Here in the Northern hemisphere, hunting season is near. Use this thread to ask questions, give advice, swap recipes, and tell stories about the humane harvest of delicious wild protein.
Pic related is my newest flexible hunting tool. 357 Magnum carbine. With low powered .38 handloads this will take all types of small game with low noise (think .22 rifle quiet but much heavier bullet) and with full-house 180gr. 357 magnums it can reasonably take whitetail deer out to 100 meters.
OP has been hunting upland, small, and large game for 21 seasons now, not much waterfowl experience, but happy to answer what I can.
>>579723
OP here. This is one of my favorite recipes and I strongly recommend it for new hunters. Rabbits are easy to find, easy to kill, easy to clean, and extremely delicious in a dish like this.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2534648/braised-rabbit-pappardelle
>>579723
OP with a particularly tasty wild swine, 2013
She made many pounds of carnitas tacos for me and was a delicious addition to my chest freezer
>>579723
One of 14 rabbits I ate last winter, but the only one I bagged with a handgun
One of the hindquarters from >>579729
>scored and browned on the grill
>rubbed with spices and salt
>wrapped in foil and drenched in ale
>slow-cooked at 180F for 4 hours
>served in slices on a bed of pasta with fresh mozarella and halved cherry tomatoes
>>579727
I approve of this thread.
>>579734
Nice conservative shooting. Saves a lot of meat if you hit them in the head. Any favorite recipes?
>>579723
>With low powered .38 handloads this will take all types of small game with low noise (think .22 rifle quiet but much heavier bullet) and with full-house 180gr. 357 magnums it can reasonably take whitetail deer out to 100 meters.
what? I get that 357 chambered guns can shoot 38s also but how can you get it so quiet that it sounds like a 22?
>>579735
I just wrap cuts in foil with hell-of butter, garlic, and some lemon juice.
Prefer rattlesnake when I can find em. I just pan-fry snake steak though, with barbecue sauce
>>579737
I guess he means in terms of the fact it's subsonic, still unless you got some kinda suppressor I can't imagine it being quieter than a .22
>>579742
Forgot to say, I grill the rabbit, usually along with some corn and watermelon
>>579737
Well I have a reloading bench so I have options. Although .38/.357 is the easiest thing in the world to reload, many people just don't care enough to get the basic tooling.
My recipe for super quiet .38 is:
>mixed brass
>CCI small pistol primer
>0.5cc Trail Boss powder
>158gr LSWC
You can shoot it all day. It's quiet and has no recoil. I estimate it at 600-700fps. All the powder burns in the first few inches of the 16" barrel, so there aren't a ton of excess gasses to blow out the muzzle.
This load is perfect for true small game. Rabbits, squirrels, grouse, snakes, and so forth For medium game (say raccoons up to like coyotes) I would want to step up the power factor. For big game like hogs or deer you want a full power .357 load with a heavy projectile. The coolest part of the carbine is how it affects the velocity of a true 357 load. MV of 1800FPS is perfectly reasonable with this length barrel.
>>579742
Fist bump man, rattlers are delicious.
And I'll have to try a simple grill up. I'm sure the butter is important because rabbits are so damn lean.
And... you grill your watermelon? Or have it after
>>579742
haha at first i thought that was a recurve bow
but then i realized it was your dinner
>>579729
What the fucks up with your face mate?
I mean, if you were born like it that's ok, but it's just a bit weird...
I have a question, I guess. I want to try hunting but I don't know where to start. Like... do I just buy a gun and go out in the woods and try to shoot shit? I know there are licenses involved in my state (CO) but dunno where to start.
Parents are noguns and family has no history of hunting
>>579760
Naw, don't just buy a gun and start shootin' stuff bro.
Take a hunter's ed class. It's required by law in most states, and either cheap or free. They will give you most of the info you need to know in your state. You're lucky that CO has public land to hunt. Then figure out what kind of game you're after. I recommend starting on small game and upland birds. The action is reasonably fast, you'll get a lot of opportunities to shoot, and it is a good way to meet other hunters and shoot the shit. You might even pick up some tips while you're at it.
The best "all around" hunting tool is a 12 gauge shotgun, IMO. But if you're after big game past 75 yards (deer/elk/bear) you will want a full power rifle.
The problem with a full power rifle is that they aren't much fun to practice with. OP's carbine is probably a decent beginner gun but since it's not a shotgun it's useless against birds.
>>579766
Ok thanks, how much is a shotgun. Rabbits are cute but i could kill one as long as I ate it. Also what is an upland bird
>>579770
Not that anon but:
>how much is a shotgun
$150ish for a basic single-shot, up to $15k for a full custom double-barrel boner gun forged by the dwarfs of Mars
>i could kill one as long as I ate it
Good, this is the basic rule of hunting ethics. Don't kill anything you don't intend to eat.
>what is an upland bird
A non-migratory bird like pheasant, quail, grouse, doves, pigeons.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upland_game_bird
>>579770
>579770
A couple hundred bucks, and upland birds are game birds that aren't waterfowl (ducks and geese)
>>579775
protip: doves are migratory birds
OP checking in
A fistful of whitewing doves from last season. We made these into a risotto but most people just wrap them in bacon and grill them
>>579775
>Don't kill anything you don't intend to eat.
I disagree but to each their own.
Ooh a hunting thread
Here are some eastern cottontails prepped for the pot a couple seasons back. Braised on the bone in white wine with veggies.
>>579733
goddamn dude that sounds delicious what state are you in
I love slow cooked pork
bunny slayer reporting in
old beat up marlin model 60 with cheap ammo
delicious source of lean organic protein
>>579793
OP here. I'm in TX we have a shitload of hogs. I hunt South Texas mostly. East texas a little bit for squirrel. Central for dove. But mostly south.
how dare you kill those cute fuzzy bunnys.
don't you know that you will be reborn as a bunny 10x and someone will do that to you.
how would you like that, hmm?
peasant food
>>579723
So does anyone have any hunting horror stories? Kills that had worms or shit in em? Some other fucked up thing?
I don't know shit about it, but it seems so filthy.
>>579808
Look up videos of rabbits with warbles
I have only ever found 1 rabbit with them but it was super gross
>>579808
Once shot a buck I didn't realize had three legs.
As best we could figure it got hit by an arrow ealier in the season, by the time I got it the wound had gone gangreneous.
