|
Advertisers and Sponsors of
Sixgunner.Com™
|
|
"I'm Gonna...." "I'm gonna hunt deer this year with my handgun!".... have you ever made that statement... or one similar, but have yet to follow through with it? Are you one of those who is thinking about hunting something with a handgun but have not yet actually done it? When thinking about it, do you suddenly have a myriad of questions, worries, thoughts and ideas whirling around in your head? If so you are not alone. A week hardly goes by that we do not get questions from readers dealing with this very subject. It seems the idea of hunting with a handgun is very appealing to many hunters. But actually doing it is another thing. The concerns run from "will my gun work for this?" to "does my load have enough power?" to "will it be humane?" and everything in between. Very few question their own ability though that is proper place to start. Some would-be handgun hunters worry about the power level of their handgun. I receive e-mail asking "Does my "_____________" (fill in the blank with your particular sixgun) have enough power to kill a deer?" Let me answer by saying this: This short article is not intended as a do-all be-all "how to properly hunt with handguns" article. Therefore I do not intend to get into bullets, load data, trajectories and power levels. I am assuming you either can find those answers on the Message Board, in the Back Issues, on the FAQ page, and on other some of the other sites we link with. A short answer would be, "For most deer-sized game and smaller, the .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, & .45 Colt with the correct ammo will work just fine." Using the right cartridges, within certain distances, and hitting the animal in the proper place they will take deer cleanly and humanely. So will a number of other handgun calibers. So, assuming you have a handgun with sufficient power and the proper bullets to take the type of animal you will be hunting, your own skill level is the place to begin when undertaking to hunt with handgun. MISTAKES Many novice handgun hunters (who may be experienced rifle hunters) often make the mistake of taking both a rifle and pistol. The idea seems to be something like this, "If it's too long a shot I can use the rifle" It is a commendable idea in theory but it rarely works in real life. Don't misunderstand me. It is never wrong to have a backup gun. Mechanical things do break at the worst time. But I have found that if you are hunting, carrying both a rifle and a pistol, and you happen to jump some game you will use what you have in your hand at the moment. Even hunting from a blind does not often allow a person the time to choose which gun they are going to use. My suggestion is: Make a commitment and stick with it. If you are going to Handgun Hunt, go for it 100%. PRACTICE Some hunter's confidence problems are simply a lack of practical experience. They have no idea as to how to judge distances or where the vitals are located in the animals body and the shot placement needed to reach them from different angles. Some have never learned how to stalk game. I know that not everyone can afford to hunt big game all the time. But you can hunt squirrels, rabbits, coyotes, foxes, and other varmints. You can practice on targets at unknown distances. Get out in the woods and hills as much as possible where you can follow some of the critters, look them over, observe them and learn. Study photographs of different animals. Learn to visualize where the heart/lungs lay and the angles required to reach them. Practice shooting on small targets. Practice shooting on targets while standing up on your hind legs. Don't practice from a bench rest. Shoot in the positions that you will use in the field. When I first started hunting Javelina my success ratio was poor.... about the State average. (then it was around 25%). I began practicing by jogging up a mountainside until I was huffing pretty hard (it would not take much now to make me do that!) then shooting a 14" car rim at 150 yards offhand. My shooting was miserable at first, but as I kept on I found I was improving. In addition I began going out in the hills and finding Javelina, then following them around to see what they do and where they go. Since that time I never failed to bag a Javelina. I practiced estimating ranges to various objects and visualizing the sight picture I needed. And I practiced shooting at unknown distances. It all helped. By the way... I find that I normally estimate distances further than they are. I have rarely missed a shot by shooting too low. Most of my misses have been "over" instead of "under". It is good to know your own weaknesses. I also practiced on targets much smaller than what I was going to be shooting. Learn to hit the little ones and the big ones seem easy! SUGGESTIONS
FINALLY Know your particular State laws as to what handguns and loads you can hunt with. Each State can be different. Get in touch with your Game & Fish Dept. and find out for sure. One of these days you may surprise yourself. The first time you bag that deer, or coyote, or groundhog... with your sixgun... you will know a sense of accomplishment. And you will be on your way to becoming a Handgun Hunter.
|
|
Navigation Links on
Sixgunner.Com™ |
