hunting

[oceanwidedesigns]

I haven't been hunting yet, but I plan on doing the doe hunt on Catalina Island off the coast of Long Beach next year. They're white tails that were introduced by the gum giant Wrigley, so the conversation group that now controls the island has guided hunts... it's a great package deal, three days of hunting, loding, food, and transportation to the island (which is expensive in itself) for like $800. They have different prices for different hunts - two does, a buck, idk all the packages... but it's a steal compared to what my husband spends trying to hunt on the mainland.

This year he's hunting in our D7 zone - which has a 5% success rate... tried to tell him it wasn't worth it, but it took about 10 days and only one buck sighting for him to realize it. The buck wasn't forked so it wasn't legal to take. He has another tag for a zone down south near Santa Barbara with an 11% success rate, we'll be there in a few weeks. He also has a bear tag... but again, no luck.

I really hope he gets SOMETHING... I need an excuse he'll accept to buy a chest freezer!! I want more freezer space SO BADLY but he doesn't go for any of my reasoning.



Here's a photo montage I did from his trip hunting on opening weekend. The gun is a Thompson Venture .300 win mag... I wish he had gone with the .30-06 instead, the lead-free ammo for the .300 is scarce and expensive! Personally, I only own & shoot muzzle loaders... but for next year I'm going to get the Marlin 336 in 30-30 in the youth size, so far it's the only gun I've tried out that fits me, doesn't dislocate my shoulder, and is still a good hunting caliber. There's a muzzle loaders only hunt down in Ventura that we both want to do if my husband gets a muzzle loader of his own, but the one he wants is out of the budget for awhile!

 

[Beth G.]

Nice pictures. Wishing your DH luck on hunting this year so you can get that freezer

I'm on the otherside of the token telling my DH NO MORE freezers!!!! Our electric bill is outrageous already!!! We have at our house 4 and at his mom's 2. We live off the land and freeze alot and harvest at least 5 deer per year to get through a whole year till next hunting season, along with sea fish, trout, meaty birds, ducks, and tons of veggies.

For a gun suggestion, I have a bad shoulder and here in CT our shooting distance is limited so If you are shooting under 100 yard shots you should really consider a good take down rifle with not alot of kick. Marlin's Lever Action 44 Mag. I've killed a ton of deer with mine and now have two

One pretty one for the range and another for the woods. I also have the Marlin 30/30 Lever Action and like it but, I find to get proper ammo it's more money to shoot the 30/30 than the 44 Mag.

If your DH is shooting long distance why not consider a 308? That is a very common cal. and the military uses it. It will take down some really big game! I like the Browning BLR Lever Action 308 yes it has a kick but, if you are doing the distance it's the best gun of choice and not only that when your in moment you don't feel the kick.....lol...... At least I never do and I've had my shoulder operated on but, yes I do feel it the next day. But, when I have food for the freezer its all worth it

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[little blue]

Beth G. :

Nice pictures. Wishing your DH luck on hunting this year so you can get that freezer

I'm on the otherside of the token telling my DH NO MORE freezers!!!! Our electric bill is outrageous already!!! We have at our house 4 and at his mom's 2. We live off the land and freeze alot and harvest at least 5 deer per year to get through a whole year till next hunting season, along with sea fish, trout, meaty birds, ducks, and tons of veggies.

For a gun suggestion, I have a bad shoulder and here in CT our shooting distance is limited so If you are shooting under 100 yard shots you should really consider a good take down rifle with not alot of kick. Marlin's Lever Action 44 Mag. I've killed a ton of deer with mine and now have two

One pretty one for the range and another for the woods. I also have the Marlin 30/30 Lever Action and like it but, I find to get proper ammo it's more money to shoot the 30/30 than the 44 Mag.

If your DH is shooting long distance why not consider a 308? That is a very common cal. and the military uses it. It will take down some really big game! I like the Browning BLR Lever Action 308 yes it has a kick but, if you are doing the distance it's the best gun of choice and not only that when your in moment you don't feel the kick.....lol...... At least I never do and I've had my shoulder operated on but, yes I do feel it the next day. But, when I have food for the freezer its all worth it

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i agree i hunt with 308 bolt action love it lots of killing power an you can do alot with it depending on the load.this will be my deer rifle till i stop hunting bought it when i was 16.​

 

[Ivywoods]

Oh, I love gun discussions! I've hunted deer with a number of guns and calibers. There are a few I wouldn't want, but there are many good ones. I've shot .243, 6mm, .270, 30-06, .25-06, 30-30, 35 remington, .257 Weatherby mag, and probably others I've forgotten. Oh, yes, I shot my first deer with an antique 1893 Marlin in a .32-40! Great little old gun.

