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Hey guys,
Well, I finally got a chance to put that ol 348 to work. Me and the guys went Moose hunting in Quebec for a week and a half, just got back Friday night. I have been up hunting Moose with the guys for 6 years now, but had yet to take a moose. Moose are not really plentiful in the area we hunt. I never even saw one last year. So to take this nice cow is great. There will be lots of meat on the table this year.
The Moose was a mature, dry cow. We have Eastern Moose around here, they do not get as big as the Moose up in the Yukon / NWT. Still she was probably in the 800-900 lb range live.
The gun I have been taking with me moose hunting since the start, has been my 1937 DOM long tang Deluxe 71. Man, that 348 hits like a sledgehammer. One shot, and she only went about 125 yards.
Here are a couple shots of the moose, me and the rifle. Too bad I hadn’t taken pics pre-field dressing, would have looked better, but gives a good idea. I have also included a few pics of my friend’s camp. It was built in 1907. All the square cut logs were cut by hand with an axe. I often stare at it and wish I could take a step back in time to the old place.
The Camp:
http://s158.photobucket.com/user/MBCAPELL/media/IMG_0559_zps5748db17.jpg.html
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The Moose:
http://s158.photobucket.com/user/MBCAPELL/media/IMG_0593_zpsfe69dccf.jpg.html
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The gun:
http://s158.photobucket.com/user/MBCAPELL/media/IMG_1609_zpsc37baeba.jpg.html
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Matt
Hey Matt,
Thanks for sharing the pictures and the story, it’s really nice to take a Old Winchester out and use it for what it was intended for and share the good times with friends at the old hunting camp.
Oh yeah, you should have taken your cammo shirt off, I couldn’t distinguish you from the back ground. Looked like a head, two hands and a pair of yellow legs holding that Winchester. 
"I Would Have Rather Lived Through The Industrial Revaluation"
"Instead of The Space Age"
From
The Twilight Zone
That is a classic hunt camp! Gorgeous place. I wonder if you have Speckled Trout in that Lake (also known as Brook Trout)? Gorgeous Model 71. I feel one calling to me more and more. To top it all off, a real nice Moose! Cows make for good eating. I’ve never been able to tell the difference between cow moose meat and beef. A hearty congratulations for a great hunt.
hokie said
Hey Matt,Thanks for sharing the pictures and the story, it’s really nice to take a Old Winchester out and use it for what it was intended for and share the good times with friends at the old hunting camp.
Oh yeah, you should have taken your cammo shirt off, I couldn’t distinguish you from the back ground. Looked like a head, two hands and a pair of yellow legs holding that Winchester.
Thanks Hokie. That’s funny, you’re not the first person to mention my camo, lol. One of the guys at the camp poked some fun at me too. Good thing I didn’t have my camo pants on too at the time the photo was taken. Would have looked even more odd. I had on the rain pants for dressing the game. Big animal like that can get kind messy between cleaning and getting the quarters hung.
Kirk: Thanks, yes, it should be very good eating. To be honest, I have had meat from two other Moose from this same area, and both – a cow and a bull – were both excellent eating. No gamey taste at all, you would swear it was beef. I am anxious to get it home and in the freezer, and then to the oven!
Yes, the Model 71s are fantastic rifles. Most fellows who have them do not want to give them up, and I can see why. To be honest, while I collect the Model 1894, this 72 is one of my favorite rifles. It has the slickest action I think I have had my hands on. They are a bit heavy, but what I rifle. I am glad to finally have put it to use.
Matt
Win38-55 said
That is a classic hunt camp! Gorgeous place. I wonder if you have Speckled Trout in that Lake (also known as Brook Trout)? Gorgeous Model 71. I feel one calling to me more and more. To top it all off, a real nice Moose! Cows make for good eating. I’ve never been able to tell the difference between cow moose meat and beef. A hearty congratulations for a great hunt.
