Button bucks

hunting in Pa

Well my mom is looking to buy a house in Pa and I’m thinking of the hunting aspect.
If she does buy a house out there it will be by Shawnee (sp) mountain. Is there any good public land up there and for what? Also is an under aged hunter allowed to carry a second firearm with them while there in the woods in NJ/Pa for self defense. The reason I ask this is because my mom is trying to make me sell a couple of my dads guns but I may just trade it in a to a gun dealer my 2nd cousin goes to for a semi automatic pistol. If I can what would you guys recommend for a low caliber semi automatic.
Thanks for any info you guys can give me and sorry for any misspellings.
o and i figured i would just change this thread instead of makeing a new one.
 
First off, congrats on your first deer. Don't worry about being too selective next year as there will be plenty of time for that later in your hunting career. I feel it's more important for you to fill your tag regardless of what sex it is. As for as the other kid saying it's unsportsman like, well you run into people like that all the time. I feel it's more unsportsman like not to keep the deer population in control and this means harvesting antlerless deer. In Missouri, our season is pretty liberal and we can buy as many antlerless permits as we want in a majority of the counties. I try to hold out for a nice buck anymore but I do take my fair share of skinheads. If you don't have that luxury of having two seperate tags just remember, if you're selective it means going home empty handed more often than not. Here's a nice little article that sums it up rather well:
http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/hunter-stages.php

Now for your second question. DO NOT SELL OR TRADE YOUR DAD'S GUNS!!! You will regret this for the rest of your life...period. I don't know what the regs are where you're planning on moving but for the most part, you can usually carry a pistol on you while hunting. At your age, do not have it concealed in any way, shape or form. Usually where it's a no-go is during archery season or turkey season where only a shotgun is allowed. This is a very blanket statement so please check the Conservation regulations for that state plus state laws regarding transporting/posessing a firearm. As far as a good gun to go with, a new or used Ruger Single Six, Browning Buckmark or Ruger Mark III will fit the bill very nicely. These are all .22's and a great platform to get started off on. They are also very inexpensive and a summer of doing odd jobs or mowing lawns will easily cover the cost of it. Then if you want, you can look into getting a 9mm semi-auto or .357 Magnum revolver. Many models to chose from, fairly inexpensive to buy and shoot. Just remember...DO NOT SELL OR TRADE YOUR DAD'S GUNS!!

Welcome to the forums and don't worry about the spelling, we're glad to have you aboard.

Alan
 
Thx for the advice. We’re not moving it’s my mom is considering buying a second house in Pa for skiing/renting.
Freakdaddy I’m not really sure if I’ll not be able to avoid getting rid of some of my dad's guns. My mom thinks it’s bad to have 16 guns. Her and my uncle already got rid of my dad's AR-15. I can just hope she gets selling them out of her mind.

edit: anyone have anything to say about the Browning Buck Mark Camper Cocobolo UDX
 
Congratulations on your first deer young man! Your first deer is special, don't let some know it all second guess you. I wish there were a couple million more young people in this country like you!

Please accept my condolences on losing your dad.
 
Thx
Edit: from my mom's reaction I’m not getting a new .22 pistol to carry in the woods with me. But I do have a couple other pistols in the safe that were my dad's.
There are four in the safe of the top of me head I remember that there’s a .38 speical, .44 mag, and a .45.
Witch would be a good pistol to shoot with/carry/first pistol.
I’m guessing the .38 special
 
Last edited:
The .38 would be the ideal one to start off with providing it's not a snubnose or extremely lightweight. The longer the sight plane, i.e. the distance between the front and rear sight, the easier it is to shoot. If it is a .45 ACP and is a full-size semi-auto, this one wouldn't be a bad one to learn on either. Recoil shouldn't be too bad. You can shoot .44 Specials through the .44 Mag which may make it more manageable and a little cheaper to shoot.

Regardless of which pistol you start off with, make sure to wear eye and especially ear protection. Of course, this goes for any firearm. The first time I shot a .44 Mag, I didn't have any ear protection in. For 2 days, I couldn't hear hardly anything. It took almost a week before things were back to normal where I didn't have any trace of a high pitched ringing. Also, make sure someone who is familiar with handguns is there with you when you first start off. Revolvers and pistols, although almost identically held the same with your strong hand, the support hand differs some. Also make sure they show you how to break them down and clean them. Take care of your guns and your guns will take care of you.

