Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters A Close-in Deer Rifle

I worked my way logging up the Coast Range from the Humboldt in CA to Neah Bay WA back in my youth. I was never a very prolific or diehard hunter, but worked with local guys who were. The way I remember it, this is in the '60's, the Columbia Blacktail were to be found in the many clearcuts or on the edge of same, the more it rained the more likely they were to be found in relatively open areas. Deer or man don't hang out under big trees that gather drops the size of dimes. Now if hunting pressure was heavy, yeah, they'd keg up in the thick stuff...great place for carbines and Mannlicher styles. So most of the serious hunters I knew or went with, carried regular scoped rifles capable making shots across the canyons and or the big clearcuts. There were local preferences of course, Sav 99's in .300 owned Astoria and SW Washington, the Chehalis/Willapa area had lots of sporter .303 Brits, mostly due to Blackbirds Store in Chehalis selling them for 49 bucks, ready to hunt.
That is just what I observed. I'm not taking anything away from Mr Sell, I'm sure he's killed more bucks than I have mosquitoes.