Donated the meat since we were visiting family out of state, butcher shop tossed the whole front quarter to be safe.
>>579818
That's the only instance I've personally had like it. Most anything sick is going to get picked off by some predator pretty quick.
More common and litterally shitty is if you gut shot em and instead of removing the stomach/intestines as one sealed package they leak all over the inside cavity.
It's not a big deal (especially for deer, it's just digested grass and shrubs and gut bacteria) but it stinks and you have to push your hands in it and make sure you get it washed out real good.
>>579818
Minority, yes
>>579808
>I don't know shit about it, but it seems so filthy.
If you're worried about the cleanliness of your meat, the odd parasite is the least of your worries. Factory farms bring horrors beyond anything you'll find afield.
>>579862
Unlike the people swept up by the organic food scam, I enjoy antibiotics and drugs injected into growing animals to keep that shit out.
>>579867
This
Antibiotic resistance is a small price to pay if it means not getting infected with a tapeworm or any other kind of nasty creepy parasite
>>579766
>The problem with a full power rifle is that they aren't much fun to practice with
What are you talking about? I love practicing with a high powered rifle. Nothing like blasting water jugs and pumpkins with 150 grains at 3000 fps.
>>579933
>I love practicing with a high powered rifle.
Sure but if a novice shooter tries to get started with a .308 s/he will not be able to easily focus on good form
>>579749
Grill watermelon, but towards the end of the session (it dries out fast). Caramelizes some of the sugars in the flesh and makes it taste amazing.
Texas panhandle here...it is nice to see so many "friends of jack" in this thread. Speaking of.....anyone ever try to eat a jackrabbit? I see em sometimes, but have not blasted one yet to try.
I am gonna try to bacon-wrap some of the lean little guys the next time I get out
Pic related.....jackrabbits alonside their regular brethren
80 yards, .357 Magnum 180gn
I can't wait to start hunting again. I load my own and hunt from the ground, none of that sit and wait in a tree crap. Saw this guy at 7 am and caught up with him at 5 pm.
>>580307
We s/k/out/s now
>>579797
Texas bro here, went hiking at perdanales and saw 10+ hogs. Some crazy shit this year.
about to buy stoeger uplander 20 gauge for upcoming grouse season here. rather excited!
>>579723
why such a massive caliber for small game like a .22, 270, 243 arent good enough?
>>580432
Is your barrel rifled on your 20 ga?
Squirrel season starts Monday here in Ohio. Going to try out some local public hunting land
>>580601
*Tuesday
>>579760
Have recently transformed into hunter from non hunter. It's been difficult without mentorship
If you don't have someone to take you, this is how I would start this year:
>Download and binge watch meateater
>Take hunters ed course
>acquire .22 rifle
>hunt small game all fall
>enjoy delicious rabbits and grouse
And prepare for next year.
>attack amazons zoology textbook section and how-to hunting manuals like an aspergers demon
>acquire rifle in a "do all" non magnum caliber
>begin scouting for animal hotspots
>go for a few overnight hikes at least over the summer to help with packing and backwoods skills
>Bring someone who's skinned a deer before because you'll probably need their help
>>579723
im looking to hunt rabbits with small game tips and a compound bow, any stalking tips?
is a treestand viable or should i just stick to spot and stalk.
i will be hunting deer and rabbit at the same time so im thinking ill just stalk rabbits if the deer arent biting into my calls.
>>580599
No.
Pic related is the gun (not MY gun but an internet image of the same model). It's a Rossi single shot 20 gauge. Bead sight cylinder/no choke
>>580601
>alcohol prohibited
right in the trash
>>580848
or maybe modified choke? I honestly can't tell by looking at it but their site says modified.
>>579787
Your opinion is wrong.
>>580572
The power of a cartridge is not simply dependent on its diameter. A .357 mag is an anemic peashooter compared to a .270 Winchester. You wouldn't take a .243 or a .270 after small game you intended to eat.
>>579733
I need that meal in my life.
>>580572
.243 and .270 are full sized rifle cartridges that'd do a TON more damage than .357 magnum. They're deer and hog hunting rounds.
>>580857
That statement is retarded I laugh at you.
>>580857
>>580857
If you see this why is that guy wrong? It's not okay in your book to kill varmints? Usually I'm hunting on big cattle or sheep ranches, which have problems with coyote and land squirrels. The ranchers really appreciate it when they see you shooting squirrels at the end of a hunt or if you let them know you killed ten coyotes. It's a great way to stay on their good side
>>580432
>20 gauge single shot
A ton of stuff, with practice and within a sufficiently close range. Everything from small birds up to whitetails (although you will have to limit your shots using slugs in a smoothbore barrel)
>>580530
Yeah I see hog tracks every time I'm out there.
>>580537
Congrats, grouse hunting is awesome. Good clean fun and tasty meats.
>>580572
.38 and .357 are large bullets but moving relatively slowly. Like 900/1800 fps respectively.
>>580824
This is good advice and I appreciate your input as a non-mentored hunter.
>>580828
Rabbits should be taken using spot-and-stalk IMO. Look for edge zones where 2+ types of habitat meet. Fields meeting thorn thickets are awesome for rabbits.
>>580537
My favorite way to cook grouse is to boil them, shred the meat, season with salt, rosemary, thyme, and a little minced fresh chives. Then spoon this mixture into dumpling dough and pan-fry in vegetable oil.
>>580851
Probably modified. It's a much more useful setup for hunting than a cylinder bore and you can still shoot "rifled" slugs out of it.
Congrats. That's a food-getting tool for SURE. I have a beatup Stevens 20 gauge that bounces around in the back of my Jeep. It's ugly and cheap and it totally brings home some supper.
>>580857
Coyote tastes like ass
>>580402
>RYO ammo
>spot-and-stalk
>all day stalk
Good man. I wish all hunters took as much pride in their craft as you apparently do.
>>580995
Thanks dude, it took 5 seasons, but I learned everything on my own and refuse to use a tree stand. Also self processing. All this in Georgia on WMA land. It's not easy. My goal this year is to take two. Then I won't have to buy meat until next season.
>>581047
What's that on your hammer?
>>581060
An extention so you don't have to reach up under the scope.
>>581068
Pretty nifty. What's the model? I like the finish.
>>581079
It's a marlin 1892c. People complain about the fit and finish of the later productions so I had really low expectations. I did do some work on the action and trigger to smooth things out. It's my favorite.
