Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Birth of a deer camp

No matter what else I have to hunt with, I seem to come back to my two rifles that have a lot of history for me.

I have my dad's Mauser. He bought this rifle specifically for moose hunting in Canada. He killed a nice bull with this gun,and to my knowledge never carried it again. When my brother and I split up Dad's guns after he passed, I took this one. I killed my first deer with this rifle, a spiker that just showed up out of nowhere in front of me on the second Tuesday of the Pennsylvania deer season. Dad was so proud of me. Sadly, this would be Dad's last hunt. He died the following spring, and to this day, deer opener is tough for me.

My other rifle is a Savage 99 EG chambered for the iconic .300 Savage. Dad carried a 99 for his deer rifle. You could fill a semi with the deer that fell to that gun. That gun was always destined to be my brother's. Dad bought it on the day my brother was born-took a loan out to buy it. I keep hoping some day when he hangs up this guns for good it might come back to me, but if he passes it down to his son, so be it. The 99 I have was owned by another one of the original members of our camp. Old Bob knew I took a shine to that gun, and when he called me to come pick it up, it was totally out of respect for my father, and the young punk he raised into manhood.

I carry either of these guns most of the time. I can't imagine dishonoring my father, or our dear friend Bob by carrying anything else on opening day. I've had lots of deer rifles come and go, but these two will never leave.

Recent swaps/trades/ sales over the last few years have left me without a suitable backup rifle. Now my son's buddy wants to start hunting with us. He's never hunted before, and it's my intention to get him off to a good start. He's a good kid-and about as dirt poor as they come. I wouldn't doubt that I'll be paying his way, and that's fine by me. Whatever it takes to get a newbie in the woods. I've given a couple guns away for kids like this and this might be what happens here. It's just the right thing to do.

HA!

You don't have to use it opening day.

I try to shoot a deer with every gun I have. Sometime is works, sometimes I sell them before that happens.

I have been known to do that in the past a time or two. Really getting the itch to get out and shoot this old rifle and see just what it can do.

GG, you WILL lick this cancer. As has been stated before it is a type highly susceptible to successful treatment.

As far as the S&W shield.I bought a .40 caliber one some months back and didn't keep it too long.Found out I don't like the recoil of .40.The 9MM version is quite nice.
I recently changed my daily carry from a KelTec .380 to a Diamondback 9MM.
As a lefty I have trouble with hot brass hitting me in the eye from an AR or other automatic. Last week at the gun shop I work part time at there was a left handed AR which came out from the back to sell. Stag makes a fine AR and is the only maker of a true left handed one. Naturally I brought it home. Really like it. Very accurate with iron sights and then I put a 2.5X scope on it. Coyotes beware.
Funny , I am such a single shot afficianado and here I go and buy an AR. One end of the spectrum to the other as a friend of mine observed.
I don't get here much anymore but I am active on Facebook and see Pam and Dave on there a lot.
Stan in SC

Stan-I used to work in a gun shop down in Ohio when I was much younger. When I semi-retire, I'm hoping I can catch on at a LGS. 15-20 hours a week would be perfect. 'Wouldn't surprise me a bit if I just hand over my paycheck to the owners for the next latest greatest that came through that I just had to have...

Stag makes a very good rifle Stan. And I think you're correct, they're the only ones that make a lefty as far as I know.

I fell victim to the late night, after hockey and a few beers impulse buying thing. I got a Ruger 9E for under 300 bucks and a Ruger American compact Pro (no safety or mag disconnect) for under $350.

And a case of Blazer Brass 124 gr to test them with.

I already got the 9E, and the trigger really doesn't suck for a plastic, soulless, striker-fired handgun. I've heard the RAP trigger is even better, so I am cautiously optimistic.

I saw my heart dr, today. After looking at all 87,000 of my recent test results, he is feeling like my heart is stronger, and I'm further along than he expected. The cancer team dr. said he was leaning towards chemo instead of surgery, but my heart dr. said he sees no reason I'd have complications if they chose to do surgery. He will be talking to the cancer dr's. and letting them know if they think surgery is a better option, that I'm strong enought to undergo it. Good news, finally, I guess.

Jeff, that is great news! and you've had lots of good news since you got the bad news as far as that's concerned. yes it's a chitty thing to go through, but you've got about as good of a prognosis as one could hope for. as Stan said you WILL get through this regardless of what avenue they take with treating it. Never know, in a year you may be coming out to fish walleye and hunt turkeys in the black hills...

Yeah, I'm feeling a little better after today's appointment. My heart Dr. confided that he had all ready explored options for sending me to the University of Mn. Cardiac program to be evaluated for an artificial heart program, but the latest test results made him much more optomistic about my progress.

They were considering getting you an LVAD???

PM me if you have questions. We put in a lot of them. FWIW, with an LVAD, they say you're never supposed to go fishing again in a boat. I know of at least two patients that have caught more and bigger walleye than I have with theirs though......

Regardless of what treatments I undergo, I will NEVER quit hunting or fishing. If I gotta die in the woods, so be it.

Just a little bump in the road gopher, you'll be on the better side of this in no time.

Sounds like some good news after the bad! I also have a feeling you will beat this! I think its time for another 99! a diffrent cal 22HP or maybe 250 sav. let me know if I can help!

Sounds like a plan. I'd love to get another .250, or maybe one of the oddballs, like a 25-35.

The 25-35 is my Holy Grail in a 1899! there more than I can afford, or there barrels are bad! some day!

I'll take my chances with the bad ticker then.

Take my hunting and fishing away, you may as well take my heart because it's been torn out by that point.

Try telling a man he can't hunt and fish when it's literally in his blood.

Yeah, it's because the LVAD has an external set of batteries that you change and charge yourself. It doesn't change your hunting other than getting rid of the wheezy, tired feeling when walking aroud.

Like I said, several patients still fish, they just try really, really hard to stay in the boat.

One thing I've always liked about our cardiology group is that asking if you shoot is a standard question pre-pacemaker.

They'll put it on the non-shooting side for you, even if it's a little more of a PITA.

GG glad to hear that you've gotten some good news on your health.

Catching up on everything, Just got back from Mexico on spring break. Was fun,first time down there for me. I just didnt like all pestering for money.