Anyone doing any hunts this Fall? If so... Share?

[matt_3479]

I am new to big game hunting. i have hunted ducks, geese, rabbits, squirrels and coyotes for a while now. 4 years i guess. Im only 16 years old and im doing my first big game hunt. Since my party did not draw a moose tag this year we cant do that, but we are going for black bear. When i get back im going for whitetail. Doesn't sound bad for my first season of big game hunting. I was wondering what you guys use on the game you shoot, caliber, model, scope, bullet, grain, stuff like that. Do you have any pics of your rifle or previous hunts?

I will be using a 7mm rem mag shooting 160 grain accubonds on my bear hunt, and a 12 gauge shooting some type of slug, i don tknow yet. So if any of you guys shoot deer with a shot gun can you give me some tips? and what you like to use? Where i live, i cant use anything bigger then .275 caliber which is a 270. win. But we also dont have a rifle deer season where i live. We only have Bow and slug gun and muzzleloader. Next year i will buy tags for a different area so i can use my 7mm but not this year

[Daryl]

Ahh...to be 16 again! I shot a nice muley buck when I was 16, and the mount is still on my wall. I shot it with a Rem model 600 in .243, and a year later I sold that rifle for the action because I'd shot too many rounds through it and wore out the barrel. I used the money towards a Rem 700 in .270 that fall, and used it on a spike buck that year.

The .270 Win actually shoots a .277 diameter bullet, so it's technically bigger than .275.

I'll be hunting bear in early/mid October this year, and I have a mule deer hunt in eastern Arizona that starts Nov 6th. I'll be using my 7mm rem mag loaded with 145 grain Speer Grand Slam bullets. It's the same load I've been loading for it for many years. I bought that rifle in about 1989, so I've been using it for ~20 years, and it's killed a bunch of stuff for me.

Here it is with an antelope, about a month after my wife and I were married.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/Daryl45/DarylAntelope6.jpg

[taylorce1]

Good luck on your bear hunt! I got my first and only bear so far on a trip to AK a couple of years ago and I used a plain old .30-06 to get the job done. Really was a fun trip even more so because I made a new friend and hunting partner for life.

This year I'll be hunting pronghorn, mule deer, and elk. As far as what cartridge to use that is my problem. I have several rifles that I can use so I don't know which one to pick. For pronghorn I'll use either my .243 or .270 Win unless my .25-06 or 6.5x55 makes it back from the smiths in time to hunt with. I have two pronghorn tags one for buck in regular season and a late season doe in Dec.

I have a 2nd season deer tag and 4th season either sex elk tag. I have several rifles that I can use here as well but my five main choices here are rifles I haven't killed any game with. .30-40 Krag, 8mm-06, .358 Win, .35 Whelen, and .375 Ruger as well as a rifle I bought for elk hunting my .338-06 which has only taken a little pronghorn since I've had it. I'm really leaning towards the .30-40 for elk and .358 Win for deer mainly because of the rifles, my Krag is a mannlicher sporter and ideal for hunting dark timber, and my .358 is in a Savage 99 lever action.

Then I do have a new Encore pistol that I could use as well in .280 GNR (7mm-.405 Win AI) or 7mm-08 both cartridges are very capable of taking anything on my list of tags. The biggest problem for me is having too many choices in what I can shoot. I really don't mind having that problem!:D

[pilothunter]

A couple of trips planned already. The first to Maine in September on a bear hunt using a Marlin 1895 in 45-70 topped with a Leupold 1-4x20 scope with HD reticle. Next up will be Tn. and Ky. for deer in Nov.(and December as well for Tn), and will be using a M77 in .284 topped with a Leupold Vari-XII 2-7x33 with HD reticle and a pre '64 Featherweight in .270 topped with an older Burris FF 4X scope. Bad weather rifle will be a M96 sporterized by Kimber in 6.5x55, synthetic stock and topped with a Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9x40.

West Virginia for the last week of November for deer, and using a Husqvarna 4100 in .270 with a Nikon Monarch 1.5-4.5x20 and a Marlin .375 lever with peep sight for bad weather. Last trip planned is Georgia for wild hogs in January and I will use a BLR in .358 with Leupold 1-4x20 HD and also a Marlin
.444S with peep sight.

[davlandrum]

Staying in state - only hunt I have left Oregon for is a hog hunt.

Bow hunt elk in early September, rifle hunt mule deer in early October.

Stay safe and have a great year!

