By Roy Opsahl

September 23, 2013

I recently was able to go to Alaska moose hunting. I love shooting open sights and shooting my Marlin 30 30 saddle gun. Last year I was able to successfully kill an elk with it shooting Hornady LEVERevolution bullets. So this year I decided I was going to try bagging my Alaskan moose using the same gun and ammunition. When I got up there I think the guide and outfitter thought I was nuts for for spending that kind of money and bringing a 30 30 to bag a huge animal. I knew it could be done and understand it doesn't take a cannon to kill big game, its all about knowing your gun, shot placement and knowing how effective your ammunition is at a various ranges. I was doing a 2 on 1 hunt with one of my buddies I grew up with. The weather was terrible the two weeks we were there rain rain rain, probably only seen a hour of sunlight the whole time we was there. We were dropped off along with our guide in a bush plane on top of this bare mountain out in the middle of nowhere, was stormed in a couple little tents for two and a half days before we decided to drop off into the valley to get out of the weather. The plan was to let the weather clear and find the moose from our high vantage point and go in after them because it was such thick terrain and hard to spot them while you were in the valley. But that plan got squashed thanks to the weather. But anyways we were hiking to set up a new camp next to an air strip, when we jumped two bulls one little and the one I bagged, the problem was they were across the river and the river was too high to get across. So our guide moved us back and started calling to see if he could bring the big bull across the river. The plan was working. We had the wind in our favor but that ol' moose wasn't stupid. Our guide got our attention and said lets move hes gonna go up river and cross and try to wind us. Sure thing, we started heading up river through the alders and tundra and there he was coming in hot. He stopped probably 150 yards away so I found a little spruce tree loaded my gun and got a good rest to take the shot because I was comfortable shooting at that range. Then the guide says to me no let Jesse shoot he has the big gun and a scope. So I stepped aside told Jesse there you go shoot him and unloaded my gun calmly kind of irritated the guide didn't think I could do it. Well Jesse rested his gun up against the tree took aim and boom.... Missed the moose it just stood there, and i said to myself screw it, I'll show this guy I know what I'm doing, and before Jesse could get reloaded and another shot off I jacked one in the chamber of my ol' Marlin 30 30 saddle gun, put it up to my shoulder free handed, took aim, and boom... that moose dropped like a ton of bricks right in his tracks. That hornady LEVERevolution bullet went in and did its job. The look on that guides face was awesome. He later apologized for not having confidence in me and my shooting, and said he thought I was pretty handy with my little pea shooter.