>>581083
*1894c
>>580982
Which shells should I get you reckon?
>>579723
I'm about to buy a recurve bow at Cabela's with my friend on Saturday. We're target shooting for a bit to get good, but then we want to move into hunting. Mostly birds, our hope. I don't want to buy a compound just yet, incase I don't like it. You guys have any advice? I don't know much more than cursory Google searches during breaks at work.
>>581094
For what? Grouse? #6 game shot is very flexible and I think it would be great on grouse.
>>581121
Bird hunting with a bow is technically possible but you'll be practicing for a long time and spending a ton of money on arrows to get there. There are a number of very good reasons everyone uses shotguns for wing shooting. For a more realistic beginner archery quarry try rabbits or squirrels IMHO
>>581121
Buy the compound, trust me.
>>579867
>>579869
>he enjoys fucked up hormones and cancer
>he doesn't know free range animal products are far healthier and cleaner than factory farmed ones
>he genuinely prefers eating animals that walked around in their own shit all their lives and pumped full of hormones and antibiotics and god knows what else to an animal that ran free in the woods
>he actually thinks it's healthier
>>579869
Most people cook meat so that's not a problem. You do know what fire is right?
>>581125
Rabbits and squirrel, I'll look into it tomorrow. Anything else good to hunt with a bow other than deer?
>>581126
You think it's worth half a week's paycheck, even if I lost interest next year? (Hopefully I wouldn't.)
>>581140
>he enjoys fucked up hormones and cancer
No evidence of this causing cancer in standard doses
>he doesn't know free range animal products are far healthier and cleaner than factory farmed ones
Speculation, cite some sources. Can be doesn't mean they are.
>he genuinely prefers eating animals that walked around in their own shit all their lives and pumped full of hormones and antibiotics and god knows what else to an animal that ran free in the woods
>god knows what else
Drugs clearly listed to FDA and approved for sale
>he actually thinks it's healthier
I know it's healthier
>>581143
Yes, and fire cooking a cleaner animal is even safer.
>>581147
>Drugs clearly listed to FDA and approved for sale
>implying FDA doesn't suck Big Agra cock
>No evidence of this causing cancer in standard doses
>implying Big Agra don't buy off "scientists" to conduct BS studies
Shoo Agribusiness shill, shoo!
Grew up going duck and deer hunting a few times. Never had any luck. My dad went when he was a child but he became domesticated as he got older. My father also collected duck stamps and has them dating back to their introduction. Being around them kinda always had me interested in duck hunting. Got a Remington 1100 in 20 gauge that had a left handed safety which was my grandfathers at around 14 but never really shot it much until I turned 18. I met a friend that owned some marshland and he asked me to go. We had a few good days and I realiZed the 20 gauge just wasn't working. My dad let me borrow his browning auto 5. After a few days I realized I hate that damn gun and went out and bought a Remington 870 supermag. I'm 27 now and with each year I've became better and better at it. That first real season I killed 3 birds, last year was over 40. Me and that friend are even considering starting up an outfitting service for the 2016-2017 season.
>>581148
>Drugs clearly listed to FDA and approved for sale
>implying FDA doesn't suck Big Agra cock
Implying jim bobs organic farm is so much more trustworthy.
>No evidence of this causing cancer in standard doses
>implying Big Agra don't buy off "scientists" to conduct BS studies
Implying jim bobs organic farm doesn't use pesticides anyway and just market it as organic since there's no accountability.
Fact of the matter is you have no evidence, and you believe every organic chemist ever is in the pocket of the ag business. That's pretty batshit insane, do you know how many people are in that business?
>>579783
that's an obscene amount of unnecessary shallow depth of field, typically seen by baby's first dslr and first 50 1.8 that they shoot at 1.8 all the time because muh DOF muh art.
>>581147
>modern industrial meat, dairy and eggs don't have anything to do with hormonal imbalances and food related cancers
>>581227
Please cite your sources showing it does.
Oh wait, ya got nothin.
>>581261
>muh gibe links
whatever fgt enjoy your gyno and osteoporosis
>>581264
>muh gibe links
Yes, this is how people who are actually interested in facts discuss things, you need to actually back up your claims instead of making shit up and saying it's real because I feel like it.
>>581145
Yes, holds value like a gun does.
>>579733
I've kind of started a tradition of a bbq rib dinner after a hog kill. It started with "Ribfest" after trapping 9 hogs. Love me some fresh pork.
>>580828
Have you heard of Judo Points? They're awesome.
>>581692
>trapping 9 hogs.
How? This sounds like so much fun
>>581884
I made a corral trap with chain link fencing and t-posts. The picture is not mine, but the same idea. After some fiddling around with the door, got it working perfectly. Baited it for a couple weeks with the door open, then set the trap and caught 8 in one night, then 9 in a night a month later.
The corral trap funnels the hogs down to single file, where they push the door open to get the food. Once they're in a bungee cord pulls the door shut: more hogs can still walk in, but they can't get out.
We had a game cam set up nearby and it was interesting that the mature boars would never go into the trap. Guess they figured it out after a while; I know I'm not the only one trapping in the area. Strawberry jello powder makes 'em go crazy.
It's fun shit and a sure-fire way to fill the freezer!
>>581968
What did you do with them before killing them? And how? I'd be so tempted to "play" with them.
>>582025
What the fuck do you mean by "tempted to play" with them? Is this sexual?
>>581697
im using the rubber small game heads, not sure what the name is.
>>582025
Please end your sadistic behaviors.
>>581121
You could always shoot at a club first and hire both as club equipment if they have them (any archery club should have recurves, some have compounds). Try it out, see what you like.
You'll need to do a ton more work to get your shooting to an ethical hunting level with a recurve, but both represent a fair investment in time. A year of target shooting to get confident maybe.
I enjoy shooting compound myself, and a lot of hunters do. There's no reason why you can't shoot and enjoy both though and if you're shopping at Cabela's, you've got way cheaper bows, compound or otherwise, than we do in Australia.
>>582025
I killed them as quickly as possible, .38 to the head.
I did give the two smallest to a friend to raise in a pen for a while. His girlfriend and sister got attached to them and gave them names and eventually let them go after 6 goddamn months eating nothing but mangoes and veggies scraps.
