When deer hunting

[parallaxbill]

How many of you are like me and prefer to get at least one deer per season with a handgun? While it doesn't always work out that way I still carry a deer suitable handgun each season. I've taken many deer with my 35 Remington Contender, 41 magnum Contender, Ruger 3.75" Vaquero 45 Colt and Ruger 480. 
I've yet to kill one with any of my 357 magnums or 44 magnums. For those I just haven't got the right opportunities.

[marlin35]

I am wanting to try and take my first handgun deer with my .45 colt blackhawk this year. I’ve got my load worked out and have been practicing. I can’t wait to see what the results are like!! It’s kind of difficult to find videos of anyone deer hunting with a “plain ole” 45 colt revolver.

[seminolewind]

Handgun hunting is my passion. I probably would take only one meat deer per year if I had to hunt with a rifle. Last season I hunted with 13 different handguns, and took a buck with a 10 1/2” 357 Maxi and a doe with a 7 1/2” Maxi.

[bigbrowndog]

Only time I hunt with a rifle anymore is when I’m compelled to due to ranch rules or laws. The best way to take a deer or any game with a handgun is leave the rifles at home.

Trapr

[pleadthe2nd]

The best way to take a deer or any game with a handgun is leave the rifles at home.

Trapr[/quote]
Agreed, I've left the shotgun at home for 7-8 years now, my 41 super blackhawk hunter has claimed the most deer, 1 to the super redhawk 44,however my state just legalized straight wall rifle cartridges for deer hunting this year, so my 1895 sbl will be going out for the first season, second season will be a handgun hunt, maybe a 45 colt this time...

[contender]

I almost never carry a rifle anymore. Unless the area I'm going hunting has shots beyond 200 yds. I've been a fairly dedicated handgun hunter since the 1980's. And here in NC,, we are allowed up to 6 deer per season,,, and I've often tagged out with just a handgun.

[contender]

Deleted double post.

[bigbore5]

Plus here in Western NC it's not unusual to get deer at powder burn distance.

I rarely can see more than 75 FEET in the hollars and funnels I hunt. I've taken a couple inside of 10ft.

Scent control and set-up are everything here. And no I don't use any fancy clothes or any cover scents. Know the way the wind moves and set up accordingly. Break up your body out line. Be very still. And pay enough attention to be set up before they come into the clear to shoot.

[jfs]

Some "kid" hunting Pennsylvania whitetail with his handgun... Would not even guess at the date

[jfs]

It can get lonely cause usually your the only handgunner in camp...

[Randominator]

The last time I carried a rifle was 1997. I was fortunate to take four deer last year with my handguns.

[45MAN]

Jun 23, 2023 16:15:07 GMT -5 marlin35 said:

I am wanting to try and take my first handgun deer with my .45 colt blackhawk this year. I’ve got my load worked out and have been practicing. I can’t wait to see what the results are like!! It’s kind of difficult to find videos of anyone deer hunting with a “plain ole” 45 colt revolver.

MY FIRST 2 HANDGUN DEER KILLS WERE WITH A PLAIN ole OM 7.5" 45 COLT.

I WENT FROM THE MID 1980's THRU THE 2021 SEASON WITHOUT USING A RIFLE TO DEER HUNT, ALL HANDGUNS. IN 2022 I GOT ON A "RIFLE ONLY" LEASE AND SHOT 2 DEER WITH LEVER ACTIONS IN 45 COLT AND 454 BUT DID GET A NICE 11 POINTER ON ANOTHER LEASE WITH A 6.5 JDJ 14" CONTENDER.

THE BEST ADVICE, ALREADY GIVEN, IS IF YOU WANT TO HANDGUN A DEER "LEAVE YOUR LONG GUNS AT HOME!".

[boolitdesigner]

"LEAVE YOUR LONG GUNS AT HOME!"

In my area, this is a good subscription to only seeing 125 yard deer. Take a long gun suitable to that and you only see 25 yard deer. OR, have a newer acquisition that you want to "blood" and you don't see anything at all, at any distance. I've two that have that malady, for several years now. What can I say, other than it started with city folks around here and as long as they try to deer hunt, it continues to be like that.

