I don't like handgun season. . .

[WardenWolf]

And I'm not saying this against the many skilled handgun hunters out there. But there's far more average Joe's who really should stick to rifles. And that's what annoys me.

Rifle season immediately follows handgun season, and the large numbers of poor handgunners often ruin it or make it much more difficult for the rifle shooters by getting too close and spooking the game, so by the time rifle season rolls around they're practically nowhere to be found. A shot from 100 yards doesn't scare the rest of the herd very much, but you can bet one up close and personal does. It is because of this, that I firmly believe handgun season should come after rifle season, and after all other forms of hunting. I see no reason to give it preferential treatment when it causes such obvious measurable harm to those who come after.

 

[KodiakBeer]

Wouldn't all those rifle hunters (since there are so many of them) spook the game and ruin it for the handgun hunters?

 

[WardenWolf]

Not necessarily. Keep in mind that handgunners try to sneak closer, and when they do get a shot, it's much closer to the herd. A rifle report at range will have short-term spookage that they'll quickly get over. A hunter at close range or one who's "made" by his quarry is going to make them wary for a much longer period. Just the nature of handgun hunting dramatically increases the chance that the whole herd will go into hiding.

 

[MCgunner]

Never heard of a special handgun season. Then again, we don't have a special muzzleloader season, either. What sort of rules? Scopes allowed? They consider a Contender a handgun? How about the XP type hand rifles? Bottle neck cartridges? Or, are you forced to use iron sights on a snubby? LOL I have taken seven whitetail with handguns. Longest shot was 90 yards. That Contender, if you have a solid, bench like rested position, will take deer past 200 yards. But, getting that solid rest is a challenge in the field.

 

[CoRoMo]

I wish we had a special handgun season here, and I wish it was at the tail end of September, right between the blackpowder season and the first rifle season.

In all my deer and elk hunting, I still don't think I've made a 100+ yard shot. I've taken elk and deer at handgun ranges, but I was always shooting a rifle. I've taken most of my elk in the 2nd rifle season, after they've been run ragged during the archery, blackpowder, and first rifle seasons. I always figure they'd be harder to find and approach after being hunted nonstop for so long, but I hike in the backcountry during the summer, before any hunting seasons open, and the elk seemingly act the same whether they're being continuously pursued or whether they're being left alone.

 

[WardenWolf]

They allow anything without a buttstock that meets power requirements, is the short answer. Anything the ATF would consider a pistol is considered a handgun for purposes of the hunt. Scopes allowed, the whole nine yards.

CoRoMo, you should try hunting things after a bunch of handgunners come in and screw it up. I was on a javelina hunt last year with my cousin, in an area he knew well. He knew where a couple of herds should be, but they were all in hiding. We had to hike way back in the boonies to find any. I took my shot from 100 yards with a .223 rifle. The rest of the herd scattered about 50 yards and went back to rooting. Shoot from that distance and they don't know what happened. Shoot a lot closer, coupled with them seeing / smelling you, and they'll run for the hills.

 

[CoRoMo]

If Colorado would add a special handgun season when I specified, I would probably stop rifle hunting all together. I'd rather hunt in September than October. I've never hunted javelina, but I should. The DoW doesn't even list them as a Colorado species. I only know that there is no place where a herd of elk should be, and we only hunt in the boonies.

 

[Gryffydd]

Just the nature of handgun hunting dramatically increases the chance that the whole herd will go into hiding.

I can just hear the deer talking to each other with Italian accents
"Wow, that was a close one! Time to go to the mattresses!"

 

[wankerjake]

What handgun season are you talking about exactly? There are no handgun seasons in AZ for big game except javelina which are handgun, archery, or muzzleloader hunts (HAM). At any rate, pigs are dumb and can't see worth a dern anyway so sneaking up on them isn't usually a chore, just get downwind and go. With a rifle there is no need to sneak up on them, shoot 'em where you see 'em. One doesn't exectly have to be stealthy to sneak within rifle range of a javelina. I can't imagine HAM hunters have all that big an impact on the general javelina season for these reasons. Also if the HAM season was after the rifle season (I believe the HAM hunts come first, which must be what you are referring to) they would get stirred up from the rifle season and make it all that more difficult to get into bow/handgun range.

