Trophy Game Animals Taken With Saiga

[kiddykane 28]

This may have already been posted as I'm still very new to this forum, but I am curious to see what kind of big game animals have been taken by users of the Saiga.

 

I lived in KY for most of my life, however in 2005 I relocated to South Florida. Most of the trophy game I have taken in KY has been deer and the occasional turkey. The Florida scenery has alot different game options to go after (Wild Boar/Alligator). I haven't had the chance to hunt for either since moving down here, but Florida is over run with boar. You don't even have to have a hunting license to hunt for them either since they are considered a nuisance species.

 

Since rifles are at the core of the hunting industry, what kind of animals have been taken with the Saiga/AK platform???

 

I don't have a trophy on land but I did get a big ass shark since moving to Florida. I know I didn't take it with a rifle but a guy can brag, can't he?

shark pics.bmp2.bmp

shark pics.bmp3.bmp

[markdavidson 28]

Does a Great White (tailed) Buck count?

 

 

[Fallschirmjager667 729]

i have to say, shooting sharks with an ak would be cool as hell

Edited May 9, 2012 by Russian Hammer

[Voltia 375]

Mad props on the shark. That is bad ass. What kind of shark is it?

 

As a Florida native, a couple things. Wild boar is what yuppies call them. The term is "hog." "Boar" is a gender

of the hog, sow is the other. Pig is an acceptable substitute for hog.

 

Proper use: We went pig hunting this morning. <How'd you do?> I shot two boar hogs and a sow.

Yes, I know wikipedia calls them wild boar, but the people who use wikipedia aren't the ones who shoot them.

 

Second, a hog is not a trophy animal in Florida, or elsewhere. Now, if you get a big one, sure, mount those tusks

on a plaque and enjoy telling the story, but, as you did point out correctly, they are classed as exotic nuisances, like

armadillos. Thus, you can shoot many, and often, but even a 500 pounder is no trophy compared to even a 6 point buck

in most people's eyes.

 

Now, I don't hog hunt, I deer hunt and turkey hunt, along with duck, dove, gator, rabbit, and squirrel. However, hogs

are always fun as targets of opportunity.

 

Hog meat can be good under certain circumstances. Shoot the sows and the piglets. If you see momma pig and her litter, blast

momma, and the piglets will stick around, allowing them to be picked off one by one. You shoot a piglet first, momma and rest of litter

will run. Corn feeding is legal in FL. Try to line up 2 or more for your first shot. Big boars are bad meat...shoot them in the guts so they run

off and die elsewhere so you don't have to pull them off with the truck.

 

Recommend you get FL resident deer and turkey license and get on a lease and hunt them. Gator is done via lottery and is hard to get.

If you get overrun by pigs on the deer stand, light em up, or road ambush them someplace. You can hunt deer with anything with ten round

or under mag. Many people will claim that the Soviet round or the 223 is good for deer; I've chased too many through swamps for my liking after

someone shoots one with those; I prefer 30-06, .270, or at least a .308 for deer. My record is 4 pigs, 1 shot, from my deer rifle (30-06).

 

Florida deer season is long and awesome. I would also suggest getting bow or crossbow, as that lets you start earlier, as does muzzleloader.

 

Sorry to ramble.

[Fallschirmjager667 729]

if i shot a nuisance bull elephant in my back yard with my .22 with ivory 230lb per side, would it not be a trophy because it was considered a nuisance

[RobRez 1,895]

Any excuse for me to post pics of my Whitetail I shot with my Saiga .308!!!!!!

 

 

And yes I hunt in my Jammie-pants! At least on the ranch that is. A comfy hunter is a happy hunter.

Edited May 9, 2012 by RobRez

[sharkbit 109]

Mad props on the shark. That is bad ass. What kind of shark is it?

 

 

hammerhead

[gunfun 3,931]

i have to say, shooting sharks with an ak would be cool as hell

 

How about salmon with a 10/22. I've done that a few times. Is that cool?

[sharkbit 109]

i have to say, shooting sharks with an ak would be cool as hell

 

How about salmon with a 10/22. I've done that a few times. Is that cool?

 

bet the DNR wouldn't think so, LOL

[gunfun 3,931]

No DNR involved.

