Hunting with varmint barreled rifle?

[yobuck]

Not to get this off topic but I have to ask. Is there really groups of hunters or a way of hunting where you share a rifle? I just can't wrap my head around that as I only hunt thick woods when rifle hunting.

Yes there is, to answer your question. First off, realize that when you really think about it, all types of hunting as its commonly referred to, is a 2 stage event.
There is the actual hunting part, in which a variety of methods can be used in order to find the game were actually looking for.
And there is the shooting or killing part which is usually breifly defined as to type of weapon such as a bow or a rifle.
Some prefer to hunt from an elevated position like a tree stand with either a bow or a rifle. In some places a 50 or 100 yard shot might be maximum distance.
But there are also places where long and even extremly long shots are possible. And thats true even in the eastern half of the country.
Problem is finding game at those distances poses a whole different set of problems.
And the type of equiptment needed for the hunting or finding part would become a very important part of the equiptment.
If 4 hunters hunting as a group together from the same location find a deer at a long distance, how many guns among them are needed to kill it?
As a rule the one actually finding it gets first dibs on the shot. He off coarse could pass it off to someone else if he chooses.
Its one of those things you need to see and experience first hand in order to fully understand the concept. Lots of speculation about it, much of which is wrong.
Its for sure it isnt for everybody, which is fine and why ive never owned a bow or sat in a tree stand.

[67tundra]

I've taken my 26" heavy barreled 22-250 deer hunting. But only when I had to walk a couple hundred yards then get in the box blind. I only took it because I wanted to shoot a Deer with it. Definitely not my go to deer rifle.

[2scars]

Yeah that is more the style we end up with, ride the atv, then walk maybe a few hundred yards to half a mile and get in the box.

[huntin1]

I have been hunting deer with my heavy barreled 10FP for over 15 years. I've packed it in the mountains of Montana as well as the badlands of North Dakota and the prairie hills around home. It works for me, and I wouldn't use anything else.

[Wino]

I hunt yotes with my 12FV 26" heavy barrel in .223. I got this rifle to shoot p-dogs and jack rabbits with my friend, who had ( at the time of purchase) access to some property in north east AZ. Now he does not. So now I use it when coyote hunting in the desert of SoCal. If I had a vehicle with 4wd and could drive in to my spots I'd be happy with it. But I don't. Usually I'm hoofing it in and cover about 7 miles round trip. My shoulder starts hurting about half way back to my car every time. The next day I'm sore and some times I'll have a head ache all the next day from the tension in my shoulders. Luckily my wife is a seamstresses and help make a few addition to my backpack so I can carry the rifle down the center of it and distribute the wieght.I like this rifle a lot. Tact driver out of the box. But as soon as I can afford it I'm either going to get a lighter rifle in 22-250 or re-barrel it. Wino

[foxx]

I hunt yotes with my 12FV 26" heavy barrel in .223. I got this rifle to shoot p-dogs and jack rabbits with my friend, who had ( at the time of purchase) access to some property in north east AZ. Now he does not. So now I use it when coyote hunting in the desert of SoCal. If I had a vehicle with 4wd and could drive in to my spots I'd be happy with it. But I don't. Usually I'm hoofing it in and cover about 7 miles round trip. My shoulder starts hurting about half way back to my car every time. The next day I'm sore and some times I'll have a head ache all the next day from the tension in my shoulders. Luckily my wife is a seamstresses and help make a few addition to my backpack so I can carry the rifle down the center of it and distribute the wieght.I like this rifle a lot. Tact driver out of the box. But as soon as I can afford it I'm either going to get a lighter rifle in 22-250 or re-barrel it. Wino

So, would you use your varmint rifle for DEER hunting or recommend anyone else do so? How might it help you be more successful tagging a deer if you were able to leave it in your blind and not need to actually carry it to and fro?

[Wino]

I hunt deer out here (San Diego) in a spot and stalk method. With my .308 sporter. Lots of hiking up and down hills and cayons. I would not even think of using a varmiter or bull barrel for this type of hunting. But, the one time I hunted whitetails from a blind in Texas, I would have used it. It was a short walk to the blind. So I guess my answer is...it depends on how far I'm walking with it. Also...it won't make me more successful. Its gonna be just a one shot deal. Barrels not gonna heat up. Im not gonna make some insanely long shot with it. For my ability, under 300 yards.
Wino

[foxx]

^^^yep, my thoughts exactly.

[Lbass]

I personally like a smaller profile for hunting in 24-26 inch range, If the barrel is shorter I like the profile a little heavier. It's more of a balance issue to me and if I can get the balance I want without packing a lot of extra weight, it makes things more enjoyable.

[DanSavage]

I have some sporter barrels for hunting, problem is I am to lazy to swap them over.:o

Dean

Same boat here! lol I thought about this some more and I realized that for me I feel more confident with a heavy stick, verse a light thin rig. The first year I hunted deer with my 10fp heavy barrel, I will admit that my arms hurt really bad after and during the hunt's. After that first year I have evolved and adapted to heavy guns and don't even notice the weight. However most of my hunting is still hunting usually covering 3-6 miles a day very slowly, my knee's have been giving out. At night at home I can't even walk up stairs at times I have to crawl. Terrible pain at the sides of the joint's. But after a goodnight's sleep the next day they are 100%. I haven't talked to a doctor yet, but I assume it's just from stretching the ligament's too much. I hunt like and Indian placing my foot down gently feeling for twigs or leave covered branches before I put my weight down.

