Kiwi coming to see ya

[extrema]

Gidday every one, The wife and I will be arriving in Vancouver in August. I have just started my journey with black powder, my first rifle a Pedersoli missouri river hawken will land in NZ this week. What I am hoping to do is to pick up a nice cap or flint,second hand or new while over there. We will be in,Vancouver,Calgary,Anchorage and LA areas over this time. Can anyone give me the contact details of people, shops where I might pick up what I am looking for. Hope its alright posting here, was not sure where to put this.
Thanks heaps, Greg. :thumbsup:

 

[FishDFly]

Send a note to the NMLRA and ask them for a Field Rep. in each area you will be visiting, the Field Rep. will help you.

 

[extrema]

Thank you for that. I just thought some one might have the name of some shops in those areas that sold muzzle loaders and there acc, apart from the likes of cabelas. I would be looking for some thing a little bit different,special :hmm: Seen some lovely looking rifle on this forum. Thanks Greg.

 

[Coot]

You might find something online and arrange to have it shipped to one of the places that you plan to visit.

 

[BrownBear]

Dunno a single place on your listed cities, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. There's sure nothing but Cabelas, Bass Pro and Sportsmans Warehouse in Anchorage.

If you're real ambitious along these lines, there's The Gun Works in Springfield, Oregon, about a 3 hour drive south of Portland. They've got a gun rack to keep you entertained for hours, and that's only the guns in the front room. Wonders lurk in their back room. Here is their web site if you want to drool a little and reconsider your travel plans.

 

[extrema]

Thank you Brown Bear, wow thats what I was looking for. Pitty its not a little closer, not sure the wife will change plans to look at guns :yakyak: Do you know any places we might be able to photograph a grizz in August. Could I send you a email at some stage before we leave if you have any info on some good spots :thumbsup: Thanks, Greg.

 

[Patocazador]

It took me 6 years of trying before I found a grizzly to photograph in the lower 48. Alaska would be your best bet. McNeil River is the Mecca.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewingpermits.mcneil

 

[BrownBear]

Your best bet in Alaska is to take one of the tour buses if you're going to Denali National Park or one of the bear viewing flights offered by charter flight companies in the vicinity of Anchorage. There are known viewing locations for grizzlies (also called brown bears up here) across Cook Inlet from Anchorage, so your opportunities should be very good.

I live quite a ways from that region and don't know it well, but they're actively advertised. I'm betting if you google "bear viewing Anchorage" you'll find lots of options. I don't know any of them, so I can't recommend one over another.

 

[Louisk]

I failed miserably at showing my family bears until we finally did the tourist thing and took the bus into Denali Park and saw a couple nice grizzlies. We saw the bears when we exited the bus and walked to the next bus stop.

As far as shopping for traditional muzzleloaders in Anchorage, I struck out and ended up ordering a Lyman Great Plains rifle from Dixie Gun Works. I think Great Northern Guns occasionally stocks a few used muzzleloaders but I didn't find much when I was there. I was disappointed with Cabelas as I expected to find something like their catalog lineup on the shelves but I'm thinking they didn't have a single traditional rifle there at the time.

 

[BrownBear]

I think Great Northern Guns occasionally stocks a few used muzzleloaders but I didn't find much when I was there.

Watchyerhiney with them and muzzleloaders.

Last time I was in there they had an "extra special" "historic" "highest quality" capper for $1795.

I asked to see it, and when I pointed out to the guy nice and polite that it was a late model, standard issue Austin & Halleck that was going for around $500 everywhere else, he got all huffy and kicked me out of the place.

Goodenuff for me, and no second chances.

 

[extrema]

Brown bear thank you. We are getting a car in Anchorage, then driving up to Fairbanks. We have three days around Denali so hopefully Ill get lucky. Ill use all my Kiwi hunting and tracking skills :rotf: see if I can find one. Thanks for you help.Greg.

 

[fleener]

Make sure you take a pair of binoculars for each of your family members. Nothing worse than seeing something to look at and wishing it was your turn with the binos.

I have been to Denali 4 times, skip the tourist bus, and take the campers bus. Cheaper and you can get on and off as you like. You will see plenty of wildlife on the campers bus. I have taken both.

You can only go so far into the park with your car. If you can, take a spotting scope and tripod. You will be able to see a lot more bears and wolfs that most people will never see.

Last time I was there, I had an Asian family following us around, they fiquired out that I could spot the animals and would share the spotting scope.

If you have not book lodging near Denali, there is or was a hostel that has private wall tents with cots and sleeping bags and wooden floor. My son and I stayed there and we had a great time. I think it was only $50 a night for the two of us.

Have fun!

Fleener

 

[fleener]

If you are wanting to go salmon or halibut fishing in AK, let me know. I have a guide that I use and he has become a friend. He will work his butt of to get you on fish. Great guy as well.

Fleener

 

[Donny]

I know you have a brain, but so many tourists do not, and get out of their car to pet a Griz. Youtube has some vids of disasters with wild critters. Welcome & Enjoy.

 

[Dean2]

Vancouver, Anchorage and Calgary will all be no goes for shopping for unique muzzle loaders. None of them have any dedicated muzzle loader shops or even gun stores that carry much. If you are in B.C. you could contact Taylor Sapergia, he is a great custom builder but he does not carry a stock of guns for sale.

As far as the other locations I don't know the gun scenes there well enough to tell you where to shop. Most of the heavy duty ML places I know of are all in the eastern U.S.

Hope you enjoy your trip. If you drive from Vancouver to Calgary through Banff you have a good chance of seeing Grizzle in the Banff park. There are lots, they are protected and not people shy so don't go near them, they think hiker bells are a dinner call.

 

[Brokennock]

What about Wild West Guns? Do they ever get traditional m.l. guns in trade or barter?

 

[extrema]

I just want to say thank you to everyone that has replied. I am so looking forward to coming over there :bow: Thanks Greg

 

[excess650]

When my wife and I visited Alaska, we took the train from Anchorage to Denali and spent 3 days there. On the bus to Kantishna (92 miles into the park) we saw Dall sheep, moose, and caribou (mostly). Somewhere on a bluff over looking the Toklat River, momma griz led her (2) half grown cubs from the bush towards the gravel.

Bus was the only way to go more than 7 miles into the park (then), and Kantishna was the end of the road. It was 13 hours roundtrip, IIRC, with early August morning temps in the mid 30s and lunchtime at Kantishna seemingly around 90*F.

 

[AZbpBurner]

Bears abound around my area. There are bears in every county in Arizona. I've even had one or 2 within about 1/2 mile of home in the dry summer months.

Of course, it's less work to let the bears find you. Should the wife be reticent about letting you explore good gunshops, just take her out on a 'picnic' along any fast running river. Rub her down with bacon grease, day old salmon or even (my favorite on the wimmens) Peanut butter. Mr. Bruin will be along shortly. :rotf:

 

[azmntman]

:shocked2: Is that a suggestion to be rid of the wife or simply change her position? :rotf:

Ya I'm up north and we have bears (NO GRIZ IN AZ THOUGH). I actually was talked out of buying an archery bear tag by the wife and OF COURSE the first 15 min of last seasons hunt had a bear 30 yds from my blind! Big un too! He stuck around about 10 min before he must have smelled me and took off to a barb wire fence (shoulder ht, so he was LARGE) and climbed under and loped off quick! I took family to Yellow stone to see the bears in 1988 and we saw none, got back home and next weekend saw three at the campground at Dogtown lake LOL