It's deer season! Hunting discussion thread

[thorgrim29]

Hey, I'm going hunting for whitetail deer this weekend for the first time and I'm pretty stoked, deer is delicious and I'm not squeamish (well, the field dressing part seems kind of gross but I'm sure I can handle it). My only concerns are boredom (that's what books are for right?) and the fact that I've never actually shot the gun I'm going to use. I've shot a scopeless 22 LR a few times with fairly good accuracy (hitting beer cans at about 150 yards about half the time) but this is going to be a scoped 30-06 springfield so the scope and recoil are going to be a big change.

I figure I'm not the only one going hunting these days, so let's discuss tips, recipes, and tall tales.

[Frozen_Feet]

I was supposed to go elk hunting, but so far I've missed all my oppurtunies due to illness or other hobbies. I'm mildly demotivated by the fact that I'm not allowed to shoot the damn things due to bureaucratic nonsense. (In order to be allowed to shoot elks, you need to have a hunter's license - I do - and you need to be part of a registered hunting party - I am - and you need to pass a formal shooting test - which I wasn't allowed to take, because due to legal changes this year, you ALSO need a license for the gun you're using for the test. Well, gun's owned by and licensed to my dad, but not to me, so I couldn't use it, even though my dad was right there. It's mildly ridiculous considering you can shoot a gun under the licensed owner's supervision at a shooting range any other time.)

[Bulldog Psion]

I would like to go deer hunting this year, but won't be able to.

So, I'll be sitting over here in the corner, dreaming of tasty, tasty venison, and weeping quietly into my Old Milwaukee. :smallbiggrin: Don't mind me. :smallwink:

Interestingly, my landlord, who is also a pseudo-friend, went out elk hunting for 3.5 weeks, full of murderous intent towards the beasts, and got nothing. So apparently, even those with the necessary licensing have a lot of trouble.

[thorgrim29]

Well that sucks. I'm guessing you're somewhere in Europe based on your usage of elk instead of moose (the clearly superior name). Is the shooting test just for elk for for all hunting? At face value it doesn't sound like a terrible idea to make sure you can hit the broadside of a barn before letting you hunt things but those kinds of things always sprout a whole bunch of bureaucratic nonsense like you just mentionned.

[Frozen_Feet]

I live in Finland. The test's required for shooting big prey such as deer and elk. There's a different test for being allowed to shoot bears (also allows you to shoot deer and elks if you pass). These tests exists due to past overhunting nearly driving big prey into extinction; a hunting party (as a collective) also needs a permit for hunting them, and there's a quota for said permits.

You can shoot small prey (rabbits, birds) without such a test.

However, the latest bureaucratic restrictions have come to being for reasons unrelated to hunting. Without getting too deep into contemporary politics, the reason can be summed up as "city people are afraid of firearms".

[Peelee]

I would like to go deer hunting this year, but won't be able to.

So, I'll be sitting over here in the corner, dreaming of tasty, tasty venison, and weeping quietly into my Old Milwaukee. :smallbiggrin: Don't mind me. :smallwink:

Interestingly, my landlord, who is also a pseudo-friend, went out elk hunting for 3.5 weeks, full of murderous intent towards the beasts, and got nothing. So apparently, even those with the necessary licensing have a lot of trouble.

Could come to Alabama. I don't think a year's gone by when i haven't seen between 1-5 deer roaming through someones yard in the various neighborhoods I've been in.

[Fragenstein]

Could come to Alabama. I don't think a year's gone by when i haven't seen between 1-5 deer toaming through someones yard in the various neighborhoods I've been in.

We've been allowing bow-hunting within city limits for years because of this.

[TechnOkami]

:smallamused:

Good luck hunting in California.

[Killer Angel]

Could come to Alabama. I don't think a year's gone by when i haven't seen between 1-5 deer toaming through someones yard in the various neighborhoods I've been in.

