After a lifetime of hunting deer w/a variety of weapons, I'm taking a handgun to the stand this year. I'll be using a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 mag w/a 240 gr hollowpoint. Anyone with any experience or suggestions??
I have taken my S&W 629 the stand a couple of times but never pulled the trigger...The only suggestion I have is just like any other weapon...PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!
The first year that Indiana allowed handguns, I let my BIL talk me into going out with him. We had actually finished our hunt and were walking out across the dam on the big lake, when a buck stood up in some brush down at the base of the dam.
It wheeled around and took off as he pulled his Taurus .357 out of its holster, open sights and all, took aim and fired. The buck jumped a fence, ran about 15 yards onto the neighbors place, and dropped over. Totally amazing, lucky shot.
Wrestling an 8 pointer over chest high woven wire, and up the backside of a weedy, brushy dam was no picnic. I haven't been deer hunting since.
Esshup will probably chime in here with an array of notches on the pistol grip, and Lord only knows what caliber.
Nope, not me! Rifle, muzzleloader, crossbow, slug gun. That's about it for deer for me. I DO have a Taurus Raging Bull in .480 Ruger that I carry when I'm using the muzzleloader for hogs tho.... Hey, JKB wanted to know what caliber!
I can shoot my bow in the kill zone at a greater distance than I can with my 357 S&W revolver, and with a better blood trail. My buddy took one on my place right below his stand (straight through the spine) with his Contender, but I do not know what cartridge he was using. It drpped in place.
One of my favorite ways to hunt is stalking with only my handgun.
Only do it if it's raining as I don't like sitting in the rain and it works great as your rifle doesn't get wet and the handgun can stay under cover unless you have a shot.
You really can move silently in the rain and without a long barrel to carry, you can keep a low profile. It is a very exciting way to hunt.
All that being said, I've never killed a deer this way. Had some questionable shots I didn't take...it seemed more exciting to see how close I could get.
Maybe this year. I use a 1911 that I'm confident with for an appropriate shot.
Esshup will probably chime in here with an array of notches on the pistol grip, and Lord only knows what caliber.
Nope, not me! Rifle, muzzleloader, crossbow, slug gun. That's about it for deer for me. I DO have a Taurus Raging Bull in .480 Ruger that I carry when I'm using the muzzleloader for hogs tho.... Hey, JKB wanted to know what caliber!
Is that one of those that just squirt the bullet out for maybe 50-100 feet or so, then it's all over the place? Dead kill at point blank tho, as the final nail! I almost bought one when Dawn to Dusk was around, but chose the RedHawk.
I take my Ruger Security Six in .357 Mag. 6" stainless along with me as bear protection and to put deer down that need a follow up shot at close range. I can shoot 3" groups at 25 yards with it, so I have been tempted to attempt to shoot a deer from up in my stand with it during firearms season. Never have though...
JKB, I'm not sure. I never really shot it for accuracy at a distance. I bought it from my buddy that has a .44Mag and he didn't like the recoil on the .480. I don't think it's bad, but I'm not a handgun shooter.
I use their rifle bullets, but am considering loading up some of their handgun line too. I check out some shooting forums and some of the members on those forums have had great success with the handgun bullets they have tested.
I picked up a Blackhawk in 44 mag this year and plan to take it with me during gun season - I have a H&R 12 magnum slugger with a bull barrel and scope for those 'reach out and touch' shots at a distance - I'm carrying the 44 mag for follow up and/or coup de grace shots.
Actually I'm carrying the 44 mag so I can say I carried a 44 mag really. I haven't taken a deer during gun season in several years...I'm a string and stick guy through and through and usually have the freezer full before gun season comes around.
It looks like they could do some damage though, judging from the gel picture. For this year, I'm using factory rounds, but next year I'll probably try hand loads. Hornady XTP's come highly recommended. I picked up this gun used (but you'd never know it) this summer for $500. I was happy with that, given its condition. Ammo is regularly available between $30 and $40/box.
I don't plan on taking anything unless it's right on top of me as I'm not comfortable w/my abilties beyond 30 yards. I used to coon hunt exclusively w/a revolver, but my eyes aren't what they used to be. I've let some pretty nice bucks walk right under me for the last few years and thought it might be pretty cool to take one w/a handgun.
Sparkplug, I'm w/you on the dragging part. I never had a 4-wheeler till a few years ago and dragged all my deer out by hand. It's a whole lotta fun hauling one up a steep, slimy river bank as well. Dragging them through backwater is a blast too. I'm afraid I'm not that ambitious anymore, but I don't plan on quitting any time soon.
I got my 4 wheelers about 15 years ago and they pretty well changed my life. They were stolen this year and I promptly replaced them. I rarely use anything else when I leave the house.
Oh yeah, I also gained 20 pounds that I'm still carrying around.
For me it was my tractor. Bought it about 8 or 9 years ago and now when hunting around the house or on neighbor's I just roll the deer into the front bucket and I'm set. Great for lifting it up to hang on the gambrel, too, but then I put a winch up in the rafters of the garage. Push the button and up they go. Keeps my back happy.
There are some other properties that my son and I hunt that are mountainous, so we still get to do plenty of back-breaking drags, especially when they're final run takes 'em down the wrong side of a ridge.
Lately been trying to convince my wife that she needs a 4-wheeler
All started 20 years ago when I first started hunting. My wife was pregnant with my first. I shot a very large bodied buck near dark (bow) but I could not find it. My wife found it the next morning very close to where it was shot (as it turns out, I am a poor tracker - My wife is not). She called me at work, so my buddy and me headed back to the farm. By the time I got home, she had it dressed and back to the house. we hung it up and returned to work. When I got home it was butchered. I have not done much after shooting a deer ever since. She does have a sister, but she would not be much help (mine is one of a kind). She does give me a lot of grief over this, and I do deserve it. Thirty years of marriage next April!
To the original question, I think knowing the individual bullet and how it will react is more important, after the gun is chose.
I carry a .357 and had it loaded with home defense loads. Had the opportunity to Finish an elk as such happens when elk hunting with friends. 3 rounds never broke the skin at point blank.
Used .38 specials and they worked great on a different friends hunt.
I once owned a Raging Bull Casual also!! that gun was awesome and very accurate. I carried it for bear spray in MT but in SD now and dont have many of those.
I've shot a lot of deer with handguns over the years (26?) and have used one exclusively many times. So far, just .44 mag - either Ruger Redhawk or S&W 629 PC v-comp. Got a S&W 69 Combat Magnum .44 and a S&W PC .460 Bone Collector this year. Not sure I'm even going to have time to go though and still have most of three deer in the freezer from last year.
I'm using a crossbow this year but don't know whether I'll stay with it once rifle season starts. The bow is accurate. I'm not and that bothers me. Practicing a lot in the back yard and think that, for the deers sake, I'm going to build a bipod.
My friend beat my distance record on my place with a Contender. Shot at zero feet straight down from the stand. My best was 12 feet from the ground (nice 10-point buck during rut with a .44 rifle). I am using a crossbow for the first time this year after shoulder surgery. I don't think I'll go back to my compound except when it is raining to protect the expensive crossbow. The crossbow is extremely accurate out to 50 yards if you know the distance. At 55 yards, windage can be severe. Took a doe on opening day with a well placed shot at 35 yards. The crossbow was flawless. It is just heavy and awkward to carry and hold in the stand compared with a compound bow. During gun, I carry my .44 rifle which is good to 100 yards and a pleasure to carry and shoot.
Hey, JKB wanted to know what caliber!
