Tragically, I live in a country once famed for it's hunting but which now only allows the hunting of agricultural pests like wild boar, fox, rabbits and occasionally Indian wolf (when they turn nasty and begin to attack humans). These days I use a 12 bore for almost all my hunting with slugs (we call them LGs here, though, I guess, the Brits have discarded the term) and no 6s for everything else. Our hunting permits are called "crop protection permits" - can you beat that for ridiculous jargon?
Good shooting all you lucky guys who have access to variety!

Like my fellow Albertans, I can hunt a variety of game each year on both public and private land. This year I will be hunting Sheep, Mule and wt deer, moose and Elk. I also do coyote control as part of my job.

Deer-Farmland-270 Win 130gr Sierra
Early season Elk-338Win Mag 225gr Nosler
Genpurpose Moose/Deer Elk-Pre 64 300 Win mag180 gr Nosler Part.
Late season Elk/sheep- 7x61 S&H 160 gr nosler
coyotes M700 Rem V.syn. 22-250 50 gr hornady

I have 4 weeks of holiday so I suspect there will be some lead in the air this fall.

BR

I hunt white tail deer and black bear hear in Vermont. I haven't been lucky enough to get a tag through the moose tag lottery yet. I use a Browning Medallion in .308 for close deer and black bear hunting. For deer I use 150gr core lokts and I use 180gr partitions for the black bear. When I get invited to a buddy's farm I take my Remington 700 ADL in .270, in case a longer shot presents itself.

I'm not much into small game or bird hunting, but the rest of my collection includes a Ruger 10/22 (just for plinking), a Remington 870 Wingmaster (for trap shooting), a Smith & Wesson 686, and a Wichester 94 Theodore Roosevelt Commemorative that has never been fired.

Bob

Here�s mine:

For deer and small boar on driven hunts I use a Remington 700 ADL .308 WIN synthetic with a short barrel, topped with a Kahles 2-7x36 in a Leupold QR mount, bullet: 150 grain Scirocco.

For selective hunt on deer and small boar I use a Classic Kipplauf in 7x65R and a Kahles 3-10x50 in a classic mount.Bullet: 150 grain Nosler BST.

For moose and boar I use a Carl Gustaf 2000 in 9,3x62 with a Kahles 1,1-4x24 in a Leupold Qr mount. Bullets: Swift A-frame 250 and 300 grains+ Woodleigh Welcore 320 grains.

And a 12 gauge Carl Gustaf shotgun in over/under config.

I want to add a Rem 700 BDL ss in .280 A.I but the Swedish gunlaws won�t allow me to do so.

I hunt for primarly Deer and black bear. I used to use a .270, but frankly after awhile I found myself rather bored with it. Then about 5 years ago Ifound a nice shooting condition Savage99 in .300 sav. It whears a Williams PEEP sight(no scope) and I now have get fairly close to be effective. This has been so much more fun for me that I haven't take the .270 hunting since the first trip with the old Savage. I load 180Gr Rem corelocks that I found in my local gun shop ( only $7.00 per 100) and the performance has been wounderfull.

[ 08-16-2002, 23:34: Message edited by: Tom ]

Whitetail deer = .30-06 Improved Mauser rifle w/ Leupold sight, 165 gr. ballistic tip handloads. I just got a 444 Marlin and will hunt with it this year.

When I get to go out west, I use .338-06 Mauser w/ Leupold sight, 210 partition handloads. Good for mule deer, elk, moose at reasonable range.

I'm with Greg...can't go pronghorn, rather eat a roadkill skunk...shot lots of them and had them on the ranch I grew up on...

Love deer meat, elk next on this side of the pond and I have eaten a lot of young bear and its OK...

My knives are many, some I made are quite nice, but my standbys are a Puma Game Warden, given to me by Alan Carraway and one small hunting knife I made. I am not much on serrated edges, but I know how to sharpen a knife...

I mostly hunt deer in PA and Texas. Occasionally hogs as well and very infrequently a trip for elk or pronghorns. For spot and stalk hunts I like old Ruger M77 in 7mm mag. For stand hunting or drives use Marlin 1895G in 45-70. If it is pouring down rain I use slightly customized M98 in 8mm. For NY where it is shotgun only I haven't found anything I like yet but still looking. Probably try a muzzle loader since those are allowed. Still dreaming of Africa but haven't bought anything just for that yet.