Didn't you already hit a deer with your car? I don't know if it counts for hunting season... :smalltongue:

[TheThan]

Hey, I'm going hunting for whitetail deer this weekend for the first time and I'm pretty stoked, deer is delicious and I'm not squeamish (well, the field dressing part seems kind of gross but I'm sure I can handle it). My only concerns are boredom (that's what books are for right?) and the fact that I've never actually shot the gun I'm going to use. I've shot a scopeless 22 LR a few times with fairly good accuracy (hitting beer cans at about 150 yards about half the time) but this is going to be a scoped 30-06 springfield so the scope and recoil are going to be a big change.

I figure I'm not the only one going hunting these days, so let's discuss tips, recipes, and tall tales.

I highly recommend you find the time to take that .30-06 out to the range and put some rounds through it. Get comfortable with that rifle before you take it out in the field. It’s a little dangerous to go out in the field with an unfamiliar firearm. Stepping up from a .22LR to... well anything... is quite the significant increase in firepower, recoil, weight, etc. Get an idea what it’s like or you will be startled (and probably miss because of it).

Speaking of .22 LRs I actually found some boxes of the stuff at Walmart. Federal AutoMatch, 40 grain solid. I totally paid too much for it but I’ve been looking for two years for any .22 LR ammo and I finally found some. This stuff is supposed to be great for autoloaders.
I really need to get out and do some shooting at the least.


Interestingly, my landlord, who is also a pseudo-friend, went out elk hunting for 3.5 weeks, full of murderous intent towards the beasts, and got nothing. So apparently, even those with the necessary licensing have a lot of trouble.

That’s why it’s called hunting. If someone was guaranteed to come back with game, it’d be called shooting animals.


:smallamused:

Good luck hunting in California.
It’s not quite that bad. For residents it’s not prohibitively expensive to do. A license and deer tag will cost you less than 100 bucks (har har). Tags for other animals vary widely. It’s a bit restrictive, check local rules and regulations (please don’t shoot deer wandering through the town park, you get in trouble for that sort of stuff) all of which is easily researched online. Non-residents well, you guys are screwed, since its orders of magnitude more expensive. A prospective hunter will probably spend more money on gear than he (or she) will than on shelling out to the state of California.
Now all the game animals might have been driven off or killed from wild fires and drought, but that’s a different thread.

Also please remember proper gun handling protocols. Accidental shootings should never happen, but unfortunately they do. So be safe, use your head and have fun.

[Hbgplayer]

We were all set up to go for a week here in California, bit then the Butte Fire went through and burn most of the zone that we were drawn for, and thus squashed those plans.

[Frozen_Feet]

That’s why it’s called hunting. If someone was guaranteed to come back with game, it’d be called shooting animals.

No, it's called animal husbandry. :smalltongue:

[thorgrim29]

I highly recommend you find the time to take that .30-06 out to the range and put some rounds through it. Get comfortable with that rifle before you take it out in the field. It’s a little dangerous to go out in the field with an unfamiliar firearm. Stepping up from a .22LR to... well anything... is quite the significant increase in firepower, recoil, weight, etc. Get an idea what it’s like or you will be startled (and probably miss because of it).

Yeah, I'll try to figure something out.

[TechnOkami]

It’s not quite that bad. For residents it’s not prohibitively expensive to do. A license and deer tag will cost you less than 100 bucks (har har). Tags for other animals vary widely. It’s a bit restrictive, check local rules and regulations (please don’t shoot deer wandering through the town park, you get in trouble for that sort of stuff) all of which is easily researched online. Non-residents well, you guys are screwed, since its orders of magnitude more expensive. A prospective hunter will probably spend more money on gear than he (or she) will than on shelling out to the state of California.
Now all the game animals might have been driven off or killed from wild fires and drought, but that’s a different thread.

Also please remember proper gun handling protocols. Accidental shootings should never happen, but unfortunately they do. So be safe, use your head and have fun.
I mostly said what I said out of jest, poking fun at the strict gun laws of California. I know full well hunting here isn't that bad. I grew up with my father and paternal grandfather as hunters, and though I never got into hunting in and of itself, I understand and know a decent amount about it (duck hunting out in Los Banos of your curious).