Pic here >>581692 is one of the two I got after a month back in the wild. Never had any pork as tender and sweet as that pig.
Not gonna lie, they'd run around and play with the dogs. Pigs are smart; all animals are pretty smart.
>>582270
Google it. They run ~$4 a piece, but have wire arms that grab grass/brush/branches if you miss and make it kind of hard to lose your arrow. Those metal arms also tear into, but not through small animals = lethal damage without a pass-through
>>580857
Man is the murderer who smiles.
Food has nothing to do with it.
Me and my old man
>>582616
Makes me wish I had a dad. :)
>>582616
Damn, that's a mountain of meat there
>>582610
They're cute fuckers when they're little, that's for sure. With the habitat destruction and over population of feral hogs, you just can't get soft and free them....that's part of the reason they're a problem in the first place.
And yes I totally recommend getting a little hog, deworming it, castrate it, and raise it for a year. That way you can get some good bacon and tender, parasite-free meat.
>>582616
Maine? Canada? Alaska?
>>582616
> a bloody good time!
Here you go boys, muh levers an' pumps!
If I have a season as terrible as the last one I fucking quit hunting forever.
>>582616
Noice.
>>582830
>That poster
You can't possibly be French with that M-14.
>>582838
Nah, I'm quebecscum and art history gives me massive boners.
>>582838
> M1A =/= M14
Not even him.
>>582830
Wtf could have possibly been so bad? My friend got his hat blown off by the dumb asshole walking behind him. When he told me about it I asked if he beat the shit out of him and left him in the woods to die.
>>582873
Woods were just empty, it was absolutely surreal.
Ended up with two grouse the whole season.
Fucking coyotes.
Just a heads-up for Michigan deer hunters; the DNR has revised the rules for firearm hunting in the shotgun / handgun only zone (roughly anywhere south of Saginaw) and now allows rifles chambered in (straight sided, .357 or larger) handgun cartridges to be used in the southern part of the state.
Thus instead of a shotgun or revolver, one can use something like a lever-action Marlin M1894 chambered in .44 Mag.
I killed a pheasant with my car. Does that count?
>>582919
Did you eat it?
>>582813
Alaska. Acually this was only a few days ago. We Goin back up to get mine this week.
>>582816
Yeah you can see blood on my hands haha
>>582802
You have no idea amigo. Took us a long as time to put it away. Might post freezer in a couple of days.
Will hopefully post another pick if I get mine in a couple days
>>579801
get to be cute fuzzy bunny 10 TIMES
Are there any youtubers or tv shows where a person is solo camping and actually goes hunting ? Im thinking similar to survivorman where its realistic prey but when they get it you also get this huge sense of satisfactio . Naw meen?
>>583086
Solo hunters
Remi Warren is a badass
just come back from hunt, shot my first buck this year.
>>582616
i would love the get them in this size in sweden
>>583186
What type of deer is that? What others do you have?
I just have whitetails in Florida.
>>579723
This is for fishing, but when your using ground bait, sprinkle some of those spices you can buy from the store as food seasoning onto the bait, better if you dip it into milk then sprinkle. Cast him and you'll have a bite quicker than fuck.
>>579723
My advice to everyone who wants to go hunting, read Hunting and Fishing and Camping in Maine by L.L. Bean (yes the guy who founded the store). You don't need a million scent lock, counter UV 12x expanding gadgets. Just some warm clothes, a quick pointing rifle some good boots and a healthy respect for the animals and you will be sucessful
>>583195
Do Swedish Moose not get as big as the ones in North America?
Dove hunting for the first time when the season starts this weekend. Any tips or anything I should know? I've seen pics of bacon wrapped dove, looks tasty.
>>583205
>>583229
Nevermind, I misread like an idiot.
I don't know to what extent you're experienced with shotguns, but something people tend to overlook is that it's usually better to shoot them with both eyes open. If your shouldering and cheek weld (which you should practice anyway) are good, it's gonna aim very well.
Also after quartering your meat, pass the pieces between you and a bright light, it makes it pretty easy to spot the pellets and take them out.
>>579760
Find someone to go with. Join a sportsmens club.
>>582903
Ohio made that move last year. I bought a 45-70 and after several boxes of shells at the range decided the performance was far below a 12 gauge sabot. Save your money.
>>583362
>Ohio made that move last year. I bought a 45-70
I'm not hip to Ohio hunting regulations but the .45-70 isn't a handgun cartridge.
>>583365
Right? It's a straightwall rifle cartridge. They made a handful of them legal here. (.357, 45, 44 mag, 44-40, etc.) The 45-70 packs the biggest lunch of the lot, but a 12 gauge slug has hands down more energy at 100 yds. and the ballistics on all of those straight wall loads are terrible. Handguns have been legal here for deer for years but hardly anyone uses them.
>>583380
Michigan regulations require a straight walled _handgun_ cartridge south of a line running thru Saginaw (or a shotgun with slugs).
The .45-70 wouldn't be allowed in either a rifle or a handgun.
>>583362
That's plain just not true. While a shotgun slug is a great hunting tool, it doesn't have the penetration or range of a 45-70 due to the lower cross sectional density. Guys still shoot silhouette with the 45-70 out to a thousand yards. It is even used by a few PH's I'm Africa to take elephants and Cape buffalo. It's my go to for moose and for bear protection.
>>583475
They may be a different subspecies too. The Alaskan moose is largest and then the Canadian or eastern moose and finally the Shiraz moose, if I remember. We have the eastern where I'm from.
>>583393
I'm not that fond of mine (Henry). Using Hornady red tip ammo, I could only get about a 4" group at 100 yards. But that bullet drops like 20" @ 200 yds. I get a 5 or 6 inch group with a 12 ga. (also Hornady ammo), way more energy.
>>583531
I have a Marlin Guide gun. Also those Leverevolution rounds are for deer sized game. If you want the real power out of a 45-70 you need something like the 500 grain hard cast lead penetrators from Garrett or Buffalo Bore have more energy at 100 yards than a slug and inside that they have about the same. And like I said, the 45-70 will penetrate way better because of its better cross sectional density.
>>579867
They need the antibiotics because of their living conditions.
>>583589
Oh you're right, of course, animals in the wild don't get any bacterial infections ever.
>>583200
As a non-hunter (the cost and time contraints have prevented me from persuing this) ive always wondered why there are so many damn producta for hunting.
