I am going (somewhat) primitive this deer season...

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Hokkmike

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Bought THE DEER rifle, a like new looking 1953 Winchester Model 94 in .32 Special. I have shot enough deer that the excitement has waned a little....

Hunting with this rifle will be a little harder but I am excited about being in the field again this upcoming December. It will involved a little more than just putting the critter in my crosshairs and squeezing the trigger. I don't use scopes on lever action guns.... (It is just me)

In fact, I honestly need two more range trips to feel "qualified" to shoot the gun at an honorable target.
 
That's the sort of ( somewhat ) primitive that I like. "Primitive" being a relative term. Was contemplating that last November sitting in a blind with a wood stocked Marlin lever gun in .30-30; although it has a 1-4x Leupold atop it. While my buddy sat less than 200 yards away with a Christensen Arms Mesa bolt gun in a synthetic stock bedded with pillars and what they call "spot bedding". With a high magnification variable scope. A "match grade" trigger, and chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. Sort of a contrast between "old school" and 21st century, especially cartridge wise; as the 30-30 dates back to 1895 and the 6.5 Creedmoor came out in 2007; 112 years later. They both appeal to me but neither one of us could shoot much past 100 yards where we were so it was comforting knowing my old school cartridge was still relevant here in the 21st century deer woods.
 
My perspective of deer hunting (or any hunting) has evolved to that of the OP; the most difficult part is getting the animal to walk in front of you - shooting the animal is simple, almost embarrassingly so. I have taken to BP and compound bow hunting but even with that equipment, a simple-minded animal has not a chance. The last couple of years, I have just let deer walk that could have easily been killed. I don’t know, it must be the aging process - out waiting/ out thinking a deer has lost that youthful magic but I still enjoy thinking about it.
 
I have been deer hunting these past 10 years or so with only flint locks. It definitely puts more "hunt" in deer hunting. I limit my shots to less than 75 yards, as my eyes don't see the iron sights like they did when I was 20. I have taken my share of deer with more modern fire arms, including hand guns and percussion black powder guns, but using a flint lock puts me back in my ancestors shoes to see what hunting was like back then.
 
I feel very much like Mike, killed enough deer over my lifetime that actually shooting one is not top on my list. Being out in the wood is more fun to me now. I do not like tree stands and at my age find them dangerous. I Prefer to do a lot of walking and waiting. Have taken many deer with this approach combined with a deer grunt etc. A lot of nasty terrain in the South East where I live. I will be toting the very light weight single shot Midland Shotgun (we can only use shotguns where I live) and the Stoeger OV with a short 20" barrel, at about 7 lbs. More than likely the 4 1/2 lb Midland will get most of the use. No they are not primitive. But simple and they work.
 
Primitive? You are describing the use of a projectile. That is quite evolved in terms of hunting. :)

Memory might fail me, but on the hunting regulation side, isn't the term applicable only to weapons not using cartridges in the States, i.e. knife, spear, bow, crossbow and muzzleloader? I get that it is not exactly related to the original post, but still, the question arose in my mind after reading this. It's been a few years since I read American hunting regulations.
 
Primitive? You are describing the use of a projectile. That is quite evolved in terms of hunting. :)

Memory might fail me, but on the hunting regulation side, isn't the term applicable only to weapons not using cartridges in the States, i.e. knife, spear, bow, crossbow and muzzleloader? I get that it is not exactly related to the original post, but still, the question arose in my mind after reading this. It's been a few years since I read American hunting regulations.

I wait in a tree with just a knife. When a deer comes under I drop on his back and go for a ride, and stabbing along the way.
Sorry, but could not resist. But do see your point. I still have a hard time trying to figure out the Muzzle loader season. When that season first came out, I really though it was for relic muzzle loaders. Bow have become so high Tech, that I would not have a clue on which one to choose and doubt I could afford all the gadgets. Seems the Long Bow has become extinct.
 
I wait in a tree with just a knife. When a deer comes under I drop on his back and go for a ride, and stabbing along the way.
I used to do simililar, except for the riding portion, when I was younger. I was never much of a deer rider; I guess I am too heavy for that kind of fun. I always stabbed them in the neck and got great results. I got older and use a muzzleloader now. Shame on me for letting myself go soft like this. ;)
 
Thinking about all this, just more respect for the American Indian. Always love to read stories how how they used primitive weapons, used every part of the animal killed, skins, even guts to make bows, antlers to fashion knives and on and on. I remember as a kid, I would love to go into the woods and just find deer and observe them. My greatest day, was when I actually quietly approached a bedding ground and got within 15 yds of them before they spooked. I was so proud of myself on that day never forgot it. The American Whitetail and the Turkey are amazing creatures. I never get tired of watching them.
Last week while scouting, watched a doe, get spooked and felt the greatest pleasure watching her as she so gracefully jumped a ditch, then went over three separate fences that were spaced close together. Just a beautiful sight.
 
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I wait in a tree with just a knife. When a deer comes under I drop on his back and go for a ride, and stabbing along the way.
Sorry, but could not resist. But do see your point. I still have a hard time trying to figure out the Muzzle loader season. When that season first came out, I really though it was for relic muzzle loaders. Bow have become so high Tech, that I would not have a clue on which one to choose and doubt I could afford all the gadgets. Seems the Long Bow has become extinct.
Not quite extinct. One of my coworkers is wanting to get back into bow hunting and is going with a longbow because the camming action of the compound hurts his shoulder. I have a recurve, but don't have time to bowhunt.
OP, I love the 32. Good luck using it.
 
