late start...want to learn...

N

Nimitz87

New member
I turn 18 in about a week and want to go deer hunting...thing is NONE of my family really hunts....anymore.

how can one learn ?

my dad hunted as a kid my age and younger and said he would take me but he hasnt gone hunting since he was 17...

what type of rifle would one use for whitetail in Fl?

a 30-30? i have a older winchester 30-30.

thats about it as far as rifles go...

would a model 94 30-30 be a good deer gun?

if not what would one want to use?...

any advice on this is greatly appreciated...just wish i did it sooner.
 
The 30-30 is a great deer rifle. I would guess more deer have been harvested by a 30-30 than any other caliber. As far as learning to deer hunt go to the woods and enjoy. I'm a sportman and love the outdoors, getting a deer or other animal is secondary. However, ask questions like you did and find someone else that hunts in your area. I've never hunted in Florida so can't help you there.
 
will do...thanks

and i love the outdoors as well, i fish, hike etc. just never have been hunting...so i understand where you come from :cool:
 
First off, with hunting, the biggest thing you can do to prepare is to become proficient in your choice of gun. Make sure you can place each and every shot you make at a pie plate (8" diameter) set a 100 yards. Practice shooting from all positions (seated on ground, prone, standing, etc.)

Learn good shot placement for dear. (There are a bunch of websites about this....google for "Deer shot placement".)

Learn how to sit very quietly for long period of time. Or if brush hunting learn to move quietly. (When sitting a good measure if your being quiet is to watch the squirrels and when they start moving around again your being quiet enough.)

Learn the area where your hunting and what the game your hunting does during the early morning or evening hours when they are feeding. Knowing where they are and how they move around is a good start to having a successful hunt.

Remember, you want to kill on the first shot cleanly and humanly.

If you haven't already, go take your state's Hunter Safety course. Here in VA it's a mandatory course to get your license but I don't know about in FL. It's also a good way to network with other hunters to find a buddy to go out with or just chat with them to find out where the good places to go are.

Your choice of a .30-30 is a good one....as a previous person stated the .30-30 has probably taken down more deer than any other caliber out there.
 
wyrdone thank you for such an informative reply!

i have taken the hunter course before...when i was 13 or so but i plan to take it again.

ditto on the pratice tis only common sense ;)

now let me be devil's advocate...

if not the 30-30 then what else?

this may not be a "deer only gun" deer, hog, and maybe other stuff if i ever get the chance to go on trips out of the state.

so out of these calibers what would be ya'lls choice for mainly deer...

30-30, 30-06 Spfld, .308 win mag., or 300 ultra mag?

i dont reload...so pricing would have to be "econmical"....

Thanks

Chad
 
where in FL? I just finished the rifle season (unsucessfully) and am looking foward to the muzzleloader season. A muzzleloader would be cheaper, you can hunt more, it is fun, and it has a big bullet. As for a conventional rifle, Mine is a sig shr970 in 30-06, (my preference in caliber). Around here where I hunt though a shotgun would be just as practible as any other weapon. IT is definatly personal preference. Probably gonna be influenced by other peoples guns too, so find someone with a range of rifles from .243 to .358 and see wich one you like.
Happy Hunting
 
well i just moved to broward county :( which is alot further from north/central fl then i was in tampa...but i have family up there so somewhere around ocala and pasco county...or up near the panhandle where my uncle lives.
 
Other calibers....for rifle I would say .30-06 or .308 as both as very common rounds with a lot of different loads for them.

I hear you on economics... .30-30 rounds aren't exactly cheap. (they average about 0.50 per round for common loads)

I also hunt with Black powder. A good modern inline (I prefer 209 shotshell primer based) is just as accurate as a modern rifle and a heck of a lot cheaper to shoot. Besides it gives the game a better sporting chance. And with a 250-300gr bullet & 100-120grain powder load you can take game out to about 120 yards. (I like the CVA "PowerBelt" Ballistic tip hollowpoint rounds.)

Though there is something to say with using a more traditional muzzle loader (Like the St. Louis Hawken model) for the "fun" of it.....my friends love going to the range and shooting BP with me.

I also hunt on occasion with several Milsurplus rifles. (My Mosin Nagant I would feel comfortable hunting just about anything in North America. The 7.62x54R is a great round. And my Yugo SKS I would feel ok taking deer with.) Milsurp guns can be gotten very cheap at gun shows, though you have to know what to look for and what are good prices (I got my Mosin for $79 and my SKS for $130 (mint unissued condition).) I can reliably do 2" groups at 100 yards with the Mosin and SKS.
 
Late start - lol - I didn't start hunting (seriously) till my early 30s. You've got plenty o time to become a highly skilled hunter. Get your lifetime license NOW if you can - that will save you some money over the long haul. You need to find a mentor - someone who can show you and teach you and take you. Either at work or join a gun club - that's a good place to meet hunters for sure - then strike up a conversation about someone's guns at the range, see where it leads....good luck!
 
getting a late start myself

Nimitz87,

Im getting a late start myself. Heck Im 35. Please let me know any information you get. Im looking forward to hunting this year myself. Not really sure if I want to hunt deer yet as Ive heard the deer in my home state of nevada isnt quite as tasty as in other states but am anxious to find something tasty in my area. I myself am retaking my hunters safety course this month so youre not alone.

EricN
 
Most Florida hunting is fairly short range; 50 to 150 yards, generally. So, any cartridge in the .30-30 class will do just fine.

Scope? IMO, a Weaver K4 is as practical as anything.

If you have a .22, work with eye-finger coordination, offhand and/or with some sort of informal rest. Shooting from the bench does little for skill in shooting when hunting. It's nice if one's .22 is of the same style as the centerfire, but not necessary; the skills carry over quite readily.

Use any vacation time during the year to learn the country wherein you'll hunt. It's good to get a feel for where the deer are, rather than set up to hunt where they aren't. :)

Art
 
You might check out the post from fignozzle on 1-27-05. It was a lot of info and I think it might help you out a little....... and yes I think the 30-30 is a great deer gun with respect to ballistics. I call it a great 100 yard rifle. More can be extracted from it but a good generalization from me....(just an opinion) great 100 yard gun........ Good Luck, practice, and get a buddy to help you out...... :)
 
i think what you should do is go out into the woods and scout out the deer. get to know your game and youll have a 100 times more success. as for another caliber the .30-30 is a good one but for a little more reach and to be able to use better bullets you should look in to a .243 or a .270. a .243 is a good deer/varmint gun. the .270 is more versatile but the tradeoffs include a larger heavier gun(long action) and more kick. the .243 should be loaded up with 100 grain nosler partitions to make it really effective on deer if loaded properly the .243 is a superb deer round
 
I'm sure that some experienced hunters in your area knew of your desire to learn they would be more than eager to help you out. Just deal square, exercise safety and I'm sure someone would be more than helpful with you. That link M77 posted would be a good start.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top