MI, MN and WI deer hunters...what cartridge and rifle did you hunt with last season?

Pics would be good also.

For deer season a .308, a .30-'06 and a 300 Savage. I only scored with the first two.

One with a .270, one with a 50 cal Muzzle loader.

I used a .243 Win in Win. M70 ftw w/ Leo 3-9 VX-II.

I hunt in slug zone, so this year I used a .357 magnum out of a S&W 66-6.

Rem 700 MTN rifle in 30-06 with Bansner stock and 2.5x8 Leupold scope accounted for three in MN last Nov.

.30 WCF in a 1965 Win. M94 with Williams Foolproof.

Two deer with a .270 Win this year.

It is an inexpensive rifle topped with a Weaver Grand Slam 4.75x fixed power scope.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record. My Knight KP1.

300 Remington ultramag in a first gen sendaro.

custom 700 rem. 7wsm, 24" pac-nor etc etc.

Our farm has some big CRP fields, 60-80 acres. I get shots out to 650-700 regularly.

I am sort of disappointed not hearing from a lot of hunters packing the old traditional deer cartridges in my survey. 30-30, 32 Special, 300 Savage, 35 Rem to name a few.

Businesses that sell ammo I have talked to throughout Wisconsin tell me 30-30 sales remain strong.

Well if it helps ya any I did carry my .35Rem in 760 as well. I don't have any pictures of it though.

My season was abbreviated by a Thanksgiving trip out of state. I wounded a deer with the Redhawk and finished it off with a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington that my buddy was carrying. When I did get to hunt I used the following-

.44 Mag Redhawk.



And my Model 7 CDL in 7-08.

I used all of those bear hunting last fall. I had bad wind most of the season. My one good chance I blew while using a 760 in 35 Remington from 1955 with a Willaiam FP(.150" aperature) and 3/32" white bead. The rifle has never been drilled and tapped, so it was silly cheap.

I use my two 30-30 Marlin rifles as well, but this year I was using the .270.

I have one of those 16.5" barrel stainless, laminate LTD model 336's that is heaven walking through the brush.

7mm-08 Browning A-bolt micro LH
308 Savage 99c

but I didn't fire either one

sometimes I carry my grandpa's old 742 in 30-06 (no see-throughs, though)

here in Michigan I used 2 303 savage 99 rifles and a 250 savage 99, took a large doe with a 303 1899 "B"

I carried a Savage Model 99EG in .300 with WFP peep sight back and forth to my blind, where a Rem 700 .270 was kept all season.

During ML season I carried a Ruger Old Army revolver back and forth and kept a Knight Disk Rifle in the blind.

I could have saved myself the trouble with all of them; didn't fire a shot...

MI Hunter Nosler TGR.325WSM 2011 Winchester 70 Super Grade.300 Win Mag in 2010, GAP built Rem 700.308 in 2009

I have a 30 30 and a 35 rem. I'd use em if they let me.

I carried my m70 classic in 7mm rem mag and my 41 mag blackhawk. This pair covers shots near and far away.

I am a rifle slut with absolutely no loyalty to action type or caliber. This year is going to be the year of the .223. Last year one got it with a .270 bolt, the other with a .50 M/L. I shoot them with a 336 in 30-30, .243s, 30-06s, 300 WM. I ain't proud.

I used my Ruger RSI in 243 this year with a 95 gr nosler bt at 2700 fps.

7-30 Waters in a Contender pistol (doe) and 308 in a Sako (5 pt).

Long

Quite a diverse group of cartridges so far...interesting.

I carried a .257 Roberts and 250-3000 last season and bloodied them both.

Wayne

I used a .54 cal flinter, a Marlin 336a in .30-30 and a Remington 700 Classic in 7x57 this year. Took a nice buck with the 7x57 on the last day of a special "Holiday" season.

Nice deer!! Great cartridge!

Whoa, nice animal and taken with my all-time favorite cartridge. What load...factory or handload?

Federal Premium factory load with a 150gr Nosler Partition. They shoot under an inch for me at 100 yards with 5 shots and have never let me down.