Here's a few links:

http://www.bullseyepistol.com/training.htm
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4584332856867071363&q=todd+jarrett&pl=true

This guy touches base on the escaping gas in front of the chamber.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHD6JJFQ2WM

This is why you don't put your thumb near the front of the cylinder. Kinda graphic.
http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-not-to-hold-revolver.html

I grip my revolvers more like this guy. Video quality isn't all that great though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFO6ZnyDGE8

You can find a ton more info at your public library as well. This should help get you off on the right foot.

Alan
 
Got yo watch the law. In some states button bucks are only legal in doe season. Best advice if you're hunting antlerless deer is to shoot the bigger one which will be more likely a mature doe. Little ones may be little does or buttons and you won't know until you walk up on them.
 
With the holding the pistol part. From the little experience I have shooting pistols the way I hold them is basically how the guy in the 3rd video did it accept I wrap my free hand around my wrist. Is that bad?
i think i'll try and start shooting the .45 auto first so i can get used to shooting a pistol/not blow my finger off.
 
I goofed this year and picked the wrong deer during our TX doe season. (fortunately spikes are legal during doe season) and nailed a button buck. I was very embarrased because I was hunting on a friends property. Fortunately they took it in stride, and all I got were the jokes about shooting bambi. so even after hunting almost 30 years, you can still goof. It's not a big deal - provided you eat what you shoot. I generally try not to shoot bambi, but a mature deer, but have done so at least 3 times in my hunting experience, due to mistaken I.D's. No sweat, good eats! bon apetite!
 
congrats on your first deer, my condolences on the loss of your father. 16 firearms is NOT a bad thing at all. i remember my first deer. very very samll doe. so small it looked like a dog. but it didn't taste like a dog though:barf:.

the 38 should be a good starter. but like others said you would want a longer barrel.

as far as legally carrying a handgun in NJ when hunting etc. its not legal to carry a handgun, you also can't hunt with a handgun in NJ. even carrying it for self defense or anything unless you are police or LEO in the woods or fields is illegal:barf:. PA may be different. from the sounds of it you were hunting central or northern NJ. i am in southern NJ. welcome to TFL, good hunting for the years to come.
 
o and ya i'm in norther new jersey.
live in morris county but not shure where i hunt. i know the way just not the county. its past stocks mointain if you know where that is.
 
The way I see it. If you got a good clean kill and the deer was legally harvested GREAT JOB! I have been hunting for 10 years. I still get excited seeing deer. I get more excited EATING them. Ate some lastnight in a macoroni caserol. I have become the neighbor hood hunting dad. I have taught my kids and several others to shoot. And I have taken all them hunting. I think it is great when kids get into hunting. I love see their reactions when they get their first be it a buck or doe. One of my daughters shot a super nice 10 point her first couple hours out. She was like "yeah I got a deer" My boy now his luck was differrent. Took him 2 years to get a shot at one. It was a doe. He was excited for 2 or 3 days. Took a 12 year old girl one year, second day she shot a small Doe. the girl scared me to death. She was 25 yards from me. I heard the shot, She screamed! about hurt myself getting to her. She was so excited(thats why she screamed) She was still shaking when I took her and here deer to show her parents.
You keep hunting you will get a big one. But until then, if it is legal to harvest. I say go for it- be it a button buck or a small doe. As far as the kid at school. Well my boys response would be "and your point is what?" My daughters responses would be similar, and ending in a threat;) Dont worry about what others think. Everyone has their own oppinion, some people feel they need to voice it (whether asked or not)
 
As far as hunting Tioga. If you have the money I would try it. that Elk price looks good. We live in Indiana, couple of freinds go to Colorado ever couple years for Elk. They spend around $2500 EACH. They have no guarantees to bring anything home. Tennesse guided hunts for Bore about the same price as Tioga. I would check into it, if you have the funds for it. Sure would be cool to harvest a Buffalo!
 
I see nothing wrong with a kid harvesting a young button buck if he wants. Be sure to give him kudos and praises for his first deer!!
 
Last edited:
Congradulations those young buck are tasty around here our deer are corn fed and some of the does I have harvested have run close to 250 lbs.There are some around here that are pressing for a Doe qualifier before you can take a Buck as a method of herd control.If you ever venture out this way I would be proud to have you hunt with me good luck and good hunting ELMOUSMC
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top