Kirk: Funny you ask if there are any speckles in the lake. This old camp – and several in the area – were originally owned by some very wealthy Americans who had several camps built in the area – in that time frame – for moose hunting, bear, etc. The Americans were pissed that this camp was built on this particular lake, as it is very shallow and there is nothing in it to fish. To top it off, there is another beauty lake maybe a 1/2 mile from it just packed with Pike. And many other lakes around with Speckles. We had this very same conversation last week at the camp. Still, lots of good hunting for them there, and within walking distance to speckles and other Fish. The largest Eastern Bull – 68"s – was actually taken by someone at this camp back in the late 50s, but not sure if that record still stands today. The details of it are penciled in on one of the interior walls. Takes one right back in time.
Matt
Matt
Looks like a great camp and glad you were able to get a moose. A pre-war Model 71 is another Winchester near the top of my want list and yours looks like a great one. Sounds like it’s been very accurate for you too. Any time I’ve had the chance to throw one up on my shoulder I thought they had a really good feel. Congratulations.
Brad
Matt,
Great pictures, and a great outcome of the hunt 8)
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Matt,
I too favor the model 71, although mine’s a post-war. Did you shoot your cow with vintage ammo? What was the bullet weight?
I can’t tell from the photo whther you gutted your moose or not. Here in Western Alaska we don’t have a tree strong enough to hang even a quarter from, much less an entire animal. So we simply skin one side of the moose without gutting it and cut off both quarters on that side, backstrap, neck meat, and brisket. We leave the ribs intact and then roll it over on the skinned out hide (like a blanket) and dismember the other side. At the end, we cut open the gut sac and saw off the ribs and extract the tenderloins. It’s generally a whole lot let messy that way.
Great story and moose,matt.In the past I had a Winchester Model 71 .348 WCF.Very accurate rifle.Bagged two deer with it,both head shots.Deer went down like they were pole axed. 🙂
Thanks for the comments guys.
DIMROD: I was using Winchester 200 Grain Silvertips, not ancient ammo, probably from 60 or 70s.
Yes, gutted it. We quartered it and hung it on a pole we had strung across between a couple trees. I knew your moose up there were larger, but that is hard to believe you can’t find a tree large enough to hang a quarter! I read with interest your cleaning methodology, VERY interesting. I am going to forward that to my buddies I hunt with. Thanks for sharing that.
28 gauge: I have been mulling taking out the 71 for deer hunting this Fall. Still may do so for the day hunts. During the evening hunt where I watch a soy field before dark though, I found myself a handy tang safety Ruger Ultralight in 250 Savage. I needed to find something light for my back. The 71 is not light, but I can’t not hunt with it. The 250 Savage is a great little cartridge.
Matt
Congrats Matt . and Nice 71. My biggest regret on a missed gun was a nice very affordable 71 in the 70’s. Needless to say it was gone when I went back to get it (Probably some one I had mentioned its whereabouts to) I since have really become a fan of the 86 action, and my .33 Win is a joy to target shoot with, still always remember that 71 and never got a chance to buy another for below market price again. Guys a little older than me said that even in the 60’s you could still find old stock, brand new ones cheap in out of the way gunshops
Nice to see that you are quite young for an avid Collector,
Phil
I always favoured silvertip bullets in my hunting Winchesters.Had an uncle who was a pretty good deer hunter and he always used silvertips in his Winchester Model 94 .30-30 carbine .Its too bad that the silvertip bullet as we knew it is no longer manufactured by Winchester.
matt I am sure that Ruger is a nice rifle.What grain bullet are you using in it?I have a friend who has a Savage .250.He uses the heaver bullet.
Yes, the Model 71 is heavy,no queston about that,but a nice rifle just the same.When I use to go deer hunting I always still hunted.Never bagged one over bait.Sometimes before the end of a woods cruse that Model 71 seemed to be a little heavier that it really was. 🙂
Matt74 said
The details of it are penciled in on one of the interior walls. Takes one right back in time.
Matt:
Nice pictures Matt! Classic! They took me "back in time" to my moose hunt and hunting trips to a log cabin my friend made (by his own hands, no kit!) up on the NH/Canadian border.
Did they let you record your hunt on the logs inside? I once hunted a caribou camp in the middle of no-where in the interior of Newfie and the walls were covered with ‘history’. Made for some good reading, some chuckles, and even some envy to be sure!
