Well Saturday Western Oregon Deer Season starts.

If the other guys on here are like me, I have enought ammo and guns ready to take every deer in our state.

But for Inquiring Minds; What do you carry out first day of seaon every year?

I load cartridges, up and down, and shoot calibers from 22 to 7mm ( our deer around here are like a long legged Doberman, so you don't need much to down one. In fact most border on pitiful looking).

However, it seems every year I have been out opening Weekend with my Stainless Ruger Mk 2 with a Grey Laminate Boyd's Stock, in 260 Remington. Topped with a Leupold 3 x 9 VariX 2, with a Dot reticle. The scope spends most of its life on 4 or 5 power tops.

The load is always 43.5 grains of IMR 4064 with a 100 grain bullet, with an MV of 3350 fps ( so it is a minature 25/06 any day). The bullets loaded included a 105 grain Nosler Partition ( made for the Euro Market, but bought thru Nosler's factory seconds shop, in a Semi Spitzer Shape), or a 100 grain Hornady SP or a 100 grain Sierra HP.

IN the Truck is my other 260, another Ruger Stainless with a Laminate Brown Factory Ruger Stock hijacked off another short action Ruger. This one wears a 4 x Weaver with a load of a 140 grain Corelokt Rem, over 35 grains of IMR 4895 for an MV of about 2500 fps. This rifle is for my tromps into heavvy brush, ( like any of us are going to sneak up on a deer in that mess!, but we try it every year anyway, lol).

So the following weekend, I may be carrying my 6.5 x 55 Mausers or my 7 x 57s Rugers, or my 6mm Remingon on a Model 700 Long Action with a 100 grain Partition at 2800 fps.. But I always start out with the 260s, every year it seems.

I don't really care if I take an animal or not come deer season here. YOU don't take a deer here, you arenot missing much.
But I love the time to walk in the mountains and valleys of Oregon and take in all the beauty and splendor that she has to offer. I enjoy the time to just talk to God and thank him for all the good things in the world and ask for his help on straightening out the bad things in the world.
I ask him to bless all men and women on the earth, and that they may get to know the beauty and peace I have found walking his mountains in Oregon.
( All this devout day dreaming, I wonder how many deer sneak right by me every year, while I am admiring the next ridge top?)LoL

Thank God for this season.

Best of luck to everyone and may your hunts be successful and safe.

Cheers and Good hunting
seafire
grants pass oregon usa

Best of luck and good fortune to you too Seafire.

My deer season starts in Vermont in mid November. The hills are pretty steep there and the best tactic is to be as still as possible on opening day. Ranges are not long but one must be able to identify a legal buck which has a 3" antler. Thus almost any adequate rifle with a scope will do it.

The one I go to the most is my old Ruger #1A in 30-06. It has a Lyman 4X All American on it now. The load this year is the 150 gr SST going wide open. If I don't score then I will go to one of the Kimbers for walking around.

The Connecticut season starts right after that and I am going to hunt some very large meadows. There it will be a 264 WM shooting 120 gr BT's or maybe the new 270 WSM. I am fickle as to what rifle I use as it's all for fun.

Later if I have not scored then I carry the 99F .358 Win. as I will take hard shots.

My main concern is that my son has a good experiance. I have blasted so much stuff that it's no longer a priority.

This year, my Abolt 300 wsm with 2.5x8 VIII loaded down to 308 velocities cause one of my daughters will be with me again, and will probably be doing all the shooting again as I get more excited when they are shooting than when I shoot. They shoot a mod 7 7mm08 slowed down some so it doesn't kick too much. Both shot their first buck last year with the rifle and both 1 shot kills. I get as excited when they are drawing down on a deer as when I was starting to hunt 40 years ago.

243 tikka t3 stainless synthetic with 95 SST over 43gr of I4350 using a 6-20x simmons whitetail hunter scope, also taking my 338WM tikka whitetail hunter with a tasco world class 2.5 - 10x scope shooting 200NBT over 74 grains of I4350. I also have also loaded some of the 200 grain NBT down to 2500 fps with blue dot. I have 4 tags so far and Im thinking about buying another one or two so I hope to get a chance to try the low velocity load on one of my deer also.