 

[WardenWolf]

It's handgun hunting in general, when placed before rifle season. It's grossly unfair to anyone who comes after them because the handgun hunters specifically spook the game more than other methods of take.

 

[MCgunner]

Work the stalk right from down wind and you can take Javalina with a 4" .357. I got within 40 yards of a big boar in a group one year. They were down in a draw and I just bellied up to the edge of the draw.. I had a 7 mag with me, but wanted to try with my revolver. It wasn't real tough, though the meat was.

My .30-30 contender, if you can get a solid rest, that's the key, can take game to 200 yards. Of course, I always try to get closer, but it out-shoots a lot of hunting rifles that show up at the range when I'm playing with it. The unknowing are amazed at the 200 yard groups from the bench. Thanks to shooting a handload tipped with a Nosler 150 BT, it's still packin' near 1000 ft lbs at that range, too.

 

[Gryffydd]

pigs are dumb

That's a new one on me!
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=449721

 

[MCgunner]

Javelina ain't pigs, for one. They're not "dumb" don't think, just blind as a bat. Get up wind and see if they stick around. That's their primary sense.

 

[kanook]

Where are your stats for this?

It's grossly unfair to anyone who comes after them because the handgun hunters specifically spook the game more than other methods of take

You must really hate me, I hunt with a Ruger Old Army

 

[MCgunner]

You must really hate me, I hunt with a Ruger Old Army

You da MAN! Over the years I've been tempted to do that. I chronographed a full charge of 777 under a 220 Lee cast hollowpoint at 1300 fps. That's pretty danged nasty. I get under 1000 fps with Pyrodex. After trying the 777, I REALLY started thinkin' about it.

 

[Gryffydd]

Javelina ain't pigs, for one.

Good point!
Sometimes I really should slow down and read a little more carefully!

 

[wankerjake]

pigs are dumb

That's a new one on me!
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=449721

I was referring to the javelina as "pigs", which of course they are not. However, they are called "pigs" by most hunters in the state (AZ) due to their pig-like appearance. And as MCgunner said, it is their terrible eyesight that makes them seem dumb compared to other big game animals because they are easy to sneak up on, especially when you come from downwind.

It's handgun hunting in general, when placed before rifle season. It's grossly unfair to anyone who comes after them because the handgun hunters specifically spook the game more than other methods of take.

Well the only times that could potentially happen is during the HAM javelina hunts because those are the only hunts in the state that allow people to use handguns but not rifles. I guess I just disagree that handgun hunters spook game more than others. Are you mad at all the archery hunters spooking your javelina since many of the hunters will choose to use their bows instead of handguns? They have to get just as close to shoot their animals.
Animals still get spooked during rifle seasons too. When you shoot a javelina with a rifle, if the other animals don't run away immediately they sure as heck do when you go retrieve your animal. Loud noises plus people around will scare the animals, they can't tell whether they're being shot at with a rifle or a pistol. They don't care for it either way, I guarantee you that. Furthermore, since it is easier to get within rifle distance than it is handgun distance it seems much more "fair" to let the handgunners go first since they have a more difficult hunt. If one hunter has more to loose from spooked animals, it would be the handgun hunters. To me it makes perfect sense to put the HAM hunts before the rifle hunts.

 

[NelsErik]

WardenWolf

Rifle season immediately follows handgun season, and the large numbers of poor handgunners often ruin it or make it much more difficult for the rifle shooters by getting too close and spooking the game, so by the time rifle season rolls around they're practically nowhere to be found

Hmmm.... not trying to be inconsiderate or rude, but it sounds like you need to work on your hunting skills. You know you can order venison over the internet, they will deliver it to your door.

Czimer's Game and Seafoods

Heck, if you want you can buy AFRICAN LION MEAT if you want! This makes the hunt very, very easy...