Thats the problem with heresay isnt it Greg.. I dont know, at one point I was rationalizing that a good excuse might be to shoot one just for being so ugly..

I have been fortunate enough to have lived the Alaskan bush for the last 20 years. In my area moose, caribou and brown bear are plentiful and I've been able to take good representives of each. Also I have hunted around the state quite a bit and have shot everything except bison and muskox and neither of these animals really interest me.

Moose are my passion though. There is something about those monsters that gets me going. When they respond to the call and come in it can be a real thrill.

I've hunted the western US a little but am still looking for good mulie and an elk.

This next July will be my fifth safari to Africa and my first trip to Tanzania. I'm really looking forward to it.

Ever since I was small I've been a gun "loonie".
I've own at least one of most common calibers between 22 RF and 458 Win. Currently I have about 20 long guns and half a dozen pistols. I have killed big game with 14 different calibers but the 338 and its other 33 caliber brothers are my favorites particularly here in AK. Your are never wrong here with a 33. Currently I am working with a 330 Dakota that I like very much. A custom Mod 700 in 375 Weatherby may go to Tanzania next year.

My hunting knives aren't anything special. Sometimes I think cheap is just as good as spendie particularly if you can put an edge on it in the field without too much trouble.

Iam still using my first rifle a wincherter model 70 in 243 cal 34 elk 6 moose and many deer and antalope this seems to be the only gun i have ever needed

I guess that in my quote of Wstrnhuntr, something got lost. My bad.
I LOVE Antelope and I think it is some of the best venison I have eaten. Elk, Buffalo and Deer are very good but given the choice Pronghorn is it for me. Unfortunatly it is a about a 20 hour or so drive to even come close to one that is huntable. (My zoo kind of frowns on that )
Sorry ofr the mix up and Wstrnhuntr let me know when you have one ready for me

Greg

Greg, I'm with you... when antelope is good, it's great! Most people let em' bake out in the sunshine instead of getting them cooled pronto... I think this is where the myth about antelope being bad tasting comes from.

Brad

I am new to this forum but wanted to post on this topic anyhow. I grew up in central Ark. and all my big game hunting was for whitetail. Used a Browning BAR in 270 Win for years with great results. I started reloading 3 or 4 years ago and decided to go with a bolt action instead of the BAR.

I have now added bear and coyote hunting to my Ark. hunting interests and hope I have the chance to try other big game soon. I have settled on a two rifle approach. First, I have a Rem 700 Classic in 350 Rem Mag with 22" barrel. I love using this rifle as it is so well balanced. It wears a Burris Fullfield II 3-9 mounted as low as possible. Can't wait to try the new Reloader 10x in this cartridge. Of course it's much more than needed for whitetail (I have never recovered a bullet from this gun in a whitetail) but I remain optimistic that I can use it on elk someday, possibly even here in Arkansas!

I started ordering parts for my second rifle back in Jan. I am having a rifle built using an old Rem short action (one that locks the bolt when the safety is on). I labored over the decision but settled on the 260 Rem Imp. I can drop down and shoot 85g bullets for Coyote or, with a 1:9 twist, go all the way up to 140g if I desire. Should be ready in about three weeks. It has a PacNor #2, 24" SS barrel; a Lone Wolf Summit lightweight stock, Sightron 3-12, 42mm in Conetrol scope mounts. The action has been reworked. Can't wait to see how she turns out. This will be my primary deer rifle for several years to come.

I also have a muzzleloader from Millenium Designed Muzzleloaders called a Buckwacka. It is stainless with a 25" barrel in 45 cal. I hope to break it in this year.

I was born in Minnesota but spent most of my young life in Montana. Norman Mcaclean said "There was no better place to learn it than the Montana of my youth. It was the World with dew still on it. More touched by wonder and opportunity than any I have since known." (River Runs Thrugh it- and I read it in the book 20 years before the movie) I was there after his time but it was the same to a snot nosed kid shooting ducks along his paper route on the Clarks Fork river. And I learned lesson from the frowns of my customers who did not appreciate duck blood on their papers. I grew up where Trout, ducks, geese, deer and elk were a bicycle ride away from home. And in those real harsh winters you would find them in the evening raiding what they could find our last years vegetable garden.

In those times we had two family rifles, an '06 and a 250/3000 Savage 99 takedown. We had two shotguns, a Winchester model 12 that was my grandfathers and a Winchester 37 in 16 gauge that I bought with route money.

