it. Nicely done and thanks for posting!
Mike
December 9, 2002
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Congrats Matt, on a fine Trophy with a great Winchester rifle. Using these old tools as they we’re intended to be used for.
Thanks for posting.
Anthony
May 22, 2024
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Excellent hunting & rifle choice, the 30-30 has served me incredibly well. Thanks for story and pics!
July 14, 2016
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Matt H. said
Chris D said
Well done Matt! That’s a fine deer and a fine takedown 1894! What calibre is it?
I hunt sambar down here and need to take one with one of my old Winchesters.
It’s a 30-30, and thank you very much!
The old 30-30 strikes again! It is my favourite round and easy to reload for.
Thanks for sharing Matt
A man can never have too many WINCHESTERS...
January 20, 2023
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Wow, Matt! That is a real trophy buck and the rifle is not shabby either. What a hunt.
You said Eastern Washington but northeast or southeast? The photo looks a lot like some of the adjacent Idaho panhandle. Beautiful country.
From history, I tend to think of the 30 Winchester as the 6.5mm Creedmore of its day — flat shooting, light recoiling, deadly on game.
Once again, you’ve shown us why it got famous and, between ourselves, why it deserves a full length rifle.
Best regards
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
February 9, 2022
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Zebulon said
Wow, Matt! That is a real trophy buck and the rifle is not shabby either. What a hunt.
You said Eastern Washington but northeast or southeast? The photo looks a lot like some of the adjacent Idaho panhandle. Beautiful country.
From history, I tend to think of the 30 Winchester as the 6.5mm Creedmore of its day — flat shooting, light recoiling, deadly on game.
Once again, you’ve shown us why it got famous and, between ourselves, why it deserves a full length rifle.
Best regards
Thank you, this rifle is my favorite in my safe, and will hopefully stay in the family forever.
This was in southeastern Washington. Beautiful country, rugged, steep, forested mountains that give way to lots of farm country. (That’s where all the whitetails hang out, but I favor mulies)
The Idaho and Oregon borders were within spitting distance : )
December 9, 2024
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Thank you so much for posting, I need the inspiration to do the same thing with my model 95. How far was the shot?
February 9, 2022
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helidriver72 said
Thank you so much for posting, I need the inspiration to do the same thing with my model 95. How far was the shot?
I was able to stalk in to about 50 yards initially. Hid behind a tree and watched a smaller buck and doe as they actually fed towards me for about 45 minutes and came in as close as 35 yards. I had my rifle leaning against the three as I was using the binos to try and locate the deer I eventually took since I knew he was in the small pines just over the hill. I thought he would feed up to the other two but he never did. I later found out he was just over the crest of the hill with about 9 does and was bedded down. After about 45 minutes, a bird in the tree above my head started trilling and making a bunch of noise, the kind that gives all the creatures in the forest a warning. That piqued the curiosity of the two deer in my immediate vicinity and the bigger buck over the hill. They both approached me to within about 20 yards before deciding I was trouble and all the deer busted out along the side hill. I grabbed my rifle and quickly walked to the edge of the hill to see them headed towards the end of the ridge. Ended up shooting from 102 yards as I had to wait for him to clear the does as they walked/bounced away. This shot was right on the edge of my self imposed limit, but I had been shooting my rifle all summer including making handloads with a Barnes 150gr TSX (though I ended up shooting factory Federal Fusions 170s on the hunt) I did hit him just a little bit back, but not in the guts, but it dropped him and I was able to move up and put a finishing shot in him. All in all, once of the most memorable stalks and hunts in my lifetime. May not ever get another one like it!
December 9, 2024
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Matt H. said
helidriver72 said
Thank you so much for posting, I need the inspiration to do the same thing with my model 95. How far was the shot?
I was able to stalk in to about 50 yards initially. Hid behind a tree and watched a smaller buck and doe as they actually fed towards me for about 45 minutes and came in as close as 35 yards. I had my rifle leaning against the three as I was using the binos to try and locate the deer I eventually took since I knew he was in the small pines just over the hill. I thought he would feed up to the other two but he never did. I later found out he was just over the crest of the hill with about 9 does and was bedded down. After about 45 minutes, a bird in the tree above my head started trilling and making a bunch of noise, the kind that gives all the creatures in the forest a warning. That piqued the curiosity of the two deer in my immediate vicinity and the bigger buck over the hill. They both approached me to within about 20 yards before deciding I was trouble and all the deer busted out along the side hill. I grabbed my rifle and quickly walked to the edge of the hill to see them headed towards the end of the ridge. Ended up shooting from 102 yards as I had to wait for him to clear the does as they walked/bounced away. This shot was right on the edge of my self imposed limit, but I had been shooting my rifle all summer including making handloads with a Barnes 150gr TSX (though I ended up shooting factory Federal Fusions 170s on the hunt) I did hit him just a little bit back, but not in the guts, but it dropped him and I was able to move up and put a finishing shot in him. All in all, once of the most memorable stalks and hunts in my lifetime. May not ever get another one like it!
Thats awesome, I’m doin it for sure next year!
January 20, 2023
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Matt, That’s a great story. If you don’t mind a suggestion from an octogenarian, buy a good journal book at Barnes & Noble or some place — something that won’t get confused with trash and thrown out — and dedicate it to your hunting experiences.
While memories of all the details of your hunt are still fresh, make notes in the journal.
It isn’t that you won’t remember the event. I remember my first Whitetail buck, even though the hunt occurred in November, 1966 – a half Century gone. Bu,t over time, the color fades if you don’t write down all the details you easily remember now: like the way the smaller buck looked just before he bolted. The angle and distance of the shot. The big bucks reaction to your first shot…
I started keeping a hunt journal in 2000 and it really preserves and extends the pleasures of the day.
And the hunt you’re telling us about is definitely one for the books!
Best regards,
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
February 9, 2022
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Zebulon said
Matt, That’s a great story. If you don’t mind a suggestion from an octogenarian, buy a good journal book at Barnes & Noble or some place — something that won’t get confused with trash and thrown out — and dedicate it to your hunting experiences.
While memories of all the details of your hunt are still fresh, make notes in the journal.
It isn’t that you won’t remember the event. I remember my first Whitetail buck, even though the hunt occurred in November, 1966 – a half Century gone. Bu,t over time, the color fades if you don’t write down all the details you easily remember now: like the way the smaller buck looked just before he bolted. The angle and distance of the shot. The big bucks reaction to your first shot…
I started keeping a hunt journal in 2000 and it really preserves and extends the pleasures of the day.
And the hunt you’re telling us about is definitely one for the books!
Best regards,
Thanks Bill, a great idea! At 51 I may have already forgotten the details of a few hunting trips, and it does make sense to preserve them to be able to tell later or recall for my own happiness. Thanks for the suggestion
April 6, 2022
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Congratulations on both the fine buck and the beautiful rifle , also for coming to your senses and carrying it allowing it to do what it was intended for.
Better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.
Grumpy old man with a gun......Do Not Touch.
March 20, 2010
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Congrats on the Muley!! I rarely hunt with a scoped rifle and have thought that using open sights was NEARLY as difficult as hunting with a bow, in some conditions a real challenge. Its a bit of an equalizer pitting animal against ones own hunting skills. Congrats again.
Chris
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
February 9, 2022
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Edward Southgate said
Congratulations on both the fine buck and the beautiful rifle , also for coming to your senses and carrying it allowing it to do what it was intended for.
Already planning to take it to Montana next November!
