Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Close Range Deer Rifle

2much, you have that right..

Yeah, it ain't easy. Everytime I have done it I have felt "lucky". That big boy was chasing 2 does at once, and all 3 coming in my general direction, around trees and such.....

I've shot a few that way where I thought they would have ruin me down if I hadn't shot them. I've had one turn and kick dirt in my eyes.I didn't get him.

In such situations scope is as important as the gun. I want a 2X maximum with a great eyebox so I am looking through it as soon as it comes up.

One thing I know for certain. The most challenging hunts are the ones I remember best. I have bang flopped tons of deer. More than I can recall. But the ones that were not "gimmes" are the ones I remember everything about.....

I would go with a .308 for the job you described! That way you have lots of bullet selections. Maybe a savage 99, or 760! You can go heavy as 220gr and light as 130gr bullets, and everything in between, good luck with your selection!

BLR in .358 Win! Thank me later.

Or build a M7 .358.

.358 is easy on the meat but knocks them dead with authority.

I used my Rem 760 in 308 for many years in PA woods. It works well for short range and out to moderate ranges. I have no qualms of making drives with it all the way to sitting on a logging road or hay field. It worked well from 20 yards to 340 yards in my days there. I still have it, and will likely take it for some nostalgia hunt soon.

R H Clark...Isecond the LWT Bolt Action in .358Win...ScottyO. PS I have a mauser custom .35-284 Win. That just Pole-Axes Big Deer and Black Bear in thick cover at spittin distances...

Yep,I agree with you and Jeff O as to caliber. I want something shooting heavy bullets at close range in the thick stuff. I've never thought that there are brush busting calibers,as in bullets that shoot through brush, but I do feel that on the far end of the spectrum of a 55 grn hyper velocity round verses something like a 45/70, that the 45/70 would have a better chance of clipping a limb and still making it to the target. It just stands to reason that more mass would be less affected by another mass.

I've just never liked the stock dimensions of lever actions. With most of them,I have to raise my head just to look through iron sights,and I have to raise it twice as high with a scope. I like low power scopes at close range because I feel they are faster than aligning two sights. They are only faster however if I don't have to make any head adjustments on a fast mount,and lever actions don't allow that for me.

2muchgun generally does. Having followed his posts for years he very specific opinions which are based from having used some nay different rifle platforms in the the woods and not just on the bench.

His time in the deer woods speaks for itself.

Doc

Of course. I've killed at over 100 yards with mine. I meant we aren't talking short range rifles here.

OK, Now I understand.

I have a little Howa in .308 that is handy in the woods but can reach out if needed, and it's only slightly longer than an M94 Winchester. But, much more versatile.

I hunt the same conditions you are describing daily during our deer season. If I wanted to carry a lever it would be either a BLR in .308 or .358. They do have a heavy trigger pull but I had the guy in PA go over both the .308 and .358 and now they are pretty sweet. Other options for a lever action include a Marlin GBL 1895 in 45-70. 18.5 inch barrel so its easy to maneuver in the thickets. Finally don't dismiss the Winchester 94 30-30. It most likely leads the pack with deer kills in thick stuff over the last 75-100 years.
Bolt actions....my choice would be one of three if you are right handed. Either a Ruger Hawkeye in 300 RCM or 338 RCM or a Winchester Compact 70 in 7mm/08 or .308.

Are we discussing deer or brown bear?

^^^^^^^^^ this

My Lipseys Limited Run Ruger Hawkeye RSI 30-06
Weather Proofed with Cerakote and Micro Slick
scope Leupold FX-II 3x20 with Heavy Duplex

I hunt in thick brush in western Washington. The most important thing is that the rifle has to fit you--when you bring it up, you should see the crosshairs superimposed over whatever you were looking at without having to wiggle around or shift anything. See the target, see crosshairs on it, press the trigger, get out your knife. You can reach that level of proficiency with almost anything if you practice enough, but I had my best luck with a pre-64 Model 70 FWT in 308 and a 4x Leupold that Jim Cloward put into a Pacific Research stock. Inside of 100 yards, pretty much any bullet weight will do, since deer don't have armor plates and the bullet is still moving pretty fast.


Okie John

A marlin carbine in 35 Rem. would be the cats ass.

Take your pick. Just about anything will work at those ranges, from pistols to any centerfire cartridge I can think of. Which one can you afford to practice with the most? Shots like that are apt to be quick so practice will make a huge difference on whether you get the shot in a timely fashion or watch the deer walk away in the brush.
Don't leave out a shotgun with good slugs and a slug barrel. Perfect environment for the serious knockdown power of a slug, IMHO.

Bob

I beg to differ. That's the second most important. THE MOST IMPORTANT thing is that the rifle have enough weight and the correct balance to hold steady for offhand shooting and swing smoothly for shots at moving game. It also needs a light, crisp trigger so as to get those offhand shots off at precisely the right instant those crosshairs are pasted in the sweet spot. I've primarily hunted thick woods and brush for over 40 years and exclusively for the last 20. I've killed over 150 deer in that environment, on the ground and on my feet. Over the years I've tried about every damn rifle there is at one time or another and you won't find any of these lightweight or flyweight rigs in my woods rifle collection today. What I do use would all be considered at least mid weight and some run to the heavy side. Lightweight portability is of far less relavence than the fact that I can consistently put my bullets in a 2" circle at 65 yards offhand and I'd like to see how many of these guys on here could do that with the ultra light rifles they seem so fond of. Particularly when their heart rate is at least slightly elevated from the exertion and excitement of the hunt. I'd bet heavy coin not very damned many.