it happen again

[highwayman]

i was hunting a food plot with some small pine trees in the middle of it the land owner will not let us cut out of the way. about 5:22 a three point walk into the food and i had my 30-30 contender locked on to him waiting for him to clear the trees. he turn to walk away so i pick up my 45-70 thinking'' well i will have a small opening futher down the food plot to try a shot''. the deer made a left into a very open area and seeing how i didnt have alot of time i went ahead and shot him with the rifle. this is the second time this has happen to me. iam either going to learn to trust my pistols or quit hunting with them

[Ken ONeill]

Rifles are fine, but if you carry both a rifle and a handgun, you'll never become a handgun hunter.

[Lloyd Smale]

like ken said you need to leave the long one at home. Ive shot enough deer and if i have to let one go its still in my memory and thats as neat of a throphy as one on the wall. I hunt becuase i love to hunt not because i love to kill.

[buck460XVR]

iam either going to learn to trust my pistols or quit hunting with them

I was the same way. For a dozen years or so I carried my 686 on my hip as backup for the M1917. Over those years, I took  4 animals with it, 3 large doe and a six point buck, but only when the range was short and the shot was easy. I always had this fear that the 30 pointer was gonna be standing just outta range laughin' at me if I left the long gun at home. Now, with the acquisition of the .460 and range practice of at least once a month, the '06 comes out only for yotes......and iffin I go home empty at the end of deer season, I do so with a smile on my face knowing the kids with their long guns will have meat in the freezer.

[Redhawk1]

Rifles are fine, but if you carry both a rifle and a handgun, you'll never become a handgun hunter.

I could not agree more, for years I took both hunting, finally I made the dicision to just take my handguns, and let the cards fall as they may.

[Nimrod71]

I have to agree.  For years I have taken a handcannon expecting to bring down a big buck, but just in case he comes out at 300 yards I take along long range rifle.  Well you are right, the buck comes out about 50 yards and I reach for the rifle.  I finally broke the habit when I forgot to load the rifle.  I got the deer with the 44 TC.

[bulletstuffer]

Taking both into the field is not the same as just carrying the handgun.  Took two does this year one with the 44 and one with the 338 rifle.  First doe I considered shooting was at 100 yards ranged.  That is a ringer shot on paper.  Grabbed the 44 but my heart went bumpety bump and couldn't get steady, grabbed the rifle and still decided to pass on her.  Another doe came out about 35 yards and took her with the 44.  Nosler 240 grain handgun bullet stuck under the skin on the far side.  She went about 30 yards.  Wanted to shoot both with a pistol this year but when I couldn't get on the second doe with the pistol the rifle came out.  So much more excitement with the handgun.  I'm going without the backup rifle next year but will take along an encore 15 inch in a 270.  That almost counts as not taking a rifle along   Have fun and Happy New Year!

Bulletstuffer

[Cottonwood]

It is so much easier to just pack the handgun anyway, why carry the extra weight of a rifle 

[Ole Man Dan]

When I made the switch to Handgun Hunting, I had a shoulder that needed surgery, and decided to try it w/o a rifle.  I killed two a couple of weeks before my surgery.  35yds & 5 yds.  I would have probally used my .270 on the longer shot, if I had it with me...  For the last 10 years, I mostly hunt with a pistol and I still get the same thrill that a kid gets when they shoot their first with a rifle. 
Due to age, eyesight, and my liking to shoot Iron Sights, I limit my shots to 75yds or less. 
(It takes Practice to shoot much beyond 50 yds) 
I hunt thick stuff and hunt like I was bowhunting.  Most of the Deer I have shot with pistols were less than 35 yds. 

[Badnews Bob]

I think I will be leaveing the rifles home this year, I just picked up a 7.5 inch and a 10.5 inch Ruger BHs in .357 Maximum, This should be fun.

[handi243]

i did the same thing i stop taking my rifle my longest shot is around 115yds out of a box blind so i have a good rest.

[markc]

Some days I take a rifle, some days the TC, but never both at the same time.  I did the same thing back when I took them both to the stand.  Now I take one or the other, but never both.

[highwayman]

thanks for the replys. i started leave the rifle at home more except when i am on my small stands where i need a rifle anyway. i have one more weekend to try this.

[ccoker]

I have always taken both a handgun and a rifle
Sunday I am going out and will be handgun only for the first time, have the place well scouted and feel confident I can get out of a blind and into range and just use trees/brush to setup an ambush

my son (11) will be in a blind and he will most assuredly get one

[Swampman]

Rifles are fine, but if you carry both a rifle and a handgun, you'll never become a handgun hunter.

Yep!

[petemi]

I guess I'll never grow up to be a handgun hunter.  I always carry both.  Shots here can be from 5 to 500 yards.  It'd be just my luck to have "da tirty point buck" pass 250 yards away.  When I walk up on a "dead" deer, I always put a .357 or a PRB out of my Kentucky pistol in his head.

No, hunting isn't just killing, but here, venison is a large part of our diet and I usually put 2 or three deer in the freezer a year.  We don't have the luxury of sitting back and saying "Oh well, better luck next year".  We don't have stores anywhere around here that carry things like fresh seafood, veal or other diet variants.  Most of us here also don't have the income to afford things like veal and lobster.  So, hunting is a lot like gardening.....for subsistence.

This week, for example, we had grouse, a venison stir fry and a venison roast along with frozen veggies from our garden.  We're out of snowshoe hare, so I've got to get the hounds out and get some before the season ends the end of March.

Pete

[VARMONTER]

I bought the contender to lighten up the load here in the mountains at my age i want to enjoy
the walk also .Lugging both is out of the question.I have only shot one deer in Vermont over 100 yrds.
The rest of them have all been aroubd 50 yards or so still hunting..