Author Archives: Ed Hale

About Ed Hale

I am an avid hunter with rifle and Bow and have been hunting for more than 50 years. I have taken big game such as whitetail deer, red deer, elk, Moose and African Plains game such as Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, Blesbok, and Impala and wrote an ebook entitled African Safari -Rifle and Bow and Arrow on how to prepare for a first safari. Ed is a serious cartridge reloader and ballistics student. He has earned two degrees in science and has written hundreds of outdoor article on hunting with both bow and rifle.

Hammer Hunter: New USA Made Bullet On The Market – Initial velocity/ powderTests

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The “Hammer” Copper Hunter bullet is the new kid on the block. Like other copper hollow points, one version called the Hammer Hunter, opens with propeller like blades and folds back under high velocity to release the petals into five bullets. The base unit and the four petals still continue penetration.

What makes Hammer Bullets different?  They are US patented and made on a CNC lath with tight tolerances.

The bullets are designed for hand-loaders and the loader needs to have experience with loading rifle cartridge’s  cartridge load data and work up loads in a safe manner.

The first 6.5mm bullet I velocity tested in my Weatherby Vanguard Weatherguard 6.5 Creedmoor was the 124 grain Hammer Hunter (HH) because it lookes like a great deer hunting weight.

Bullet    Powder    Grain   Seat depth    Muz-Vel

124     H4350       42         2.805            2620

124     H4350      42.5       ” ”                 2653

124     H4350      43           ” ”                2665

I realized that this H4350 powder was slow. Next I had some Superformance Powder, so I loaded and chronographed these HH  below

124     Superf     47.5      2.795             2840

124    “”              48         “”                   2873

124    “”              48.5     “”                    2922

Next  I loaded 110 grain HH using Varget Powder

Bullet    Powder    Grain Seat Depth    Muz-Vel

110      Varget      40         <2.800         2946

110        “”           40.5         “”               2947

110       “”            41           “”                2956

110       ”              41.5       “”                 3010

Next the 85 grain HH

85        “”           43             “”                3200

Heavier HH bullets have not been test fired yet.

Cleaning the barrel with Hoppes #9, I produced 8 very dirty swabs and a quick bronze brushing, followed by a solvent swab that was satisfactorily clean. I am going to purchase some Boretech Cu+2 cleaner and some nylon brushes. The Boretech adds say it does not stink and says will not harm barrel. So we will give it a try.

I have learned to prep my hunting barrel with a fast evaporating solvent degreaser like KG Industries 3, because it removes lubricant and appears to make cold shots group with later shots in a warming barrel.

Note: I observed an on-line ballistics gel test at slower velocities, like from a long range hit, traveling 1700 to 1800 fps and the petals opened but remained attached. The test observer suggests lower than that speed, the petals did not open. Higher velocities and the petals do reliably detach aka at 2600 fps as mini bullets, and create a much larger wound channel.

We will do some ballistic gel tests at some point soon. 

So far I give the tests a big thumbs up.

© copyright 2021

 

Is The .375 Ruger A Good Brown Bear Gun?

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A search on the web by a hunter asks;

Is the .375 Ruger a good brown bear gun?

The .375 Ruger is used world wide to take many dangerous and non-dangerous game species. Here in North America, I believe it excels at taking giant Kodiak brown bear.

It has 6% more powder case capacity than the mighty .375 Holland and Holland Magnum, made famous in Africa. The .375 Ruger is not a belted cartridge and easily feeds in a standard length bolt action. Racking a second round is faster perhaps than the Holland round. And you just may need it. 

I have owned and hunted with this rifle caliber in the Ruger M77 African for several years. I love it!

Below I was in training for my Newfoundland Moose Hunt with it in my Bog Death Grip. I was shooting 300 grain Nosler AccuBonds at 150 yards. 

It did the trick with one shot on this smaller antlered adult bull moose at 100 yards in a 20 -30 mph snow squall. He stood bewildered for a moment and fell dead right there (DRT as they say). With a Pachmayr Decelerator Recoil Pad, its like shooting a 30-06. Free standing the recoil is more of a hard push. Accuracy? It shoots sub-MOA, less than an inch at 100 yards.

