do not neglect selecting and prepping a backup gun.

[oldrevolverguy]

We spend a lot of money and often months of planning and preparation for "the big deer hunt" each fall and it still amazes me the number of hunters that only take one gun. Murphy loves hunting trips. I had a good friend who tripped his first day out on a three day hunt. He landed squarely on the scope firmly mounted on his 700 BDL 308. He did not have a backup to fall back to. The deer gods chose not to tempt him with a shot on that hunt. He went to the range sometime later and discovered he was not even on paper at 100 yards. This year he is prepping and taking two rifles just in case Murphy shows up again. Do not jeopardize the outcome of "the big deer hunt". Chose, prepare, and bring a backup rifle. I can assure you I am.

 

[jbkebert]

I caught a lot of flak for posting that I take two scopes with me. I had a buddy fall and break a scope and screwed his whole hunt. He was driving to town trying to find a new one, wasting ammo trying to sight in, and so on. I use Leupold QR rings and base and carry a second scope maybe not on me but back at base camp. It is already sighted in, just flip the two levers take the damaged scope off, drop new one in secure levers, and back to the field. I also carry a revolver in .357 or .44 to boot. Not a huge issue if I am hunting the acreage behind the house. If I am traveling and paying out of state prices darn right I've got one.

 

[wyohome]

Whenever I am hunting, even a few miles from home, I carry a .308 760 pump in a hardcase behind my pickup seat. It is a handy rifle that fits nearly everyone to some degree. Anyone in my party can grab it and know it will shoot 1.5 MOA, ammo and mags are in the case.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I always take two rifles. And one of them is Fionn MacCumhail, my 1939 Model 70 Winchester, which mounts a Redfield peep sight snuggled up against the rear scope mount base.

 

[chiggerbyt]

We have to pull a trailer with a four wheeler. The road is a mile of bumpy logging trails. I have been taking an extra rifle. Savage 340 bolt action 30/30, iron sights, and dead on at 100 yards. Perfect for Missouri woods hunting as a back up if needed. Anyone in the camp can use it. Haven't needed it in five years but you just never know. chig

 

[MCgunner]

I had a Simmons scope (POS, never again) go out on my 7 mag and cost me a doe. When I figured out it was the scope and not me, I had my old 722 Remington with its Bushnell glass as back up, took a doe the next day at 200 yards. Chambering is .257 Roberts. I have Weatherby glass on that 7 now and it's not given me a bit of trouble. I got it on a discontinued sell out for $150. It's better glass than the $200 Weaver on my .308 which I like. That Simmons Whitetail wound up on a .22. Maybe it can handle the recoil of a.22, has so far.

 

[rich636]

A few years back I lost the end cap on my 870 as I was putting the gun together before a dove hunt with some friends. I found that nothing's as un-fun as hunting without a gun. Now I bring my single shot 20GA and a couple boxes of ammo just in case.