I sometimes consider returning to my deer hunting roots. A High Standard 12 ga. smoothbore pump using Foster style slugs. In a shotgun zone you rarely see a smoothbore slug gun anymore. At least I don't. Even my scoped, 12 ga. 870 has worn a fully rifled barrel for almost 20 years now. But the old High Standard is still in the safe and was always accurate enough at 50 yards to take deer cleanly even with nothing more than a bead front sight. IMHO in this day and age it's getting so that a smoothbore shotgun with foster slugs and a bead sight could almost be considered as "primitive", when compared to a modern, scoped, fully rifled, slug gun using sabot slugs.
 
I sometimes consider returning to my deer hunting roots. A High Standard 12 ga. smoothbore pump using Foster style slugs. In a shotgun zone you rarely see a smoothbore slug gun anymore. At least I don't. Even my scoped, 12 ga. 870 has worn a fully rifled barrel for almost 20 years now. But the old High Standard is still in the safe and was always accurate enough at 50 yards to take deer cleanly even with nothing more than a bead front sight. IMHO in this day and age it's getting so that a smoothbore shotgun with foster slugs and a bead sight could almost be considered as "primitive", when compared to a modern, scoped, fully rifled, slug gun using sabot slugs.

I see smooth bore all the time. In fact in most areas cannot even use slugs. And in many cases prefer Buckshot over a slug anyway. And depending on the slug, a smooth bore will do quite well. I have both. Prefer the smooth bore.That said, we do not shoot deer at long distances.
 
I shot a few deer in 1972-73 with a a .32 Special as it was only rifle I had in Big Sur Calf.after returning from Nam in 71. It killed superbly to 200 yards + on the small coastal deer and huge Russian stock wild pigs that infested the area.
 
My perspective of deer hunting (or any hunting) has evolved to that of the OP; the most difficult part is getting the animal to walk in front of you - shooting the animal is simple, almost embarrassingly so. I have taken to BP and compound bow hunting but even with that equipment, a simple-minded animal has not a chance. The last couple of years, I have just let deer walk that could have easily been killed. I don’t know, it must be the aging process - out waiting/ out thinking a deer has lost that youthful magic but I still enjoy thinking about it.

You sound like my dad. He just quit shooting them even though he had tags and was in the stand and the deer were there for the taking. That was the up north farm country hunting days. Deer hunting here in TX is just harvesting for me now though I'm glad I have a spot I can do it. I put corn out for a few days and then when I'm ready to go I make a pot of coffee and shoot one from the window or off the porch. I love venison so for me it's about a quick, ethical kill and the low-cost delicious meat for the family rather than the trophies. I'd love to stalk deer on foot again but I can't afford the few hundred acres you really need to make things a little more fair for the deer.
 
I shot a few deer in 1972-73 with a a .32 Special as it was only rifle I had in Big Sur Calf.after returning from Nam in 71. It killed superbly to 200 yards + on the small coastal deer and huge Russian stock wild pigs that infested the area.
I was in Big Sur in 71. USAF at the Presido of Monterey. Big Sur was my first (surprise) introduction to a nude beach. Knocked my sox off so to speak.
 
Primitive? You are describing the use of a projectile. That is quite evolved in terms of hunting. :)

Memory might fail me, but on the hunting regulation side, isn't the term applicable only to weapons not using cartridges in the States, i.e. knife, spear, bow, crossbow and muzzleloader? I get that it is not exactly related to the original post, but still, the question arose in my mind after reading this. It's been a few years since I read American hunting regulations.

The way my state applies the term "primitive weapons" is quite the misnomer. We have at our disposal "muzzleloaders" that look and act more like modern high-power rifles... compound bows and compound crossbows that require tech support... It's complicated.
 
I wait in a tree with just a knife. When a deer comes under I drop on his back and go for a ride, and stabbing along the way.
Sorry, but could not resist. But do see your point. I still have a hard time trying to figure out the Muzzle loader season. When that season first came out, I really though it was for relic muzzle loaders. Bow have become so high Tech, that I would not have a clue on which one to choose and doubt I could afford all the gadgets. Seems the Long Bow has become extinct.

Some years back, I read an article in one of the major hunting publications. They began by talking about Texas' first muzzleloader season and what a fiasco opening day was. They described hunters, who they said had never fired a percussion rifle in their lives, assembling brand new rifles by flashlight on their trucks' tailgates. By the end of that day, they said nobody had harvested a deer. They posed the question of how did our ancestors survive with such a choice of weapons. Then they explained the learning curve.

Concerning archery, the longbow would've been my first choice although I hear recurves such as a Samick Sage are getting pretty good reviews. The Samick, from what I've heard, is quite affordable and built to be used as complicated or as basic as its owner likes.

The American Indian and the English yeoman had the longbow in common. As I now understand it, the Scottish Highlanders used a recurve bow well through the 1600's if not in fact later, or until they could obtain a decent-for-then firearm.
 
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