Shot placement, is key.

On brown bear I would opt for a Hornady DGX (Dangerous Game Expanding Load). It costs about $70 dollars for a box of 20 rounds. I shot some DGX while testing the Ruger African at 50 yards on a bench rest. All three rounds in the same hole. That put a smile on my face!

https://www.hornady.com/bullets/rifle/375-cal-.375-300-gr-dgx-bonded#!/

Remember, A bullet in the foot of a brown bear will just enrage him. You have to place that bullet in the heart/lung area. Head brain shots are not recommended. Besides, you can’t enter a blown apart skull in Boone and Crocket record book. Practice with at least 3 shot fast groups to learn to work the bolt. If the bear is closer than 50 yards, you may likely need that skill. 

Below are some questions the experts in Alaska answer.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=kodiakbear.ko+

iakfaqs#shoot

Hope that helps!

Good Hunting!

©Copyright 2021

COVID 19- Africa’s Conservation and Trophy Hunting Dilemma

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I had just finished my recent article to hunt Africa when I came across an article suggesting a dilemma. In the wake of COVID; To Conserve or Hunt?

A little education is in order here. Conservation is inclusive of Hunting. The term Preservation done on a country scale is to disclude hunting and unfortunately insures the reverse of wildlife and habitat safety.  Wildlife will self-destruct the biodiversity of the landscape by over population and destruction of plant, trees and other wildlife that make up the ecosystem. 

In Africa as in the rest of the world; Conservation requires the use of Hunting as a management and essential funding tool to manage, species, diversity, land use, interaction with humans. Funding in the Billions of dollars. 

The facts are that with COVID 19 raging world wide that ecotourism and trophy hunting in Africa has been hurt badly. But it is recognized by scientists and managers that eco-tourism and photo tourism does not generate the funds to create flourishing business and commerce, nor  pay enough for proper wildlife management.

Quote from the website below:

“Wildlife conservation hasn’t escaped the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is largely due to the fact that tourism funding, which supports the conservation of wide swaths of Africa and some 23 million livelihoods, has all but dried up.

Wildlife-based tourism in Africa is worth approximately US$71 billion annually. Much of this funds the management of protected areas. For example, the protection of just one white rhinoceros at Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy costs about US$10,000 each year.

Since the start of the pandemic there’s been a cut to funds for anti-poaching, surveillance and fence line management in most African reserves. Trophy hunting is a key source of this funding. It contributes an estimated $200 million to economies across the continent annually.

Trophy hunting takes place across much of sub-Saharan Africa with South Africa, Namibia and Tanzania holding the lion’s share of the market. The debate over its utility as a source of conservation revenue takes on a new urgency in the light of COVID-19.”

https://theconversation.com/covid-19-africas-conservation-and-trophy-hunting-dilemma-140029

Without hunting, Africa and ALL its wildlife will surely be on the endangered species list and that includes the rest of the wide world as well.

Hunting provides billions of pound of lean organic protein for human consumption and a connection with the land, earth, and our DNA as hunter gatherers.

And I am so glad to be a part of it.

Good Hunting!

 

 

 

Africa Safari Hunting On Your Bucket List?

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Is Africa Safari Hunting on your Bucket List?
Maybe now is the time…

Safari Packages for 2021 and 2022 are ready.

Quote on COVID from website below.

“There is currently NO COVID vaccine requirement and NO quarantine for travelers who present a negative COVID test. There are currently direct flights running to South Africa from the United States, Europe, Dubai (UAE), and Doha (Qatar) on United, Delta, KLM, Emirates, and Qatar Airways.”

If Africa is on your bucket list, now is the time to do the research. Below is Big Game Hunting Adventures in Africa.

2024-2025 South African Hunting Safari Packages

I published my African Safari e-book Kindle edition and it is sold on Amazon for only $12.99. It was a father son hunt in South Africa and was worth every penny. The link is   African Safari Rifle and Bow And Arrow . I share our first time Safari hunt experiences, dangers, surprises, joys and getting your mounts back home. 

I hunted with bow and rifle and scored high in SCI like my Gold Medal Kudu below. 

