New convert to revolver hunting

[44man]

I had my friend Don up to shoot. I started him with the .500 JRH at 100 yards off the bench until he hit water bottles. I gave him the SBH, .44 and he fell in love. I put bottles at deer distances and he hit them off hand. I told him he could use any of my guns.
He is sick of deer damage from his .270.
He is going to save money for a SBH Hunter.
He hunts with me every year and watches me rack and stack deer. He is a good shot and should do good.

[Blackwater]

Great job, 44man. Seeing the look in a fellow's eyes when he discovers what really CAN be done with a revolver is SO satisfying, isn't it? I've only done it a few times. Most people just can't let themselves believe a good man with a pistol can literally outshoot the "average hunter" with a rifle, but it's true, nevertheless. I'm increasingly concerned with the low level of proficiency most people have with their guns, and it seems to sometimes even be a mindset that they don't want to "stand out" or "offend" anyone by outshooting them. This I just don't understand. I've always sought out shooting partners that were better than I was. This helped ME get better! It just seems such a no-brainer that I can't understand how people "think" the way they do. Of course, back in my baseball days, I used to swing for the fence, and that's not tacti-cool now, with so many $$$ at stake in each game in the pros. The whole concept of the word "sport" seems to have been lost, but I'll be darned if I can convince anyone of that! It once really DID mean something quite different than it seems to now. I guess that comes with gettin' old?

[44man]

He did have a light in his eyes. He did not expect it is so easy.
But you know the feeling too. Sitting there with a revolver makes you wonder what the hell you are doing. I still get it, but then it falls into place. It is a funny feeling when you wish you had a rifle. Then it works. I really look at the little gun myself. It is a weird feeling. You wish the revolver had a rifle stock.

[Thumbcocker]

Get into the thick stuff with the deer. You will never miss the rifle.

[DougGuy]

Get into the thick stuff with the deer. You will never miss the rifle.

^^ This is what I do. If it's really difficult getting in there especially with a tree stand strapped on your back, you will get deer. For many years I hunted Rockbridge County VA, right up the road from 44man's woods and I had found a tree that intersected several important trails, and I could get 24' up and be even with the steep bank going up, and I had a couple natural shooting lanes all the way to the top of the ridge, it was a picture perfect spot for a deer hunter. I called it the "honey tree."

I took them with muzzle loader from this tree, I took them with my .308 from this tree, but you know how I took the majority of them? With my 7 1/2" SBH, leaning over and shooting dang near straight down on them! I could have taken a BRICK up the tree with me and dropped it on them.

One memorable hunt I had gone to Hardee's and gotten breakfast and coffee, I put grape jelly on two sausage biscuits and stuck them in my knapsack. It laid on the ground while I climbed the tree with the climber, then I would pull it up with the rope I tied to it. Well, along about 10am here comes a gnarly looking 6pt, he walked up to the base of the tree, sniffed where my biscuits had been laying, he walked a circle around the tree, sniffing, trying to find those grapes... He did 2-3 more walkabouts under that tree looking for them grapes when I took him with the SBH.

Moral of the story, if you got a good spot you certainly won't hurt it by leaving the essence of that Hardee's grape jelly near a shooting lane. Eau de processed food.. Works on hunters, works on deer too!

[Blackwater]

Ah! Yet ANOTHER "secret weapon!" I'd never have thought of grape jelly! Thanks for the tip! :bigsmyl2:

One buddy of mine swears by Old Spice Cologne. I wonder how they'd be together?

Seriously, many hunters think of deer as crafty, sly, calculating animals, when they're really (except for an occasional very large, old and experienced buck) just trying to stay warm, cozy and well fed. They do tend to have a bit of a sweet tooth, and their ability to detect aromas is legendary, though sometimes exaggerated. When hunting in or near highly populated and trafficed areas, it's amazing how unconcerned they can get about human scent. They'll take note of it, of course, but if it's not abnormal to be there, they just go about their business anyway, so long as they don't see or hear you. They can be amazing creatures, but mostly, they're just workaday rambling in search of what they need. That they tend to develop habits helps us a lot. I've only shot one deer with a pistol, and that was with a 10" .30 Herrett Contender. Did a great job, and caused MUCH more damage than I'd really expected to see. Nearly as much as a .270.

Any time people see what really CAN be done with a good revolver or single shot, they seem to be amazed, but when you can go out and show them how to do it themselves .... well, that REALLY makes their day .... AND mine, too! Awakening folks to what really CAN be done with a handgun isn't easy. You've just got to SHOW them! And then, TEACH them. That is really wehre it's at for us shooters!

[Thumbcocker]

I nailed a long head that came in with her two off spring at a lazered 42 yards sitting on the ground with my back against a white oak tree last December. I stopped her in an open spot with a squeak noise I make by inhaling through pursed lips. One 429421 HP cast of 50/50 ww and pure lead over 22.0 H110. 30 yard run and dropped. It was in a pretty thick spot in our woods. I had put in the time to know where the trails run and put up a few cameras. I feel that each piece of ground has it's own personality and there is no substitute for time spent to get to know the ground. Once you do that you will start to feel when a morning is "deery". And that is why I keep hunting when meat is in the stores because of the connection with a piece of ground and the big picture. I don't feel the least bit handicapped with a revolver.


FWIW

[44man]

My friend was up a tree I had to help in get into. He had animal crackers but knocked the box off the seat. A buck was under him eating them. Took an arrow.

[RobS]

My friend was up a tree I had to help in get into. He had animal crackers but knocked the box off the seat. A buck was under him eating them. Took an arrow.

Gheesh, animals eating animals during a hunt. You would think this story took place in Africa or something. Now if you had a few deer animal crackers...............

I love hearing stories that bring humor to hunting. :mrgreen:

[Sax.45]

I started using strictly hand guns for hunting bout 12yrs ago, Needed to put the excitement back into the hunt, I'll never go back to rifles, cept front stuffers. Really thick where I hunt, Lucky to get a shot past 45-50 yds. Usually from under the tree to about 20 or so yds.:bigsmyl2: The .44 or the .480 Ruger gets the job done.

[44man]

The red dots made it easy. I have killed deer on a full run or walking, never could with opens, just never got them in line. Many mornings I could not see the darn sights either.

[Groo]

Groo here
Many a shooter has been surprised at what can be done with a handgun.
" The barrel is too short". Compare a snub to an artillery piece , barrel length to range and
how close they hit, then tell me you can't hit nothing!

[35 Whelen]

Thanks for getting to him before he switched to a bow and started leaving the woods full of lost and decomposing deer!

[44man]

Thanks for getting to him before he switched to a bow and started leaving the woods full of lost and decomposing deer!
Will never match the rifle hunters around here. I find at least 10 when shroom hunting and have found a dozen on one property.