Multiple weapons

[.284]

The neighbor just took his first deer with a handgun (really nice doe). So, we got to chewing the fat over a couple of brews. We have both taken deer with a rile, shotgun, muzzleloader, handgun, and bow. He bought a crossbow this year and when he gets a deer with it I'm afraid it will force me to get off my wallet and buy one too.

A couple of questions for the members:
1. Do you like to use multiple weapons for hunting whitetail or do you choose to you use your "old realiable"?
2. In what order are your favorites if you have more than one? I like the bow because I like the up close and personal nature of bowhunting. The neighbor likes the sniper aspect of the rifle.

I guess to rank mine it would go like this:
1. bow
2. handgun
3. rifle
4. shotgun
5. muzzleloader (only because it's a booger to clean)

[ZeroJunk]

I spend a lot of time bow hunting because the weather is nicer and there is nobody much to bother me.

I hunt with an old Hawken looking muzzle loader because that week is the peak of the rut, usually.

I wouldn't say that I like them any better or worse, but you have to get a little more satisfaction from making a clean kill with an old weapon.

[hogdogs]

At the current time I am completely satisfied with 2 deer capable firearms. One being my old 20 gauge that I will hurl a slug out to 80 yards.

The other is my Marlin 336 .30-30 which I will use out to 150 yards with scope and once I pull that off I will likely not exceed 120 or so.
Brent

[bswiv]

I'll agree with the "up close" part. Shot a lot of deer and hogs with a bow.

As I've gotten older I enjoy less being hot in the woods ( Besides that, bow season runs right on top of gator season. ) so I've settled on a old .35 Rem in a Glenfield. That's the low end version of a Marlin 336.

Rifle must be 35 or 40 years old. Cut it down a few years ago and removed the iron sights. Replaced them with a Aimpoint Micro Red Dot. No magnification but easier with old eyes.

We hunt close. Haven't shot a deer or hog over about 40 yards in a lot of years. Rifle or bow, when they are that close it's exciting. And as I've always been a pitiful shot it keeps the trailing to a minimum when they are that close.

[rem870hunter]

was bow,shotgun,m/l rifle for years. bow dropped off 10 years ago. no time to hunt that early of deer season. had to wait for dec and jan using shotgun or m/l rifle.

i've been using the shotgun for everything but deer,except during our 6 day. m/l rifle for firearm deer hunting,sunday bow for deer was made legal here starting sept 2009. so i've been bowhunting for deer more than anything. the shotgun and m/l rifle each came out once. i'm hoping to take a deer with bow before the 09/10 season is over,then one with m/l rifle. took one with shotgun back in 2002.

i'd like to take a deer with handgun,but that would have to be an out of state hunt.

[Buzzcook]

Win 94, then sporterized 1903, then Sears, and now a Win. 70.

[James R. Burke]

For deer my order is:

1.) Ruger No 1 Light Sporter in .30-06. Handloads 165 Nosler Partition for deer, Lapua case, CCI Large Rifle Primer, and IMR-4350 for the powder. I bought two of the Leupold century limtited edition scopes, one for my wifes rifle. For varmints a Hornady 110 V-Max with varget powder. I know its not a varmint rifle by no means but shoots them really good.
2.) My wifes exact same rifle cant tell them apart even the scope is the same. Only hers is a .243. For deer Nosler Partiton 100 Grain, CCI Large Rifle Primer, Lapua case, and RL-22. Seems it likes the slower powder with the bigger bullet. I am still working up a varmint round for it but amost there using Nosler 55 grain B.T. and H-414. For deer these are our go to guns all the time.
Small game:

1.) 20 ga o/u Browning upland, or Browning 22 short throw lever.
2.) Wifes side by side stoeger .410, or Browing 22 auto.

We have back ups for deer and small game but these are the main ones used.

[cubesmoothie]

Favorites in order

Saiga 7.62x39 - 123 gr HP wolf
Ruger mini-14 - 60 grain nosler partitions
Rem 870 20 gauge - sabot slugs
Ruger 10/22 - stingers
I have used a glock 22 that isnt mine own, to take one. I'm thinking he had it loaded with 165 gr gold dots.

[Hog Buster]

.243 Ruger M77 MarkII w/scope
.270 Remington Sportsman 78 w/scope
30/06 Winchester Model 70 w/scope
No real favorites of the above, just which ever I grab out of the gun cabinet.
30/30 Marlin 336C w/iron sights - Only use if in very heavy cover and expecting close shots.
45/70 H&R Buffalo Classic w/peep sights- Only used during Primitive Weapons Season. Way too much gun for deer
.44Mag 8 3/4" S&W Model 29 w/open sights - Only rarely used lately. Dirty Harry syndrome is wearing off.

No bows, crossbows, or muzzleloaders for me.

[Legionnaire]

In order of preference, although NOT in order of frequency ...

1. PSE Bow
2. Ruger Redhawk .44 Mag
3. Remington Model Seven .308
4. Mossberg 500 12 gauge

[Hog Hunter]

1(Mathews drenalin is always my first weapon of choice. 2(next would definatly have to be my smith 44mag 8 3/8 topped with a leupold, i absoloutly love that gun for deer and hogs. 3(last but not least is the trusty remington 700 in 7mm mag. every now and then ill bring out the smoke pole but i usally just bow hunt for the simple fact that my girl hunts with my rifle.

[bamaranger]

I am mostly a bow hunter, for deer. That said, I just killed a fair buck w/ a rifle the other afternoon. It was the first I'd carried a rifle in 25-30 hunts this year.

Anyhow......some reasons:
-one is that I've had some bad experiences w/ "gun" hunters, and do not
want to be lumped in w/ some of the violating, trashy people and acts
I've seen. Before the firestorm starts, I know some great guys who
gun hunt, and am not painting all gun hunters w/ the same brush.

-another is that I get a real kick out of doing it the hard way, and being
different. I am not as successful, in terms of kills, but when I do,
I feel like I've really pulled something off

-finally, the state land, very close to my home, is open to bowhunting for
the entire AL season, over 100 days. There are only about 14 days
of gun hunts scheduled, the rest of the time its bow only. Once the
early bow season is over, and the "part-time" bowhunters call it quits
and switch to guns, I pretty much have the place to myself. About
40,000 acres, pretty much all alone. I have hunted it for nearly 20 years and still do not come close to seeing or scouting it all. I have yet to have another hunter
show up at a stand site, , once the gun season starts.

-the length of my season allows me lots of opportunities to hunt, I can
see deer, and not get a shot w/ the bow, and know I can come back,
and hunt those same deer next week, and some times, next month,
etc. Eventually, it all comes together and I get a shot and connect.

I have carried a rifle a bit more as I'm trying to get my 14yr old into hunting and we sit shooting houses together. And yesterday afternoon, after getting busted by 3 different bucks and 3 diff does, in 3 days,last week, w/ no real opportunity for a shot, and temps in the teens (its not suposed to get that cold and stay cold here!!!!) I took a carbine, and wasn't in the tree 20 min and here came a fair buck. My first thought after pulling the trigger was, I wish I had killed him w/ a bow.

I do not turkey hunt w/ a bow, as I am plenty enough frustrated over other things than to knowingly invite that affliction on myself. I have had so many turkeys get away that I should have killed, even w/ a shotgun, that I need every edge I can get w/ those sneaky, feathered, warty faced devils.