We visited a place called Wonderwerk Cave and saw cave painting and stone spear heads and learned about our ancestral roots dating back tens of thousands of years and more. That’s in the Kindle book too. All together we took 1 Kudu, 1 Gemsbok, 1 Red Hartebeest, 3 Impala, 2 Blesbok, 1 Springbok, and an Ostrich. in a weeks time. We got to eat wild game prepared for us from our hunt each day and had a roaring campfire every night. Check it on the net, you’ll be glad you did.

Good Hunting!

© Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

Northern NH and Maine Deer, Bear and Moose Woods-Be Prepared Where is your checklist?

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Each big game animal hunt in far off place has its own check list. Common to all hunts is clothing, safety, communication, hunting laws, and tools to care for game meat and a way to get your game back to your car or truck.

Getting lost or turned around in the north woods happens every day even by experienced hunters like you and me. 

Clothing

Clothing is perhaps the most overlooked area. Camo or Orange depends on laws and timing of the hunt. Dress in layers so that after the sun comes out and you climb a hill you don’t sweat. In the deer woods, wearing a white or a tan colored shirt as an under garment should be avoided. Folks over the years have been killed or wounded as a novice hunter thinks its a deer tail or even a deer. I like green and darker colors so that if I have to change a layer, I am color safe. Today there are many choices of jackets and pants. You want them to keep you warm but able to breath and wick moisture away as well as have some water repellency. Socks should be thick enough to keep feet warm yet fit not too tightly in boots. Boots are vital so spend money and get the best for your feet. Water Proof and Warm. Hats are essential in cold weather as much of your body heat is lost via your head and neck. I was able to harvest a moose in Newfoundland just because I paid attention to clothing and a thermal head and face mask. The wind was blowing at least 20 mph every day and gusts to 30 mph making it feel below zero. It was only October!

Safety & Survival

Safety is having piece of mind that you have covered all the bases. Maine Hunter Ed Offer a checklist that is comprehensive. See the websites below.

https://www.hunter-ed.com/maine/studyGuide/Survival-Kit-Requirements-for-Maine/20102201_150873/

Click to access maine-survival-kit.pdf

Grey Squirrel Stew- Sooo Good!

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I must admit that I hunt big game more often than I squirrel hunt. But when I do, i recall my youth and get out my sharp shooter skills with .22 rimfire, it feels good. Years back when my kids were learning to hunt, squirrel was on the menu all the time. A chest shot is fine to take them down but a head shot is better. Accordingly, the head shot is what we strive for, but it doesn’t always happen. Missing a shot at a squirrel is easy to do.

I am fortunate to have recently bagged three grey squirrels and was going to make a stew for  my grandkids. But, alas we were having difficulty with family schedules as they live an hour away and are homeschooling.

Skinning a squirrel is a straight forward proposition but the skin takes work to pull away from the meat. Once complete everything else is easy. I use a small knife and sharp small game shears. 

I decided to cook all three for my wife and I , besides I thought it was best for my son to take one of his children hunting for their own full experience from field to frying pan.

I separated the legs from the body and halved the body for browning all parts together.

I dusted them with flour and browned the meat in a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then, on to pressure cook the meat for 14 minutes with 2 cups beef broth or bullion infused water with some salt and pepper, garlic powder, thyme and a bay leaf. It was perfect time, 14 minutes, as the meat was very tender. Some folks debone the meat after cooking. I like it on the bone. 

 

I chopped stew veggies like carrot, celery, onion and potato and pressure cooked those for 7 minutes. Mixing the cooked meat and veggies allowed the flour to help thicken the stew. Below is a small tasty meal.

OMG it tastes like leg or thigh chicken meat and no hint of wild to it. One squirrel makes a meal but I would cook more for leftovers.

Happy Hunting and Cooking.

©Copyright 2021

Kendall Jones on Hunting

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Turning Point USA Kendall Jones writes:

https://www.tpusa.com/live/exotic-hunting-is-essential-around-the-world

“Most of y’all know I have hunted around the world for a lot of different species. I have seen different cultures and the way of life in other countries. It has truly been life-changing, and I am forever thankful for these experiences. It’s something you can’t really fathom until you experience it for yourself.

One of the most common questions I get in regards to hunting “exotic” species is, “Do people really eat that?”