The way i see it we were able to hunt with bows and arrows. Spears etc.. so now that we have guns capable of shooting as fast as you need with bullets that can take anythi g down...whats the deal with all these scent blockers/fancy shit?
Its like going camping and bringingyour house with you
>>581047
Hey man
>Learned on my own
>refuse to use tree stand
>self processing
>WMA land
I was in the same boat until I made some farmer friends that let me hunt their land. I have a palm farm and a mango farm both less than a mile from my house. Beats the shit out of making a huge deal scouting a WMA, then going for a weekend, etc. Yesterday I went to the palm farm to buy some eggs, saw some hogs, and came home with fresh eggs and fresh pork! I've bagged around 10 hogs now, but still haven't got a deer.
Also, I like that .357 lever rifle you have there, been thinking about getting one.
>.357 revolver
>.357 rifle
>cowboy mode enabled
I currently use a bolt action .243 that is the shit, but got myself in a situation where I was in a thick swamp with at least 20 hogs around. Took one down and all the others freaked out. I probably would have been fucked if more than one charged me, that's where that lever action and 9 rounds would come in handy.
Keep up the good work and good luck this season.
how much is the hunting permit in your area?
>>583531
> Hornady red tip ammo
The Hornady "Leverevolution" ammo is shit and nothing but a straight up marketing scam.
A friend of a friend has a Marlin .444 that's he's gotten all kinda deer with over the years using run-of-the-mill Remington green box ammo but for some reason, two years ago he got a bug up his ass about this supposed gee-wiz new ammo.
He bought a few boxes (at $60 for 20rds!) and couldn't put 3-shots in a paper plate at 100 yards, with the shit key-holing all over the place.
Meanwhile, I've got a Marlin M1895G topped with a (Japanese) 5x Redfield Widefield in .45-70 and with 300gr Remington green box ammo, (the cheapest .45-70 ammo around, though at $40+ per box, that's kinda relative...) I can shoot one-hole groups at 100 yards all day long.
>>583714
20 maple syrup dollars
>>583693
Hellzyez do the combo. I carry a .357 six shooter when hunting. I also have a .243 I started using last season but like the 357 better. It's relatively quiet out of a 16 inch barrel.
>pic is 686 on top and 646
>>583693
Also, my whitetail rifles
>>583086
MCQ Bushcraft has a couple of videos
>>583683
>wondered why there are so many damn producta for hunting.
Because there is money to be made. If you can convince your average Joe that he needs 3D camo, scentlocker, a tree stand, a $700 bow, a $1000 rifle, a $100 knife, and an RV just to take down a deer, there's a shitload of money to be made there.
I've been hunting for years and even flirted with the consumer magic of it all. Here's what you actually need.
a) earth tone clothing
b) a good weapon which you are COMPETENT with
c) a basic knowledge of your quarry and location
d) the wind in your face
e) a little luck
>>583693
>I probably would have been fucked if more than one charged me, that's where that lever action and 9 rounds would come in handy.
My dad and uncle were once charged by a pack of hogs, and then the same uncle and my cousin.
The first time they killed 3 of them and nearly lost their dog to a young razorback. The second time my uncle ran the .30-30 dry and swore that was the last time he'd ever leave camp without a sidearm.
>>583826
>b) a good weapon which you are COMPETENT with
>COMPETENT
You have no idea bro. I worked at a gun range. Every fall you wouldn't believe the idiots who came out and try to "sight in muh durr rifle"
They'd shoot 5-20 rounds through their full power rifles - in one sitting - to (kind of) check their scope zero, and call it good. They may fire 3 rounds at live game all season, then not shoot that rifle again until the next fall.
The other gem were the shotgunners who wanted to warm up for the season. They'd hit 35 or 40% of their clays and call it good!
Really, truly, if you're not shooting your go-to rifle a minimum of 5-6 sessions a year or hitting 80% on shotgun clays, you should be spending your money on RANGE TIME, ammo, and practice, not the latest & greatest camo or ballistic tip bullshit rounds.
>>583837
lol but how will i afford my new ATV and pickup truck and fifteenth gun if I spend time and money getting good with the weapons I already have???
>>583683
>>583826
>>583837
>>583840
Yeah but it's the same for any hobby; the more you're into it, the more cash you blow on the latest nicknacks and gadgets. My hobbyist musician buddy has bazillions of dollars wrapped up in all kinda guitars, amps, etc. and the two hottrodders I know, have entire pole barns filled with every tool imaginable.
Just helped a buddy put out an automatic corn spreader on his lease and as he kinda side-stepped the issue of cost, I'm guessing he dropped a pretty penny on it (as well as a new game camera) but it _will_ increase his odds of bagging a deer (plus bringing in the turkeys).
Gear-faggotry part of the fun.
OP here checking in. Thanks for making this such a good thread everyone!
Here's a project I worked on last season. It's a camo'ed out MTB. Bought the bike for $40 and hit it with some spray paint. Picture doesn't show the solid rubber tires that are now on it that make it immune to the thorns of S Texas. I use it to get around the ranch quietly and 4x faster than walking.
>>584310
noice
>>584317
How did you make that lad..... got a schematic or link to anything? Mad keen to do the same to my whip
>>584654
oh its not mine. I believe its an old military bike like pic related. The brackets are nothing fancy though. If you can weld you could probably fabricate one from scratch
>mule deer hunt
>[KAPOW!.mp4]
>"Got im!"
>"Knoife?"
>"Knoife. Check."
>[slices internally]
>"Wow. Smells like sage."
>"Wait till you taste it."
>"Now the whole kitchen smells like sage."
>"Honey, wehhw! get those clothes in the laundry you stink like sage"
>mfw
>>585124
>mfw this post is actually about how mule deer smell and taste
>mfw did not actually sage thread.
>>584310
This is a great thread, thanks for getting it rolling, OP.
This pork rib dinner happened last night after I got inspired to go for an evening hunt from reading this thread. The orange stuff is a seminole pumpkin I grew. Just got lucky this time, there happened to be 20+ hogs where I went and I picked off a nice 70 pounder.
>>584317
>>584679
I remember going on a biking trip with my family when I was like 10 years old on some levees around a swamp/marsh area. A guy and his daughter rolled by on bikes with shotguns. They just leisurely rode around looking for ducks all morning. I've always wanted to do that ever since.
Cheers /out/ hunters!