I particularly enjoyed the photo of the old rifle with the old can of grease, and old paper/cardboard box of ammo. I could just imagine smelling the old Hoppes #9 solvent, when it smelled REALLY good. My Dad’s setter would jump up to hunt at the faintest whiff of Hoppes … from a dead sleep!
Thanks for taking me back …
Matt:
Great gun, great story and results! Can I twist your arm for a doing a page for the Winchester Calendar next year? We always need contributors and with your photo skills it would be a welcome addition.
You can just send photos and a short write-up to [email protected] and she will see that the page gets composed properly.
Thanks,
WACA Life Benefactor Member
NRA Life Member
25-20 said
Congrats Matt . and Nice 71. My biggest regret on a missed gun was a nice very affordable 71 in the 70’s. Needless to say it was gone when I went back to get it (Probably some one I had mentioned its whereabouts to) I since have really become a fan of the 86 action, and my .33 Win is a joy to target shoot with, still always remember that 71 and never got a chance to buy another for below market price again. Guys a little older than me said that even in the 60’s you could still find old stock, brand new ones cheap in out of the way gunshopsNice to see that you are quite young for an avid Collector,
Phil
"Young" is a relative term Phil, I don’t always feel that young, but thanks. Yes, I am 39, will be 40 soon. I am very young compared to most folks I have run into collecting Winchesters. I can likely count on one hand, the number of folks my age that are into Winchester collecting. To me, this does not bode well for the future. Anyone interested in guns now wants something black and plastic. Maybe that means more for me when the arce comes outta ‘er down the road.
Too bad you missed out on that 71. Nice ones don’t come up all that often up here. Would have been nice to have grabbed one of those NOS guns back in the day.
28 gauge said
I always favoured silvertip bullets in my hunting Winchesters.Had an uncle who was a pretty good deer hunter and he always used silvertips in his Winchester Model 94 .30-30 carbine .Its too bad that the silvertip bullet as we knew it is no longer manufactured by Winchester.matt I am sure that Ruger is a nice rifle.What grain bullet are you using in it?I have a friend who has a Savage .250.He uses the heaver bullet.
Yes, the Model 71 is heavy,no queston about that,but a nice rifle just the same.When I use to go deer hunting I always still hunted.Never bagged one over bait.Sometimes before the end of a woods cruse that Model 71 seemed to be a little heavier that it really was. 🙂
I don’t reload so all I have been able to find for the 250 Savage is Remington 100 grain Core Lokt. Does the trick. Would be a good candidate for reloading if I ever find the time to get into it.
On the Silvertips, I have never used them on Deer, only the moose. I have heard different people mention not liking them for lighter – thinner skinned game – like deer. Seems they often cruise right on through and implode on the other end. I can’t speak to it personally, just what I have heard from some old timers, and have read some negative reviews of Winchester’s 250 Savage Silvertip, about bullet breaking up, etc.
Matt
Matt
I hope you stand closer to your razor when you get home. Nice pics!!
Meanea
Matt74 said
The details of it are penciled in on one of the interior walls. Takes one right back in time.
Matt:
Nice pictures Matt! Classic! They took me "back in time" to my moose hunt and hunting trips to a log cabin my friend made (by his own hands, no kit!) up on the NH/Canadian border.
Did they let you record your hunt on the logs inside? I once hunted a caribou camp in the middle of no-where in the interior of Newfie and the walls were covered with ‘history’. Made for some good reading, some chuckles, and even some envy to be sure!
I particularly enjoyed the photo of the old rifle with the old can of grease, and old paper/cardboard box of ammo. I could just imagine smelling the old Hoppes #9 solvent, when it smelled REALLY good. My Dad’s setter would jump up to hunt at the faintest whiff of Hoppes … from a dead sleep!
Thanks for taking me back …
Since the camp belongs to my buddy, yes, I suppose I could have recorded the hunt on the wall with some of the other old stories / records, but honestly, I never even thought about it 🙁 Guess there is always next time. I’ll save the story for the big bull!
Yes, nothing better than Hoppes #9. Win 38-55 has a real addiction to that stuff too.
Matt
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