I can assure you, people in rural third-world countries eat EVERYTHING! For us, in America, it’s hard to understand that people really do eat elephants and lions instead of just going to a local grocery store down the road and grabbing beef. It’s important to realize that not everyone has access to places like that and/or can’t afford it.

Hunting in countries like South Africa or Zimbabwe, locals rely on hunters to get meat and protein. For those people, it’s their way of life.

I have seen firsthand local village tribes showing up once an elephant is killed to help skin the animal so that they can take some of the meat back to their village. When I harvested an elephant, I witnessed over 300 villagers show up to do their part and get the reward of the animal’s meat.

I came across this post from blood origins that is very powerful:”

See the website above for the post:

I responded with these comments:

Kendall, Your a brave woman to write this article. It is much needed to thwart the crazy lefts idea that we are
killing just for fun. Conservation of the species allows us to hunt the excess or land damaging population and connect with the local culture with money, gifts and friendship. As a lifelong deer hunter and one time hunter of Africa, I saw first hand the 100% utilization of game meat. The dollars spent go toward supporting those animals. Without those huge hunter funds, these animals an the land languish and wither. Here at home we have a family rule, if you kill it, you eat it unless it is a pest animal. In Africa we cannot bring the meat home but rest assured, it is hugely welcome by villagers. My wife is a non-hunter and over 50 years she is very supportive of hunting, cooking and consuming delicious organic game meat.

Good Hunting!

 

CVA Rifles: A Great Value

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I was in my local NH sporting goods store a few days ago and say a very nice looking rifle with a synthetic Monte Carlo stock with cheek rest and jeweled bolt. It was super nice looking.  As we all do, I looked at the price tag and my jaw dropped.

It was a CVA in 6.5 Creedmoor and was $489 dollars. Holy Cow! All those extras for $489.00. Buy that one now for hunting season and have the Mrs. wrap the box for under the Christmas tree. CVA has been in the business for many years and a trusted source.

CVA Rifles come in other calibers and stock styles and camo too. Check it out!

I found this one on line at https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperstore.com/products2.cfm/ID/249054

QUOTE FROM THE WEBSITE

“The CASCADE is CVA’s first ever bolt-action centerfire rifle. Long the leader in both muzzle-loading rifles and single-shot centerfires, CVA has applied it’s nearly 50 years of experience into making what they feel to be the best bolt-action on the market at $600 or below. The CASCADE’s 4140 carbon steel barrel is finished in a rich, matte blue. The series also features a threaded muzzle, making it ready for a brake or suppressor whenever you are. The bolt design incorporates a 70° throw for smooth and fast operation, plus generous scope clearance. The two-position safety is conveniently located for natural and instantaneous operation. And loading is a breeze with its four round, flush fit, detachable magazine.”

CASCADE 7MM-08 REM 22 IN THREADED BBL BLACK SYNTHETIC STOCK

  • Manufacturer: CVA
  • Model: Cascade
  • Style Number: CR3906
  • Caliber: 7mm-08 Remington
  • Action: Bolt
  • Barrel Length: 22 in
  • Twist Rate: 1:9.5″
  • Muzzle Thread Pattern: 5/8×24
  • Safety: Two Position
  • Stock Finish: Black
  • Stock Material: SoftTouch Synthetic

Value of Hunting Bullet Tests in Ballistic Gel

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Today hunting bullet designs are changing rapidly especially rifle bullets.  Accordingly, a mechanism of ballistic gel is used to see the potential terminal ballistic damage done to the gel as it simulates wild game body parts and fluids. One can see the track voids left in the gel to signify the radial damage to surrounding tissue. Historically, water or  melon like a water melon, or containers of water was used to demonstrate the power of the round but had difficulty capturing the bullet damage track or level of penetration. Thus standards and gel formulas were created.

Below was a pistol bullet track in gel. Note the larger track damage at the entrance.