[Doodlebugger45]

Staying close to home. My elk hunt area is only 20 miles from the house. I'll likely just do some late afternoon hunts after lunch. My deer hunt is even closer, about 2 miles from the house. I'll do that whenever I take a notion. Both of those are in October. I don't have plans to shoot an antelope since I don't really care for that meat very much. But if one of my business partners talks me into it, I might go get a doe antelope tag if he wants someone to go hunting with him and he wants the extra meat in the freezer.

For elk, I'll either take my 7 mm mag Browning BLR or the Winchester mod 70 in 270 WSM. Whichever one I feel the most confident about that day. For deer, it might be one of those 2. Or maybe the .308. Or the .243. But if they are hanging out in the trees and brush it'll be a 30-30 or 45-70. Lots to choose from for the deer. Actually though, for both the elk and the deer, I am really hoping to get close enough to take one with my BFR revolver in .480 Ruger. If I go antelope hunting, it will be the 243 or the 270 WSM.

[Old Grump]

a 12 gauge shooting some type of slug, i don tknow yet. So if any of you guys shoot deer with a shot gun can you give me some tips?

If your gun is rifled use sabot, if you are scoped you are good for 150 yards but better under 100. If your gun is a smooth bore Foster or Brenneke slugs through any choke but a full choke, I prefer IM but I haven't seen much difference using other chokes. Foster is a little more accurate in my experience but both will do the job for you out to 100. I find it best to try and keep my shots inside 65 yards. Rifle sights on my rifled Winchester and a scope on my smooth bore Mossberg both keep slugs inside 4" groups at 100 yards, even 6" will be a good shot on a deer at reasonable distance. In my part of the state 100 yards is a long shot and 150 is real long, most are under 50. I treat my shotgun just like a 30-30, if I wouldn't shoot at the deer with my 30-30 I won't shoot at it with the shotgun either.

[shortwave]

and a 12 ga. using some kind of slug,I don`t know yet. Whether rifled or smooth bore, 2 3/4" to 3 1/2" shoot some various rds. to see how you pattern best. The best advice I can think to give is don`t shoot at a distance your not confident at. Takes a bit of practice to zero a shotgun in at say 50yds. and have enough confidence to shoot a one shot kill at 100yds. Especially with open sights. As hunters,we know thats owed to the animal. The mear fact that you posted asking questions shows that you`ve been taught well. Your to be commended;). Your a breath of fresh air. Thanks for your post.

[srt 10 jimbo]

Going to South Dakota for Pheasant this year, October.:)

[Waterengineer]

Jimbo says: Going to South Dakota for Pheasant this year, October


Ding, Ding, Ding....we have a winner. Same plan here except very early Nov.

I have done it every year for at least 20.

[hogdogs]

Hunting daily on the Eglin AFB wma. I also have some private spots i can hit too. I will be using the Marlin 336c .30-30 or my 20 gauge Mossberg 500 with 18 inch barrel loaded with "globs"... Nothing says "Go to sleep" like a slow flying big glob o' lead! :D Any one, anywhere wanna meet and hunt with me and/or junior is invited. Our non resident fees are low, the Eglin wma is massive and the bucks are plentiful.
I am not a sport hunter, I am absolutely just a freezer filler of the caveman type...
Brent

[bswiv]

Vivian S.D., first week of November to chase pheasants..................

Consumed the last 5 from 2008 hunt at the market yesterday morning. Louann boiled the meat off the bones and sauted them in butter, then tossed that over biscuits with gravey.......... I should be a fat boy!

[Waterengineer]

Goin' to the home place for T-day. I will have my daughter along. This will be her first deer hunt. She will be shooting the same Model 37 shotgun on the same farm that at least four previous generations of my family have shot and hunted. She will be the fifth generation - very cool. :D

[Armed Citizen]

Deer in Northern Michigan November 15th rifle season opens. Usually .30/06 or might try my new .270WSM:cool:

[BIGR]

Staying within my state but hunting on our deer hunting lease property for some whitetail deer. Of course starting out my season I will be shooting my T/C .50 CAL. Omega muzzle loader. For the rifle season I am trying my new Model 700 Remington XCR chambered in 7 MM Magnum loaded with my own reloads. I can taste that fresh tenderloin now....:)

[Rembrandt]

Oh, to be young again....my first deer at 15 years old, fall of 1965.

Since then I've hunted 9 states and nearly 40 game species. Been involved in many hobbies and competitive sports, Hunting is by far the most rewarding activity I've ever participated in. Soak up all the knowledge and stories you can. Good luck.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v405/Rembrandt51/firstdeer.jpg

[BIGR]

Nice first deer, Rembrandt. 1965 was a good year......the year I was born..:D

Pictures are worth a thousand words. Just wished I had taken more of my hunts years ago. Earliest picture I had was back in 1982 when I shot my first bobcat. Now each hunting season I take pictures of my hunts whether or not I harvest any animals.