99C rebored to .358 WCF. Usually toting a 99 in .300 Sav. but ya gotta change it up once in a while to keep em off balance. One well placed 200 grain Hornady RN did the trick.

I used my trusty Remington Model 7 Magnum chambered in 300 SAUM w/ a Leupold VX-3 as I have since '03, but did not get a deer this year.

I didn't hunt the WI gun season this past year though I did hunt in MN and chose the Remington 7600 chambered in 30.06.
And, no, the scope is not held in the venerable "WI-SeeTrews".

There is nothing to be ashamed of...how long did you have the see-thru's on the gun?

WI--Rem 870 12ga. 11ptr.

MI--Rem 760 .358Win 8ptr.

Both guns have 1.5-5X Leupolds in old Weaver PIVOT mounts

BUT, I just found a nice Pre-64 M94 Eastern Carbine in 32WS w/tang peep sight that will get some hunt time next year in MI.

WN

This past MI season I hunted with a Darton Bow, a Parker Crossbow, a 20 gauge H&R Ultra-Slugger, and a CVA muzzleloader. I killed exactly zero deer but since my grandson got his first deer with me in the blind with him on my own hunting property the season was a total success.

Love that pistol/scope combo. Very nice!

06, 6.5 Swede and 45-70.

Remington 700, 257 weatherby, buck and a doe.

Junk! You need the "Tip-Offs"..

Weatherby Mark V Sporter in a 270 Wby Mag using factory Federal Premium 140 gr TBBC, Tikka T3 Lite in 25-06 with 100 gr Nosler Partitions over 50.5 gr of IMR 4350, .50 cal CVA Optima with 245 gr Powerbelts. Didn't get to fire a shot with any of them.

Manysodas hunt, 7mm-08 CVA Scout 145 grain Speer Hot-Cor and
H&R 30-30 Topper with Sierra 170 grain FN Guns scoped with 2-7 Redfield Revolution and Topper with Leupold 1.5-5.


Wisconsin hunt, NEF Tracker II 20 ga. with 1-3 Weaver using Winchester Partition Gold 3" sabots

Lots of nice shootin' irons here and rudy c and 300jimmy nice bucks!

This year's Michigan deer season had me toting (or lugging) an Encore 50cal ML w/ Cabelas AK Guide 4-14x50 on it.

Did the trick and dropped this ol girl at 246 yards late in the season.

Next year I'll be trying out my new TC Impact - definitely nicer to carry around.

Top one. Shot a dink with it.



.243WIN SS ADL with Talley's and a Leupold 3.5-10X40. Soon to be sitting in a McMillan stock.

.308 Winchester Model 70 Compact Short Action with a very cheap 3 x 9 scope. Reloads were Win brass, rem primer, Reloader 17 powder and Nosler 180 grain partition seconds.

Took two deer with it. One forkhorn buck and one doe, both from my stand on the Moosehorn River near the town of Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota. Both were one shot kills. Both have been very good eating.

I hunted in da UP this year and carried a Husqvarna fullstock in 7x57 and a Husqvarna Folke Dahlberg model in .30-06. Both have Leupold 2.5-8 scopes (a Varix-III and a VX-3). No shots fired.

There's one you don't see very often. It's just like my wife's. It may be the sweetest little M70 to ever leave New Haven. Very, very sweet little rifle.

Here's my main rifle from the 2011 season. Ruger M77R 7x57.

Weatherby Vangard 257 Roy

Didn't shoot anything w/ it though... got one early w/ 44 mag Redhawk,

and another late w/ .45 cal in-line (this isn't me in pic; its my buddy who sold me the rifle in the pic).



Wyoming PH this October oughta allow me to bloody her!!!

"It's just like my wife's. It may be the sweetest little M70 to ever leave New Haven. Very, very sweet little rifle."

To let the truth be known, even though I used it, the Rifle belongs to my wife, and I was fortunate that she allowed me to use it! It is a sweet little rifle. Weighs about the same as a model 94 winchester. Short barrel. Makes it very easy to carry because its so compact and so light in weight. Where I hunt the shots are never more than a couple hundred yards and the gun is very very capable at that range.

