After yesterday I'm having a rethink about the bullet impact and killing power of my gun.
Rick watched me bag my bison. Many hunters come here with .375 H&H Magnums, as it is well known how tough bison bulls are. Rick has witnessed several occasions when the bull, despite having been well shot with a .375, merely stopped grazing, and didn't seem to notice it. The spectacular, almost instant, collapse that happened yesterday, is not seen very often. During his time in this job he's only ever seen it happen twice before. He asks me several times what type of bullet I am using, as he'd like to try it. He feels that, for bison, the .375 is not able to transform the huge bullet mass and diameter into effective killing power. That's the difference between ballistics in theory and in practice. He personally thinks that the .300 Winchester Magnum is better for this type of hunt and prey. This is backed up by my second musk ox bagging. That not-so-small animal was dashed to the ground from a distance of 696ft. using an SST.
I cannot over-emphasise the importance of an accurate shot. Yesterday, and at almost every bagging on this trip, I have managed to take fairly accurate shots. It must be the result of all my preparation. All those hours of practice were not wasted. Nobody is born a marksman, but anyone can learn how to shoot above the average. Provided he trains often enough, but not on live animals, with a target…
I'm just wondering if, for a brown bear hunt, it might be better to switch to a .375 caliber H&H
Magnum. To change the barrel on my Blaser is no big deal, as they say over here. But it is just possible that, with that type of gun, my shots might not be so accurate. It has a bigger kick and its trajectory is not very flat. During coastal brown bear hunts you often have to take long range shots. I wouldn't like to lose any accuracy in my shooting just for a slightly bigger diameter or bullet mass. I must study this problem thoroughly. The best solution might be for me to get a .375
barrel and at the Nagytétény shooting range we wil see what the two of us can do.
I spend the day on the ranch, getting ready to leave for home tomorrow. I am packing up my clothes and equipment, and sleeping a lot.
I am, indeed, very tired.
Over the last 2 1/2 months I have been on the road constantly.
Images of hotels, airports, camps, tents, and people all whirl around my brain. I have travelled by canoe, kayak, rowing boat, motor boat, yacht, airplanes of various sizes, motorized and dog sledges, bus, train, jeep, ATV, Polaris in Montana, helicopter and horse. I have walked, crawled, run, shot, and laughed a lot. I have met so many people, many of whom I can still call friends
Chapter IX.: Bison
Page 12
today. And there is no denying that I have drunk quite a few cans of beer. I've been living out of a suitcase, with all my clothes in plastic bags. I was never in one place long enough to make it worth unpacking. Glamorous hotels were followed by lonely, rain-beaten tents and basic little huts. I hardly ever had time to have a good rest. I suffered from a constant lack of sleep, and the last time I was in Denver Airport I even fell asleep in a chair. I've had so many adventures that I can't begin to list them all. I have re-read my diary, looked at the photos and videos, and can't take it al in. The instal ation of the Széchenyi plaque, and my il -fated sea-fishing episode… did they really happen on this trip? It's as if I was seeing images on the screen of events that took place many years ago. In my diary I find notes I made on certain days that completely surprise me. If I hadn't written them down, I would have forgotten them completely.
It has been the adventure of a lifetime!
In the evening Rick drives me to the nearby town of Gordon for some final shopping, and a farewell dinner. I have a hamburger and drink a beer.
This time tomorrow I shall be sitting on a plane heading for Frankfurt.
On Board Flight UA 8742
Frankfurt - Budapest