Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

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Carlsen Highway
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Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by Carlsen Highway »

I have spent the last week over the other side of a lake in New Zealand's Fiordland. It's a short boat ride to get there. This area is rugged, cold and very wet at this time of year, it is New Zealand's winter. The deer here are red deer, and also some wild pigs. I didn't see any pigs, just old signs of rooting. I would have like to have got a wild pig...
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but I got a young red instead with the .44-40. This was with my black powder duplex loads.
I stalked up the side of a ridge that I knew usually holds deer in winter. After rain showers they can often be found bedded in crown ferns in open areas, where they have cover but can avoid the dripping bush.
I put this one up at around 30 metres. It is a calf and a good eating animal and good fodder for the .44-40.
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A single shot took him through the neck, and he dropped in his tracks.
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More backpacking. This is a three wire bridge, very common in the NZ back country. Don't slip. Don't get distracted by the view...
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This is the third deer for the Winchester 73 with black powder loads since April when I got it. I have not had any of them go more than a couple of steps. I am getting used to working with this rifle, and I have a great deal more confidence in its killing ability. I have not yet found the limits of its performance. (Out of interest, my penetration tests with jugs of water showed that the slow lead slug of a .44-40 with black powder loads and original 19th century velocities will out penetrate much bigger cartridges in water, although I imagine if heavy bone is hit it it might be different. Tests in wet paper, however have showed the opposite, much less penetration. Neither test may be relevant at all - I have not recovered a bullet from three animals.)
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The hut we stayed at. The New Zealand mountains have huts/cabins like these for anyone's use throughout the mountains on public land. The majority of them were built by the government for deer shooters to work from, and others are old musterer's huts. A typical hut will have four to six bunks, and a stove.
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There were two deer shot on this trip, another mature animal was taken with a Winchester .30/30, but I didn't get any pictures of that.
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Nath
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by Nath »

Perfect, absolutely perfect.
Good on ya. Black powder too, non of that fancy modern rubbish.

By the way, my last two reds were taken with 30/30 with that modern rubbish powder stuff :lol:

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Bill in Oregon
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Beautiful country! Nice work with the deer harvest.
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by AJMD429 »

Livin' the Good Life, for sure.... 8)
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Daisyman
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by Daisyman »

We're all envious just to see an area like that to hunt in. I'd have to drive 700 miles to see the same. (The carrying out part might get a little wearisome, especially on that bridge!! :o Nice bag with a 44-40. :D
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by ollogger »

Very nice & thank you!!




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earlmck
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by earlmck »

Thanks for taking us on your hunting adventure. Great pics!
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.45colt
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by .45colt »

What a Great Hunt. Thank You for the post and pictures. :D .
Dusty Texian
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by Dusty Texian »

Great pictures and story. Thanks for taking the time to post them. PS . I like the blue better than the CH . finish also. ,,DT
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by piller »

I guess the red deer there don't know that your gun and caliber are obsolete. Don't let them read American gun magazines or they will become impervious to anything but the latest caliber and newest gun made. Our American whitetail deer just refuse to be killed by anything older than 30-30. At least, if you believe the hype in the gun magazines.
It appears to me as if you have a picturesque area to hunt and are using a rifle and caliber combination which works well.
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gcs
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by gcs »

beautiful area, I'm guessing you access most of it by boat?, how far inland, if any do you go.?
Batman1939
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by Batman1939 »

Very nice post there; you've got hunting opportunities that many of us can only imagine. Nice work with the 44-40 and thanks for the photos.
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by 3leggedturtle »

Nice, what's your temps there? 30 and 44WCF rifles it just don't get any better than that. Todd/3leg
30/30 Winchester: Not accurate enough fer varmints, barely adequate for small deer; BUT In a 10" to 14" barrelled pistol; is good for moose/elk to 200 yards; ground squirrels to 300 metres

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KWK
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by KWK »

Those pictures from the west of the South Island remind me of the sandflies.
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Carlsen Highway
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by Carlsen Highway »

Actually there were no sandflies there this trip, too cold probably, although there is usually some around even in Winter. I am one of the fortunate individuals that are not affected by the bite, and only notice them if they are particularly bad. I have a friend who reacts to them badly and gets all swollen up. I have been to places with him that I know for a fact do not have sandflies, and he has managed to find enough to upset him.

You get around the lake by boat, and its surrounded by bush and mountains of Fiordland National Park. The area I was hunting here was about two hours walk in from the lake shore.

Temps are mild compared with North America, the temps here in winter can range from lows overnight of -5 to 0 Deg C, and daily highs are about +7 - 10 deg C. In summer its about +20 - 30 deg C. (I don't know what this is in Farenheit.)

What it is though, is wet. This area gets 7-8 metres of rain a year. That's...320 inches. Everything has to be waterproofed. I don't know how they got by in the days before plastic bags. Accordingly, you have to have respect for the rivers. You cant get anywhere without crossing and fording rivers and creeks that when it rains, may become difficult to deal with, or outright nasty. Getting in somewhere and not being able to get out once it rains is a real risk on some trips, and something to plan around.
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Re: Winchester .44-40 in the Bush

Post by KirkD »

Thank you for that report. I especially enjoyed the photos .... makes it easier to imagine what it is like.
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