[kraigwy]

Taking my wife and grandaughter to the Big Horns in Oct for Elk and maybe deer is I dont find a good one in my yard before I go.

We'll be using 270s, and taking horses (I'm too lazy to pack). We have a horse trailer with living quarters (I"m too old to sleep in snow banks anymore).

I also plan on getting in some late season fly fishing while we're up there. Probably be gone two to three weeks depending on the snow fall.

[Crankylove]

Headed to western Wyoming in two weeks to bag some speed goats. Didn't get to Deer or Elk this year, so the Antelope is it. I can smell the liver and onions now..............

[Westcoaster]

I'll do the usual deer and bear whacking around home. Later in September there is a few of us go up north for moose and elk. That's a good trip.

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa189/wextcoaster_01/2008Sikannihuntingtrip006.jpg


http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa189/wextcoaster_01/Sikanni2007trip029-1.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa189/wextcoaster_01/Sikanni2007trip001.jpg


A few pics from where we go.

[azsixshooter]

I'm leaving tonight in about 6.5 hours to go bowhunting deer about 20 miles south of the Grand Canyon in the Kaibab Nat'l Forest for 4 days. If I don't get one this trip I'll be hitting the Coconino Nat'l Forest / Mogollon Rim in early Sept. to hopefully hear some bulls bugling and look for a buck.

Then I have a rifle whitetail hunt in late October out by the Superstition Mtns. After that I have an AZ 4A rifle bull hunt Nov27th-Dec3rd. Both of those hunts I will be using my CZ 550 American with a Trijicon TR20-2G 3-9x40 scope and handloads. 130 grain Nosler Accubonds for deer, 160 grain Woodleighs Protected Points for the elk. I'm taking my M1 as a backup rifle with some Federal Game-Shoks, probably the ones with the 180 grain Nosler Partitions.

After that, late archery deer opens back up out here in December in many units and goes until the end of January. Hopefully I'll get something to put in the freezer out of these hunts, I'm excited to get on the road tonight! Just sitting at work waiting right now!

[Fat White Boy]

Got a pig a couple of months ago. Only Bird hunts coming up for me. Colorado River (Blythe-Parker) for dove opener, Nevada for Chukars in October. Hopefully time for Mearn's quail in Arizona towards November-December. Haven't decided on Mountain Quail or not...

[fisherman66]

I've got a shot at a Cardinal Texas Slam. North Texas, East Texas, West Texas and possibly South Texas for Whitetail. I'll try to shoot sum flying liver snaps in a couple weeks and I might cross a hog at any one of the spots.

[mlchris2]

Well,

I put in for a controlled deer hunt down in the Southern Part of Idaho. this is my 3rd year drawing this area and there are some monster mulies come out of this area. That hunt starts in late Oct.

I will take my GF on the General deer hunt up in North East Id in Oct.

I have been hunting elk in the Idaho desert since Aug 1st with my G.F. That hunt is open to Any sex until Dec 31st. She is a first year hunter and IDK why but she is waiting for the "big one". We've seen him, but about 2 miles out.

I decided to take up archery hunting this year and going to go next week up to the Idaho/Montana border and do the bull hunt. I am excited for this as I've always participated... never hunted. The scouting we have done has been really good and feel confident I can fill my tag.

Yesterday, Idaho officially opened up their wolf hunts. I stood in line for an hour to get my tag. They sold 220 tags in a matter of an hour. I dont know how I am going to do it, but I am going to make an attempt at killing one of these buggers.

WOW, just realized I will be one busy fool until Spring with all the tags myself and my GF have to fill.

[Waldermar]

I'm originally from the Flint Hills area in Kansas where the country is mostly open. I did and still do use a Winchester mod. 70 in .270 cal. Using 130 gr. power point ammo. I like it because it is pretty flat shooting and the recoil, to me is minimal. (I'm a woman 5'7 and 135 lbs). I can shoot 20 rnds through it at the range and not get bruised.
I have had great success with the .270 caliber on deer from 50 to about 200 yds. (my peronsal comfort zone) I like the 130 gr. power point for the expansion and knockdown power. I've never had to use a follow-up shot on the deer I've hunted.
Good luck! Be sure to post pics of the hunt, successful or no.

[Waldermar]

sorry, double post

[flyguyskt]

just went over to wyoming for the opener of archery mule deer. helping my brother in law...had him stalked into 17 yards but he stepped the wrong way and was blocked by a tree!...i laughed cuzz i could have stuck that buck easy...

so now i have 2 elk tags to fill, 3 antelope tags, whitetail buck tag, archery any deer... whew gunna be busy this fall! nmaybe head to missouri also for rifle deer?!?