Marlin 336 .30-30, Winchester Model 70 .35 Whelen.

'52 Model 70 Featherweight. 30/06 with 180gr Hornady RN handloads.


I also like my Marlin .35 Rem, but apparently not enough to have taken a picture of it.

Jennifer be rockin' the "Miss WI Down N Dirty" Sash, flavored lowly '06, FrankenRuger General Utility.

Bish been around the block...

That M70 looks to be in "brand new" shape...nice.

I run a pair of '06s. One a Ruger #1RSI and the second being a Ruger M77Hawkeye stainless with a laminated stock. I've been using up the last of my 150 gr Barnes XLC's and heavy 220grainers. Both kill equally well at 0 to 250 yds. Now I'm torn between 165 deep curls or 200 Partitions.

I hunt in North Eastern tip of the Lower Pennisula of Michigan. My go to rifle is my 1955 Savage 99F in 300 Savage. It wears a Weaver 2.5 X scope which is plenty of magnification for deer in the woods. Typical shot is 80-120 yards. The 300 Savage has enough power for fast quick kills. I have many other rifles but that is by far my favorite and I have killed a lot of deer including a nice big 6 point last fall with that rifle.

.250 Savage in a Ruger M77 RSI, with NECG receiver sight.

Tabulated cartridges in this little survey.

30-06 - 10
30-30 - 6
308 - 5
270 - 5
300 Sav - 4
35 Rem - 4
243 - 4
7x57 - 3
7-08 - 3
250 Sav - 3
303 Sav - 2
358 WCF - 2
300 Win Mag - 2
257 Roy - 2
300 Rem Ultra Mag, 7WSM, 35 Whelen, 325WSM, 7 Rem Mag, 223, 257 Roberts, 7-30 Waters, 300 SAUM, 6.5x55, 45-70, 270 Roy, 25-06 - 1

44 Mag - 2
357 Mag, 41 Mag - 1

20 ga - 2
12 ga - 1

50 cal - 4
45 cal, 54 cal - 1

I got a small buck with the 243 before I had the chance to use my 44 mag,450 marlin, 223,50 cal,or the 244 ai.
only one deer allowed where I was hunting this year.

I worked at a gun shop during college ('95-2000) and our WI stores sold more BAR 338's that the rest of the company combined.

Sweet rifle.

I suspect that's due to the great number of elk hunters in this state that travel west to chase wapiti each year - have to have that quick second and third shot ya know.

Nope. "Brush Guns"

I don't doubt that. Prolly more flawed logic per capita in this state relating to firearms than any other.

Hey, mister, I resemble that remark.

Wayne,
Wasn't referring to you. (and I'm from WI too )
Like horse1, I worked in an archery/gun shop while in college - don't think there was a day that past where I didn't shake my head at least once.

'Tis funny...I too worked in an archery/gun shop Pre-K (pre kids. ) I sold more "7 em em mags" and "the big 7 ulta mag" for the long shots. You know, the 150 yarders that we encounter in central and northern WI. I also sold a lot of the Nosler Partitions for them because they were hunting the "big woods" so the deer needed to be down right now!

Campfire members must be a savvy bunch for the most part, only one 7RM showed up in my unofficial survey.

P.S., I apologize in advance if I have offended any 7RM owners.

For the sake of your #s, six other guys hunted with me and each used only one rifle each. .30-'06 Parker Hale, 308 Winchester model 100, 270 Savage 114, 338 Federal TC Encore, 7mm Rem Mag TC Encore, and a 7mm STW Rem 700. Your 7 Rem Mag comment brought this to mind.

7600 30-06

edited to amend numbers

30-06 is King.

I too worked in an archery/gun emporium as tzone put it Pre-K. My most vivid memory was the guy that came in looking for them there things you put in guns. And proceeded to open a couple boxes, and reply yep, them there the ones.

Up until this year a Ruger 77 MkII all-weather .300 Win Mag but this year a new Remington 700 SPS Buckmasters .270 Win. Both have new Nikon ProStaff 3-9 X 40 BDC scopes on them.