 

You know how salmon go tour the world for 4 years and come back to spawn and die? Well sometimes if too many of them spawn at once it makes a surplus. Things will get a bit crowded for the three year olds, and some of those will come in with the 4 year olds. We call them " Jack Fish" and they are a good indicator that next season will be big. (Unless there is a bunch of illegal high seas intercept fishing, that our govt. is to wussy to do anything about.) Anyway every now and then one of these runty little fish will get caught in the net and be small enough and energetic to squirt through. They thrash all over the place and put on a big show. One time I took a shot at such a fish as it was skipping jumping and flipping about, mostly as a joke because it seemed like an improbable shot. Headshot. Dinner. I wouldn't sell a fish with a hole in it, that would degrade the meat. Any way I've done that a few times since. I don't think it is illegal to shoot a fish that is already technically caught in your net. (even if it will probably get out) I've read through all the regs every year and never found anything that made me concerned. However, if it does violate some regulation, I am sure the SOL has run.

 

It sounds like Washington may open up hogs to nuisance hunting soon. I wanna try that. I'll take the above advice and look for the piglets. I am interested in pheasants too. I'm not interested in "trophy" hunting, but cool shots, dinner and impressive game are always cool.

[nlacy 692]

i have to say, shooting sharks with an ak would be cool as hell

 

When I saw Jaws for the first time I thought if those guys just had a couple AKs they'd be good to go.

[Voltia 375]

Thanks, Sharkbit. I failed to look at the second two pics since they didn't open. Pretty easy to see the distinctive head in the second shot.

[devildogdakota 804]

I took two whitetails back to back about two seconds apart with my Saiga 12 last year January. A neighbor took these pictures a little late when I came outta the woods, so here are a couple pictures of my goofy Pollock ass while slicin' and dicin' em'...

Edited May 10, 2012 by fffpatriot

[kiddykane 28]

Guys,

 

The pics are awesome!!! Keep em coming!!! I didn't expect to see so many pics so quickly. Shooting salmon with a 10/22 would be cool, but I'd be worried that some grizzly would be sniffing it out. I'm not from that neck of the woods so I could be wrong about the grizzly but it would be in the back of my mind.

 

You guys in Montana got some hefty looking "GREAT WHITE-Tailed Bucks". The scenery up there is beautiful from the pics you guys posted. Good job on the succesful hunts too.

 

Coming soon....hopefully...a few pics of boar/hog/pig/sow (whatever you wanna call them).

[gunfun 3,931]

the grizzlies would have to be good swimmers...

 

fff-- do you hunt with buckshot or slugs?

[devildogdakota 804]

the grizzlies would have to be good swimmers...

 

fff-- do you hunt with buckshot or slugs?

 

I used to use 00 buck with the Saiga. Sabot slugs with my pump 870.

[YOT 3,743]

My trophy Gray Squirrel. Him and some others made some dandy fricassee. I've taken a few turkeys with my S12, too, but the pics are gone somehow.

 

[RobRez 1,895]

My trophy Gray Squirrel. Him and some others made some dandy fricassee. I've taken a few turkeys with my S12, too, but the pics are gone somehow.

 

Did you just go outside and shoot that squirrel for this thread? No Fair!

[preparehandbook 326]

i have to say, shooting sharks with an ak would be cool as hell

 

Until one gets your gun away from you, then......

 

SHARK WITH AN AK!!!

 

And it can get worse.....

http://s-ak.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/web04/2009/6/6/12/duhhhh-bear-on-a-shark-17464-1244305195-1.jpg

http://s-ak.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/web02/2010/3/16/0/raptor-shark-rpg-24824-1268712752-0.jpg

 

if i shot a nuisance bull elephant in my back yard with my .22 with ivory 230lb per side, would it not be a trophy because it was considered a nuisance

 

It has been done before:

 

http://www.retro.co.za/gundex/articles/Kill%20an%20Elephant%20with%20a%2022.html

[Fallschirmjager667 729]

 

 

if i shot a nuisance bull elephant in my back yard with my .22 with ivory 230lb per side, would it not be a trophy because it was considered a nuisance

 

 

It has been done before:

 

http://www.retro.co.... with a 22.html

 

 

I read something like that about a guy who shot an elephant with a .22 short out of a tree (the guy was in the tree, not the elephant) and it got lodged in an artery and the elephant died a few days later. i have a hard time believing a heart shot with a .22 would work because from what i have read, heart shots on elephant even with suitable calibers aren't very effective and the animal can go for up to a mile after being shot unless they are shot in the cluster of veins just above the heart

[kiddykane 28]

They make squirrel sausage where I was raised in KY. Not fond of squirrel at all, but I know a few people who love their meat.