>>583820
Nice looking guns there. What is the make/model of the .243? I can just barely read it.
Pic is my Savage .243. I was a little embarrassed as a newbie walking around with a camo stock and bipod, but this set-up fucking rocks. Accurate and easy to carry all day. The bipod is useful ~50% of the time, so I guess it's worth it.
>>585214
*barely not read it*
Real difference between a .22, .223 and .243 anyone?
>>585288
In terms of hunting?
Assuming .22 LR, very light, cheap to use, good on rodents and small rabbits and shit.
.223 is good for varmint, coyotes, small boar and CAN be used on deer but it's generally seen as being too weak by the feel good human crowd. Also legality generally dictates you can't hunt deer with it.
.243 is good for varmints, deer, and in some cases bear and elk but like the .223 going for bear and elk is seen as too weak.
>>585288
There's a .22 LR on the left and .243 on the right. Just the size difference should tell you a lot. More powder = more bang.
.22 LR - 40 grain bullet, 1,200 fps
.243 - 100 grain bullet, ~3,000 fps
I don't know anything about .223, sorry
>>583785
You make a valid point as I did only test it with a single type of ammo. I probably shouldn't pass judgement too fast. I've shot some Hornady shells through at least a couple of other rifles and thought it was decent. But the plastic tip is suspect. I'll grab a couple boxes of something else and see how it behaves. At this point I should have just bought the dies to begin with.
>>585214
>Howa Ranchland 1500
Nothing wrong with a camo stock at all. I see plenty of people with them.
>>581185
he just blurred himself out of the photo, anon.
>>585513
> You make a valid point as I did only test it with a single type of ammo.
Send an email to Henry Arms asking what kinda bullet weight they recommend and pick-up 2-3 different brands in that weight. Test fire them, cleaning between brands and whichever produces the tightest groups, that's the only ammo you ever buy.
When I bought my M1895G I picked-up three boxes of ammo for it; Rem 300gr, Win 350gr and Rem 405gr.
Starting off with the 300gr I was shocked and very happy at how accurate it was, producing one-hole groups. Then I tried out the 350gr and immediately, the groups opened up to 4"-5" and finally the traditional 405gr loads, which were horrible at 8"-10" @ 100 yards.
Next gun show I bought a case of Remington green box 300gr ammo and haven't used anything else since.
> At this point I should have just bought the dies to begin with.
If you're already into reloading it's worth it but unless you're shooting lots of .45-70, it's probably cheaper to get a case or two of the best performing factory ammo, which will probably last for years if you're just using it for deer hunting.
Any one eat ground hog? Shot a nuisance one this year.when reading about their habits,they eat 1/3 of their weight each day,of vegetation. Kinda like a cow.
>>586490
I have. The young of the year are actually pretty good. Once they get older they are tough as shoe leather and best used as stew meat. Also they some sort of gland under the shoulder blade and outside the rib cage. Supposedly will disflavor the meat if not removed.
Anyone hunt with a bow and arrow? I was thinking about doing some deer hunting with a bow.
>>582873
I had a friend's younger brother almost give me a 12ga face lift on a dove hunting trip. BOOMWHSSSSSSSH. His bird crossed our line, and he broke Commandment #1.
I split his lip and let him sit in the car for the rest of the day.
>>581047
How do you cope with all the trigger happy fuck tards? I spent last season watching so man fuckers just shooting at I don't know what the fuck. Noble of you to hunt from the ground wish I could do it but given what I've seen from people I just can't risk it. I also hunt WMA lands only.
>>586968
>How do you cope with all the trigger happy fuck tards? I spent last season watching so man fuckers just shooting at I don't know what the fuck.
In general they are stupid but as in war, stay low. I carry a green laser and have used it to signal others of my presence, it's quite funny to see someone do an about-face. They probably assume that it's attached to a rifle.
I have also snuck up on hunters as they descend from their most unnatural hide above the ground, it can be entertaining.
>Noble of you to hunt from the ground wish I could do it but given what I've seen from people I just can't risk it. I also hunt WMA lands only.
WMAs are probably the most dangerous places to hunt. I get in early, like 2 hours before others. Then I can stay put and watch for other hunters and laser them out of my area if needed. This one asshole started out across a field, marching right toward a bedding area I was watching over, just as the light broke. I lasered the spot on the ground in front of him and he did a quick 180°spin and exited the same way he entered. I had a spike walk within 20 feet of me that morning and look right at me while I was judging him through my scope.
My favorite close encounter was last year. I was sitting at dusk and had a 4 pointer within arms reach before he realized I was there pointing my 686 at him. One of my local WMAs has QDM so most of what I see I have to let walk but it also has been rated the best WMA to hunt so it can get crowded.
This season is going to be great.
>>579723
Bump
>>583597
They get them a lot less often than animals wallowing in their own shit and piss in pens or feedlots.
>>586968
Not that guy, but I only hunt WMA land that's accessible by boat. Most people wont deal with an hour canoe paddle to get to their spot. Also, bow season only.
>>580402
You reload and stalk hunt yet you still end up killing a non-shooter like that?
>>588549
That crazy deer was 4 years old and underweight. I did everyone a favor removing him from the gene pool. I'm not a trophy hunter, I desire meat not tainted with FDA required chemicals.
>>586487
I had it back on the bench this past weekend. I shot some 300 grain federal cartridges through it. A little better than the Hornadys I guess but still not thrilled. The shop I went to only had one box of the Remingtons on the shelf - $60! (The Federals were $32) I passed on them in case I couldn't find anymore. I'll look for them elsewhere, but if that's the going rate in these parts I think I'll do something else.
>>588699
Its 2.5 years old at the most. Notice the long skinny legs and tight, lean gut without showing ribs. The points make that qdm sized in most states so it's not a bad kill but that looks like you shot an 8pt who had a lot of potential
>>586487
Is Anthony still emailing and writing people back? I remember him sending me a hand drawn diagram of how to reassemble the action of my henry .22 when I fucked up and disassembled it too much
>>588817
The DNR officer cut the jaw out and aged him at 4. It doesn't matter though, he was delicious.
>>588549
Aww shit, here come the trophy queens.
I heard a hunting tip from my uncle last year during my first large game hunting trip.
You'll see less deer during the day after a clear night because they are up moving around and on the alert from predators and bed down more often the following day. You'll see more the day after a dark cloudy night because they tend to sleep more that night and move more the day after.
