Okay, hunters, dumb question from a newbie

[dutchhollow]

deer slugs in the 12 gauge will do the job.

 

[theghostandmrchicken]

I'm recently new to hunting too, but I've had a lot of help from one of my friend's father and to answer your question is that a .22 longrifle will take out a rabbit, squirrel, and even frog. Basically any small game, but first check out your state's regulations first.

Best of Luck

 

[Attack Chicken]

Depending on the gun you can buy different barrels for guns.

We rarely use a .22 here except for coyotes that we go out and hunt.
20 ga Rossi modified single shot I use for squirrels,rabbits,pheasant,and quail.
20 ga slug gun for deer and can be used for coyotes but with $17 for 5 shells it gets expensive
12 ga Remington (forget the number) for turkeys all thought have never got one yet

12 ga beretta for mainly rabbits and pheasants 3 shots
12 ga can be used as a rabbit/pheasant gun and can be used for deer with slugs 5 shots I believe
Those are the main ones here.

I just love my little Rossi 20 ga single shot. Came with two barrels 20 and a 223 although haven't used it yet. When my parents bought it for me it was pretty cheap compared to other fancy guns. I'd take my Rossie over any of the others any day.

AC

 

[seismic wonder2]

Is there a reason other than wanting to kill something?
MOST hunters take game because they want the meat. Some are sporting hunters that enjoy killing things.

Do you have ROOM to keep the meat from a 90lb deer?
Do you know how to dress a deer, squirrel, rabbit, etc... without fouling the meat?
Do you know WHERE to shoot the animal without fouling the meat at the same time giving a quick clean kill with little suffering?
If you don't get a clean kill from a distance, are you prepared to track down and dispatch a suffering animal up close and personal?

I suggest for your first few hunting trips you are only armed with a (quiet) camera and go with experienced hunters that can teach you those things mentioned above.

Trust me, just because you WANT to be a hunter does not mean you are ABLE to be a hunter. Things are quite different when you have a live animal in your sights..
Most people go hunting ONCE and never feel the need to go back.

 

[minniechicks]

Both my husband and I hunt. My dad and brother and all my uncles cousins and nephews hunt. I have never used a shotgun to shoot a deer. You only use a shotgun at close range. Shotguns are good for birds and small game. I use a 270, but i also shoot far off. But like someone said, you need to read up on your rules and regulations before hunting. We also process our own meat. We eat what we shoot, dont believe in shooting something for the fun of it.

 

[Baymen Moe]

I went hunting ONCE when I was 13 and have never looked back. I'm now 45 and love it as much as I did the first time I went. It's a huge part of my life.

 

[SLWyandotte]

most places it is illegal to hunt with a rimfire firearm. you can hunt almost anything with a 12 gauge. from squirrels and doves or small game with #8. #4 for turkey or mid-ranged game. buckshot for deer and hog. and slugs for bear or very large game.

.243 is an excellent rifle for mid-ranged and up hunting.

.444, .4570, .50, 7mm is a good large game/ long range rifle. sniper

.22 or .17 is good for a trap gun. shoot trapped animals. also if they are not illegal in your area, they are good for small to mid-ranged game. shoot for the head. a .22 hollow point will cut a squirrel in half.

i like a .30-30 for a brush gun.

.410 shotgun is good for small game.

20, 16, 12, 10, and 8 gauge shot guns are all about what ammo you use. 10 and 8's are a bit of over kill, IMHO.

to my knowledge it is illegal to hunt wild poultry with a rifle everywhere.

now on the other side of the equation. when i was younger we used a .22 to night hunt deer. a round in the head will kill them. and they are so quiet that the shot is hard to place at night. not endorsing this but i admit i wasn't an angel when i was in high school.

for learning, start small. rodents first. then larger game. if you like fishing you will probably like fishing.

my opinion is if you are going to kill it, eat it. if you don't have room for 40 (yearling white tail) to 500 lbs (moose) of meat don't hunt deer. rule of thumb is it will dress out to about 60% of total weight of animal. if you are in it just for a trophy don't do it. good test is help clean a gut shot boar. if you still want to hunt go for it, and check your targets.

sorry if i sound preachy. just my views on it. hunting is great fun but i believe it comes with a responsibility.

 

[yotetrapper]

Borrow your dad's shotgun, you can usually find them used in the paper or pawn shops for less than $100. For deer, check your regs, but you will be required to use a shotgun or centerfire rifle. I'm not sure ALL states outlaw .22 rimfire, but most do, as it simply is not a suitable deer gun. If I could only own one gun, it would be a 12 gauge shotgun. If I could own 2, it would be a shotgun and a .22.

Seismic wonder, guess it depends on where ya come from. I've yet to meet anyone who went hunting once and never again.

 

[booker81]

Quote:
Thank goodness we aren't limited on what we can own! LOL! I don't know if I could choose (12ga, 20ga,.270, 30-06, muzzleloader, .223, .22, 410...the more the merrier!)

Seismic wonder, guess it depends on where ya come from. I've yet to meet anyone who went hunting once and never again.

I know only one - my older brother. However, he wasn't prepared, wasn't trained, and wasn't ready. He does however shoot skeet a LOT, and is thinking about getting into hunting again.

A 7cuft chest freezer from Home Depot is enough to hold a processed deer - and not a little 90lber, but more in the range of 150-200lbs live weight. I've done it more than once.​

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
My husband stopped a few years ago for health reasons. It was hard for him to be out in the Michigan November cold so long and even when he was bow hunting earlier in the year, he said the deer were getting to big for his bad back and knee