From www.gundigest.com

The gel often made of either clear 10% silicone gel like the FBI uses or a 10% amber gelatin to track and recover the bullet. If you look at my last article, you can see the tremendous and violent track done in the first 10 inches and often throws the 20 pound gel block in the air and in slow motion it wants to explode with very high velocity rounds. That is a lot of bruised meat!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mjiqGPwrIwA

On entrance to the gel the bullet may encounter bone thus experiments are performed at different speeds and different bone-skin or skin and no bone. Most of todays bonded bullets will mushroom.  Monolithic copper bullets, on the other hand, are designed to open and flare like a banana peel into petals. And some of the peels flare like an aircraft propeller while others fold to either make a mushroom or some are designed to peel and detach to make a mother bullet that peels off the smaller copper petals to radiate additional bullet damage. 

Those of us that see faster bullets, see gel blocks correspondingly explode thus giving the impression that faster is better. That is partially true, but if your deer meat is all bruised and blood shot from your super fast bullet, then it won’t look or taste well after cooking. Will it? Thus ideally we want it all, a fast (dead right there) kill, but less blood shot meat and more edible deer meat to eat. Right? A compromise is needed and that means you need to try the bullet on game too. 

Gel test to simulate a long range hit is also important. What does the wound track look like at slower long range velocities like 1800 fps. Did the bullet mushroom or flare as advertised? What about bone? All this needs experimentation and examination to reach an edible conclusion if we are going to cook it.

Good Hunting!

©Copyright 2021

 

New Hunting Rifle? What bullet is best for deer? Ballistic Gel Tests Help!

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Choose a caliber that you shoot and handle well for deer and it begins with cartridges like the 243 Winchester, 7mm-08 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Winchester, 308 Winchester.  The .223 with heavier than 55 grains will work but I prefer the .243 as a starter caliber. The most popular today is the 6.5 Creedmoor and very similar to the .270. A favorite of mine is the 6.5 as it has moderate recoil and can kill deer size game out way past 400 yards.

If you are a seasoned hunter, then you know, all of these cartridges will work fine. And all will work on many African Plains Game species too, though the 243 is perhaps a bit light.

However, if you are strictly hunting here in the Northeast then you can include the venerable 30-30 Winchester and 35 Remington lever guns which are good for brush type environments like mixed hard and soft woods to 150 yards, have moderate recoil and with a flat nose, pack a real punch.  Or step up to the 30-06 Springfield which is the same caliber as the .308, just faster and more recoil.

After that we get into magnum like cartridges that have more energy delivered and more recoil. Many hunters add newer recoil reducing pad such as the Pachmayr Decelerator or SIMS SVL Pad, which reduces felt recoil up to 50%. A real smart thing to do!

Short range big bore brush rifles like the 444, 450 and 45-70 are great but pack more recoil. Change the recoil pad.

Bullets and Ballistic Gel Tests

Now choose the bullet. Ballistic Gel Tests are a help in evaluating  mushrooming and penetration. I  have included some below. 

Federal is one of those cartridge companies that use bullets from many manufacturers.

Bullets are the part that does the killing, thus you want good bullet construction. One of the mainstays of deer hunters has been the Remington Core Lokt bullet  since 1939 but there are dozens more. See the ballistic gel test below. part 1 and part 2.

 

The best bullets today are bonded bullets, where the lead is bonded to copper and mushrooms well.  And also monolithic copper which often flares into propeller like petals and maintains nearly 100% of its weight. Newer copper bullet designs are coming out every year.

My favorite bonded bullet is the Nosler AccuBond. See ballistic gel test below.

https://www.nosler.com/products/bullets/product-line/accubond.html

Here is the AccuBond Ballistic Gel test below.

Below is the Nosler Expansion Tip (E-Tip) Gilding Copper Monolithic Ballistic Gel Test.

and Hornady GMX gilding copper monolithic very similar to the E-Tip

A new one, I hope to test is the Hammer Hunter an all copper monolithic hollow point which at high speed creates petals that separate into four 25 cal bullets  and still has its parent bullet hammering even more penetration.

Swift Scirocco II monolithic copper bullet ballistic gel test below.

 

There is some movement in the hunting bullet industry toward monolithic bullets which often maintain much of the original weight, flare well, and drop game fast.

If you go onto the net and to YouTube you can see more gel tests too.

Today my own main go-to bullets are Nosler AccuBonds and E-tips. They shine for accuracy and have great weight retention and punch!

Good Hunting!