I have been invited to go deer hunting
Warbirds
Member Posts: 16,923 ✭✭✭✭
Been invited to go with my brother and a group of his Army buddies to go deer hunting in Missouri this November.
So fly up from Florida spend 3 nights up there and fly home the 4th day.
I think these guys are pretty hardcore hunters.
I would be glad to accept the invitation but I am a but hesitant as I don’t want me being a novice and learning as I go to take away from their actual vacation.
So looking for Etiquette or things I may not know that I should if decide to go.
For example, I would like to use this as a reason to build a pistol in 460 Rowland. If everyone else is hunting with a rifle, would it be bad taste to bring a pistol.
From what I am told this is heavily wooded area and most shots are inside 100 yards, if not 50.
Or perhaps bring a rifle & build and bring the pistol anyway then get a feel for what’s appropriate? To build a 460 Rowland I’d probably spend around $2K so if it’s not gonna get used, I would just assume not spend the money.
Comments
Unless you get proficient with said pistol don't take it. If you are they won't care either way. We have to wear orange in Illinois, so don't shoot at an "orange deer."🤐 if orange is required. I shoot out of ground blinds rather than tree stands, don't like the falls that could happen at my age so inquire about that. Let them decide where to put you as to location. Don't take one of their "fav" spots. Enjoy the comradery with them during the non shooting hours. It can be fun.
when in Rome do as the Romans do
In our camp we always had/have at least one member that carried a pistol. Nobody cared what they chose to hunt with.
I carried a 44 mag for a season after a surgery and nobody cared about that either, other than the interest in the Colt.
Hunt with what you are the most comfortable with, and since you shoot in competition, I will assume you are proficient with most handguns.
I’m 73 years old and have been hunting around 60 years now, and I’m still learning. Most that have hunted for years enjoy helping others that are more novice learn. The weapon you choose will be up to you, but I would suggest you choose one that you are comfortable and proficient with. If you have never been deer hunting before, remember a running deer is very hard to hit and 9 out of 10 times you just wound it.
I would suggest GO and have a good time.
I say go on the trip and take a both a rifle and handgun you're comfortable with. After all, it's like my dad always said: "shooting a deer is great but we really go to shoot the breeze."
Have fun and happy hunting!
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
When I grew up in Missouri there were no deer to speak of. They have rebounded to an almost alarming degree. I have gone back and hunted several times. There is almost no public land in MO to hunt, so if you have the chance, by all means take it. If you are hunting farm land, and most outside the Ozarks is, the meat can almost be cut with a fork, because they are eating corn, soy beans and alfalfa. Shoot with whatever you have the most confidence in. I use a 7mag most of the time in NM, in Missouri, most of my shots were under 100 yards, some under 100 feet.
Go, have fun and bring whatever gun you're most comfortable with. Heck, if you're lucky, they might even take you on a snipe hunt.....
Bring beer, but not Bud Lite.
Save the hassle of flying with a firearm & borrow one. With such close shots you should still be on minute-of-deer and you won't have to worry about offending anyone with what you bring.
Bring the rifle and the pistol and the beer and the good times and no one will care what else went down.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Thanks for the perspective. I probably make a dozen flights a year with a fire arm and I’m certain I have flown at least 100 times with a firearm. So that’s one piece of the puzzle I am not worried about.
Its not unusual for me to fly at least once a month with my USPSA gun.
Take whatever you are proficient with. I usually hunt with a handgun, when I have close shots, like in thick hardwoods. When I went to Bethel Missouri, I took my S&W 41 mag, with an 8 3/8 barrel handgun. I'm very accurate with it. I also took my Winchester model 88 in 284. We had a 400 acre farm to hunt, Plus the neighbors 1,200 acre farm. I didn't see anything but one buck and a coyote the first two days. I went and hunted the game lands about a mile away. Deer were all over the place. The game commission even had plots for the deer. I met a warden out there and he showed me where to hunt. I ended up missing a nice 10 pointer. UGH> The deer are huge out there. some over 200+. Out of state license, are very small. Like the size of a stamp. I put it on my NJ license and put it on my back. Probably the best hunting trip I have ever had. The people are very nice out there and I want to go back some day. Bethel was up in the Northwest corner of the state, near Nebraska. I believe there is another Bethel, in the southeast corner too.