I shoot fairly long distances. 250-350 yards is pretty common (when I'm not bow hunting.) My personal favorites are the .257 Weatherby (except for the price of the ammo) and the .6mm. Both are very flat shooters and I don't even notice the recoil. I like a lot of the other calibers, but one I wouldn't want is the .35 remington. Might as well throw a big rock at them. Oh, it's not that bad I suppose, but it sure is not the gun for distance shooting.

 

[oceanwidedesigns]

Beth G. - I envy the number of freezers you have!!! But I totally understand the electricity bill, ugh. We only have the side by side freeze and fridge right now, and it's packed full! If I had that chest freezer, I would probably have it filled in a week! I'm big into prepping a bunch of stuff ahead of time, freezing, thawing some the night before... & throwing in the slow cooker. Even though I do freelance design from home, I still find myself short on time to prep & cook each day... let alone make it to the grocery store!

Thanks for the suggestion on the .308 Beth G & Little Blue, that's exactly what my husband suggested too! But... we couldn't find anything that fit me and I liked. We went to Cabela's in Reno, Bass Pro in Manteca, and all of our locally owned stores & chain stores. The Marlin 336 in the youth size was the only thing that fit me perfectly while still being a good caliber for me. I'm going to keep shopping around until early next year, because there's lots of other factors I want to consider... because I'm stuck in california. Ammo shortages are a bit more frequent here, especially with our lead free law.... which was the mistake my husband made with the .300 win mag. His ammo is freaking expensive when we can find it. It sounds like in the .30-30 we wont run into that problem, the gun manager at the sporting goods store we frequent said he always seems to have the .30-30 lead and lead free in stock & it doesn't cost nearly as much.

 

[Ole and Lena]

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Try a Savage Mod. 10 youth in 7mm-08 or 260 rem. Very mild recoil, much more reach out and touch in a no-frills accurate deer-killing tool. Nothing wrong with a .308 either. Easy ammo and not too much kick with 150 grain bullets.

 

[Ole and Lena]

Hammered some more ducks this morning. Close quarters shooting in flooded pasture/creekbed on woodies and teal (Good beavers, I might not turn these ones into hats). 5 month old GR Loki is becoming a rock-star at retrieving ducks. He's starting to learn to give me guilt trips with his puppy eyes when I miss too, which was rapid and often on this mornings shoot. Shot behind quite a few fast moving birds.

Also got out and sighted in deer rifles with the wife.

.280 rem 160 NP spot on 1.2" group.
30-06 165 Speer SP right on, 1.1" group.
308 150 Speer "Mag Tip" dead on .4" group (when I shot it, wife needs practice).... Holy Schnikes new load!!!

Rifles are Mauser 98 home-brew, Savage 110 and Savage 10 LH respectively. finished out the range session with some field position shooting from different ranges. Can't wait till rifle season.

 

[Beth G.]

I envy you on the duck hunting!! I've always wanted to go and have never been. The only animals I've hunted are whitetails, wild turkeys, and coyotes. I've shot clay a few times but have never had the chance to hunt the ducks. What I really would love to do is save up my money and go on a Elk hunt!! That is my ultimate dream before my debilitating autoimmune disorder puts back into a wheelchair permanantly

. I've priced them out and boy are they expensive! But, if I do get to go I'll most likely bring my husbands 308 sako bolt action. That rifle has had the pleasure of taking down more game than any other gun we've owned. He's so lucky he's been on Moose hunts, Caribou, wild boar' Elk, Big Horn Sheep, and Monster Whitetails............ Poor little ole me, I've only hunted in CT and one time in VT.
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[Ivywoods]

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You mention several Savage rifles. Have you shot the Savage "Accutrigger?" I have a varmint rifle in a .223 with the Accutrigger. MAN!! That thing is so nice and so smooth, it will really spoil you!

 

[AngelaB]

My daughter's 8 point from yesterday.