I found out this morning that I was drawn for a doe tag up here in Washington. Now I am trying to decide what weapon to hunt with. I am almost ashamed to say it, but I have been hunting for eight years, and still have never gotten a deer. So whatever weapon I use, anything I get while hunting this year would be a spectacular trophy in my eyes.

My choice of guns is either a custom .338-06 that I recently finished building, or my T/C Contender with either a .45-70 barrel or a 7mm TCU barrel. With the rifle, I am comfortable shooting out to 250yds, the .45-70 is an honest 150yd gun from a good solid rest, and the 7mm TCU has iron sights, so I wouldn't use it much past 50yds. In my opinion, any animal taken with a handgun is a trophy. But I would love to get something with my rifle the first year I take it out. I'm just not sure what to do.


My question is, which of these would you choose? I plan to carry both the rifle and the pistol with one of the two barrels. I am just curious to know what some other people might do. Thanks for you comments

it doesnt matter what you take it with. how you take it is more important. hunt hard and hunt right and you'll have a trophy if it comes from a handgun or a rifle. best of luck in the fall.

I can tell you that if I had hunted for 8 years without filling a tag, I'd hunt with whatever shoots the farthest that I'm comfortable shooting.

It's time to fill the tag and I want insurance. TAKE THE RIFLE.

Hunting is a blast, but it sure is nice to fill tags too.

MY opinion.

If I owned your battery, I'd take the .338-06, no doubt about it.

AD

I agree with Allen, take the rifle. And just some food for thought, IMHO there is more shame in shooting a caged animal and thinking yourself a hunter than in not filling a tag in the open. Thats why it is called hunting. Dont let empty tags get you down, keep after it and learn from your mistakes, youll get there..