Which gun to carry while bow hunting?

[MerrittBow]

I bow hunt a lot during gun season, I carry my 270win on my pack just in case. The 270 is long and bulky, so I'm trying to find some info on what other guns to carry. Light, short, able to shoot 150 200 yards. Anyone got any suggestions?

[Sofa King]

are you for extra protection?
or for farther shots on out-of-reach game?

[Sofa King]

my 30-30 is soooo light and quite compact, in comparison to my other guns anyway.

[Clint_S]

Bought a little Rossi Ranch Hand this year just for this purpose.
About as small as you can get. It will shoot a 300 gr. bullet out to 100 yds fairly well.
Great confidence builder when bow hunting, sleeping or gutting in grizz country.

[MerrittBow]

Protection and incase mr big jumps out. I have a 30 30 but would like something for elk to

[hunter1947]

A 10 gauge shotgun LOL bigger the better....

[MerrittBow]

Shotgun has no more range than a bow. I was looking at a 45-70 but is it to big for deer? Or can you get a 170 grain?

[Bugle M In]

Shotgun has no more range than a bow. I was looking at a 45-70 but is it to big for deer? Or can you get a 170 grain?

Just a bigger hole I suspect...but. if you want bear protection, its a great caliber for bear and elk...

[Busterpayton54]

Ya for what purpose. This is like asking what's the best dog. For protection id take my 12g, if it were just a secondary reliable rifle for longer shots I'd go with my new ruger American all weather compact .308 win. But then again if I'm going bow hunting then I'm going bow bow hunting not just what ever opourtunity hunting.

[dellis]

Shotgun has no more range than a bow. I was looking at a 45-70 but is it to big for deer? Or can you get a 170 grain?

45-70 is not too big for deer:mrgreen:

Darcy

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/017new_zpsinhoz0wk.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/017new_zpsinhoz0wk.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/PB070102_zpscdnfqkcq.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/PB070102_zpscdnfqkcq.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/DSCN1120.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/DSCN1120.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/DSCN0516.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/DSCN0516.jpg.html)

[MerrittBow]

Ya for what purpose. This is like asking what's the best dog. For protection id take my 12g, if it were just a secondary reliable rifle for longer shots I'd go with my new ruger American all weather compact .308 win. But then again if I'm going bow hunting then I'm going bow bow hunting not just what ever opourtunity hunting.

I use my bow all season long. But I carry a gun for protection and incase I see a big buck or bull and he's out of range.

dellis what grain do you use for deer? I have no experience on 45 70s

[Barracuda]

Bought a little Rossi Ranch Hand this year just for this purpose.
About as small as you can get. It will shoot a 300 gr. bullet out to 100 yds fairly well.
Great confidence builder when bow hunting, sleeping or gutting in grizz country. I was actually thinking about something like that for hounding

[dellis]

I use my bow all season long. But I carry a gun for protection and incase I see a big buck or bull and he's out of range.

dellis what grain do you use for deer? I have no experience on 45 70s

I use 400 grain plus cast bullets at moderate velocity for everything. Not any more meat damage than any other cartridge, and far less than may of the high speed boomers. It works.
Darcy

[Bugle M In]

I use 400 grain plus cast bullets at moderate velocity for everything. Not any more meat damage than any other cartridge, and far less than may of the high speed boomers. It works.
Darcy

I have to ask...does it feel like getting hit by a freight train from the recoil???...
Just curious...
If my shoulder was healthy, I would have been more than glad to have tried with a 400gr.
But not in the shape It's in now.
Granted, a grizz at a full out charge, and all that adrenaline pumping would probably cause 0 problems in
that situation....but how many can you fire off at the range.
Interested to know how some find that caliber when winging off a few of the casts at over 400gr or higher.?

[dellis]

I have to ask...does it feel like getting hit by a freight train from the recoil???...
Just curious...
If my shoulder was healthy, I would have been more than glad to have tried with a 400gr.
But not in the shape It's in now.
Granted, a grizz at a full out charge, and all that adrenaline pumping would probably cause 0 problems in
that situation....but how many can you fire off at the range.
Interested to know how some find that caliber when winging off a few of the casts at over 400gr or higher.?

Depends on the weight of the rifle, and the velocity. Keep em under 1500fps and they don't kick too bad.......and still kill real well. Trajectory gets a bit "rainbow like", but good enough for 150 yards no problem.
If you can shoot a standard 12ga trap load out of a lightweight shotun, the 400+ grainers at 1400 or 1500 FPS from a guide gun weight rifle will be no problem.
Nothing saying you can't throw a folded up towel between the gun butt and your shoulder for extended range sessions either. Keeps the flinch demon at bay!
Darcy:)

[J_T]

My choice of gun to carry for protection is a 12GA. Defender style or short barrel. I use slug and SSG.

[hunter1947]

Shotgun has no more range than a bow. I was looking at a 45-70 but is it to big for deer? Or can you get a 170 grain?


