Hunting with Deer Rifles

Of all the ways to hunt deer, one of the most exciting is hunting with deer rifles. I have hunted with bows, crossbows and shotguns. Hunting with a rifle beat them all for thrill alone. Why do I say that?  With a deer rifle a long range shot is a possibility with the right equipment.

Hunting with deer rifles is sort of like the way the pioneers did it. Of course, they were using muzzleloaders for the most part, but they were still rifles.  Take a position on the ground and conceal yourself with ground brush and twigs for a close range opportunity. Go up in a tree stand for a long range perspective. Both are equally acceptable.

To go hunting with a deer rifle is simple enough. All you need to take into the field with you is your gun, extra ammunition and assorted day supplies. This may include food (if you eat in the woods), water, deer cleaning supplies and/or extra cold weather gear for the winter months.

It is important to know your deer rifle and its capabilities. Some rifles are accurate up to 1000 yards and others are not. I prefer a 30-06 where it is legal. Now your accuracy is dependent on your scope. That scope needs to be adjusted so that the bullet goes where you want it to go. Therefore, you need to go to the range and sight your rifle in.

You also need to know how to properly adjust the elevation and windage on the scope to keep it accurate. The suggested distance to use for this is 100 yards. This is because the hash marks on the adjustments are made to reflect a quarter inch each at that distance. If you can drop a half dozen shots into a 4 or 5 inch circle at 100 yards consistently, you're good to go.

Of course, there are always adjustments to be made on every shot during the hunt. Factors like wind, rain, snow or line of sight all figure in significantly. Then there is the drop of the bullet. Consider all of these things when lining up the crosshairs on your trophy.

To get ready for hunting with deer rifles, you need to go scouting a bit before the season begins. Deer routes change from year to year, so you need to know the area you want to hunt is homing deer. Then you should go to the shooting range and make sure your deer rifle is set properly. Sight in your scope (if you have one), clean the gun thoroughly and bore sight the weapon if necessary.

Go over your supplies and get everything together for the trip into the field. Wash your hunting clothes in a scent free detergent and invest in some scent wafers. Place your washed hunting gear into a plastic bag with a scent wafer. In addition to this, wear the wafers into the field to conceal your human scent.

All this preparation will lead you to a successful hunt. Being prepared is always the best way to go and if you have scouted the area well, you are sure to fill your freezer with some venison.