Can anyone confirm, deny or let me know if I'm screwing this up?
>>588821
Well damn. If that's the case, then good management kill. I get a lot of people around my part talking about "bad genes old deer" when they fuck up and shoot a button buck, but if it's aged then you know for sure.
Where did you kill it? West coast? That's such an underdeveloped deer given the last couple years of good rain we've had out east
>>579796
>bunny foo foo.jpg
Lel
>>588854
What's the point? You won't see them at all unless you get out there. In all seriousness, deer are mostly nocturnal and prefer to bed down during much of the day. The exceptions to that rule are the rut when bucks will chase does 24/7 and in a situation of food scarcity, which only occur's in the dead of winter in the U.S. Otherwise, you are more likely to see them early in the morning and late in the evening. All else being equal, I think a deer is more likely to be seen in the morning returning to the bedding area on overcast or rainy mornings as daylight is more abrupt. Sometimes you catch them running a little late. On clear mornings it gets light more gradually.
>>579733
Oh Jesus that looks tasty! I want a 357 carbine to use the same ammo as my future purchase of a handgun
>>579723
I much rather just hunt with a 22. Which has been proven to over and over again to kill larger animals with one shot. It's actually a favorite to poachers who hunt white tail deer and that crap.
Seeing as it has less powder but more weight, it won't travel as far.
You really should just hunt with a 22 or do a normal loads for your repeater.
that will be the last I said of this post. 4chan is full of retards and trolls, what I said is easily backed up with proof that a simple Google search will prove.
best of luck OP.
>>589057
Dawson Forest wma in Georgia. Some fine deer come from there too but people take 60 lb deer all the time around here. I have let so many deer walk off it drives me nuts. Biggest one I have seen, let walk because of the shit shot it would have been.
>>589158
>You won't see them at all unless you get out there.
We were. He just said something to the effect of "Good. It was cloudy all night so the deer should be moving well this morning."
>>585124
>tfw the smell of sage is instaboner for me because of reasons I've never been adequately able to explain
>tfw can't eat sage heavy foods because I can't be hungry and horny at the same time
Well, looks like hunting west is out
>>589409
He is right. There is a better chance of them moving later in the morning than they normally would. I hope for a light rain. It will reduce your airborne scent, muffle the sounds that you make, generally dull the deers senses and keep some of the other guys indoors.
>>586833
Killed this one in February. Pass through on fresh snow, so it was an easy track. Some counties in my area have very long urban archery seasons. Thinking of going out with weekend with my bow.
>>589670
Confirmed for correctness.
I'm going elk hunting as my first hunt next month, and I need a decent game cleaning kit that won't break the bank. Any recommendations?
Hey fellas, what are your opinions on something like this as an all-arounder for dressing, skinning and possibly quartering (which I've never done yet) in the field?
It would make it easier for me to do this as I live in an apartment and think it would be in poor form to drag a carcass through the hallway in a tarp and hose it off on my patio.
>>590299
it'll work. i've seen a guy gut skin and quarter a deer in 15 minutes with the blade on a swiss army knife
>>590325
Good on him. I'd probably slice the shit out of my dumb potato hands if I used a non-locking folding knife.
>>590326
you'd be surprised. I held the legs while he hacked away. he was stoned and drunk at that point and barely got any hair on the meat.
you'd be amazed what a real deal redneck can get accomplished with enough natural ice
>>590341
>drunk and stoned skins and quarters in 15 minutes with SAK.
I feel so fucking little right now.
>>590299
For dressing and skinning, you really only need a good pocket knife. If you pack out in quarters I suppose a saw would be desirable. If you drag your deer out, better to not split the ribcage or pelvic bone until it is out of the woods - less dirt. Some of the guys I hunt with have a little plastic "asshole puller" they swear by. I just surgically remove it.
>>590299
I do the full job with this. Cost me nothing because I found it. I keep it sharp between deer. You don't need anything more.
>>590354
Yeah I'm not sure how those butt plugs are "better"..
How is a 12 gauge for deer hunting? I've bird hunt for years but never tried deer.
>>590593
It'll work wonders with slugs. 12 gauge with slugs can kill basically anything in North America. Know your effective range. Practice. A lot. I'd say limit shots to 35 yards until you know how to handle your gun with slugs. The vitals on a deer are about the size of a paper plate. That will make a passable target for starters.
>>585426
>I don't know anything about .223
.223 kind of splits the difference
55/62 gr at ~2800fps
Usable for game up to whitetails with the right ammo. Not really regarded as a great hunting round though.
>>585198
>I picked off a nice 70 pounder.
Perfect eating size. Can you elaborate on your wild pork rib recipe?
>>588547
I've considered doing this but always wondered if there would be any deer there. How much water is too much water for deer to make the trip?
Just dropping in to announce that I have a raging duck drain boner right now. Just picked up some dekes on Craigslist and spent the morning scouting. October cannot come soon enough.
Got my fall/winter food plots started today. I spent 6 hours on the tractor tilling and 2 hours planting until I ran out of sunlight, everything is tilled but I've only got about half planted. I'll go back out tomorrow and finish planting in the morning. Then I'll just have to wait for another good rain and throw out some fertilizer. Can't wait for deer season to get here; I'm planning on taking a doe or two with my crossbow during archery season and then see if I can get a nice buck during rifle season.
Big 10+ day hunting trip coming up, really innawoods, which items are unmissable for you guys? Excluding >muhmora...
>>591269
Baby wipes, cocksucka.
Ordered a Mauser M12 8x57is with a wooden stock last week, can't wait to take it innawoods. Anyone own one?
>>591509
>pushfeed Mauser.
It looks like a very nice gun and will most likely be very reliable and accurate but this just doesn't sit well with me.
Kind of like Porsche SUVs.
>disclosure: My main deer rifle is a Remington 700.
>>591512
Never shot anything but push feed rifles. Then again I've not shot that many rifles, a few Tikkas and a Husqvarna, the Mauser will be my first own one.
>>591517
Honestly, I have nothing against push feeds either but I think a Mauser push feed just isn't fucking right because illogical muh feels reasons.
How hard would it have been to make a rifle as nice as that with a real mauser action? It just smells like cost-cutting to me.
