How much ammo when hunting?

[Goatwhiskers]

30/40AI Martini, 180 grn RN Hornady. One up the spout, one in my pocket. Have never needed the second. Goatwhiskers the Elder

[Sam06]

If I am going out of state I will have 100 rounds of my handloads. By the house here hunting I usually carry about 20 rounds total.

I have seen guys run out of ammo shooting at animals too. Its not something I want to have happen to me. Ammo is not that heavy and a few extra rounds might be what saves your life. You may have to shoot to signal for help if you got hurt, there are a lot of reasons to carry some extra ammo and not too may reasons not to.

[Rifleman1776]

Modern rifle: my 30-06, five in rifle and five in belt pouch.
Traditional flintlock muzzle loader: one loaded and five patched balls in a loading block and way more powder than I'll need in horn. I now have a new, smaller, day horn to carry.

[nathaniel]

When I go deer hunting I take as many boxes ammo as I can. Its usaully about 5 to 10 boxes, I keep 3 in my pack and use one another to fill my gun and my pockets. But then again we shoot at alot of coyotes, rabbits, just anything we can legally shoot. Many a times I've supplied meat for the pot in camp.

[spclPatrolGroup]

I used to bring a box of 20, load 5 in each clip, put the spare clip in my pocket, and leave the box with the remaining 10 in my truck, i've never run out, and have had years where I got 5 deer. But recently I have been bringing two boxes, mainly because every now and then my gun will fall from a post its leaning on, or something, and I will want to shoot a few to make sure I am still zero'd in.

[Charles Ellis]

My usual ammo load is 4 in rifle and 8 more in the backpack held in a M1 clip.If I was going more than a few miles from home to hunt,I would put a 100 round MTM box of reloads in the truck,but would not go into the woods tith any more than I carry at home.(I also carry a small 38 spec. cal revolver tucked away neatly out of sight.)

[jimbob86]

gun will fall from a post its leaning on,

Two of my daughters just completed a hunter safety class, and I sat in on the lectures..... this (setting a gun down where it may fall) was stressed as a "No-No", same as it was in 1980 when I took the class. It is a loss of muzzle control, and as such, is a safety violation. Do not do it.

To quote the instuctor, ".....in your hands, on a sling, in a rack, or in a case."

[jimbob86]

I take as many boxes ammo as I can. Its usaully about 5 to 10 boxes

Seems like quite a lot...... but it's still a free country.

[Double J]

I load up my .22 with 100 rounds in the drum in August and hunt all fall sguirrel season without having to reload. So far this year I haven't fired a shot. At this rate, I'm good for next year too.

[nathaniel]

Seems like quite a lot...... but it's still a free country.

I can get at least 18 coyotes in 2 days where we hunt and I dont always hit the first time.

And I'd much rather have it and not need it. I dont like to have to duct tape my knife on the end of a stick to finish my hunt.

[Brian Pfleuger]

I never hunt more than 30 minutes from home and never more than over night at my father's camp.

As such, I might have 4 or 5 boxes of 12ga (20 rounds maybe) and this year maybe 20 rounds for my 7mm, but what I actually carry into the woods in never more than 10 rounds.

Varmint hunting, I usually have 20 rounds with me.

[ZeroJunk]

I took 16 to Montana elk hunting week before last, having loaded 20 and taking four to zero. Fired one to make sure the rifle was still shooting where I wanted when there, and never fired another shot. Had the magazine full and the rest in a leather carrier on my belt. I figure if I can't kill an elk with 15 rounds I never will.

When deer hunting around home I take a full magazine and a couple of just in case rounds in my pocket, having no intention of shooting more than one deer a day.

I think I have fired 7 rounds and 3 arrows elk hunting over the last 25 years. Quite a few more deer hunting, but never over 4 or 5 rounds a year.

Two me, taking a bunch of ammo hunting is just extra weight.

[jimbob86]

Varmint hunting, I usually have 20 rounds with me.

Shooting prairie dogs, I used to take 150-200 loaded cartidges, a pound+ of IMR 4064, two boxes of .277 bullets, 200 primers, and my Lee Hand Press kit.... a couple of bricks of .22lr .......

[Brian Pfleuger]

Shooting prairie dogs, I used to take 150-200 loaded cartidges, a pound+ of IMR 4064, two boxes of .277 bullets, 200 primers, and my Lee Hand Press kit.... a couple of bricks of .22lr .......

