psychobily
New member
I like this one fer that
.454 Casull
How much ammo when hunting?
- Thread starter shafter
- Start date
I like this one fer that
.454 Casull
Good answers here. Kinda scary some guys only carry a couple shots. To be more specific, 7 in the gun and another full reload in my pockets. This is for the actual hunt. For the trip I take one or two boxes. Never know if I'll need to sight in or lend some to somebody else. Plenty of ammo in the local stores though.
Friend of mine had a very bad day...
... a few years ago, in NC.
Went deer hunting with a 7mmMag. Rifle held 3 rds, so he had 3rds with him in the rifle, and that was it. Probably would have been enough, but...
... he saw a deer. He sighted in, took his shot, and the deer went down.
As he was approaching the deer, he saw another one. He took a shot, and missed; he then fired his last round, but missed again. Second deer vanished. (I guess NC doesn't have a one a day limit; never hunted there, myself, and don't know - but I wouldn't have shot at the second one anyway; too much to drag home)
Well, you may have guessed it, but at this point, deer #1 staggers up to its feet. My friend now has a wounded buck, and no more bullets. Buck tries to run away, but it's in bad shape, and not getting anywhere quickly.
My friend does not want to let a wounded animal get away (we discussed that problem in conjunction with taking shot #3 at a then-running deer, and he conceded that had been a poor decision, but he was happy he'd missed) and so he chases the deer through an Appalachian forest, finally running it down in a stream.
He ends up tackling the deer, and killing it with a Buck knife. Bad day for my friend, miserable day for the deer.
If he had it to do again, he'd have:
1) brought spare ammo;
2) not tried for the second deer; and
3) not taken a low percentage shot on a running target.
... a few years ago, in NC.
Went deer hunting with a 7mmMag. Rifle held 3 rds, so he had 3rds with him in the rifle, and that was it. Probably would have been enough, but...
... he saw a deer. He sighted in, took his shot, and the deer went down.
As he was approaching the deer, he saw another one. He took a shot, and missed; he then fired his last round, but missed again. Second deer vanished. (I guess NC doesn't have a one a day limit; never hunted there, myself, and don't know - but I wouldn't have shot at the second one anyway; too much to drag home)
Well, you may have guessed it, but at this point, deer #1 staggers up to its feet. My friend now has a wounded buck, and no more bullets. Buck tries to run away, but it's in bad shape, and not getting anywhere quickly.
My friend does not want to let a wounded animal get away (we discussed that problem in conjunction with taking shot #3 at a then-running deer, and he conceded that had been a poor decision, but he was happy he'd missed) and so he chases the deer through an Appalachian forest, finally running it down in a stream.
He ends up tackling the deer, and killing it with a Buck knife. Bad day for my friend, miserable day for the deer.
If he had it to do again, he'd have:
1) brought spare ammo;
2) not tried for the second deer; and
3) not taken a low percentage shot on a running target.
skydiver3346
New member
How much ammo?
Well, the caliber of bullet doesn't make much difference if you can't make a good kill shot on the first bullet.
However, I do take a full box of ammo (20 rounds), plus a fully loaded magazine and extra mag with me on each hunt. The full box stays in my truck and have never needed more than 8-10 rounds before on any hunt (as I usually only shoot one animal at a time, deer or elk). I try and not make shots at running game. Bad news if you just wound the animal you are after.
Well, the caliber of bullet doesn't make much difference if you can't make a good kill shot on the first bullet.
However, I do take a full box of ammo (20 rounds), plus a fully loaded magazine and extra mag with me on each hunt. The full box stays in my truck and have never needed more than 8-10 rounds before on any hunt (as I usually only shoot one animal at a time, deer or elk). I try and not make shots at running game. Bad news if you just wound the animal you are after.
Kreyzhorse
New member
On an out of state trip, I'll take two or three boxes. If I'm deer hunting close to home, I'll take a box.
I usually take 5 or so extra rounds with me into the woods. I've never needed to reload but I'd rather have too many than not enough.
I usually take 5 or so extra rounds with me into the woods. I've never needed to reload but I'd rather have too many than not enough.
Goatwhiskers
New member
30/40AI Martini, 180 grn RN Hornady. One up the spout, one in my pocket. Have never needed the second. Goatwhiskers the Elder
If I am going out of state I will have 100 rounds of my handloads. By the house here hunting I usually carry about 20 rounds total.
