What rifle do you carry in the woods all day?

[Macchina]

Be it hunting squirrels, deer, or bear, (or just wandering) what rifle do you find yourself carrying around the most? We talk about range guns and long distance hunting guns a lot, which leaves the woods guns for this thread.

For me it would be my 10-year-old Leopold-Scout-Scoped Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag. I bought the 20" version because it holds 10 rounds... I have to crank them all out before putting it in my Jeep so I usually end up only loading 6

(Very ironically this picture was taken in a tree stand)

 

[sauerOFkraut]

In western Kansas we do not have much woods. Walking around pastures though I carry a mossberg 100 atr in .308, with a vortex diamondback 3-9. Use it mainly for target practice while I walk around checking fence.

 

[wally247]

Most of the time it's either my 10/22 or Savage 17 HMR. Not much call for anything bigger around here. I just go for little critters when it isn't deer season.

 

[GBExpat]

Over the past 10 years that would be either my Marlin 1894 .44 that I acquired, used, at the ~1988 Medina, OH Gunshow (added a Williams 5D aperture rear sight) or the FAL "carbine" that I built (I cut down the barrel and opened the port a bit).

Those are the 2 that I have carried most often ... but I have a couple of M1 Carbines coming up fast on the outside.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Depends on the season. Squirrel season in Arkansas runs from May through February, so usually I carry either my Kimber M82 or my Colt Woodsman. During deer and bear season, I carry either a pre-'64 Winchester Model 70 in .30-06 or a Savage Model 99 in .308.

 

[curtste]

Not a rifle. I carry a synthetic youth 20g Remington 870 Express and a variety of shells (buck and slug)when there is no particular hunting in season. For example, in the Springtime when we go to the deer hunting land to check for and eradicate beaver, tend the stands, and make sure ditches are not clogged, I'll sling this over my shoulder. It doesn't even rust like it used to now that I figured out a little paste wax will do the trick.

 

[Loc n Load]

woods gun

My "woods gun" for the past 40 years has been a Remington 788 in the .223 chambering.....I carry two loads for it, one a regular.223 with a Sierra bullet that has accounted for dozens of coyotes and various other varmints....and a cast bullet load at a low velocity for anything I want to shoot for dinner.
I also have a twin to the .223 788, it is 6mm Remington....it is my "serious" varmint gun....I have had it for the same amount of time, and both ride in synthetic stocks, with Leupold optics.

 

[horsemen61]

Let's see I carry my marlin 336 in 35 rem with 200 grain bullets and with a cast 158 grain pistol bullet for small game

 

[mahansm]

During deer season, my Steyr Scout. .308 Win, 7 lbs, 3 point sling, 2.5x Leupold forward mount scope. It just fits me and hits what I shoot at.

 

[BP Hunter]

I used to carry my Marlin 336 in 30-30 but recently upgraded to the Ruger Gunsite scout using only iron sights. I enjoy it's carbine length and relatively light weight.

 

[Elkins45]

For the last few years it's been a Tikka T3 lightweight left-handed in.308.

 

[Liberty1776]

deer rifle - Win. 94, 30-30. Everything else - S&W K22...

 

[SC Shooter]

If I am in the woods with alot of brush or undergrowth, I carry a Winchester Model 94 .30 WCF with iron sights. It's a good deer gun and a good hog gun. If I am in less dense woods, I carry a Remington Model 7400 scoped.

 

[powder]

It's either my Colt 6920 or the AL AR-10 these days. Good times...

 

[zerobarrier]

In northwestern PA where I hunt is thick woods. I use a Ruger 77/44, it is very light. Its a 44mag

 

[handloader357]

Pre-64 M70 featherweight in 30-06. I have plenty of others to choose from, but nothing beats that classic.

 

[shafter]

My Rossi 92 357 magnum gets the most woods time these days. That is, when I'm taking a long gun along. You can't beat the versatility and compactness. For the most part though I don't usually take a rifle with me unless its hunting season. My Security Six does just fine.

 

[ZGunner]

I usually grab my 16" Norinco SKS loaded with soft points. It's very nicely balanced for carrying and can take any beating the woods or swamps have for it.

 

[bflee]

Savage 93 22WMR.
Mostly for beaver, coyote, and crows. I have to keep the beaver down or the back of my land gets wet fast.

 

[HOOfan_1]

Remington 700 BDL .30-06 saw a bunch of walking miles a couple of years ago

 

[montanaoffroader]

For deer hunting, usually a Marlin .30-30, unless I'm hunting in elk country - then I grab my Marlin .30-06 instead.

Squirrel or small game hunting brings out my old Winchester 67 single shot .22 rifle. I have picked up a Norinco JW-15 to replace it but I need to get a scope sorted out for it first.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If I'm stationary in a blind or in a stand I like my 30-06 bolt rifle. If I'm walking around the woods I really like my leverguns, I own 4. I have a Henry in 22LR and Marlins in 30-30, .357 Magnum and 45-70. With those there is nothing in North America that safe!

 

[Fremmer]

Remington 700 Classic in .308 Winchester. Not light (but not a bull barrel, either) and it'll shoot beyond my skill level.

 

[Cee Zee]

I don't deer hunt because there's a lot of money to be made renting out my farm to other hunters. It's illegal to hunt bears in both the states I own property. So when I go squirrel hunting, which is all the hunting I do now, I carry my Marlin 795. The thing is so light I can carry it all day without even knowing it's there until I need it. Then it's plenty accurate.

 

[d2wing]

Most of my hunting is upland birds, 20 gauge over under or 12 gauge Beretta o/u, squirrel gun CZ 452, deer REM 7400 30-06.