We were all set up to go for a week here in California, bit then the Butte Fire went through and burn most of the zone that we were drawn for, and thus squashed those plans. Oof, rough.

[Traab]

Yeah, I'll try to figure something out.

There is also the problem of missing but still hitting the deer. Thats a bad way to kill a deer and a very long night for you trying to find it when it finally goes down. Even if its just a handful of rounds to get a general feel for it that should be good enough. It helps that the vital area on a deer is the size roughly of a paper plate, so you have plenty of wiggle room to aim with. If you are as practiced as you say it shouldnt take more than a couple rounds to adjust for the recoil and a couple more to more or less dial in with the scope and learn how to adjust for distance. Honestly, its why I like my bow so much. I have sights setup for 20, 30, 40, and 50 yards. So I already know the arrow will go where I want it to no matter how far from me the deer is.

[thorgrim29]

If you are as practiced as you say it shouldnt take more than a couple rounds to adjust for the recoil and a couple more to more or less dial in with the scope and learn how to adjust for distance.

I actually only shot a gun once, I'm just apparently pretty good at it, no idea why. But I take the point, we're not allowed to go shooting in the woods during deer season (actually I think it might not be illegal, but it is crazy bad form and we'll get officials called on us), but there's a range not far from me so I'll try to go shoot a bit.

[Dire Moose]

Wait, you guys are talking about hunting what again? *looks around nervously*

[Killer Angel]

Wait, you guys are talking about hunting what again? *looks around nervously*

They probably need silver bullets for you. You should be safe. :smalltongue:

[Hbgplayer]

Wait, you guys are talking about hunting what again? *looks around nervously*


They probably need silver bullets for you. You should be safe. :smalltongue:

For a DIRE moose? More like a silvered .50 cal!

[Killer Angel]

For a DIRE moose? More like a silvered .50 cal!

Judging from the eyes and the fangs, it seems a dire weremoose vampire. Nasty stuff. :smallwink:

[Dire Moose]

But think how epic that would look over your fireplace if you pulled it off.

[thorgrim29]

Whelp, first day was a bust, didn't so much as see a deer. I did read Ancilliary Justice though, good book if a bit confusing near the end. Hope I'm luckier tomorrow.

[Killer Angel]

But think how epic that would look over your fireplace if you pulled it off.

Will it also sing some nice songs? :smalltongue:

[8BitNinja]

Hope you do well, went out last week, was skunked

[thorgrim29]

It was a bust, I saw a few does I was not allowed to shoot but no bucks. At least I didn't get skunked though so that's something I guess:smallbiggrin:. Thanks for making me feel better about my 3 wasted weekends (well, wasted.... I caught up on my reading a bit I guess).

[8BitNinja]

It was a bust, I saw a few does I was not allowed to shoot but no bucks. At least I didn't get skunked though so that's something I guess:smallbiggrin:. Thanks for making me feel better about my 3 wasted weekends (well, wasted.... I caught up on my reading a bit I guess).

Don't worry about it, my Dad has gone 10 years without shooting a deer
When was the last time you had a successful hunt, or is this your first?
I remember that I was bummed when I didn't shoot a deer on my first hunt, but the second one, I was the only one who shot a deer
It just takes time, just put in for next year

[thorgrim29]

First try. I may go blackpowder hunting in a few weeks, still undecided.

[Traab]

I went deerhunting and got a pheasant once. Thats... thats about my most successful hunting season. Oh yeah, and I nearly got tackled by a wolf once, that was pretty awesome terrifying.

[Gopher Wizard]

Wait, how is it no one has made a Loony Tunes reference yet?:smallconfused:

RABBIT SEASON!
DUCK SEASON!
RABBIT SEASON!
DUCK SEASON!

[thorgrim29]

I made myself sad watching this, don't know why I do this to myself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN8y1mlFADo

[Peelee]

If you're not getting anything, review your methods. How are you tracking the deer?

