Henry Rifle Forums

with the reports that the numbers of folks across the country that hunt shrinking, I am curious as to how many of our members are hunters

We no longer hunt, but even so, after a lifetime of having hunted, I still consider myself a hunter. In fact, it still subconsciously influences my choice in guns, even my handguns, because so much of my hunting was with handguns.

I just started again because I have a really close friend who loves to go and he has no one to go with. Last year we did the week long muzzleloader hunt. We both had a great time and are going again this year. In Colorado the muzzleloader season is early Sept and the weather is still nice. Old guys like warm and we caught some nice fish also. Al

I'm strictly a paper hunter these days, but not so many years ago I used to enjoy going hunting. It was mainly vermin and small game, although I went on a few deer stalking trips when the opportunity came along.

I considered hunting with my Frontier when my wife gave it to me for my retirement gift. I don't like the trigger on it for a squirrel rifle so it has seldom been in the woods since she bought it for me. I took it on my 4-wheeler to the mountain a few trips in the winter but never saw a porcupine while I had it with me. I have shot starlings with it and maybe a couple squirrels.

In purchasing my Big Boy in .44, that was a consideration along with fun, home defense, and wall ornament. I am thinking that the new single shot rifle in .44 would be a perfect hunting rifle for me. If I go hunting anytime soon it will be for feral hogs. Lots of them here in FL.

While I'll agree that the .44mag should serve you well for feral hogs, I would re-think the entire single-shot thought process.
If you do take a single-shot rifle, either carry a back-up with multiple rounds, or have another shooter standing by.
Feral hogs can be hard to kill, and EXTREMELY dangerous if merely wounded.

When hunting feral hogs in my neck of the woods, I ALWAYS carry a sidearm. The last couple years I carried a 9mm with a 17 round mag. Next year I will carry a 1911 in .45 ACP with extra mags. My buddy was charged last week by a large hog, he unloaded his 9 at it, and it decided to charge elsewhere.

I'm still mulling over the trade off of a more effective .45 caliber for a less effective caliber with 2.5 times the number of rounds in the mag. Right now I lean toward the more effective caliber. Of course, it's the new kid on the block right now, basking in the honeymoon.

Another advantage of a sidearm over a rifle for close in defense against this invasive species, is a handgun is much easier to bring to bear on a quick moving critter. This is even more of a factor if you have a scope on your rifle.

clovishound wrote:When hunting feral hogs in my neck of the woods, I ALWAYS carry a sidearm. The last couple years I carried a 9mm with a 17 round mag. Next year I will carry a 1911 in .45 ACP with extra mags. My buddy was charged last week by a large hog, he unloaded his 9 at it, and it decided to charge elsewhere.

I'm still mulling over the trade off of a more effective .45 caliber for a less effective caliber with 2.5 times the number of rounds in the mag. Right now I lean toward the more effective caliber. Of course, it's the new kid on the block right now, basking in the honeymoon.

Another advantage of a sidearm over a rifle for close in defense against this invasive species, is a handgun is much easier to bring to bear on a quick moving critter. This is even more of a factor if you have a scope on your rifle.

I have yet to have the opportunity to hunt hogs, but I'm ready nonetheless.
Several years ago I ran into a small unexpected windfall.
Thinking about a future hog hunt I purchased a Taurus Raging Bull in .454Casull with an 8-3/8" magna-ported barrel.

Still waiting for the opportunity to present itself...

Yes