It seemed if I was not in school I was hunting or fishing. Things change over the years. I still have the model 12 but I no longer use it. My brother let the 250/3000 slip through his grasp during college and I let my Dad's 06 go when I was fresh out of college and not happy with Washington big game hunting. Fortunately I recently found out that the guy I sold it to still has it and he has agreed to sell it back.

You didnt want my life history but that is just tough, lol.

My hunting is much the same as before now. I have a lot more rifles but I hunt a lot less. I still chase deer and elk but I think my preference, although slim, is for big, old, smart mule deer.

I use a variety of rifles on mule deer, but most often it is a Kimber 89 BGR in .257 Roberts, with a Leupold 2.5 to 8, or a .280 Remington on a 1909 Argentine with the same scope, or a BRNO 21 in 7X57 with the same scope (have not used this for deer yet but it will get a steady job ahead of it), my elk rifle is a Ruger #1 in .338 Win Mag with a Leupold 1.5 to 5 scope. My shotgun now is an Ithaca 280 english 20 gauge side by side.

BTW, even at my age, a smile breaks out on my face when I cross into Montana, and I shed a tear on departure. Some day there will be a spot near Bozeman where I can make big walnut chunks into shavings and sit in the autumn sun and hear geese calling.

Chic

Lately,the only thing that I hunt is Woodland Whitetails. For the last few years,my favored gun is the Winchester '94,30WCF(30/30). It's fitted with a Loupold 1x-4x scope.
Frank

I guess if I were to look at hours spent in the field I'd have to say I've spent the most time hunting coyotes. Although Elk hunting has gotten ahold of me by the short-n-curlies I don't get to go every year. I also spend time hunting deer, rabbits, and various other things.(squirrels,hogs,rockchucks)
Tools of choice change with mood and or area.
I use a mini-14,.22-250, or .257 Roberts for coyotes. Deer- .257, 7mm Rem Mag, and on rare instances have/ still use .308 Model 600, '06, 30-30. Elk- first choice is a .338 WM and the other would be the 7mm. Either one depending on the area. All my primary rifles have Leupolds, and the rest have a mix, some cheapies.
I have a couple Gerber fixed blade knives and a Kershaw folder that get used most for big game and a mix of pocket knives for skinning coyotes. The gerbers have ATS-34 blades. Kershaw is pretty hard, as is my Boker stockman knife. Any sharp knife will work in a pinch. I'm not overly particular here.
I also bow hunt and shoot a Jennings 70 lb. compound. Not much of a bowhunter yet but it is a kick.

I hunt moose, deer and roe with my remington 700 ADL in 308win. From this year I'll be using 185grain laupa mega factory loadings.

I also hunt small game. I use a emilio rizzini o/u shotgun for most small game hunting. I have a english setter I use for grouse. I msotly just take my shot gun and dog with me and shots what ever legal small game that comes up.

Johan

For eastern Whitetail I almost always use a .44 S&W Classic DX with open sights or a 30-30 Winchester Model 94 with a 3x scope. Out west anything goes and I seem to use something different each year. This year I will use a .338 Win Mag and 200gr Ballistic Tip on Mule Deer with a .300 Win Mag and 180 Hornady SST as back up. Took last years Mulie with a 300 H&H and 180 Scirocco. My all time best killer is a .270 using 130 Partitions. That one is so deadly it got boring so I started hopping around some.

I hunt mainly on two smaller grounds in western Sweden, belonging to friends, one being agricultural land and the other woodland. I also hunt occasionally in other parts of Sweden, not at least with friends I have made though the Internet!

I have a Varberger 777 Classic in 30-06, for moose, deer and hopefully for boar in the future as these thrilling animals are increasing in numbers and soon will reach the area I hunt.
I have a Sako Vixen in 222 Rem for roe deer and smaller (including for instance foxes, badgers and beavers). Finally I have a Merkel 8 side by side shotgun, used for bird and other small game hunting over dogs. I have an Old Danish Pointer, so birds are a favourite quarry. My next gun will be a 22 LR, hopefully a Sako varmint. And then? Perhaps a sidelock shotgun... There are many dreams, but the gunlaws of Sweden put a limit at 6 guns.

By the way Johan, I have some plans of shooting grouse and in Norway, in Meldal area, by river Orkla (I have been fishing for salmon there for some years). Is that your part of Norway?

And now on August 16 is the opening day for stalking roebucks! Guess what I will do then?

