Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters BENOITS,OLD SCHOOL WORKS

Hi,I've read about the Benoits and their choice of the Rem 760/7600(also Hal Blood's choice)in 30-06,and am really impressed in this day and age about their "Old School"equipment,they don't depend on the latest super short magnum,microwave underware,ultrasonic deer finders which seem so many depend on.I work in a large sporting goods/gun store in NJ(yes there are gun stores in NJ)and so many people come in looking gimmicks,you don't need a 300 WSM to kill deer in NY.Magazines and TV are pulling the wool(pun intended)over peoples eyes.People like the Benoits,Hal Blood and the Salerno brothers is what hunting in the north east should be about.

Is there a question in there (grin)?

Great gear makes a really good hunter even better but is no substitute for experience, game saavy and gumption.

As to needing a "300 WSM", I've always viewed the 30-06 as "overkill" on north eastern deer... works though, as would a 300 WSM...

I have not hunted in your state but I picture it as heavily wooded hills. If I hunted there I don't think I would
need more than a 30-30 or 300 Savage to shoot 75 yards.
But o the other hand I don't see how a guy equipped with a 300 WSM in a Browning autoloader would be handicapped in any way.

The Benoit Method just involves goint deep into the woods and hunting hard. Those guys could probably get by with spears.


Okie John

Brad,sir,more of a statement than a question.I agree with you both,30-06 is overkill but they make it work,as they would a spear,they are also going after 200 lbs. plus deer.

Hunting is just following the trend of everything else in this world. Bigger faster better. Look at fishing, we got to have bass boats that go 80 miles an hour and 47 different rods rigged for any occasion or we can grab a cane pole and a can of worms. Thankfully we can still go hunting the old simple way if we choose.

As an aside . . .

I have always wondered how well the Benoits would do Hunting Western mule deer or Cascade Blacktail Deer. Seems to me that their technique is quite specific to their location.

Of course, simple equipment and savvy hunting always will prevail.

BMT

I really enjoy the Benoits and there style . I have all there video's and books. They are , for me , a refreshing change from watching a guy hunting on a private managed ranch that cost $5000.00+ to hunt . I have hunted and will hunt again ,this year in fact , Saskatchewan it is not hard hunting. For $4000.00 I will Sit in a non-heated stand 11 hours hopfully watching deer after deer waiting for the big one. Yea it's cold I've hunted 5 days daylight to dark when the highest the temp got was -6 degrees. Still it's not bad and there is no skill involved at all just luck. I have hunted 5 days and seen 1 deer I have hunted 5 days and seen 30+ different bucks a couple of different hunts. I have also hunted Ontario and will again , this year in fact, where we hunt daylight till dark unguided on open land , very few deer. You have 6 days to get in , find a killable buck , and get out. Very tough , very rewarding . The following are just my opinons based on what I've seen and read. I have never met any of the Benoits but would welcome the chance . I think the Benoits would do well anywhere and on anything they choose to hunt. They are doggaddly persistant and never give up. They hunt and kill Mature animals in the toughest areas. They have an amazing ability to know what a mature buck's next move will be. I have found alot of information on "mature" bucks in there books and vids. I also don't believe there style is reigonal there is usful info for anywhere I hunt . I have a 7600 carbine I plan on testing on a big Ontario buck. I think there record speaks for itself and they are some of, if not, the best pure deer hunters alive. I'd love to hear from UMT on this. Good hunting KH

That's an interesting thought. The benoits are shooters; they throw cans of beans in the air and shoot them. At least they used to. They've mostly gone to trijicon scopes, and they push muzzleloaders these days. So som of their "signatures" have changed.

I would suspect that they would have to learn a lot more about ballistics and start using bolt guns if they were going to head West. Just my guess.

Basic

let me guess, you work at Ramsey Outdoor ? Just re-read Hal-bloods book good read, no nonsense, straight forward and damn those Maine bucks are huge, one dude shot a 184 B&C buck that dressed at 245lbs, no a 30-06 or even 300wsm is not over kill on these brutes.

I hunt in N.Y. state and use a 6.5X55 and it works like a charm, but i dont subscribe to overkill, what ever works for the individual is just great. Heck i killed my first deer(7-point) with a bear compound without any sights, its the hunter not the equipement, but dont let the public know, you guys would be out of business <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Well of course the technique is specific to their terrain and conditions. That seems simple enough. I'd guess that if they were to go elsewhere they'd adapt to another technique that was successful in that terrain and condition.

The Benoit's are trackers, that is their hunting style.

They basically follow them until the buck makes a mistake. They can read tracks with or without snow. I first learned about them when I lived in Vermont back in the late 70's. Have even seen their house and bucks hanging on their front porch.

Their house is on the way to a ski area we used to frequently ski at : Sugarbush (Warren, Vt.).

They were legends back then when I lived up there.

I don't doubt that they would be successful anywhere they hunt.

Tony

264bore,good guess sir,yes I do work there,the store in Ramsey and before that I worked at Navy Arms for 11 years.Please stop by and say hi,I'd enjoy meeting you.
I'm using the Benoit's as an example of well known "traditional hunters",weather you use a lever 30-30 or a B/A 6.5 X 55(my two pesomal favorite deer rifle choices)or a smooth bore slug gun,still hunt or sit on a stump,thats what I consider "Old School"and it works,it's also cheaper than the hi-tec approach.

I thought most of the Benoits used the .270 Win <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Only one used/uses the .270 ...the rest 30-06's. Lane I think.Can't remember what Uncle Windy shot but was probably a 30-06 too.

Lanny uses a 270 for sure and in the pictures of Uncle Windy that I've seen it looks like he is using a 30-30. I think that lane uses a 270 also. Don't have my books in front of me to look.

An old friend of mine, who grew up in Burlington, had permission to hunt some land that was on the ridge across the valley from Sugarbush. That is where I was introduced to deer hunting. I used to sit on stand and stare across at the ski trails when I got bored. On our way back and forth, my friend slowed down to about 10 mph whenever we passed the Benoits', trying to get a look at all the racks nailed to the fascia boards all around the house. Great times! It was 1985, but it seems like last year.

I think they�d do just fine on Cascade blacktails. I became a much better blacktail hunter after reading �How to Bag The Biggest Buck of Your Life.� Their strategy � learn enough about the game and its habitat that you can anticipate what it will do � is timeless. It applies to all game. It even applies to fish and birds.

Their tactics � travel light, go deep and hunt hard � are also timless. That might not work so well in open country, but I think that for hunting in forest, success would just be a question of adjusting a few details. And I suspect that those guys would quickly figure out which details needed adjustment.

Their style � wool jackets, Remington pumps and rubber boots � is purely a product of environment and experience. I get hypothermic just looking at those boots.


Okie John

i pulled out pa-pas 742 this week and put a weaver rail and an old valor 3-9 scope on it w/ weaver rings. i was shooting the middle out of a coffecup lid at 100 yesterday. about 2" groups standing, id say the old remington and the 30-06 is about all a man needs. there are someboys who need more and some who probably do ok with less. im right in the middle.

okie john,

Oh man, EVERYONE in Vermont hunted in a green, wool plaid hunting jacket, me included.

It was like a law or something !

For their style of hunting, quiet outerwear is a mandatory. The wool jacket and pants is almost a must.

Tony