[Winter_Wolf]

I admit my method of hunting probably differs from most deer hunters, but I have a lot of relatives who go out every year. I don't recall them reading during the hunting/waiting part. also dang I'd never go out hunting with an unfamiliar firearm. Each piece is unique with its little quirks, even the same model of the same make. Plus shooting for fun and practice can be done even when it's not hunting season. If you can afford the ammo, anyway.

ph yeah, 30.06 is a pretty sweet rifle. My dad had a bolt action Remington with a scope. As rifles go, it was a lot more manageable than our family shotgun. Strangely, I think, since it was only a 20 gauge barrel pump action.

[thorgrim29]

The plan wasn't to go out without having ever shot it, it just happened that way due to my buddy who was loaning it to me spending a month doing radiotherapy on his finger and the recuperating. And about reading... I mean I was up in a small cabin in the trees (maybe 6x4 or something?) sitting down for several hours, what the hell else was I supposed to do to keep from falling asleep/going crazy from boredom?

Anyway, this year was a bust, next time I'll have practiced with the rifle more beforehand.

[Peelee]

The plan wasn't to go out without having ever shot it, it just happened that way due to my buddy who was loaning it to me spending a month doing radiotherapy on his finger and the recuperating. And about reading... I mean I was up in a small cabin in the trees (maybe 6x4 or something?) sitting down for several hours, what the hell else was I supposed to do to keep from falling asleep/going crazy from boredom?

Anyway, this year was a bust, next time I'll have practiced with the rifle more beforehand.

That's not hunting. That's camping, with a gun.

[thorgrim29]

What was I supposed to do according to you? Walk around aimlessly? Literally everyone I've spoken to who hunts deer waits around in a tree or a cabin until a deer gets hungry and goes for the carrots/apples/salt.

[Peelee]

What was I supposed to do according to you? Walk around aimlessly? Literally everyone I've spoken to who hunts deer waits around in a tree or a cabin until a deer gets hungry and goes for the carrots/apples/salt.

Hunt. Track. Stalk.

I've been fighting this uphill battle for years. Hunting should be a sport. Require activity. Man vs wild.

Or you can, ya know, read a book until a deer walks in on you. I'm not gonna judge you. But I will call that camping. With a gun.

EDIT: Keep in mind, you are correct; everyone who goes deer hunting gets in a blind and sits for hours. I just don't think that should be called "hunting." "Camping with guns," or "waiting" or "shooting" are more appropriate.

[thorgrim29]

Yeah I'm not that outdoorsy myself but I get what you're saying.

I'm more in it for variety in my freezer than for the sport myself though. Also I'm not convinced it's legal to do it that way here (you're required to have an orange vest when walking in the woods during hunting season, might not be a good idea when tracking), and it sure as hell isn't safe in my area because there's a pretty high concentration of hunters, I could hear at least 10 gunshots per day I was there.

[Peelee]

I also have a somewhat biased view. I saw 6 deer after driving maybe 15 seconds on my way into work this morning. Saw another 4 in damn near that same spot last week, and 2 crossing the road just a few days before. And back when I lived with my parents, they had a giant, wooded backyard with the occasional deer walking by. So, while I realize that it is by no means indicative of real hunting spots, I think I have this whole subconcious "fish in a barrel" mindset.

[8BitNinja]

If you're not getting anything, review your methods. How are you tracking the deer?

Sometimes, you just don't get anything

That's just how it is

[Traab]

I read while I hunt. But I have great peripheral vision and am constantly catching motion from squirrels birds and whatever else wanders around my hunting area. So im not worried about missing a deer wandering by. As for how I hunt, I spend time before hunting season tracking through the woods looking for game trails, signs of rubbing, deer turds, beds, etc. Then I find a nice location that has a lot of outline breaking plants and such around me while giving me clear lanes of fire, setup my chair, have my bow in my lap, and wait to see what I can see. It just sucks that I have seen virtually everything BUT a deer while hunting. I know they are there, I even stumbled over a poacher pit full of gutted fawns (really a sad thing to see, they still had spots)

[8BitNinja]

