New ultimate hunting rifle for cheap.
Posted: Mon May 10, 2021 2:44 am
I hunt in the Northwest part of the US, so my needs and requirements for a rifle are vastly different than the needs of someone who hunts in the Midwestern or Southern US.
I have lived in the Midwest for a spell and hunted whitetail deer out there, so I know what it's like.
I loved hunting in Iowa! So many deer and giant bucks in gentle rolling hills and small stands of timber. As long as you knew a landowner,hunting was literally like taking a walk in the park compared to out here.
First of all, if we see more than a couple of deer in 16 hours of hard hunting and covering dozens of square miles of rough country, then it is a good day. We will hike 10 to 15 miles of steep and rough country that no hunter from Iowa can even comprehend in order to get a shot at a decent buck. If you Google the deer density numbers per state, you will see around 16 deer per square mile in the Midwest vs. 2 or 3 in Idaho, Montana, and Washington.
Secondly, we get one deer tag per season. Period. It's not like out East where you get 2, 4, or 6 tags to fill.
Thirdly, a rifle in .30-30 or a shotgun with slugs is considered a joke in my area. Deer can be from 15 yards away in heavy timber, to 600 yards away in a clear cut area across a valley. You need a rifle that can handle both scenarios. The .30-30 lever was popular because it worked well in heavy timber areas in the Midwest. Not so well out here.
This is where I hunted for deer and elk a couple of years ago in Idaho.
I could be in heavy timber with shots out to 40 yards, max. Then hike 100 yards and be out in a clear cut with elk, deer, bear, or wolves on the next ridge over 400 yards away. So the rifle I chose to be the jack of all trades is a Ruger American Predator in .308 with a 3 x 9 Nikon P-Tactical scope.
Got it in last week and have added a light and grippy sling, the Nikon scope, an Axis Mfg, muzzle brake, adjusted the trigger down to 3.5 lbs, and a camo job. Taking it out tomorrow to a range to see what it can do with my handloads.
I have lived in the Midwest for a spell and hunted whitetail deer out there, so I know what it's like.
I loved hunting in Iowa! So many deer and giant bucks in gentle rolling hills and small stands of timber. As long as you knew a landowner,hunting was literally like taking a walk in the park compared to out here.
First of all, if we see more than a couple of deer in 16 hours of hard hunting and covering dozens of square miles of rough country, then it is a good day. We will hike 10 to 15 miles of steep and rough country that no hunter from Iowa can even comprehend in order to get a shot at a decent buck. If you Google the deer density numbers per state, you will see around 16 deer per square mile in the Midwest vs. 2 or 3 in Idaho, Montana, and Washington.
Secondly, we get one deer tag per season. Period. It's not like out East where you get 2, 4, or 6 tags to fill.
Thirdly, a rifle in .30-30 or a shotgun with slugs is considered a joke in my area. Deer can be from 15 yards away in heavy timber, to 600 yards away in a clear cut area across a valley. You need a rifle that can handle both scenarios. The .30-30 lever was popular because it worked well in heavy timber areas in the Midwest. Not so well out here.
This is where I hunted for deer and elk a couple of years ago in Idaho.
I could be in heavy timber with shots out to 40 yards, max. Then hike 100 yards and be out in a clear cut with elk, deer, bear, or wolves on the next ridge over 400 yards away. So the rifle I chose to be the jack of all trades is a Ruger American Predator in .308 with a 3 x 9 Nikon P-Tactical scope.
Got it in last week and have added a light and grippy sling, the Nikon scope, an Axis Mfg, muzzle brake, adjusted the trigger down to 3.5 lbs, and a camo job. Taking it out tomorrow to a range to see what it can do with my handloads.
