Re: Hunting rifle suggestions
 

We do it in VA. Makes it more interesting that's for sure.

Re: Hunting rifle suggestions
 

Trust Cali to ruin something good :(


I did hunt elk once in upstate NY. Boooring!

Re: Hunting rifle suggestions
 

You'll shoot your eye out!

Re: Hunting rifle suggestions
 

I own a .270 Win and its a beast for anything in Florida. I also have a 30-30 thats been great to me. I would go with a .308 or .30-06 for killing everything in North America. The .30-06 is a beast, readily available, and MANY different loads!

Re: Hunting rifle suggestions
 

I mainly use a Rem 30-06 if I'm shooting moderate distances. Most places I hunt do not have shots over 150 yards, sometimes 200 yards, so I'm not really worried about trajectory. If I know I'm hunting in close, I have a Marlin lever action 30-30 that I paid $75 for 20 years ago, including the Redfield 4x9 scope. It has all the knock-down power I've ever needed on short shots. Never had a deer that I shot with it move from the spot. And, considering my investment, it's hard to argue with a $75 rifle that has dropped every deer I've shot with it! Only places I've ever considered a chotgun and buckshot was so dense that I'd never get a deer out if I shot it, so I've avoided those spots. Ninja prefers his Rem .270 for the deer, but also likes the old Marlin 30-30.

HOWEVER, please keep in mind my hunting preferences. I like to eat deer meat. Thus, I prefer does over bucks for the better meat quality. So, I'm usually shooting smaller deer than those after trophy buck. For larger deer, at longer distances, the 30-30 will require a much more precise shot placement to drop the bigger deer. In addition to liking the doe meat better, Alabama has a severe overpopulation of female deer, because not enough hunters are willing to shoot the does. They only want the trophy buck. To combat this, and try and re-balance the deer population, the state wildlife regulations have changed dramatically over the last five years to limit the bucks taken to only 3 per season, but you can take 2 doe per day all season long. Still not working because most hunters here are looking for a wall mount, not a freezer of meat (what the heck, gives me more chances to put meat in the freezer, jerky in the dehydrator, sausage through the smoker!!!)

Good luck. Don't rule out a good used gun. But, have it checked out before you buy it by a gunsmith you trust! Both my Marlin and the Rem 30-06 were used. I waited until after the season was out, and fishing was kicking in. That's the time to keep an eye out for last season's guns to be on the market!

Re: Hunting rifle suggestions
 

I'd recommend that you get no where near a gun.:tu



But seriously.....no where near a gun!

Re: Hunting rifle suggestions
 

I gots me a man-crush on ya now, Cliff!

Re: Hunting rifle suggestions
 

:banger

Back at ya, Pete!