How much ammo on a hunting trip?

pintail

pintail

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Dover, UK
I have a sweet problem, I live in UK and next fall I'm going on a hunting trip for driven boar.
If things go according to plan, over the course of the 4 days I should shoot around 10 rounds per day, on a bad day this will be 0 and on a redletter day who knows.
So my question is how many rounds would you take?
 
If you're expecting to expend a maximum of 10 Rounds a day and you're going to be there for 4 days I would take 48 rounds.

I don't know how ammunition is sold in the UK but the closest increment to 48 that you can buy it in is what I'd take
 
Based on your numbers.. 60.

That'd be 20 extra in case you have an issue, dropped rifle etc. and need to re-sight in. When I traveled overseas to hunt Germany and Austria (& AK), I also spread my ammo out in different bags.. just in case. I still do it when travelling stateside.

Check with whomever you're hunting with, some countries have established limits for import. IF possible I'd use something that can be bought locally.
 
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Take enough to sight in after arrival, a couple extra rounds in case your guide wanted to shoot your gun, and plan on twelve per hunting day just to be safe.

It’s not going to go stale when you open the box if you bring the overage back, or if you leave extra with your guide as a thank you (or for another hunter who loses his ammo in transit).

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

Stay safe.
 
Unless weight is really an issue, as in hiking miles over mountains or packing in to a spike camp, I take way more ammo than I think I would ever need. And if space and weight are not an issue? Why not take an extra couple boxes?

I’ve read more than a few times how hunters show up to guided hunts costing several thousand dollars with half a box of ammo…what?

For your situation, 60-80 rounds seems like minimum to me.
 
I like to take double what I think I'll need. I've never been hunting in a situation like that where that number of shots is a possibility. But it sounds like fun. Years ago, I was on some dove hunts where 100 rounds in a day weren't unheard of, but nothing close to that for bigger game.

My center fire hunting rifles hold 5 rounds. I load the mag and carry 5 spare rounds. The most I've ever fired in one day was 3 and I've done that only twice. But it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
 
Agreed, take double what you expect to shoot.

The 2nd dumbest mistake I have seen helping guide hunts is people showing up from all over the country, without enough ammo. What happens when you run out of ammo? You become the "Hey boy" for the other hunters who need help. "Hey boy, go back to the truck and bring back the cooler." "Hey boy, go help Jim drag the hog over."

The 1st dumbest are those that show up with a scope that doesn't have a verified zero and they don't bother to check until they take their first shot on their intended target and find that their shots aren't going where they expect..
 
I would take at least twice what I thought I might use. For that matter I would also take a second gun with twice as much ammo for it too if it was in another caliber.

ie Tomorrows opening day for deer here in Tennessee. I plan to hunt Saturday and Sunday and if I am lucky I will take one maybe two deer. I am taking two rifles with a four magazines each. That will be 24 rds for one gun and 30rds for the other.

You can never have too much ammo, unless you're drowning, or on fire.
 
As others have said, I'd take double what I thought I'd likely use. As you frame it, I'd take 60-80 rounds. You'll want to verify zero, perhaps more than once. If you're hunting with other guys, you might want to try each other's guns. Err on the safe side.
 
I would figure a 20 round box per day. That should be enough for verifying zero, misses and I'd you're lucky a really good day of shooting game
 
I have never needed more than one round to put a deer down but I'm allowed to have 10 rounds in the field with me & i'll have another mag with 10rds back at the truck, in case I drop & loose my mag.
I had a buddy drop his mag of ammo (I think he left it at home) & he had to sit out opening morning with a empty gun. LOL
Come on guys you are hunting, not going to war.
 
Thanks for your responses, I've done a little more research since I posted and my party is driving across europe through 4 countries and then back again and the most restrictive country limits each hunter to two guns with 100 rounds per gun, this is for the "easy permit" so I guess that will be 100 308 and 100 30/30.
One of the reasons we are driving over is because it costs nearly twice as much for a return journey per gun than it does for a full fare paying passenger to fly to our destination.
 
Considering your last message, I'd take the max of 2 guns and 100 rounds for each gun. I was thinking 100 rounds anyways, but that would be pretty light considering the possibility that you might make some friends and offer to let them try your guns. Any chance of meeting someone that offers you a few hours at their local range for some show and tell? Take the max.

I've never been on a cross country / multi country shooting trip, but I am daydreaming about going across the the US for a hunt with a friend. Our hunt will likely also consist of several days of non-hunting where we will want to do some impromptu target shooting, so I'm considering the question for myself as well.

Good luck on your hunt, and congratulations!
 
Minimum three boxes (60).

But pigs are generally tough, agile, and fast-moving targets.

Shots can turn into multiple shots.

I'd take five if you can bring back the rem.

Ammo is generally the least expensive part of the hunt, so running short is foolish.
 
When going out hunting nearby I take 4 in the gun and the remaining 6 in the plastic clip that comes in boxes of 20.

If I was traveling I'd take a few boxes just in case of sighting in issues etc but those would be with my gear not on me in the woods.
 
I don't know much about boar hunts or bag limits, it may be a few years before they migrate north far enough to become a problem that I need to be concerned with but I would bring the maximum allowed. 100 for the .308 and 50-100 for the 30-30. Won't you rest better and be less anxious on your trip knowing that you brought the max. Take the worry out of the equation altogether and just max out on the ammo.
 
pintail said:
I have a sweet problem, I live in UK and next fall I'm going on a hunting trip for driven boar.
If things go according to plan, over the course of the 4 days I should shoot around 10 rounds per day, on a bad day this will be 0 and on a redletter day who knows.
So my question is how many rounds would you take?
Click to expand...
What is the bag limit and how often do you miss your target?
 
Primarily we did driven hunts when i was growing up, so a fair portion of my experience and opinions are based on that.
Id take 60-100rnds, one rifle, two scopes. If two guns isn't an issue 60rnds for each....for me that would be plenty comfortable.

The only time ive ever exhausted my ammo we were doing eradication and i expended about 40rnds.
When i travel home to hunt I only take 20 rounds, but im only expecting to shoot 1-5 animals. I have come back with only 3rnds left, but that time i was effectively shooting for the other guys.
 
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