See? That's why I hate you people. I can only dream of having so many willing targets.

200 rounds would last me 5 years of woodchuck hunting. If I had 5 good years.

[tcox4freedom]

It depends where I'm going AND what I'm hunting.

I usually carry enough for my "limit" and a couple of back-up rounds.

If I'm going "outback" or on an extended trip, I also carry an extra firearm and extra ammo JICSHTF when out & about. (Of course, my PCW is always with me.)

[Old Grump]

Just curious, how much ammo do you guys take along on a hunting trip? I usually fully load my Winchester 94 with seven rounds and another seven or so in my pockets. I like to keep them in the little plastic things they come in so they don't rattle.

Well Op asked about ammo on a trip and I take along an ammo box full of whatever I am going to use plus a cleaning kit and a tool box. But then he described a walk in the woods load so that's how I based my answer. A walk in the woods means for me I can be home or at the camp in an hour or less to get something to eat, a cup of coffee and more ammo. I haven't ever had to get more ammo yet.

With the single shot the least ammo I have come back with is 2 rounds. What's all this talk about misses?

[cgbills]

1 rd cause that is all I need. But seriously usually bring at least a box if not 2.

[Toney]

I carry one of those bullet wallets that hold ten rounds of my reloads. I hunt close to home most of the time.

[Deerhunter]

I hunt close to home / place to buy more ammo. We hunt shotgun only areas of PA 4+1. I always load up the gun and have 5 more in my pocket.

Anyone else looking through a scope at a running deer (even 30 yards out) and just as you pull the trigger have a tree jump right out in front of your gun? I have.

Just so there isn't anyone saying I am not being safe. I know what is behind my target (deer) just happen to be focused through the scope getting ready to shoot at a running deer and the tree was between us.

[RWBlue01]

The last time I went deer hunting with a rifle, I loaded the rifle and then had 10-20 rounds in the bag. I want to say it was almost a full box of ammo, but I can not remember what gun I was using the last time I went. It might have been the SKS or AK. If it was, then the ammo would have been on strippers or just an extra mag.

2 rounds shot from the AK or SKS and 1 deer.

When I was using the M1A, I put a full 20 rounds in the first mag and carried another mag. 1 shot 1 deer that day.

When I carried the 45-70, I want to think I had a total of 20 rounds. 1 shot 1 deer. A really little deer, probably not worth the tag.

For blackpowder, 5 weighed charges in film canisters with me and usually the ability to weigh out more in the vehicle.

I have used up all my ammo twice. Once when I broke a scope and couldn't figure out why it could not group. Once when I broke the scope mount and couldn't figure out what was wrong.

I have been told I carry too much stuff, but then if I get lucky early I have been know to take some time and just shoot at a target.

[RWBlue01]

Oh, I just remember my last hunt wasn't with a rifle, it was with a shotgun. I had a total of 5 rounds on me and more in the truck. It was a small place, I could have sit/stood on top of the truck and hunted the entire property from there.

[markj]

See? That's why I hate you people. I can only dream of having so many willing targets.

Next summer take a vacation, up valentine way (cousins farm) we can shoot dogs all week long, longer if you have enough ammo.

I went deer hunting last winter (first week of dec) had 5 in the shotgun, shot twice had 2 deer on the ground. When I was young I took shots I wont take now, I wait till it is perfect or I just dont shoot. Hate to track more than 30 or 50 yards.

[trooper3385]

I only take 1 bullet.

[trooper3385]

Seriously though, our ranch is about an hour from the house. Most of my guns have the sleeves on the stock to hold extra bullets. If I'm just going for the day, I usually just grab my gun with whatever is on the gun. Overnight, I usually grab a box of 20.

[langenc]

Rifle=1 round

Shotgun=6 or 8 rounds

When deer hunting I like to 'listen' to the hunters that are done for the season, esp on Sat and Sun night , after Thanksgiving. That is the last weekend of the season, Most hunters here are from 'down below'-the big cities of S MI. Usually about 45 min till dark (the best time to be hunting), you will heard, bam, bam, bam and bam. 4 or 5 rounds being popped off as fast as possible. I figure the guy is back at the truck and just shoots the ammo out of the gun. He will get a fresh box next season. Then a vehicle comes down the two track headed in. I always wonder whyt they quit so early?? My wife says Im wrong but--who knows.