Okay, hunters, dumb question from a newbie

[sheaviance1]

Hey there Q9!!

If it's legal to hunt deer in NC with a .22 just remember to aim very carefully. It's not legal here. I know a few people who have had very bad results from poaching with a .22, mainly because they took a very bad shot. One really messed up the trunk of his car, but that's a whole 'nother story.

I own a .410 (squirrel, rabbit), a .243 (deer), a 20 gauge (turkey, dove), a muzzleloader (deer) and a bow (deer-my favorite weapon). They are all the weapons I will ever need. My husband has quite a few more than that, but he is passionate about firearms. I recently purchased a (think it is a Rossi) gun for my son that was less that $150. It is dual purpose. It has interchanging barrels. One is a .410 and the other a .243. You have time to save up your money between now and hunting season, so I would recommend your first purchase to be on that you can use for multiple types of game. We pick up firearms all the time that people are selling. Most of them just need the money. Our most recent was a Mossberg 12 gauge with additional chokes for $100.

Good luck!

 

[seismic wonder2]

I am a hunter. I've taken several deer down to quail and dove. I start my hunting trips by first finding a recipe, then hunt the game to fill the bill.

My father taught me to hunt with one rule..."One shot, one kill." If I wanted o go squirrel hunting he'd only give me 4 .22 rounds with the instructions to bring back 4 squirrels.
I learned quickly the importance of verify my target when I came home once with three squirrels and 4 empty shells.

I learned to hunt deer with a .50cal flintlock, then a .45 precussion rifle. Then I graduated to a longbow. I still don't beleive in sending someone in the woods with one of those machine guns with a 50X telescope they have now.
Who needs 5 rounds to kill a deer anyway? It's not likey the are shooting back at you!

 

[SLWyandotte]

Quote:
for the most part i agree with 1 shot 1 kill, but animals don't always do what you want them to. once i almost blew off a doe's lower jaw cause she started to pick her head up as i shot. took me and the dog 4 hours to track her down and kill her. as for machine guns, i dove hunt with a double barrel 12 gauge. i've had the game warden come by more than once from making it sound like i was shooting 8 to 10 times without reloading. (only ever got 1 ticket though. and it was the dog's fault. he brought me 2 birds that weren't mine. put me over my limit for the day. o well he was just doing his job.) anyway, a "machine gun" isn't a bad thing when bird hunting, but for other game a single shot with a few shells in your pocket should be all you need.

 

[aggie9296]

I would say get some of your friends or friends dads (or moms) that hunt and sweet talk them into taking you. Hunters usually will take you hunting, loan you a gun, teach you how to use and see if you even like hunting. You could offer to buy ammo or dinner to repay them. (Or carry and clean any game you get). Before you drop a ton of money, go with someone who can help you out. They might even have some extra guns to sell you cheaper than any store, especially if they like you.

 

[Q9]

Quote:
I wasn't at all suggesting (of all things!) that I thought of using a .22 rimfire for DEER!

I'd be scared to use a .223 for deer hunting! I figure I can borrow my dad's shotgun - I'm a decent shot, and recoid doesn't bother me at all - but I'm a rifle guy. Despite only owning a .22, I have fired a large number of rifles. Love 'em. So I was hoping that there was some kind of game besides squirrel that I could hunt with my only rifle.

It's looking like I'll just need to save up for a 30/30, now.

Oh, and I hate the idea of trophy hunting. Wasteful, IMHO.