Whatever you do, just enjoy that beautiful state, the big deer and the great people you are about to meet.!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oak
The Missouri deer have heard you're coming to the state
Remember that your are going hunting, not killing. Big difference.
Enjoy the hunt.
GO....... Take both firearms. Whitetail hunting has been a passion of mine since I was old enough to get out there and do it. I have many times over the years taken novices out with me including my own sons, some co workers and friends. I always enjoyed those days in the field. I am sure they will have a place set up and ready for you.
The camaraderie and shared hunting experience is something I look forward to every year !
I say again... GO
Bring your handgun if you wish and borrow a rifle from one of the locals.
"I think these guys are pretty hardcore hunters."
If in fact, these are 'hardcore' they have multiple deer rifles and lending you one shouldn't be an issue. MO deer hunting covers a variety of scenarios from sitting in a blind(some are pretty cushy), to 'spot and stalk(ish)", to push and stand drive hunting.
"From what I am told this is heavily wooded area and most shots are inside 100 yards, if not 50."
You'll need to understand hunting in this close quarters requires noise and scent control for any hope of success especially if you're not in an enclosed blind.
We harvest a LOT of deer every year at ranges from 50' to 300+ yards in north MO. There are opportunities for a trophy buck if that's your desire but they're not hiding behind every bush. I wouldn't handicap myself with a 50 yard gun.
Whereabouts in MO, can you extend out another day and come by for a visit?
I'm down in Theodosia, MO.
Last year I hunted opening day with a Savage Axis in 270 Winchester. I had no luck. The following day I shot a nice buck with my 223 Windham AR15 in the late afternoon.
New guy etiquette : Do Not shoot the biggest deer that the locals have ever seen !
Yeah!!!! Heck! Don't hunt at all, just volunteer to be the groups chief camp cook and bottle washer!
I'll wager you'll get invited back every year! 😁
Bring them both if you are proficient with them.
My only other advice would be this, make sure before going out what deer is acceptable for harvesting at the camp.
Good luck and happy hunting!
So, What is the verdict Warbirds?
Leave the pistol. Not accurate enough at 100. Too complicated.
Bring a good rifle and make sure you are a good shot. Use a scope. Even in the thick brush of Missouri a scope is better than iron sights. 2-7 variable would be good. Two inch groups at 100. Because 2 inch groups at the range quickly turn in to 6 inch groups in the woods, what with moving targets, brush or twigs obstructing the shot, etc. The best way to not get invited back is to make a bad shot. Gut-shoot a nice six pointer, six guys search all day on a poor blood trail, and the deer cannot be found. You would have been better off to not have pulled the trigger.
You do that, and will be looking for a new place to hunt deer.
Go for the lung shot. Aim just behind the shoulder. You have a target about 10 inches by 10 inches, with a good rifle like the 30-06 always fatal, and leaves a good blood trail. The lung shot doesn't damage any meat.
I'm not even gonna try to tell you what to hunt with. I will try to tell you that you owe it to your quarry to kill it as quickly and cleanly as possible. Pick your shots carefully.
I've hunted all my life. 75% of the hunt was the comerodity. If you shot out it was an added bonus.
Depends. If an old friend invited me to come and hunt the back corner of his yard, I'd consider the comradery the valuable part of the hunt. On the other hand, I invited a couple of fairly good friends to accompany me on an elk hunt with an unknown outfitter 3 years ago. After spending $XXXX and driving xxxx miles, no one even saw an elk due to outfitter incompetency. Comradery sort of fell apart on the trip home.