You don't need range when it comes to a charge from a grizzly you need stopping power your shot might only be 20 to 30 feet I know that a 10 or 12 gauge shotgun with a 3 inch slug will drop that bear to the ground,,,a person does not need range to shoot a grizzly bear if you did shoot out at a distance the CO at the scene would think that you purposely shot this bear..

[Clint_S]

Bought a little Rossi Ranch Hand this year just for this purpose.
About as small as you can get. It will shoot a 300 gr. bullet out to 100 yds fairly well.
Great confidence builder when bow hunting, sleeping or gutting in grizz country.

I was actually thinking about something like that for hounding

I don't really run dogs much anymore but boy if I did this is the only thing to carry.
Wish they were around when my knees were younger.

[GotaGun]

Shotgun has no more range than a bow. I was looking at a 45-70 but is it to big for deer? Or can you get a 170 grain?
My 12 Gauge with slugs I am over 100 plus yards . What kind of bow you using to drop a animal 100 plus yards???

For defence I would go pump shot gun.
for long distance hunting - rifle and scope leave your bow and shotgun at home.:)

[killman]

Ruger super Redhawk Alasken in a .454 Casull

[GotaGun]

I guess the real question is..

During "Bow Only Season" what can you carry as a defense gun??

Do they view a shotgun as defense gun on your back and a rifle on your back as possible poacher by CO's ??

[Clint_S]

Don't think the OP was looking for defense necessarily but for something to make meat if the only option turned out to be out of bow range.

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv133/Stubby_01/misc/Rossi%20Pack_zpsjgvk3xmg.jpg

[IslandBC]

I was in Canadian tire the other day and saw a perfect bow hunting side arm. It's a Henry lever action mini. Easily fit entirely into a bow hunting back pack

[Bugle M In]

I was in Canadian tire the other day and saw a perfect bow hunting side arm. It's a Henry lever action mini. Easily fit entirely into a bow hunting back pack

Sweet...here's a link
https://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/mares-leg/

[MerrittBow]

Don't think the OP was looking for defense necessarily but for something to make meat if the only option turned out to be out of bow range.

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv133/Stubby_01/misc/Rossi%20Pack_zpsjgvk3xmg.jpg


exactly what I'm looking for. Something incase the animal is out of range hiking around and for a little protection. As I look at its fine to carry a gun at anytime hiking in the bush.

[houndogger]

Don't think the OP was looking for defense necessarily but for something to make meat if the only option turned out to be out of bow range.

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv133/Stubby_01/misc/Rossi%20Pack_zpsjgvk3xmg.jpg
I grabbed a 357 this fall.

[troutseeker]

I carry one of them mares legs in .44magnum. It fits in a pack easily and also straps nicely to my fishing vest.

[boblly1]

I recommend 7mm-08 savage lightweight hunter weighs next to nothing and has lots of hitting power at 2 -3 hundred yards mine is sighted in at 2hundred with 160grain nosler partition for moose

[Stormy]

Shotgun has no more range than a bow. I was looking at a 45-70 but is it to big for deer? Or can you get a 170 grain?

It will have same trajectory as your bow - lol

try looking for BAR in 308/30-06

[J_T]

I guess the real question is..

During "Bow Only Season" what can you carry as a defense gun??

Do they view a shotgun as defense gun on your back and a rifle on your back as possible poacher by CO's ?? You can carry whatever you want, whenever you want, provided you are authorized to do so. Sure, charges by dick CO's for 'possibly' using the gun instead of a bow in bow only season is possible. Those situations are unfortunate, but fortunately those CO's don't last long.

[BigfishCanada]

get yourself whatever but also carry bear spray, way quicker to spray than to lock and load

[walks with deer]

45-70 is my answer and on deer damage is less than any magum including 270.
no shock dam age eat to the hole.

[hunter1947]

Here is what I carry when I don't carry my 7mm mag note that its a big can of bear spray the smaller can does not last very long
only lasts for 3 spays about 5 seconds that's why I bought the big can the slugs are 3 inches long 1,1/4 oz lead..:wink:

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/00455.JPG http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/003_2_4.JPG

[J_T]

Here is what I carry when I don't carry my 7mm mag note that its a big can of bear spray the smaller can does not last very long
only lasts for 3 spays about 5 seconds that's why I bought the big can the slugs are 3 inches long 1,1/4 oz lead..:wink:

Yup I carry pretty much the same. Large pepper spray, air horn and bear banger pen. as well as a 12 GA. Talk to the bear first, shoot last. Don't get trigger happy. You don't know where that will lead either, might get nasty.

[Stormy]

It dose'nt matter what Rifle or shotgun you end up with - you need to practice and practice again..

The one thing I took away with me from the many books that I have read (Gary Shelton for example) - is to practice using the right" tools" you will be amazed at how many times you miss the barrel - when it hurtles towards you, at Grizzly bear attack speed.....