[yobuck]

Same boat here! lol I thought about this some more and I realized that for me I feel more confident with a heavy stick, verse a light thin rig. The first year I hunted deer with my 10fp heavy barrel, I will admit that my arms hurt really bad after and during the hunt's. After that first year I have evolved and adapted to heavy guns and don't even notice the weight. However most of my hunting is still hunting usually covering 3-6 miles a day very slowly, my knee's have been giving out. At night at home I can't even walk up stairs at times I have to crawl. Terrible pain at the sides of the joint's. But after a goodnight's sleep the next day they are 100%. I haven't talked to a doctor yet, but I assume it's just from stretching the ligament's too much. I hunt like and Indian placing my foot down gently feeling for twigs or leave covered branches before I put my weight down.

Dan you are only beginning to realize whats happening to your body. A knee replacment will change lots of things with the way you hunt/shoot. And 2 knee replacments will have you off the ground completly. Sit behind a set of big tripod mounted glasses for a day and observe the indian stalkers and how deer react to them. It might, have an affect on your perception of what percentage of success is skill, and how much can be atributed (in some way) to luck.

[DanSavage]

Dan you are only beginning to realize whats happening to your body. A knee replacment will change lots of things with the way you hunt/shoot. And 2 knee replacments will have you off the ground completly. Sit behind a set of big tripod mounted glasses for a day and observe the indian stalkers and how deer react to them. It might, have an affect on your perception of what percentage of success is skill, and how much can be atributed (in some way) to luck.

Ah come on yobuck,, I could stalk a herd of deer in the woods and tackle one with my Rambo knife. Or sit in a tree about 10 foot up and wait for a deer to walk under and just fall out driving the Tanto knife through the spine. Then I'd need knee replacement.

[yobuck]

Ah come on yobuck,, I could stalk a herd of deer in the woods and tackle one with my Rambo knife. Or sit in a tree about 10 foot up and wait for a deer to walk under and just fall out driving the Tanto knife through the spine. Then I'd need knee replacement.

Well of coarse thats you, and it would have of coarse been me also in my younger days.
But im talking about all the other guys who only (think) their as talented as us.

[DanSavage]

LOL:cool:

[Nandy]

^^^^ There you go.

"...better accuracy (after) multiple shots." I believe your first 1 or 2 shots from a cold barrel should be just as accurate with a light sporter barrel as a heavy barrel.

I respectfully disagree. I have a sporter barrel in 30-06 that it is a submoa rifle, clover leaf, AFTER the second shot. Shot two is always about an inch to the left and lower. So I keep that rifle for short ranges (150 yrds max). For the rest of the hunts in the power line I take my varmint barrel with me and I have never had any more problems with it that I had walking with any other rifle. If the weight is so detrimental you probably need to get some more exercise or take vitamins... I am in no way fit and I have no problem doing my long walks with it. I do carry it on my shoulder while I hold the barrel with my hand as If I were carrying a stick. I do so much walking this way with it that my favorite jacket is wearing out on that exact spot.

[yobuck]

So its safe to assume then its your favorite gun for shootin between those d**ed wires? lol

[Nandy]

Sometimes I do wonder if there is some crazy soul that had at any time shot one of them high power lines....

[yobuck]

Sometimes I do wonder if there is some crazy soul that had at any time shot one of them high power lines....

Havent heard any incidents involving guns, and lots of it is done in the area we hunt. But the reserve jet jockeys fly those valleys we hunt also.
Sometime you can hear them coming and when they sail by below the ridgetops it sends a tingle down your spine. About 20 years back one of those
guys decided it might be fun to fly under those wires which were maybe 100' above the large stream below them. He didnt quite get it right and tore off his canopy and pulled the wires down with the tail.
He did luckily make it back about 150 or so air miles to the Willow Grove PA naval air station. Id bet his keys were impounded for awhile.
It did create quite a stir in the area closing the only road down for a time till repairs were made.

[foxx]

double post

[foxx]

I respectfully disagree. I have a sporter barrel in 30-06 that it is a submoa rifle, clover leaf, AFTER the second shot. Shot two is always about an inch to the left and lower. So I keep that rifle for short ranges (150 yrds max). For the rest of the hunts in the power line I take my varmint barrel with me and I have never had any more problems with it that I had walking with any other rifle. If the weight is so detrimental you probably need to get some more exercise or take vitamins... I am in no way fit and I have no problem doing my long walks with it. I do carry it on my shoulder while I hold the barrel with my hand as If I were carrying a stick. I do so much walking this way with it that my favorite jacket is wearing out on that exact spot.


Well, every gun is different, of course, but light sporter barrels SHOULD shoot a 1-2 shots with the same point of impact from a cold bore. So, like you, I suppose I would not choose to hunt with a sporter weight barrel if I could not rely on the second shot to be as accurate as the first.

Mine generally heat up pretty fast after that, however, and start to wander quite a bit., just as you say, Nandy. My A-bolt '06 will walk right off the paper at 100 yards, each shot going 1 inch further right after 3 shots. But that one is the worst of the bunch and the FIRST and SECOND shot certainly shoots the same POI from a cold bore. In my case, I don't figure I need more than 1 or 2 shots. The terrain and cover I hunt would NEVER allow me to shoot more than 2x in rapid succession anyhow.