Echo23TC
Member
Since I filled my "A" tag on opening day (3x4 whitetail @ 80 meters, 12 ga. 2 3/4" rifled slug out of a 20" 870, SGT open sights. In one side, out the other, didn't even ruin any meat.), I now have to make a fun decision. I have an antlerless whitetail tag for the same area, a mostly flat riverbottom that is weapon restricted to shotgun, "traditional" pistol, or muzzleloader only. It's a normal riverbottom, lots of overgrown areas but still plenty of places where ranges can get long. The decision I have to make is - shotty or pistol? I don't have a front stuffer, so that's out. I know the shotgun works since it's already put meat in the freezer, and I have a little better range with it.
The pistol setup would be my as-yet unbloodied Ruger Blackhawk 45 Colt, still wearing the factory sights, throwing a Hornady 250gr XTP @ ~1300 fps. I'm a bit less confident with this setup as I didn't get as much practice in with it as I'd wanted this summer, but I'm happy out to about 50 meters or so.
A little background on me here: I'm a rifle hunter looking to expand my horizons a little. When I was growing up and reading about shotgun hunting, it was always "back east", not in Montana; that's rifle huntin' country, kid. Shotguns are for birds, or peppering the dog that's been running your cows. That little buck was the first big game animal I've taken with a shotgun. Now that I know it works, I'm pretty happy with it. Oh, I knew it would work, but I didn't really KNOW it would, understand? In the same way, I've never shot a deer with a handgun. I know it will work, but...
Since I've already got deer in the freezer, I'm hunting gravy now. Anything extra is just that, extra. On the other hand, the idea here is to bring something home. If I just wanted to walk in the woods, I'd leave the guns behind.
So, given the above, what would YOU do? Mind you, I already know what I'm gonna do, but I'd like to hear from you guys, just to satisfy my curiousity.
The pistol setup would be my as-yet unbloodied Ruger Blackhawk 45 Colt, still wearing the factory sights, throwing a Hornady 250gr XTP @ ~1300 fps. I'm a bit less confident with this setup as I didn't get as much practice in with it as I'd wanted this summer, but I'm happy out to about 50 meters or so.
A little background on me here: I'm a rifle hunter looking to expand my horizons a little. When I was growing up and reading about shotgun hunting, it was always "back east", not in Montana; that's rifle huntin' country, kid. Shotguns are for birds, or peppering the dog that's been running your cows. That little buck was the first big game animal I've taken with a shotgun. Now that I know it works, I'm pretty happy with it. Oh, I knew it would work, but I didn't really KNOW it would, understand? In the same way, I've never shot a deer with a handgun. I know it will work, but...
Since I've already got deer in the freezer, I'm hunting gravy now. Anything extra is just that, extra. On the other hand, the idea here is to bring something home. If I just wanted to walk in the woods, I'd leave the guns behind.
So, given the above, what would YOU do? Mind you, I already know what I'm gonna do, but I'd like to hear from you guys, just to satisfy my curiousity.