Preferred setup for Louisiana deer hunting

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  • Gator 45/70

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    31   0   0
    Pearl River is very similar to where I hunt. I also know the Pearl River well because I too used to hunt there quite often.

    You should consider a scope regardless of the confidence level in that 30-30. Why, you ask? Because as stated, you should want to verify the sex (and age IMHO), of the deer BEFORE you shoot at it. Even if you are just going for meat, shot placement should be important.

    So, what I used to use as a religion was a BAR 30-06 with a nice, early edition Nikon scope (actually bought it when Nikon first started into hunting optics). My bullet preference was factory Winchester Super X in 130gr. It is/was a deer stacker. I was switching them off instantly with neck shots. Why, you ask? Least amount of blood and gore, and no meat carnage! But mostly for no busted gut bags. I can't stand messing with a deer with a busted gut bag, or shattered legs and bones.

    As you say for you, so for me; most shots less than 100yds.

    Last year I took it up a notch. Tikka T3x Stainless in .308, with a SIG Whiskey 5 and a can! Why, you ask? For even more precise shot placement.

    I have that thing shooting groups of 3 at 100yds where there are only 2 holes in the paper, sometimes 1 1/2. :p So my plan is to take out does at the Axis bone (on the spine) or C2. That's about 1-2 inches under the skull for you laymen. No muss! No fuss! No running!

    Some would say that is overkill for a simple deer rifle. I would say so too, but I am not simply deer hunting! I am killing!

    As for a buck that meets my criteria? Heart shot for the win! If he meets my criteria for killing, I ain't taking a chance! Call me crazy!

    Oh, that Tikka loves Federal Premium Big Game factory loads in......, you guessed it; 130gr.

    The 308 is an excellent skull caper!!
    Bang bang!
     

    Bigchillin83

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    94   0   1
    Feb 27, 2012
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    Livingston
    Roger that... it’s called a forward quartering shot... perfect entrance and line in front of shoulder through the vitals heart and lung and exit front stomach before the stomach cavity... lol.allows for a excellent blood trail even though all the deer takin subsonic never run more than 30 yards and just look around for the bee that stung them before they start doing the wobble dance as the factory empty’s the motive fluid :mamoru:

    ..
    Redleg, Redleg.......Ripper Bravo Two. Check your fire; Check your fire (on some of those deer)!

    :mamoru:
     
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    Bigchillin83

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    Feb 27, 2012
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    Those who hunt subsonic also know... not only can you eat up to the entrance and exit hole... you can eat it... lol *0* meat wasted!!!!


    45-70 405gr hard cast @1060fps will punch a 1* hole all the way through... I still don’t understand how a slow .45* bullet makes a 1* hole but I’m happy about it... doing some load testing this thing will shoot through a 1ft thick pine tree at 80 yards... and I have shoot a 7pt in the chest and came out the back end and went 2ft into the ground... this thing has some penetration lol
     

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    mike84z28

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    I use an H&R in 35 whelen for all now. Fitted with a boyd laminate thumbhole stock an a will's muzzle break it shoots dime groups at 100 yds.

    Were you able to do anything to improve the trigger on that H and R ? I have the same rifle and the trigger is terrible.
     

    Emperor

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    Mar 7, 2011
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    Nether region
    Those who hunt subsonic also know... not only can you eat up to the entrance and exit hole... you can eat it... lol *0* meat wasted!!!!


    45-70 405gr hard cast @1060fps will punch a 1* hole all the way through... I still don’t understand how a slow .45* bullet makes a 1* hole but I’m happy about it... doing some load testing this thing will shoot through a 1ft thick pine tree at 80 yards... and I have shoot a 7pt in the chest and came out the back end and went 2ft into the ground... this thing has some penetration lol

    I too am currently enjoying the "Primitive Arms" portion of deer season with a 45-70 Handi Rifle.

    It's about as primitive as my computer! :rofl:
     

    Blue Diamond

    sportsman
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    10   0   0
    Apr 12, 2014
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    Metairie, La.
    Were you able to do anything to improve the trigger on that H and R ? I have the same rifle and the trigger is terrible.

    Removed trigger group and I use an old piece of Arkansas stone to put a very high polish on the sear and all mating surfaces. Then just coat everything with never seize. My trigger breads at just under 2#
     

    JCcypress

    Gun Trust Lawyer
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    Jun 9, 2011
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    Baton Rouge, LA
    Cool thread! I'll play:

    • 2014 Tikka CTR in .308.
    I had the barrel cut back to 16" and installed the newer factory stock, which has a few more features and is more robust.
    • Can: AAC SDN6.
    • Nightforce 3-10 x 32mm with Griffin E-Tac rings.
    • Hornady 168 Grain Match ammo.



     
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    Emperor

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    Practicing what I preach last night! Almost picture perfect shot placement. Maybe a 1/2 inch too low.

    viewer.php
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    I love evening hunts, when it's cold enough overnight to leave them in the back of my truck so I don't have to mess with them till the next day!
    And you can do that if you don't bust the gut bag! ;)
     
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    Bangswitch

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    a location near you
    Practicing what I preach last night! Almost picture perfect shot placement. Maybe a 1/2 inch too low.

    viewer.php
    [/URL][/IMG]
    viewer.php
    [/URL][/IMG]

    I love evening hunts, when it's cold enough overnight to leave them in the back of my truck so I don't have to mess with them till the next day!
    And you can do that if you don't bust the gut bag! ;)

    I’m sure it’s superstition from years of doing things one way or another. But even when our high is low 40’s and we dip below freezing for hours over night I just can’t do it. If I left it out I would have to split it ass-sternum and pull the hide. I wouldn’t be able to help myself.
     

    snipehunter7

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    20   0   0
    Dec 31, 2016
    508
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    Franklinton, LA
    Stainless Tikka T3 in .270 Win with Nikon glass. It’s probably 10 years old. It’s got the smoothest action of any rifle I’ve ever shot and is accurate. It also seems to shoot softer than other .270s I’ve had/shot which is great.