I have seen guys run out of ammo shooting at animals too. Its not something I want to have happen to me. Ammo is not that heavy and a few extra rounds might be what saves your life. You may have to shoot to signal for help if you got hurt, there are a lot of reasons to carry some extra ammo and not too may reasons not to.
I have seen guys run out of ammo shooting at animals too. Its not something I want to have happen to me. Ammo is not that heavy and a few extra rounds might be what saves your life. You may have to shoot to signal for help if you got hurt, there are a lot of reasons to carry some extra ammo and not too may reasons not to.
Rifleman1776
New member
Modern rifle: my 30-06, five in rifle and five in belt pouch.
Traditional flintlock muzzle loader: one loaded and five patched balls in a loading block and way more powder than I'll need in horn. I now have a new, smaller, day horn to carry.
Traditional flintlock muzzle loader: one loaded and five patched balls in a loading block and way more powder than I'll need in horn. I now have a new, smaller, day horn to carry.
When I go deer hunting I take as many boxes ammo as I can. Its usaully about 5 to 10 boxes, I keep 3 in my pack and use one another to fill my gun and my pockets. But then again we shoot at alot of coyotes, rabbits, just anything we can legally shoot. Many a times I've supplied meat for the pot in camp.
spclPatrolGroup
New member
I used to bring a box of 20, load 5 in each clip, put the spare clip in my pocket, and leave the box with the remaining 10 in my truck, i've never run out, and have had years where I got 5 deer. But recently I have been bringing two boxes, mainly because every now and then my gun will fall from a post its leaning on, or something, and I will want to shoot a few to make sure I am still zero'd in.
Charles Ellis
New member
My usual ammo load is 4 in rifle and 8 more in the backpack held in a M1 clip.If I was going more than a few miles from home to hunt,I would put a 100 round MTM box of reloads in the truck,but would not go into the woods tith any more than I carry at home.(I also carry a small 38 spec. cal revolver tucked away neatly out of sight.)
Two of my daughters just completed a hunter safety class, and I sat in on the lectures..... this (setting a gun down where it may fall) was stressed as a "No-No", same as it was in 1980 when I took the class. It is a loss of muzzle control, and as such, is a safety violation. Do not do it.
To quote the instuctor, ".....in your hands, on a sling, in a rack, or in a case."
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
I never hunt more than 30 minutes from home and never more than over night at my father's camp.
As such, I might have 4 or 5 boxes of 12ga (20 rounds maybe) and this year maybe 20 rounds for my 7mm, but what I actually carry into the woods in never more than 10 rounds.
Varmint hunting, I usually have 20 rounds with me.
As such, I might have 4 or 5 boxes of 12ga (20 rounds maybe) and this year maybe 20 rounds for my 7mm, but what I actually carry into the woods in never more than 10 rounds.
Varmint hunting, I usually have 20 rounds with me.
I took 16 to Montana elk hunting week before last, having loaded 20 and taking four to zero. Fired one to make sure the rifle was still shooting where I wanted when there, and never fired another shot. Had the magazine full and the rest in a leather carrier on my belt. I figure if I can't kill an elk with 15 rounds I never will.
When deer hunting around home I take a full magazine and a couple of just in case rounds in my pocket, having no intention of shooting more than one deer a day.
I think I have fired 7 rounds and 3 arrows elk hunting over the last 25 years. Quite a few more deer hunting, but never over 4 or 5 rounds a year.
Two me, taking a bunch of ammo hunting is just extra weight.
When deer hunting around home I take a full magazine and a couple of just in case rounds in my pocket, having no intention of shooting more than one deer a day.
I think I have fired 7 rounds and 3 arrows elk hunting over the last 25 years. Quite a few more deer hunting, but never over 4 or 5 rounds a year.
Two me, taking a bunch of ammo hunting is just extra weight.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
See? That's why I hate you people.
I can only dream of having so many willing targets.200 rounds would last me 5 years of woodchuck hunting. If I had 5 good years.
tcox4freedom
New member
It depends where I'm going AND what I'm hunting.
I usually carry enough for my "limit" and a couple of back-up rounds.
If I'm going "outback" or on an extended trip, I also carry an extra firearm and extra ammo JICSHTF when out & about. (Of course, my PCW is always with me.)
I usually carry enough for my "limit" and a couple of back-up rounds.
If I'm going "outback" or on an extended trip, I also carry an extra firearm and extra ammo JICSHTF when out & about. (Of course, my PCW is always with me.)