Ithaca LSA-55 .308WIN

Rem 700 in 6mm
Rem 700 in 300saum
Weatherby lightweight in 25-06

nice good looking buck...

and of course, great caliber...

Haven't hunted back there since leaving in 1995.. last season was 1994...

didn't see one listed surprisingly... my far north Minnesota hunting area,( between Chisholm and International Falls) I always used the 444 Marlin.. shots were under 150 yds...

when I hunted further south, around MacGregor, and over in No Wisconsin with my buddies just out of Tomahawk.. I hunted with an 06, always shooting factory RNs, either in 180s or 220s...mainly with a Browning A Bolt and synthetic stock... which I gave to Seafire Jr for his first hunting rifle...

I do miss hunting back there each deer season...

In this here unofficial survey, 30 to 35 caliber reigns and 30-06 is king.

In over 50 years of hunting whitetails in the Midwest only knew one guy to pack a .444 Marlin. He was a tall, lanky fellow about 6'2" and 130 pounds and would come to the local gun club once a year the week before deer season with two boxes of cartridges. He draped two shotshell bags filled with sand and tied together over his right shoulder. He placed the butt against the front bag and shot about 5 times from a bench rest. Stood up and fired offhand until he was out of cartridges.

When asked why he had two sandbags, one in front of the shoulder and one back of the shoulder, the rear bag was for ballast.

Decided to re-post and include pics of my buck. Here's the Ruger M77R in caliber 7x57 minus the Leupold 2-7x33, and the buck(s) immediately following:

Reminds me of a guy I know. You need to have a 30-06 loaded with 220 grain RN bullets to be able to shoot through brush. I laughed and asked him to help hang my buck that I took with my 264. He said I was lucky to get one with a bullet that small.

.270 Win / 6X36 Leupold

ah that old 444 isn't a recoil monster...don't think it kicked anymore than the 06 shooting the 180 or 220 grain RN factory loads...

it sure would smack the deer down tho... biggest buck I took back there was in No MN in 84... it field cleaned at 265 lbs..

shot it at about 30 below zero also...some of our party went driving into the swamp... at that cold they kicked up about 40 plus deer that came rocketing out of there, in a low spot, with two banks on each side...

I was about 20 ft up in the air, on the roots of an old tree that had been blown over in a storm the summer before..I was about to drop the hammer on another buck, when out the corner of my eye, I saw that big one out the corner of my eye and shifted the scope onto him...

DNR biologist estimated him to be between 330 to 340 lbs on the hoof, when we turned him in at the check in station in Chisholm...

my buddies use to be impressed how that same rifle with about 3 well placed shot, would cut a good sized swamp pine in half... my hunting buddies called it my logging gun...

of course there is always oneupmanship in a crowd like that, so at least two guys, bought Marlin 45/70s after they saw what that ol' 444 would do....

with 300 grain Handloaded XTPs, loaded to even velocities in the 1800 fps range, anything within 150 to 175 yds is toast when that bullet smacks it....

and as Jeff O is often quoted as saying... it will definitely "over penetrate"..but so will my beloved 30/06 with a 220 grain Round Nose....


if you are going to load heavy, then by God, LOAD HEAVY!

confessions of an avid 260 with 100 grain bullets user..

Huh? not hunting anymore or you stuck in slug-ville?

My weapon of choice last year was a Marlin 1895 in 45-70 with a leupold 1-4x shotgun scope shooting horndy leverotion ammo. A buck and doe were taken and they didn't travel far with lung hits.

7x57 SR mauser & 140g handloads...

I didn't see this one listed.
Semi custom M700 .223AI 62 TSX

30-06, 257 Weatherby and 300 WSM

This is a little six point buck that crossed the powerline right of way on opening morning at 8:45am.
I shot him with a Browning Safari Grade 30-06 that I picked up at a gun show a few years ago and never hunted with. I had always lusted after one when I was 16 years old drooling over it in a local gun shop but I was always broke. So anyhow I picked this up at the gun show and let it season in the safe for a few years. It has the FN Belgian Mauser action which IMO is the best you can get for a hunting rifle. I wish I had the money to pick one up in .375 H&H Magnum. You never know when an escaped circus tiger could be in the neighborhood.
whelennut

whelen,

That's one quality rifle you have there in your hands. I'm in lust.

custom 270 24" pac-nor

I grew up in Northern Minnesota, deep woods. WWII Mauser with a peep site, all I needed. Most shots were within 50 yards. Different areas and different rules, some southern MN areas are shotgun only. Really depends on where you hunt. Any decent centerfire will work, provided you can shoot it well.

