Whats the best gun for hunting in the mnts of vt.?
02-13-2005, 05:26 PM
#11
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Rocky Top Tennessee
Posts: 683
RE: Whats the best gun for hunting in the mnts of vt.?
ORIGINAL: Rick James
I also hunt PA as well every year, and often times shoot 250+ yards there. I like the topend magnification, and 3x is enough on a leupold w/ 40mm objective to easily center on running deer at 25 yards.
Anything that will kill a deer in Vermont is good honestly, get the best deal you can find around that feels right, that is most important IMHO.
ORIGINAL: Slamfire
3x might be a bit much for pickin' up them deer you said jump up at your feet, and you sure don't need 9X for 200 yard shots, so why carry the weight? A 2x7 or better yet a 1.5x5or 6 would do just fine. As for the .270 you don't need it neither anything from a .250 Savage on up will do just fine. I like the .260 cause we got bears and hogs down here and I can shoot bullets heavy enough for deep penetration, a 7mm-08 would do the same thing.
3x might be a bit much for pickin' up them deer you said jump up at your feet, and you sure don't need 9X for 200 yard shots, so why carry the weight? A 2x7 or better yet a 1.5x5or 6 would do just fine. As for the .270 you don't need it neither anything from a .250 Savage on up will do just fine. I like the .260 cause we got bears and hogs down here and I can shoot bullets heavy enough for deep penetration, a 7mm-08 would do the same thing.
Anything that will kill a deer in Vermont is good honestly, get the best deal you can find around that feels right, that is most important IMHO.
Obvously, I don't know what you are looking at in Vermont, but I have hunted the west extensively, having lived out there for over 30 years. I never felt that more than 7X was required for actually shooting at game, but I have used binoculars and scopes with much higher magnification for evaluating individual animals.
02-13-2005, 07:01 PM
#12
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 129
RE: Whats the best gun for hunting in the mnts of vt.?
I also hunt the Rutland, Vt. area . I also hunt over the mountain in Rochester and Granville and , although the .270 is fine , I prefer my 30-06 because of the chance of encountering a good size black bear . I myself believe the -06 has a little more punch if needed ....I hav'ent hunted up there in a few years but I see , "from reading the Rutland Herald' , on 02-13-05 that the deer herd is in very bad trouble . Only a little over 5 thousand deer killed this year. Thats about half the normal kill. I've hunted Vermont well over 50 years now and never seen anything like this happen before . I know they have a bad yote' problem and some severe winters. Those two don't mix.
02-13-2005, 07:39 PM
#13
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 316
RE: Whats the best gun for hunting in the mnts of vt.?
I think any of these would be fine: 270, 7mm-08, 308 or 30-06. As far as bullet selection goes, I believe you should shoot heavy, solid construction bullets in case you get a chance at a moose.
02-13-2005, 07:51 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cornwall, Pa.
Posts: 1,720
RE: Whats the best gun for hunting in the mnts of vt.?
My favorite is a Remington 700 in 308 Win. At 200 yards and in you won't have to invest in a scope. Factory iron sights will be more then enough. Sight in a 200 and your good from 50 to 300 yards.
02-14-2005, 06:34 AM
#16
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location:
Posts: 185
RE: Whats the best gun for hunting in the mnts of vt.?
Love the caliber discussions. There have been some great discussions on some great calibers. Several of the guns I own and purchased for the reasons previously stated. I have a .270 winchester with a 3x9x32. This I consider my powerline, orchard, open area rifle. It is only scope mounted with no sights on it. I have my .308 rem semi carbine with a 3x9 on top with over and under sights. My I am not sure where I am going gun. If I start out the day in thick cover I have the over under sights to use and the short carbine to carry through the thick stuff. Then if nothings happening I can sit on a power line up high and plink them at 200 yds if need be. I have my 12ga slug gun with a 1.75x4 on it for shotgun only areas. Then I have my Mossberg 500 with bird and muzzleloading barrels to round out the current hunting guns. Oh almost forgot the single shot 20 ga for the little ones as they grow into the sport.
Many great suggestions here. Word of advice don't limit yourself to powerline shooting when choosing a rifle unless you will never do anything else. I would look for an allaround rifle set up for anything Vermont has to offer. I prefer the .308 with a scope and over and under sights. Use the scope on the lines and if it is to thick or close to pick 'em up in the scope use the sights. Practice with whatever you get and make sure in the shop you spend plenty of time bringing them all up to shoulder and see which feels the most natural. >308, .270, 30-.06 7 mm. they will all do the trick for all game animals in VT.
Many great suggestions here. Word of advice don't limit yourself to powerline shooting when choosing a rifle unless you will never do anything else. I would look for an allaround rifle set up for anything Vermont has to offer. I prefer the .308 with a scope and over and under sights. Use the scope on the lines and if it is to thick or close to pick 'em up in the scope use the sights. Practice with whatever you get and make sure in the shop you spend plenty of time bringing them all up to shoulder and see which feels the most natural. >308, .270, 30-.06 7 mm. they will all do the trick for all game animals in VT.
02-14-2005, 07:07 AM
#17
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 57
RE: Whats the best gun for hunting in the mnts of vt.?
thx guys i am 14 6''1 and 200lbs i am not looking for moose there isnt a open seaon where i am at u need to put in for a raffle but i am mostly looking for big deer and black bear so thank you i am looking for more ideas though so keep them coming thxz
02-14-2005, 07:14 AM
#18
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 57
RE: Whats the best gun for hunting in the mnts of vt.?
ORIGINAL: JOE-BEEF
Thats about half the normal kill. I've hunted Vermont well over 50 years now and never seen anything like this happen before . I know they have a bad yote' problem and some severe winters. Those two don't mix.
get a crack at a big boy our property but all i saw this year was skrawny lil does and a half starved spike the moose are out of control if u guys want a once in a lifetime hunt for monsterous moose enter the raffle held annualy i promas u wont forget it
Thx,
matt
p.s enter the raffle huge and lots of moose we need an open season for them they are out of control
02-15-2005, 02:02 PM
#19
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 129
RE: Whats the best gun for hunting in the mnts of vt.?
What part of Vermont do you hunt Matt. I think i will jump over to Vt.'s web site to see which counties are allowing moose hunting . I sure would like to get one. I would'nt care if all i got was a cow tag . Theres nothing better than moose meat in my opinion .
02-15-2005, 02:12 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 4,679
RE: Whats the best gun for hunting in the mnts of vt.?
ORIGINAL: JOE-BEEF
What part of Vermont do you hunt Matt. I think i will jump over to Vt.'s web site to see which counties are allowing moose hunting . I sure would like to get one. I would'nt care if all i got was a cow tag . Theres nothing better than moose meat in my opinion .
What part of Vermont do you hunt Matt. I think i will jump over to Vt.'s web site to see which counties are allowing moose hunting . I sure would like to get one. I would'nt care if all i got was a cow tag . Theres nothing better than moose meat in my opinion .