How much ammo when hunting?

S

shafter

New member
Just curious, how much ammo do you guys take along on a hunting trip? I usually fully load my Winchester 94 with seven rounds and another seven or so in my pockets. I like to keep them in the little plastic things they come in so they don't rattle.
You never know when you'll empty your gun or need to signal. I know the chances of actually needing more than my rifles capacity are pretty slim but I'd rather not take any chances. If I was in a really remote region I'd pack quite a bit more.
How about you guys, how much extra and how do you carry them?
 
Usually take a box of 20 out to my buddies farm.
I fill the 4 round mag in the Swede, and carry four more in small loops in my jacket pocket.

Never needed more than two, but it's nice to have a few extra, just in case.
 
Always bring 2 scoped rifles with 1 box ammo for each rifle on every trip ( since usually I am 400 mile from home i feel better to have a back up just in case. )
As I leave the camp for the actual hunt, 3 rounds in the magazine and 2 in pockets.
_______
roberto
 
Over 25 rounds for the deer hunting trip, since I am about 235 miles from home. While in the woods I have about 5 in the rifle and 10 in the belt cartridge carrier on my belt. May not need that many rounds for Bambi, but I like to be ready for any situation such as bad 2 legged critters that mean trouble.
 
i don't take long, overnight hunting trips. My whitetail hunting takes place on my land an hour from home. My rifle gets loaded with 5 and my revolver with six when I leave the truck. That's it.
 
I remember one sad year for my good buddy; we were hunting deer on his farm.

He was hunting with a winchester pump 12 ga. and only had five slugs.

Fired 5 times . . .

Sadly, I watched him walk across the bean field towards home to get more ammo . . . and it was only about 8 in the morning.

Since that he carries at least 12 slugs with him.

Reloads . . . don't leave home without 'em!

Rmocarsky
 
Depends on the area:

Hunting big canyons - When I hunted big canyons I would pack a lot. I won't even mention how many.

Hunting thick pines - 10 to 12 rounds on my person/in my rifle. I shot at my first elk 8 times. Hit him 6. He finally went down. Then a kill shot. Put 5 rounds through the ribs just behind the heart. (he was running)
I also like a few rounds for emergency shots.
It is pretty common for me to shoot an elk two to three times and then a kill shot. We hunt in thick trees; therefore, I believe in shooting them until they die. (most shots are under 80 yards, but they are often moving)
I have seen too many animals lost where some cocky hunter puts one bullet in the elk and then puts his rifle on his shoulder and waits for it to die.

PS: I carry a 30-06 with 165 or 180 grain bonded bullets. But this year I will also try out my new DPMS AP4 .308 with 180 grain Core-Lokts.
 
How much ammo when hunting? How many come in the box?:D

Deer hunting, at least one full reload for each gun. More if I'm not too concerned with the weight (size, distance to be covered, and how).

Overnighting? Camping longer? Then 2 boxes. One with personal gear, and one with the camp gear. That way, worst comes to worst, you ought to still have one box left.

on the other hand, if I'm varminting, it might be a couple hundred rounds!:D
 
2 boxes in the gun case. (one is typically full the other partially used). Loaded mag and 5 or so in the pocket or back pack. I can only harvest a couple to a few each season, since I don't typically miss, extra ammo is just dead weight. Although one year I did bag 4 does one day and had to reload. Most days the gun has the same number of rounds in the evening as it did in the morning. On a good day it has one less and I'm sweaty from dragging.


I also will buy 5-6 boxes of ammo I like all from the EXACT same lot number. Less potential for variation that way.
 
For a days walk in the woods any gun I have has one magazine or cylinder loaded. If I use my single shot I have one in the chamber and 2 in my pocket. If the gun is a 22 I have a box of 50 in my pocket minus however many it took to load that particular gun.
 
I take 30 handloads on the trip- sight-in takes 3 to 6, another dozen just for practice...... 8 in the ammo band on the stock, 4 in the mag. Usually fill 2 permits, and return with 10 to 12 rounds.
 
Oh, and I usually carry a .357, too. Just the 6 rounds in the gun..... there are mountain lions whre I hunt, and getting a scoped 24"barreled rifle around on a cat that has you by the back of the head might be .... difficult.
 
Kind of scary to see how many guys don't carry enough ammo!:confused: It must be different in the dense eastern woods than it is out here in the open.

I have lost track of the number of eastern hunters (and at least 2 from CA and 1 from WA) have come out west to go on guided hunts and managed to cripple a deer or elk and run out of ammo.. Pretty easy to burn through a lot of ammo if a wounded critter heads for the open country... You should at least try and get another bullet in the animal for as long as you can see it.

Other times guys will put their entire box of extra ammo in there pack and forget to zip it after lunch.. DON"T put all your eggs in one basket!

Most extra ammo is not needed..but chances are if you need more than 2..you will probly need/be able to use 15 or 20.

60 is more like the minimum for any away-from-home hunt..this allows for one box in camp, one box on your person, and that other box you "just can't seem to find":D...and if your horse falls on, or your buddy backs over you rifle, it is nice to have some extas to site you gun back in too.
 
I'm either paranoid, overprepared, or both!
I hunt with a .450 Marlin and use Hornady Leverevolution rounds. Most of my part of NY is shotgun only, so if I run out there is a good chance I'll have to use my backup gun since the ammo is hard to find locally.
I keep at least 4 boxes in with my hunting gear at camp.
4 rounds in the gun, 4 rounds in an easy access pocket for a reload, 10 more rounds in my backpack.
 
Usually leave the truck with 5 rounds, 3 in the gun and 1 in each front pocket.

And the only time I ever used it all was from a treestand while using a Contender pistol ( Single shot!). And NO, I am not going to explain or defend........simply say thank goodness my buddy had his shotgun.
 
I pack a total of 20 with me when I am out in the field. Along with matches in a waterproof container, canteen, small flashlight, "thermal" blanket, hunting knife and first aid kit. Ive seen more than one person in my lifetime who didnt make it back to camp before it got to dark and had to spend the night in the woods without anything. Some of the best advice I ever heard was the old Boy Scout motto: "Be Prepared"!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top