I read while I hunt. But I have great peripheral vision and am constantly catching motion from squirrels birds and whatever else wanders around my hunting area. So im not worried about missing a deer wandering by. As for how I hunt, I spend time before hunting season tracking through the woods looking for game trails, signs of rubbing, deer turds, beds, etc. Then I find a nice location that has a lot of outline breaking plants and such around me while giving me clear lanes of fire, setup my chair, have my bow in my lap, and wait to see what I can see. It just sucks that I have seen virtually everything BUT a deer while hunting. I know they are there, I even stumbled over a poacher pit full of gutted fawns (really a sad thing to see, they still had spots)

I constantly glass and have a hard time, how do you do that?

[SilverStrike]

Anybody do any bow hunting?

[TheThan]

Anybody do any bow hunting?
My dad used to; but he gave it up due to RA raising its ugly head. He never had any real luck at it anyway so he sold his bow and most of his bow-hunting gear.




I even stumbled over a poacher pit full of gutted fawns (really a sad thing to see, they still had spots)

That’s just awful. I hope those poachers were caught and properly punished. I’m not against killing animals (obviously, I’m in this thread) but baby animals? Come on people, show some heart.

[8BitNinja]

Anybody do any bow hunting?

Where I live, down in Southwestern United States, Bow Hunting is super popular

we even have a bow hunting expo

[SilverStrike]

Awesome! I have a bow, and a book about bow-hunting deer, but for some reason I've never gotten into it.

[TechnOkami]

I don't really have a place to do it, but I do enjoy Archery.

[8BitNinja]

In Arizona, there is so much to do in the outdoors

There is a large amount of biodiversity, you can fish at almost any public lake, there are so many places to go hiking, and there are entire towns (though not that big) who cater to hunters

and when it comes to hunting, you can use pretty much any weapon so long as it isn't an explosive or automatic

[Brother Oni]

Honestly, its why I like my bow so much. I have sights setup for 20, 30, 40, and 50 yards. So I already know the arrow will go where I want it to no matter how far from me the deer is.

You shoot compounds I assume?


Anybody do any bow hunting?

Not allowed to hunt with bows over here. :smallfrown:

If you do decide to go bow hunting deer, check up on your local laws first - there's usually a minimum draw weight requirement.

[TheThan]

You shoot compounds I assume?



Not allowed to hunt with bows over here. :smallfrown:

If you do decide to go bow hunting deer, check up on your local laws first - there's usually a minimum draw weight requirement.

also check to make sure that you're bow hunting during the bow hunting season.

where i am you crossbow hunt during rifle season. which seems weird. I mean it's still a bow. I guess their reason is that the crossbow has a stock and you fire it from your shoulder like a long arm. still seems weird to me.

[Brother Oni]

where i am you crossbow hunt during rifle season. which seems weird. I mean it's still a bow. I guess their reason is that the crossbow has a stock and you fire it from your shoulder like a long arm. still seems weird to me.

A crossbow is also a lot more powerful than a bow, modern pulley ones even moreso. Hunting crossbows start at about 125lbs draw weight and only go up, whereas it takes some serious physical training to hit ~70lbs with a compound bow, let alone a recurve or a longbow.

As a measure of how powerful they are, I remember a video of someone hunting an elephant with a ~250lb crossbow although I concede they essentially snuck up, shot it in the vitals then ran away while it rampaged until it bled out ~20 minutes later.

[8BitNinja]

A crossbow is also a lot more powerful than a bow, modern pulley ones even moreso. Hunting crossbows start at about 125lbs draw weight and only go up, whereas it takes some serious physical training to hit ~70lbs with a compound bow, let alone a recurve or a longbow.

As a measure of how powerful they are, I remember a video of someone hunting an elephant with a ~250lb crossbow although I concede they essentially snuck up, shot it in the vitals then ran away while it rampaged until it bled out ~20 minutes later.

And a crossbow is easier to aim

I don't go bow hunting because I can't hit a large target from 50 yards with a bow, much less a deer at about 200-400