The "stuck in slugville" comment got me to thinking. first of all, I use a Beretta 390 12 ga with Federal Barnes Expander slugs (only the 2nd 12 ga on the list). It shoots 3" groups out to 150, which, if you compared it to every caliber on this list wouldnt be the worst I am sure. Many people here love some not so common calibers, yet loath slug guns. Why is that when today's modern slug gun is pretty much the equivalent to sum of them?

I wouldn't say it's equivalent to them, but they're a lot better than they used to be. An inline MZLDR usually gets you better accuracy and a more distance, albiet, not a bunch of either.

Recoil on a slug gun sucks ass too.

In most situations, I would take my slug gun hands down over a muzzleloader. The exception would be when you need that last 50 yards of range. But inside 150, no comparison, the slug gun wins. I just find it ironic that there is such disdain for a slug gun, yet the calibers that give you little over the slug gun are revered. If you are gonna run the slugger out of town due to ballistics, then I assume you are shooting a 300 WSM or similar, not a 30/30.

I was trying to ask the poster why he couldn't use his 35 rem and 3030 rifles... not disdain for slugs, but possibly disdain for hunting in a restricted area if he replies.

I think you over thunk this one a bit.

Tom- I agree. Having used various slug guns and ML's (inline and side lock) - if I am sitting a stand that even has a chance of a shot over 100 yards, I am rockin' the 50cal inline. But if I am on a drive, or still hunting etc. the 12 or 20ga pump slugger gets the nod.

This past year (see earlier in this thread) I had some does at 250 yards on the last night of the season. I dropped one with my ML - no way I would have tried that with a slug gun. (note: I have not tried Savage's new bolt slugger - heard good things though)

In the thick stuff I carried my Model 99 chambered for 300 Savage. On a big clearcut I carried my 30-06 Mauser. Also logged some time during ML season with my .54 cal. CVA Hawkins.

Took two favorites last season.

Savage 99 300SAV



Husquvarna 1640 6.5x55





Didn't connect this year, though.

Roundoak,

I used the 8x57 Mauser and the 9x57 Mauser last year. Pics are on this thread:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...ening_day_in_Mi_or_Lady_Dian#Post5821620

Slug zone.

I would like to make a 6.5x55 my favorite when I tire of a 250-3000.

Grasshopper, I remember your thread...great story.

I was looking into rifled slug barrels and slug guns when I got my first muzzle loader. I almost bought a mossburg 695. I'm glad I didn't. They're very light with poor ergo's and they kill on one end, maim on the other. I killed a few deer with my $75 CVA, then switched to a savage MLII. The MLII kills like my .257 weatherby; I've yet to do any tracking with either. I also think that the slugs go a bit counter to the mentality of the board here. You can't really tinker with them. You buy a slug gun or screw a barrel onto your shotgun, and you find a factory load that shoots. Most of us aren't set up to load slugs. We are set up to tweak muzzle loader loads and to handload ammo.

The past few years it's been the .350 Rem....this years...

SSB, nice buck.
I'm not sure if I ever heard of a .350 Rem ,before hanging out here. I bet is would be a good black bear thumper.

Hey Neighbor, It's a decent thumper for sure, basically a short action version of the .35 Whelen. I'd take either of them anywhere in N. America.....

I see, just sold my .30cal rifle. Thinking it's time to play with a .33-.35 cal. The 35 W has me looking alittle.

In northern Minnesota 4 years ago I used my Rem M700 in a 260. The next year it was Rem M700 300WSM. The last two years it was my Marlin 444. Next year it will be my T/C Encore in either 308 or 280.... or should I use my 375 H&H?

