Help With Handgun Hunting

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RED_beard92

New member
I have only ever been out hunting with my rifle and I was thinking about going with a pistol next deer season. I have some questions about it like what season can I go in (riffle or shotgun) and I also want to know what is a good range to shoot at. The gun being used will most likely be a 44 magnum 6 1/2 inch barrel. Thank you
 
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Most of your question can best be answered by your state game and fish officials. Your state should publish annually the seasons, bag limits, areas, and legal and illegal weapons.

As to the range, that is determined by your ability. A .44 Magnum revolver can easily take deer sized game at around 100 yards. It depends on your ability to place your shot. Also terrain conditions, some heavy scrub growth limit your shots to under 50 yards, while open fields extend that, but with an iron sighted revovler, make 100 yards your maximum. And a scoped revolver won't extend that by much.

Bob Wright
 
Help with handgun hunting

Red Beard, don't know what state you reside in. Hunting regs vary from state to state. My wife and I both bowhunt, as well as rifle hunt. After bow season (only) is over , we keep the feeder doing and use the bow stand(s) to handgun hunt for deer. Yes, I have a Ruger Super Blackhawk, with a 2x7 firefly scope, to maximize the shooting time. Due to the shorter range with a handgun, generally speaking, the arrangement really works well//I am contemplating using a 1911 A-1 automatic, with HP ammo to harvest a deer. Had some worries about the caliber, but was assured by an old rangemaster, the .45 Auto would work well with expanding ammunition...Only reg for deer hunting, caliber-wise, I am aware of is the ammo must be centerfire.
 
Most of your question can best be answered by your state game and fish officials.
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^^^This. Almost every state has a little bit different regs when it comes to handguns used for hunting deer. Some specify minimum calibers or foot pounds of energy produced, some have minimum barrel lengths. Some states allow for the use of straight-walled handgun calibers during shotgun and muzzle loading seasons, some states treat bottle neck handguns rounds as rifles. Some states don't care as long as it a legal handgun.

As for range, using an iron sighted 6 shooter in .44 mag, you'd hafta be one 'ell of a shot to take a deer @ 100 yards. Whatever range you can put every shot into a target the size of a deer's kill zone is what you should limit yourself to.(A paper plate is a good example) Most of use like to use some kind of rest if we can. I use a shooting stick, a nearby tree, the shooting rail or shelf on the stand...whatever is handy.
 
Max range you should shoot at is the range in which you can place 5-6 consecutive rounds in a paper plate consistently while holding the pistol like you would be out in the woods. IE rested on a tree limb, side of tree, rested off your knee, free handed etc.

Been hunting with a pistol a long time and still can't shoot any of them to their potential range of accuracy.

Best advice..practice,practice and then practice some more and DO NOT shoot beyond your capabilities.
 
RED_beard92 said:
I have only ever been out hunting with my rifle and I was thinking about going with a pistol next deer season. I have some questions about it like what season can I go in (riffle or shotgun) and I also want to know what is a good range to shoot at. The gun being used will most likely be a 44 magnum 6 1/2 inch barrel. Thank you
Click to expand...

I shoot my hunting handguns out to 150 yards. My two longest kills were a small 3x4 mulie at a lased 145 yards and a double lung shot on a cow elk at an estimated 160-170 yards. I used a 7 1/2" Freedom Arms M555 .50AE topped with a 2x Leupold on the mulie and took the only shot presented - a head shot as he stopped and looked 90° to his left when I whistled. I knew the range EXACTLY, had a rock solid prone rest, and have shot this revolver extensively out to 150 yards. The 350 grain cast gas check WFN went directly through the brain, side to side. The cow was dropped with an 8 3/8" S&W .500/4x Leupold with the same bullet and also from a prone position, but I didn't feel confident with a head shot due to the undetermined distance and she was moving.
A hundred yards with a handgun is a long shot, and these two are the only times I've ever attempted anything longer, but conditions were perfect, and I felt very confident with the shots, so I took them.

This was near dusk a couple hundred yards from my house and I had been stalking the same buck earlier the same morning with a muzzleloader, but never got within range.
 