[liberty -r- death 1,445]

They make squirrel sausage where I was raised in KY. Not fond of squirrel at all, but I know a few people who love their meat.

 

Hard to beat squirel and dumplings. Mmmmm . . .One of my favorites. Hope to get some this year with the Saiga 410's.

[ChileRelleno 7,071]

Was the Hammerhead targeted or incidental?

What was the targeted species if not the shark?

Rod, reel and line test?

Terminal tackle and bait?

 

 

I love to hunt and eat squirrel & rabbit.

Squirrels are good eating if slow cooked, we brown'em and then retire them to the crock pot.

Edited May 11, 2012 by ChileRelleno

[P lang 51]

heres my two bucks from last shotgun season , a non typical 13 and a fair sized 8 , both taken with my s12

[kiddykane 28]

Chile we were actually targeting several species (wahoo, kingfish, sailfish, mahi mahi, shark, and other pelagic species) and at various depths. They use kites with lines attached to them to fish for surface species, they used an outrigger to fish at mid depth, and finally foot long strip baits of bonita tuna at the bottom 300-350ft down. The hooks are as long as your hand is wide. I'm not sure what you mean "TERMINAL". We used Penn rod and reel, but I'm not sure what lb test we used. All I can say is that tiny ass little fishing line was strong enough to keep a 300lb shark on it for over an hour till we finally reeled it in. However I do know it was braided fishing line. If you ever get a chance to come to South Florida during the spring, book a charter boat and head out three miles. Shark fishing is excellent down here.

 

Here is a pic of the hook and the big piece of strip bait we used

 

Here is a pic of a ALMACO JACK that didn't quite make it to the boat. Shark ate the rest of him.

fishheads.bmp

 

And here is a pic of the equipment we used. These reels are huge and expensive.

deepseafishinggear.bmp

[preparehandbook 326]

WOW, Kiddy Kane, you sure know how to start and maintain a great thread.

 

Neat shark pictures, and that half eaten fish is crazy.

[ChileRelleno 7,071]

Chile we were actually targeting several species (wahoo, kingfish, sailfish, mahi mahi, shark, and other pelagic species) and at various depths. They use kites with lines attached to them to fish for surface species, they used an outrigger to fish at mid depth, and finally foot long strip baits of bonita tuna at the bottom 300-350ft down. The hooks are as long as your hand is wide. I'm not sure what you mean "TERMINAL". We used Penn rod and reel, but I'm not sure what lb test we used. All I can say is that tiny ass little fishing line was strong enough to keep a 300lb shark on it for over an hour till we finally reeled it in. However I do know it was braided fishing line. If you ever get a chance to come to South Florida during the spring, book a charter boat and head out three miles. Shark fishing is excellent down here.

By terminal tackle I'm asking what size/type of hooks, leaders, sinkers/swivel and etc and in what configuration... I'm always curious as to how others rig their tackle, always learning.

 

We do quite a bit of inshore/offshore here in Mobile, AL.

We were out last weekend, on a church group charter... Nothing on the troll, but some nice assortment of Snapper (some nice Reds that we had to release/come on Red snapper season!), Triggerfish, Bonito.

Lots of less than desirables and we had some Cobia hanging around that wouldn't take a bait, that was frustrating.

Inshore on my buddy's boat has been hot on the Sheepshead, Pompano and Sharks.

So far this year, inshore in the rivers and bays has sucked for Redfish and Specks, trolling the weed beds/flats has been so-so.

[patriot 7,197]

Trophies don't impress me. Meat on the hoof does.

[preparehandbook 326]

Trophies don't impress me. Meat on the hoof does.

 

I prefer meat on my plate, or even in my freezer.

 

Meat on the hoof tends to run away.

 

Plus hooves are pretty bland and chewey.

[kiddykane 28]

Been a long time since I've been on the forums, but I went hog hunting this weekend for the first time and bagged a boar with 2in cutters using a converted Saiga IZ-132. Just wanted to post the pics and see if anyone else has taken game with Saiga rifles?

 

Post pics if you got em!