375 HH just for fun. Shot a buck too. Tend to wander from one rifle to another, but all .30 or over...just my own hedge for better bloodtrails. 30-06 is the go to.

In 2011 I used a .375 HH in Michigan and a 30-06 in West Va. Both model 70 and scored bucks with both. This year just the 06

This year I used my 20 ga. NEF Tracker II to shoot a forkhorn whitetail in our slug gun territory here in Cheeseville, and a NEF Sidekick 50 cal muzzleloader to shoot 4x4 mule deer in Kansas.

In Manysodas I carried a H&R Topper 30-30 with a handloaded 170 grain Sierra FN over a max load of LeverEvolution propellant. I was busted by a shooter buck before I could get completely on him and elected not to shoot.

308, 338-08 & 7-08, nice doe and 8pt. fell to the 7-08

I used a Remington custom M700 in .280 Rem, and a Win. M70 in 7x57. The 7x57 was the lucky one and I got to hit the 'go switch' on a 8pt MN buck.

Marlin 336LTD 30-30(stainless/laminate with 16.5" barrel) for my buck, Ruger SuperBlackhaw 44mag with 7.5" barrel for my doe.

Fusion 170g ammo in the 30-30, handloaded 240 grain Hornady XTP from the 44mag.

tzone, what ever happened to that .243 Win Model 70 Featherweight?

The two times I hunted with my inlaw, including neices and nephews, the adults used 308s and one 30-06. The kids used 243 Win and 30-30s.

The rifles were Savage 99s, a Tikka, Remington pumps and one Rem. Auto and Winchester M94.

My Rem 700 mountain rifle in 30-06 with 2.5x8 Leupold scope, same as for the last five years. Also used a Marlin 336 in 35 Rem for still hunting in brush but did not connect with that rifle this year.

I sold it for it's twin in a 7x57 Mauser. I like it a lot. I'm thinking about a new FN M70 fwt compact in .243.

The M70 243 would be perfect for your son someday.

This year I used a Centaur Longbow with 217gr Centaur heads and my SS Mtn Guide 243 with 90grSSII's. Killed one buck with the longbow and one buck and doe with the 243.

Mossberg 835 12 ga with 2 3/4" lightfield slug.

I was thinking it would be pretty good for me.

I'm trying to get my daughter to join me, so it would probably be hers.

My first year hunting in Wisc. The area is either slug or rifle but the land owner said slugs only. I have an old mossberg 20 gauge with the screw on chokes. Removed it and tried it at 25 yards with a brass bead on the barrel end. Was able to put 4 holes in the area the size of my hand. Remington plain jane slugs. Was able to kill two deer. The longest was 55 yards. I was surprised and pleased with the results.

Wait til you get a barrel with sights.

I shoot slugs in my 20ga 870 just for a back up if I need it and I was impressed at 50 yards. Saucer plate sized groups with the bead.

I use a Kimber Montana 25-06 with VX-3 2.5-8 while hunting in the stand or sitting on the edge of the bean field and use my Kimber Montana 338 fed with VX-3 1.75-6 when i walk and stalk deer. The 338 fed got two this season. A 120 lb doe and a big 7 pointer. That round hits HARD!

I used a pre-64 model 70 I had rebored to .35 Whelen. Pentax 1.5-6x lightseeker on it. Nice combo. Blew the shot, though, totally my fault.

Took 2 deer with an ER Shaw Wk.VII .300 Win Mag/Weaver Super Slam 2-10(Usually carry my CZ-550, .270 Win, but the Mk.VII was new and I had to get her bloody and pick up a scratch or two )

This year I shot an 8 point with a 700 in 8x57 at the exact same spot I got a better 6 last year. I also hunted with a 94 in 32 Winchester Special and a model 70 in .30-'06, but came up empty with those.

I deer camp this year there was a lot of turn over in the rifles. One hunter went from T/C Encore in 7mm Rem Mag to Savage model 10 in 6.5 Creedmore. Another went from a Winchester model 100 to some kind of boltgun in 223.

My brother and I hunted out of the honey hole blind and both took deer opening day. I with my great uncles Winchester model 55 in 32 Winchester Special and my Brother with my model 70 300 ultra.