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

.454Casull should do the job.

Mgderf wrote: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.

I have a handgun on my belt or next to me 24hrs a day, including right now at home. One of my Super Blackhawks would accompany me or one of my Glocks (If I wanted something lighter) in 9mm or 10mm. Carrying one of the Super Blackhawks would allow me to carry only one caliber of ammo. My Blackhawks are short barreled (4 5/8" & 3 3/4") so they are fairly easy to carry, and I am a bit more accurate with them than my Glocks. I even carry my 3 3/4" Bisley concealed on some days. I have a nice loaded pancake holster from Simply Rugged that conceals fairly nicely even with the six cartridge loops.

Remember the Wild America TV show with Marty Stouffer? He did a show in FL, I think south of me. He crept up to a group of feral hogs that were feeding. When he got to close one of them ran at him. Not so much charged as kind of trotted at him. He jumped a few feet up a tree and hung onto the trunk. The hog was just under his feet. It started feeding again and ignored him. He dropped back down onto the ground and it went after him again. He hopped a few feet back up into the tree and the hog ignored him again. Of course, the hog wasn't wounded and pumped full of adrenaline

Man I wish I could pack my Colt Richards revolver here. I'd carry it horseback for sure.

RanchRoper wrote:Man I wish I could pack my Colt Richards revolver here. I'd carry it horseback for sure.

I wish you could too!

I always considered using a Henry to hunt with. Unfortunately in Illinois, rifles are not allowed for deer hunting (muzzle loaders are). Slug shooting shotguns, muzzle loading rifles, and handguns are allowed if you meet the regulations. I wish Illinois would allow rifles shooting straight wall handgun ammunition for deer hunting. States bordering Illinois allow hunters to use them.

I am still waiting for my first opportunity to bust a coyote with the .45-70.

Hunting was absolutely a consideration when I was looking at the Henry. I will carry my 41 Mag Ruger and BBS 41 Mag for Bear. May use it for Cougar as well.

I bought mine because I thought is would be fun to shoot, so I voted no. That doesn't mean I wouldn't be opposed to hunting with should the need arise.

I just started hunting two seasons ago here in AZ. So far I have not tagged a deer. From what I hear is a little tougher here than out east. I did get a jackrabbit with my POS 22 plinkster and 11 dollar scope. One head shot at 40 yards with 42 grain Winchester power point. The rabbit was actually very good. Made him in stew and country fried steaks out of the backstraps. My kids loved it.

Hopefully some day in the not to distant future I can go east and bag a couple of does. I'm not picky, strictly meat hunter, but AZ only lets you hunt bucks so two strikes for me so far.

Hidden Mortimer wrote:I just started hunting two seasons ago here in AZ. So far I have not tagged a deer. From what I hear is a little tougher here than out east. I did get a jackrabbit with my POS 22 plinkster and 11 dollar scope. One head shot at 40 yards with 42 grain Winchester power point. The rabbit was actually very good. Made him in stew and country fried steaks out of the backstraps. My kids loved it.

Hopefully some day in the not to distant future I can go east and bag a couple of does. I'm not picky, strictly meat hunter, but AZ only lets you hunt bucks so two strikes for me so far.

Here in FL they have one weekend a year doe are legal, which seems cool. We have plenty of public hunting, but with a 5 point minimum limit, it's pretty tough to go the public route for deer here if Florida. Around here, if you're still hunting you could be 10 ft from a deer and not see it; yeah it's that thick. Stands are the way to go, but I don't have the patience for that.

Hogs and small game different story.

I love the story with the kids enjoying the rabbit you scored, priceless.................

nope, just wanted a Henry .22mag

Not much of a hunter, but for what I do I tend to gravitate towards the bolt action, .22WMR in particular.

The H001 would be more for harvesting squirrels in the yard, and it's perfect for that.