[bradshaw]

Jun 23, 2023 16:15:07 GMT -5 marlin35 said:

..... I’ve got my load worked out and have been practicing. I can’t wait to see what the results are like!! It’s kind of difficult to find videos of anyone deer hunting with a “plain ole” 45 colt revolver.

*****

marlin35.... your operative word is PRACTICE. In this realm there is no such thing as “plinking.” Sight time and trigger time are serious business. Style of hunting, environment & terrain, and skill factor huge. Stand hunting----ambush style----hunting doesn’t require the stamina and marksmanship skill, nor woodcraft of pursuit hunting----still or tracking----which involves decisive offhand skill. Man is a better ambush predator than pursuit predator. Spot & stalk is very much terrain-dependent. Tracking is almost always weather-dependent, meaning snow and generally expansive territory lacking human habitation... although, thanks to rain I was able to track a buck in lower Alabama.

Take a few cues from the bow hunting, pretty much exclusively an ambush game. But do not shirk offhand practice. One who shoots only from a rest may need offhand skill when the chips are down and not have it. Confidence is an aspect of skill. Confidence built on ego lacks foundation, falls prey to fear and wrong moves. Which leads us to the target: the largest engine of life on a deer is the lungs with heart tucked in between. Consider it the size of your fist.... That is all the wandering your bullet is allowed from any angle.

To hunt deer with a revolver, a bit of rapid upset increases punch. All the CO-ORDINATIONS of MARKSMANSHIP come into play with a revolver. Oxygen is available through deep breathing and that secret soothes nerves to prevent panic on the trigger, which will throw a shot worse than a poor sight picture.
David Bradshaw

[marlin35]

Jun 24, 2023 8:28:46 GMT -5 bradshaw said:

Jun 23, 2023 16:15:07 GMT -5 marlin35 said:

..... I’ve got my load worked out and have been practicing. I can’t wait to see what the results are like!! It’s kind of difficult to find videos of anyone deer hunting with a “plain ole” 45 colt revolver.

*****

marlin35.... your operative word is PRACTICE. In this realm there is no such thing as “plinking.” Sight time and trigger time are serious business. Style of hunting, environment & terrain, and skill factor huge. Stand hunting----ambush style----hunting doesn’t require the stamina and marksmanship skill, nor woodcraft of pursuit hunting----still or tracking----which involves decisive offhand skill. Man is a better ambush predator than pursuit predator. Spot & stalk is very much terrain-dependent. Tracking is almost always weather-dependent, meaning snow and generally expansive territory lacking human habitation... although, thanks to rain I was able to track a buck in lower Alabama.

Take a few cues from the bow hunting, pretty much exclusively an ambush game. But di not shirk offhand practice. One who shoots only from a rest may need offhand skill when the chips are down and not have it. Confidence is an aspect of skill. Confidence built on ego lacks foundation, falls prey to fear and wrong moves. Which leads us to the target: the largest engine of life on a deer is the lungs with heart tucked in between. Consider it the size of your fist.... That is all the wandering your bullet is allowed from any angle.

To hunt deer with a revolver, a bit of rapid upset increases punch. All the CO-ORDINATIONS of MARKSMANSHIP come into play with a revolver. Oxygen is available through deep breathing and that secret soothes nerves to prevent panic on the trigger, which will throw a shot worse than a poor sight picture.
David Bradshaw

Thank you for the insight! I practice exclusively offhand, focusing on trigger press as if I’m watching the sear engagement move while focusing my sights on my target. I would rather practice offhand and have the luxury of a rest rather than the opposite much to the same train of thought as what you stated. I also practice standing, seated, and kneeling as these are the most likely positions for me to shoot from in my experience from rifle hunting. The way I hunt is mostly walking and looking for sign, funnels for deer movement and between thickets and oak stands. I find the bottom of a cedar or a fallen treetop to sit and then see what happens. I am also going to be moving my trap line to the hills this year where I suspect I may see more than a few deer while walking between sets. I suspect any shots in any scenario will be 20 yards or less which is right in the wheelhouse for sixgun hunting if I had to guess.