I'm starting the season in late October, early Novemeber hunting Mulies and Elk in Colorado. I have a buck tag and a cow tag. The weekend that season closes, deer season opens here in North Dakota. I'll miss the opener. Always do. I'm bringing my 15 year old grandson back from Colorado for a week of whitetail hunting; his first season. I don't know which of us is the most excited. He was up for a visit in July. We went out and did some scouting. I'm going to use my 270 WSM here and in Colorado. Leupold 6X fixed. My grandson will use a Remington 700 I bought for him mounted with a Leupold 6X fixed.

I was goiong to list the handloads, but that's not important. What is important is that I'm breaking a new hunter into the sport, and it was his idea. I lived and worked in California for yeras and hunted in Colorado.(This will be year 28 or so.) I took a week to vist my daughter in those days. The kid watched and wanted to do the things granddad did. His father is not a hunter.

Spring, maybe they are 115 pounds I don't know, don't really care, I don't weight them, they are sure not the 90 pound first year rabbits that many shoot. I would guess that they weight as much as I do (150 pounds). I shoot most of them with bow, muzzle loader and 1 maybe two with a rifle. Have you seen how fat they are this year! Jimmyp

Seafire,



I understand the "long-legged Doberman" analogy, grew up in central CA, same deer there.



This year, will be hunting Western Colorado Mule Deer during late October/early November. Hopefully the weather cooperates and drops lots of snow. Will be carrying my Remington 700 Mountain Rifle chambered in .260 AI, IMR-4350 & Nosler 120 gr ballistic tips. Backup will be my ancient Sukalle barreled KAR-98 in .257 AI, IMR-4350 & Nosler 115 gr ballistic tips. Can't wait!!!



Good Luck to all,



Hank

2 Oct I'll try my Barnett Quad 300 crossbow in Virginia's Draper Valley. I've never tried hunting with it but I should be good to 40 yrd.s. 13 Oct I'll be back in the woods in the Draper Valley with my Stainless M. 70 with BOSS in .270. Using 130 gr. factory ammo it is the most accurate gun I've ever owned. ... or I'll be near a soybean field on Virginia's coastal mosquito flats and use my Stainless M. 70 with BOSS in 7mm Mag. It's a heavy booger but I'd be comfortable with it to about 450 yrd.s. Be safe and kill deer. Kill more deer now.

interesting thread. What more can a man ask for than to have the opportunity to get outside and be apart of the cycle of nature? Right now is perfect in north Georgia, not too hot, not too cold, leaves still on the trees, birds, and animals all moving about. I hear a hoot owl every time I go out, last Saturday a couple of racoons were having a heated discussion near my tree stand, (either racoons or cats of some type) I am now hunting with an Excaliber exocet crossbow, I am not a purist and it works well. In Georgia the limit is 12, 10 does, 2 bucks, but I go through cycles every other year. Last year I killed 4 mature 150 pound or so bigger size does and 1 small buck which was a cull deer with deformed horns. (Some of the guys in the club shoot anything that moves doe wise). This year I am not going to shoot anything unless it has 8 or more horns on its head, if I do not see him I will kill nothing. I am leaving my area as undisturbed as possible this year in order to see him sometime before January first. We eat what I shoot but like everything else in life you go through cycles of wanting to eat deer or not. I also usually give 1-2 of them away to a person who did not shoot a deer or did not hunt but eats venison. The does just over run the place, you could shoot 10 per year and not make a dent in them. This year I am mostly just enjoying the woods and I thank God for the opportunity to do so. jimmyp

In NY I will be taking my Winchester FW in 257rbts. topped with a leopold 3.5-10. I will be shoot Nosler Bal. Tips at around 2800 fps. In PA I will be taking my Ruger #1 in 45-70. This will be loaded with handloads using 300 gr. Nosler Partitions. The reason being that in PA where I hunt, bear is also legal for the first 3 days and there is a fairly healthy bear population.