[srt 10 jimbo]

Just picked up a new Over and Under for Pheasant trip to South Dakota in October.:D

[Haz]

I've never hunted before - this is my first year. I'm 30, though, so I'm getting a little later start. Drew two deer tags this year - one for general rifle, and one for muzzleloader. The muzzleloader tag is either sex, and is in the middle of turkey season, so I think we'll be multi-tasking for that one.

I haven't decided whether to do with 30-30 or .308 for deer. I may bring both, and just carry whichever one seems appropriate for the terrain.

If I manage to bag my first deer this year, though, you can bet your butts I'll post a thread and pictures. :D

[Waterengineer]

Str 10 jimbo:

Your reply to this thread is worthless without pictures.

[NightSight]

Let's see...

Dove - This weekend northern Colorado.

Elk - Northwest corner of Colorado late October.

No luck on drawing a Mulie tag

White Tail - LP in Michigan in November.

Pheasant - Hopefully Kansas over Thanks Giving, but if not eastern Colorado WIA. And again in December in North Dakota.

Waterfowl - As many weekends as I can in North East Colorado.

[Waterengineer]

NightSight:

Have you tried the state ranch lease south of Torrington, WY for ringneck? :cool:

IM me and we will "talk".

[gedenke]

For me this year, all hunts are in S. Oregon:

-Cougar (all year): tag filled :)
-Fall Black Bear (Aug-Dec): tag filled :)
-Rifle Deer (Oct)
-Late Cow Elk (Nov-March 2010)
-Additional Cougar (Aug-Dec)
-Additional Bear (Aug-Dec)
-Coyote (all year)
-Salmon/Steelhead (various dates)

Rifles used:

-Marlin XL7 .270 win, 150g Barnes TSX (Elk, Bear)
-Arisaka Type 38 Sporter 6.5x257 (Deer, Coyote)
-Marlin 938s .22 mag (Coyote)

[castnblast]

good luck on your hunt! I have some really neat hunts, (though few in number due to time) this year. I'm doing a repeat of my kayak in back country camping/bowhunting trip at Lake Amistad in Del Rio, TX. This will be a 4 day bowhunt/fishing trip. That hunt will be in December. I'm also going on a low fence axis deer hunt the 2nd week in October. I'm taking my dad's 270 on that trip. He passed away almost 3 years ago, so I'm using that gun more for sentimental reasons than anything else. There will be lots of dove hunts this fall as well. Hope to post pix as the season progresses.

[MosinM38]

Good luck on the hunt :D Always great to experaince a first big game hunt. I've been hunting for 7 years this year, but I still remember the first year.

I live in Montana in the HEART of hunting heaven :D

Got a Deer A (Either sex) tag. I'm going to be really hitting a few places that are walkin only, and maybe spending a weekend in the Missouri Breaks looking for a nice muley. At the very least I'lll just drive down a few mornings.

I drew a buck antelope tag, but that don't look promising, as there don't seem to be anything nice around.

Then I got a mule deer doe tag, and will be purchasing a whitetail doe tag in a couple of days. My uncles have terrible deer problems, so I'll be making some Jerky.

I'm also buying a turkey tag in case I run across one in the breaks, and I'm buying a Montana Wolf Tag for the novelty of owning a first-year tag :D

Not a real bird hunter, but our ranch is loaded with pheasents, so probably go out for them.

I guess my thing is, fall is the best time of year. Cool, crisp, just an awesome time to be outdoors. Especially in the Missouri Breaks. Plus it's fun to drive by the game preserve and drool over the elk standing just inside the limits.

Guns?
Current gun is a Winchester, 7MM Rem mag, loaded with 120 grain TSX bullets. Shot a group yesterday at 95 yards and got 1 1/4":p

Might pack my last years primary, a Winchester .264 Mag loaded with 120 grain TSX's. But the 7MM has a edge on velocity, so I'll probably use it.

I am going to use my Mosin-Nagant M38 with softpoints to gather a doe. I've been using oddballs, less-used guns to get them the past few years :D

Savage 99 lever action in .300 savage. Hunting a few river bends, and won't have an opportunity for a long shot, so I can use this old gun effectively.

Stoeger 12 gauge SXS for pheasant hunting.

AND finally....everywhere I go I'll be packing my S&W .41 mag revolver. Harvested 3 does and a buck with it so far, handgun hunting is a HUGE blast. Buck wasn't great, a 3X4 with about 20 inches, but he's still my first handgun buck.