Marterius

That is very close to where I live. It takes maybe 30-45 min to get to Orkla from where I live.
Why are you coming here to hunt grouse. People here go to Sveden to hunt grouse!

I have been hunting roe since the .10. I haven't seen a single buck yet. I see plenty of deer and one roe and her calf.I have seen about 8-12 deer everytime I go out to hunt roe.

I will not be home for deer season. I'm going to Finnmark to work with dogs from late August to April. I hope to sneak home so I get some of moose season, but I don't know yet. Hoping to hunt much grouse in Finnmark over my English Setter on my spare time in Finnmark.

Johan

Remington 700 30.06 180 grain core lokts
Stainless Syn w/Leupold 3.5-10 VX3
have hunted for:
Moose,Caribou,elk,mulies,white-tails,Black bears. antelope(first time in Oct, will use 165 gr Hornady LM)
And dreaming of hunting dall sheep in NWT,Yukon,
or Brooks range.
Hunted:ALASKA(MY FAV) NM WY MT Maine NewFoundland,
Canada (some of my fav guides)
Use buck knives,cheap and if I break a tip no biggie.Take a couple and a filet knife for moose
and bou.My passion DIY bou/moose in AK.
Jeff

Johan,
Sound like you are living a dog's life! I can't shoot grouse in Sweden, to many Norwegians in our mountains!

No, actually, the truth is that I will not only go after grouse, but blackcocks and capercaillies as well, and I have a friend with a harehound (st�vare) who will go after the hares which you find in large numbers up there. Besides we know the area and some locals and have a good place to stay. It will not be this year however, and I also have my eyes on J�mtland.

Regards!

Traditional bowhunter for the last 3 years.Surburban NY(Don't laugh,these backyard bucks know people better than most hunters know deer,and there's some honkers out there).The best hunting is bow only and I hunted w/ a compound for 20 yrs without really enjoying it but when I got into the recurve it changed me into a bowhunter.
I love bear hunting,took 4,1 w/ the compound and 3 w/ rifles.Getting the urge to get one w/ the recurve.
Mad

Grew up in Oklahoma quail hunting with dad. Since the I've lived and hunted whitetail in Okla, Northern Louisiana, NW Arkansa, and now Indiana.
Started with the 06, moved to Ruger .44mag blackhawk, then back to the 06 and bow in Louisiana. Now, .54 or.50 in Indiana (both kits I have put together. Recently modified a 6.5 swede and love it, cloverleafs at 100yrds. But, got the hunger for another 06 and wanted a single shot so I picked up the NEF. So far with reloads its grouping 1.5 inches at 100. Just finished reworking the stock. Hunted (watched) Bear for the first time last year in Montana, snowed every day, no shots, going back next month with the .54 to try again. Hope to get back to my bows next year.

Knives, 65% of the time, my Case XX folder that I have had since 1969. Rest of the time, my custom Damascus.

Actually, I spend more time sleeping in my climbing deer stand than hunting. Wanted one when I was in Louisiana but didn't like the commercial brands so I've been building my design ever since. Course, I am not particular about whitetail, I just like the meat.

When ya'll get tired of fighting over the Whelen, just put it in the mail to me, I will give it a permanent home.......

whitetails only.Rem.700BDLSS 300 RUM with the 3.5 to 10x50 Leupold in Redfield mounts fitted with a Shilen trigger set at 24 ounces. firing a 180 gr Balistic Silvertip over 98 grs RL25 lit by a Fed. 215 GM primer for 3435 fps.

I'm from Ontario, and hunt deer, moose and bear. I use both firearms and bow.

When bowhunting for these animals, I use a Horton Explorer 150 lb crossbow and 120 gr wasp tips.

For moose hunting, my primary gun will be my Remington 7600 in .35 Whelen topped with a Bushnell red dot sight, and I'll be shooting 220 grain bonded core bullets of my own manufacture (I'm still working on the load).

My backup will be my .358 Winchester topped with a Bushnell Holosight, shooting those same 220 grain bonded core bullets on top of 49.5 grains of W748.

For deer, the .358 will become my number 1 gun shooting the non-bonded version of the 220 grain bullets. My backup will be a Remington 760 in .35 Remington, topped with another Bushnell red dot, and I'll be shooting some of my 200 grain bonded bullets over 37 grains of IMR 3031.

Any of these combos will handle a black bear.

[ 08-17-2002, 06:31: Message edited by: Rick Teal ]