For me. I expect close quarters with a mix of oak scrub & pine. I feel if my 44Mag with open sights is zeroed for 50 yards, or maybe an inch or so high at 50 yards, it will be good for where I intend to carry. My brother zeroed his at only 25 yards, but set it to be nearly 3 inches high at that range- so if you do something similar, your bound to be in the vital zone wherever you're likely to encounter a deer in the brush or woods. Personally, I don't expect 100 yard shots with the 44 as I don't carry it in those locations. If I'm 100 yards or more, I use the shotgun or rifle. One place I setup in the woods is quite dense. No possible shot more than 40 to 60 yards. The 44Mag is a good way to go because I like the idea of a deer taken with a handgun, so when I use the handgun, I tend to sit in places where I don't have those 100 yard or longer shots.
 
Handgun hunting is right up there with bow hunting. Its incredibly rewarding and will make hunting with a rifle look significantly easier by comparison.
For your first year, keep your shots under 50 yards. Don't go for the hottest loads either. You don't need them with your 44 Mag. Shot placement is everything. Leave your rifle at home and it will force you to make it happen with a handgun. I have learned guys that carry both rifle and handgun typically will use their rifle for the easy kill when a big buck steps up. The rifle is a safety net so leave it home if you are serious about handgun hunting.

Here is a mid power load cleanly dropping a big doe at 175yards.

44magdeernet-1.jpg

I have been handgun hunting a long time and these distances should not be attempted without alot of field experience. This shows the killing power of a mid powered 44mag even at these extreme distances.
Huntingscenenet.jpg


Recovered under the hide opposite side.
44magbulletnet.jpg


Shot placement is everything.
Entryholenet.jpg
 
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And, some states like mine) don't allow ANY handgun hunting, period - check with your state's hunting regs.

When I hunted deer with a handgun (out-of state - Maine), I found they worked best when I used them at bowhunting ranges, and in the thicker bedding areas.

Although my self-imposed handgun hunting limit is 100 yards, I can't usually see half as far in the areas I favor (YMMV).

Whatever, I've found it's best practice to actually keep the handgun in your hand(s) while actually hunting - and reserve a holster ( I like a cross-chest bandollier-type) for transportation & for when the hands are needed for another chore, like climbing, etc.

Whether DA or SA (not many use autoloaders) is immaterial, since DA revolvers are usually shot SA @ game, unless the "hunter" is surprised & hurried.

Good hunting-grade (NOT target) sights, or a red dot/scope are a must.



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For Elk & Bear I use a Magnum Reaserch BFR revolver in Marlin .450 & a Burris Fastfire Holo red dot zeroed @ 100 yards. Toooo much Fun!
 
i think Bob Wright got it, and it has been echoed, so just as sort of a plus one to the above:

1. Depends on the regs where you are hunting.

2. Typical .44magnum loads should be more than adequate to 100 yards plus unless you are going up against Bambi-zilla maybe.

3. At what range can you put five out of six onto a paper plate? That is how close you need to be.

I spent about a year on it. For moose handgun hunting is a pretty big deal. Stalking to 120 yards is no problem, getting to 80 yards is working. So get to 80 yards and have to be able to make the shot, because if I miss there I won't have time for a followup shot....

What I found was I could stay on a ten inch gong at 75 yards with a actual pistol rest, but going to field rests like my backpack or a fallen log dropped me back to 50 yards. I was practicing with a 7.5" BFR in 500SW and just don't have the wrist strength to get enough practice to get small enough groups at long enough ranges... you get the idea.

I gave the pistol to a relative who got me started shooting at a relatively young age - he is happy. I put a moose in my freezer with a rifle that year, I am happy.

Good luck, handgun hunting is harder than rifle hunting.
 
I've got redhawk in 454, but I really like the blackhawk in 44mav.
100yds is about Max for me, I really like 50 or closer...
 
I have shot a few deer with my S&W 29 and it certainly did the job. With iron sights I try to keep my shots inside 75 yards. I can hold my own at longer ranges, but for hunting I much prefer closer shots.

I pretty much hunt exclusively with handguns these days and it is a lot of fun. One thing that turns a lot of people away from it is the realization that you will let a lot of good deer walk away. There have been seasons that I never fired a shot just because I did not have the right conditions to take a shot that I was comfortable with. Personally I think this just adds to the excitement factor and can make you feel all the better when you do harvest an animal cleanly.
 
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