Ok, general hunting question
I have a Mossberg 535 3.5" shotgun loaded with .50 caliber sabot slugs. They weigh 1 and 1/4th ounces each.
Would these slugs be good to take down say, a charging grizzly bear or moose? Should I invest in a 45/70 or bigger rifle instead?
Seems like the shotgun would be best for follow up shots/general protection.
Also could a 3.5inch magnum slug take down an elephant?
Anybody have any tips on calling squirrel?
>>592026
>Would these slugs be good to take down say, a charging grizzly bear or moose? Should I invest in a 45/70 or bigger rifle instead?
Probably be okay with the slugs inside of 40 yards.
>Seems like the shotgun would be best for follow up shots/general protection.
I disagree, I can shoot my lever guns faster than a pump.
>Also could a 3.5inch magnum slug take down an elephant?
Depends on how close you are, I wouldn't risk it.
>>592507
Just walk through the woods and they'll call you.
>>590354
Splitting the pelvis with a saw and pulling everything out the bottom eliminates having to fool with all that.
>>>579770
>Good, this is the basic rule of hunting ethics. Don't kill anything you don't intend to eat.
Unless you live in a state that has a feral hog problem, fuckers do all sorts of damage to farmland/ranches
>>592507
You can hit the grooved edges of quarters against each other and they usually will call back. But you're better off moving very slowly through the underbrush in a hardwood bottom until you hear them calling to each other. Try to find if there is another calling back and put yourself in a supported shooting position between them. One will come to the other and you usually can get both when the second goes to see where the first went
>>594319
Got two squirrels yesterday doing just that. Remember to wear your camo. A squirrels main defense is it's eyesight
Gotta love them head shots.
>>594323
hell, I don't even bother with camo or calls too much, I just hunt with a dog --
>tell dog to go find a squirrel
>walk through woods with a shotgun until dog starts barking
>go find dog, walk around under the tree he's barking at for a bit, find squirrel
>shoot squirrel, throw him in the small game pocket on my hunting vest, praise dog
>tell dog to go get another squirrel
>rinse, repeat
My little dog absolutely lives for squirrel season, he can't get enough of it.
Some deerz caught by a game cam on my buddy's hunting lease in Michigan;
>>594548
>>594550
>>594530
My minpin is trained to do this as well.
It's fucking awesome.
OP checking in.
Got out in the field a little bit last Sunday. Bagged 4 doves; they're in the freezer waiting for more buddies to join them for a big batch of risotto with white wine and chantrelles served on a bed of bitter greens (hell yes).
In the reloading game, I am putting together my newest .357 Mag carbine recipe tonight for testing next time I hit the range.
>180 gr GC-HCFP
>CCI SRP (yes, SRP, don't have any SPMP on hand)
> heavy charge of W296
> heavy crimp
I'm expecting to see ~1650 - 1800fps over the chono.
I plan to do a little experimentation on the "hot" side (slowly up to 15gr) due to using unjacketed projectiles and published max is for a J-type bullet with higher friction. W296 powder requires a high initial pressure to ignite reliably, hence my using a SRP and tight crimp.
>>581589
Only if you get something that's not marketed as cutting edge. One you hit 310+fps every bit of performance will start to bloat the price significantly. I picked up a diamond infinite edge and have no worries of not getting my money back. It's super adjustable and dirt cheap compared to other bows. Shots straight abd after a few changes will be my dream machine. Although if I were to do it again I'd fork over the extra dosh for the pro model for the slightly more robust back wall of the draw.
I'm looking for some tips for hunting small game (mostly squirrels and rabbits) with a recurve bow. I am new to hunting and I love the challenge of hunting with a recurve. That being said I haven't had much luck. My accuracy and concistancy is good I just have a hard time finding game to shoot!
Bowhunters, how do you go about finding small game without a dog? What kind of methods do you use? Do you find a nice tree with plenty of acorns at its base and wait for your prey to come around or do you silently stalk through the woods until you catch sight of something?
More specifically with rabbits, do you use the same strategy as shotgun hunters? That is, walk 10 meters, stop, then shoot anything that runs from hiding.
Any tips about hunting small game with a recurve would be appreciated.
I'm using judos on flu flus with 40#.
Pic related but not me.
I posted this in a /k thread but they're all circle jerking over tactical shit.
I just picked up this set of clothes. 60% wool, 40% unknown fibers (literally what the tag says).
super comfy, super quiet
>>595495
Hunt with a gun to learn how to hunt.
Practice the bow regularly.
Then, hunt with a bow.
>>595531
I'm not going to get into it but I have no interest in hunting with firearms. Nothing against them, it's just not for me.
The challenge doesn't bother me and is actually what attracted me to recurve bows.
I practice a lot and like I said my archery is not what I'm having trouble with.
>>595515
Looks awesome!
I know, my questions always get buried buy rampant shitposting on /k/, its infuriating.
>>595495
man, i wish hunting with a shotgun was as easy as you think it is
>>591549
It's a Roessler Titan action with the modular bolt/mag/barrel system
>>595870
Not saying it is at all.
I just love the idea of primitive hunting.
Different strokes for different folks man! One isn't better than the other. It's all about preference.
I've got another question not pertaining to bow hunting exclusively. When you guys make your kill (still talking small game here) do you immediately gut it? For the sake of this questions let's assume you're hunting in early fall weather so meat going bad is a concern. After gutting it, how long would you have to get your game on ice before it starts going bad? (Let's say in 65F weather)
>>596037
I don't bother with cleaning/gutting squirrels until I'm done hunting, I usually hunt for 3-4 hours at a time and have never had anything go bad in that time period.
>>590593
12 gauge is probably one of the most versatile firearms for hunting deer. You can get good distance out of slugs or buckshot depending on how you are set up. You can shoot slugs as far as 100 yards with the right barrel/slug combination. Or you can use buckshot with any number of chokes that you want. If you have the pleasure of hunting with dogs, the technique is similar to birds.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing about buckshot is to TEST different ammunition with different chokes and shoot the ammo the GUN likes, not the ammo that you think is "best" for hunting.
Yo guys, I live in a zone with mostly boars, will a 12 gauge with slugs work or I would need another thing? In Yurope btw.
>>597211
12ga with slugs will work great for boar depending on how close you're gonna be getting. You won't be making many shots over 100m or so, 80m and less will be your ideal range when using slugs. They punch a big hole into the animal and have plenty of penetration.