The family Remington Model 8 in .35 Rem.
It is relatively heavy but it works and Dad, Granddad, and Great Uncle George are with me. Makes for a fine hunt.

Typically either the 416 Rigby or the 500 AHR.



416 Rigby is loaded with 350 gr Speer Mag tips and 104.5 gr of IMR4350 (~2800 fps MV). The 500 AHR is loaded with 570 gr Woodleigh and 122.5 gr of IMR4350 (~ 2340 fps MV).



The 500 works FAR better than the 416 has ever dreamt of!



For varmints I use a 300 Win mag shooting 200 gr Sierra GK SP and 72.5gr of IMR7828 (~ 2950 fps MV).



Finally, if it is a shotgun only area, I use S&B, 2.75" 1 oz slugs (although I have been known to use Remington 3", 1 oz magnums too).



ASS_CLOWN

Seafire/B17G: I was so impressed last year during Deer and Antelope Hunting here on the high plains with my new Remington 700 Sendero in caliber 270 Winchester that I will surely take it out again this year for Mulies and Antelope. I have this 26" heavy barreled (all factory original) Rifle scoped with the wonderful (but recently discontinued!) Leupold 8.5x25x40mm variable scope. I did a trigger job on this Rifle and it shoots my handloaded Nosler bullets far, fast and flat! And perhaps most importantly this rig is splendidly accurate!
This rig coupled with my Leica 800 laser rangefinder makes me a confident and efficient Hunter! I killed 3 head of Big Game with it last fall and hope to take at least two head this fall with it.
Good luck on your Hunts this fall and stay alert!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My first deer rifle was a muzzleloader and that was my goto rifle all through highschool. It was that or my shotgun and my muzzleloader was may more accurate with .440 roundball. This was before sabots and fully rifled slug barrels.

For years after college, my goto rifle was always chambered in 30-06. First it was a Remington 700. That was one fussy gun but shot good once you found the right ammo. Only trouble was it would change POI every time you traveled with it. What a real PITA. Traded it for a Browning A-Bolt in 30-06. This turned out to be a very good trade. Gun was incredibly accurate and not fussy at all. Just feed it ammo and she would print small groups. Can you believe I traded that one off too.

Two years ago I broke out of my mold and hunted with a Savage 99 in 300 Savage. I belonged to my Grandfather. Boy was that a great hunt ... 3 shots = 3 deer.

Then last year I reverted back to my muzzleloader hunting with my father. I passed on several oppertunities electing to focus on my father getting his deer. Has a great time still hunting for a whole week, and my father got his deer.

This year it is still a toss-up, though for the first time in over 20 years I do not have an 06 as a choice. My .45 cal frontstuffer is still there, the 300 Savage is waiting, as well as a Muaser k98 in 7mm-08 that just took a dandy Antelope.

Our season just ended on the coast of California. I take my pre64 M70 in 375H&H with 1.5-5 VXIII for when I'm on a stand loaded with 235gr Speers at 2750fps. This generally stops a blacktail when he charges
For when I'm in the brush I use a custom Rem M700 30-06 with 2-7 compact VXII loaded with 150gr Speer BT at 2750fps.
Good luck to all of you on your seasons. I'm just waiting for quail now.
Russ

Also a N. California hunter here, I have never seen a deer that outweighs me, and I just broke the 160lb mark this year!

Opening I usually carry my 8mm Yugo, or a Win94 30-30 (of course if I'm REALLY into it, my 9mm Hi-Point Carbine!). After a day or two if no luck happens, I have to break out something with glass on it, I often borrow an old 7mm Mag Ruger MKI from dad.

As long as I'm carrying something that goes bang, and I'm out tromping through the manzanita oak and thistle, I'm happy.

79

Right now im shooting my bear whitetail master bow but once gun season starts it'll be the a-bol medallion in 7mm rem mag.

The Kentucky gun season starts first --- so there I usually carry a Ruger 77 Mark 1 30-06 or a Remington 600 in 308.
When the Ohio gun season starts -- I carry a Remington SP-10 autoloader with 10 guage slugs (slug only firearms season).