 

[Grumulkin]

First of all, it wouldn't matter to me whether rifle or handgun season came first, last or together. Secondly, a rifle shooter shouldn't be intimidated by longer shots; if he is, he should get more practice. Lastly, I haven't found shooting so scare deer much. Several cases in point:

1. I shot a deer out of a herd with a 22-250 at a range of about 360 yards. The herd didn't depart the area until I approached to within about 100 yards.

2. I was shooting a 7mm/08 handgun from the bench at a target 100 yards down range. I had taken half a dozen shots when a doe came walking calmly out from behind the target back stop.

3. I had taken a long shot at a raccoon with a 300 Win. Mag. and missed. Five or 10 minutes later, out came a buck which I didn't miss.

By the way, a good handgun shooter with a scoped handgun can take a shot at ranges up to what many riflemen are comfortable with.

 

[hardluk1]

wa wa wa wardenwolf Become a more rounded hunter . Buy a bow and learn to use that and after you have masterd a bow you may have a different look at rifles A hundgun is just another skill to learn to extend a hunting season. In some states you have a season for every type of weapon. You can have a bow season followed by a shotgun, then BP then another bow season then a rifle/bp/ handgun. Would the fact that out side of the rut those older bucks ,and does can be much more of a challenge to hunt reguardless of what you useor what season it is and some hunting rules happen to take advantage of that. It can be planed that way. To easy to kill with a rifle at times. If you only hunt with a rifle you are missing so much and not giveing your self the chance to become a better hunter. Oh with you kill a deer with a bow and older does are in the same area if you don't think she would look at your location next time she comes into the area you have a lot to learn. Bows don't make hardly any noise. Then is all about your skill as a hunter.

 

[Mitch from LA]

You already have a tremendous advantage over handgun hunters, you have a rifle. I've never seen an animal get more spooked by a pistol report than a rifle report. The animals you seek are still there, you just have to scout harder to find them.

 

[MCgunner]

A hundgun is just another skill to learn to extend a hunting season

Actually, this is the first time I've EVER heard of a separate handgun season. Can't really extend any season with a handgun in most states. If I hunted Javelina in Aridzona, I'd sure as hell take the contender during that "HAM" season, though! I love handgunning game, small to large. I've used scoped .22s almost exclusively for squirrel hunting these last 20 years. Never take a .22 rifle hunting anymore. I even have handgunned rabbits.

I have hunted with MY handguns because I didn't think I could shoot a bow right handed with a dominant left eye. I can, not super great, but from 40 yards in I can hit. I ebayed an old Hoyt compound a couple years ago just to see. Didn't wanna waste 400 bucks on a bow and find out I couldn't see to shoot it. I'd shot recurves for years without sights, but didn't know if I could use sights.

Anyway, I went to handguns because rifles just got boring. Out to 400 yards, about any idiot can hit with a rifle. I don't have the kind of country where I can see more'n 150 yards anyway, so I took up the handguns. I'm a good long range handgun shot, practiced it a lot, even got into IHMSA for a while, so it was a natural for me. But, I never had a separate season for it, just used my handguns on my place during the regular gun season. We have a separate archery season and this season maybe I'll get to take advantage of that. We don't even have a separate black powder season, but I'm going to use my new inline this year. I have 3 fine hunting rifles and I don't know that I'll even pick one up this year. Rifle hunting has just sorta gotten boring.

 

[Rembrandt]

I often hear things like this from people who affix a lack of hunting success onto something other than themselves. There's some truth that hunting pressure affects animal behavior, but so does weather and moon phases. That's why hunters adapt to conditions and change tactics to achieve success.

 

[mbt2001]

I think the assumption made by the OP is erroneous.

Handgun season has nothing to do with spooking game. Most folks go tromping through the woods, smoking a cigar, after splashing on their aqua velva, singing / talking / whistling and are surprised when a deer doesn't approach them to be shot...

 

[ArmedBear]

If handgunners were all taking 100+ yard shots, the OP would be complaining about all the wounded deer...

Since when has it been considered BAD to stalk your game, and try to get close enough to make a good clean shot, instead of taking shots from distances beyond the limits of your weapon's practical field accuracy and ethical hunting?