    I loved hunting with my old .30-30, but don’t trust my eyes at a distance and didn’t feel right putting a scope on it.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    Emperor

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    Mar 7, 2011
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    I’m sure it’s superstition from years of doing things one way or another. But even when our high is low 40’s and we dip below freezing for hours over night I just can’t do it. If I left it out I would have to split it ass-sternum and pull the hide. I wouldn’t be able to help myself.

    To each his own, but the secret is the in tact guts. You can't (or at least you shouldn't), leave guts in the deer if ANY part of the alimentary system has been compromised. Bile, urine, and **** can really mess your meat up, and your day, if you eat contaminated meat.

    As a rule, I only do it over night, and only if I know the temps will be 40 degrees and below by 10:00 pm. BTW; just gutted her and her gut cavity is spotless!
     

    Bigchillin83

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    You wasted a perfectly good neck roast!!!! Lol nice shot man
    Practicing what I preach last night! Almost picture perfect shot placement. Maybe a 1/2 inch too low.

    viewer.php
    [/URL][/IMG]
    viewer.php
    [/URL][/IMG]

    I love evening hunts, when it's cold enough overnight to leave them in the back of my truck so I don't have to mess with them till the next day!
    And you can do that if you don't bust the gut bag! ;)

    - - - Updated - - -

    Much respect for the tikka ctr!!! Perfect weight... smooth action... and glass trigger!!!!
    Cool thread! I'll play:

    • 2014 Tikka CTR in .308.
    I had the barrel cut back to 16" and installed the newer factory stock, which has a few more features and is more robust.
    • Can: AAC SDN6.
    • Nightforce 3-10 x 32mm with Griffin E-Tac rings.
    • Hornady 168 Grain Match ammo.



     

    Emperor

    Seriously Misunderstood!
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    11   0   0
    Mar 7, 2011
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    You wasted a perfectly good neck roast!!!! Lol nice shot man

    That was child's play at 45 yards, but thanks anyway.

    I seriously can't wait to get that first doe with my Tikka setup. It seems a bit heavy with the can, but the can actually gives it some stability up front. It just feels badass when I hoist it to my shoulder and aim at something. Like I was meant to precisely kill deer with it! :dunno:

    If I get a shot where I have a rest of some sort, forget it!
     

    Bangswitch

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    Jan 10, 2019
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    a location near you
    You wasted a perfectly good neck roast!!!! Lol nice shot man
    Right :mamoru:

    I say that about the shoulders and the ribs too though. Got to hit them somewhere to get any of the meat. I shot low once and shattered both front legs at the chest and gave a doe a haircut on the sternum she bled out pretty quick so she wasn’t hard to find but I didn’t ruin hardly any meat worth fooling with on that one. I felt pretty bad cause she shoveled around on her hind legs. But she sure ate good.
     

    frhunter13

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    0   0   0
    Mar 28, 2018
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    New Orleans
    Any


    Nice thing about Louisiana is that just about any center fire rifle will do just fine. I have averaged the distance of over sixty taken to be 35 yards. You do want a high scope over viewable iron sights in my opinion. At close shots the scope will only hinder. Furthest was 250 yards with a 308. Closest was 5 feet with a 30-30 Win 94.
     
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    Stonehenge

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    0   0   0
    Nov 5, 2016
    110
    18
    Slaughter
    Marlin 336, 3x9x40 tasco and see through mounts from walmart shooting Hornady American Whitetail do me just fine out to 150, 200 with lever evolution. Of 40 or so deer with it I've only had to look for three of them that made it 30 yards without a heart.
     

    johnpaul

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    0   0   0
    Aug 23, 2016
    52
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    metairie,la
    You answered your own question my good man!In shooting and hunting use what you are good with.I hunt in Pearl River WMA exclusively now but hunted in other places that required long shots.I have 2 Remington 308 and an H&R 444 marlin for primitive plus a 12 guage crackbarrel for primitive.I love my rifles and I am pretty good with them,but you know what? In honey island,(Pearl river WMA) I am comfortable with good old fashioned buckshot..yeehaww !! LOL You are confident in that 30-30? Use it with confidence..my opinion
     

    jsquareo

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    Oct 23, 2019
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    New Orleans
    You answered your own question my good man!In shooting and hunting use what you are good with.I hunt in Pearl River WMA exclusively now but hunted in other places that required long shots.I have 2 Remington 308 and an H&R 444 marlin for primitive plus a 12 guage crackbarrel for primitive.I love my rifles and I am pretty good with them,but you know what? In honey island,(Pearl river WMA) I am comfortable with good old fashioned buckshot..yeehaww !! LOL You are confident in that 30-30? Use it with confidence..my opinion


    Good tip. Going with the Winchester 94.
     

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