This deer season Ill be wishing I were there, but thats OK. I opted for a late season Elk hunt instead in January. For that Ill be packing a 35 Whelen and a 30-06. Until then birds and rabbits will have to suffice. Hoping to draw a limited entry Mulie tag next year though, should have about the right amount of bonus points by then. Either way it'll be the 257 AI as my primary weapon. Chosing which rifle as optional isnt as easy, but I did grab a 280 Remmy recently that wants to log a kill.

Seafire, sounds to me like you just about have this hunting thing figured out. And, your choice of tool for the job ain't half bad either. Good shooting! Mike

I'm leaving on Sunday for Deer hunting in South Carolina.
I'm taking a Dakota arms 7X57 with a Win model 70 in 30-06 as a back up. Both wear Schmidt & Bender 1.5 X 6 scopes. If I have a little extra room in the back I may toss in my Marlin 30-30 just for fun.
This will be my first hunt with the Dakota so I'm looking forward to trying it out.

I'll be taking my annual sabbatical in the high Sierra Nevada cathedral with my trusty Browning Micro Medallion 7-08 w/ Leupold 2-7x33 typically set at 3 or 4 magnification. Rounds are my handloads with 140gr Rem PSPCL or 145gr Speer G.S. with W-760, which bullet depends which box I pull out first. This year I drew a late season tag (G-38), starts in the later part of October. For the last couple years the temp. was in the 80�s and 90�s during the day in the first season. I�m looking forward to the cooler late season this year. I�m hoping it�ll snow. (Got chains. )
In case my go to rifle experiences mechanical failure I'm bringing the Savage 111FC 30-06 with cheapy 3-9x40 scope, loaded with 165gr Speer HC charged with H4350. If I decide to purchase a bear tag before I�ll also bring a box of 180gr Speer Mag Tip charged with H4831.
I�m experiencing anxiety having to wait the additional month before season starts.
It�s been a tough decision for the backup rifle, it was between a Ruger 77RL .257R, the Sav 111 and a Win 100 .284. I dunno, I might take the .257 instead.
Bill

Browning Stainless Stalker - .300 Winchester Magnum, 200 grain accubonds @ 3000 fps. Bausch & Lomb 4200 2.5x10x50mm.

Hope it gets to go bang!

Doesn't anybody use iron sights anymore?

Brent... you gonna be shooting pure lead PP bbullets again?

Smallfry, You mean there are some other kind?

Actually, if I use the .38 pipsqueek, I'll shoot 40:1 greasers. I don't know if I bring myself to go with such modern crap however.

Brent

I hunt in NY's Catskills I use a ruger m77 mkll ultra light stainless syn. in 30/06 , topped with a zeiss conquest 3x9 my backup is a rem 700bdl 30/06 topped with an old weaver v4.5 (1.5x4.5) for hunting in snow storms or when i am not in the mood to use a scope i use a remington 760gamemaster pump with williams rear peep sight, its also a 30/06. And when i visit my friends accross river in Dutchess county its an Ithaca model 37 deerslayer topped with a leupold m8 compact 2.5 fixed

I use the rifle I built for my father(a 1917 Enfield .30-06) when I was in high school. 12 years ago he gave it back when he knew his hunting days were over and told me to "bust 1 for me". Ever since every opening day finds me packing that '06' and it has busted it's share. Lawdog

Hobie,

NICE Rig, very nice. Can't beat the nostalgia can ya!

cheers
seafire

I'm taking my Howa 1500 S/S to Montana after elk and deer. I'm going to try some Federal Premium ammo shooting the 180 grain nosler partitions, but if they don't shoot well out of my rifle then I'll be taking the Remington express 180 grain core-lokts. The Howa has a Burris Fulfield II 3x9 on it and is stock right out of the box. Haven't tampered with it and it's preformed just fine for me.

Sevens

It's really hard to beat a m99. I love the few I have. I think my favorite to carry is a m99f in 308. I've killed my 3 of my 4 largest blacktails with an old beater m99 in 300 savage. What wonderful rifles. Maybe I'll put that featherwieght in my pocket tomorrow.