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Regions and Rifles - where do you hunt, what do you hunt and what's your choice of rifle?

We know the generalizations, but where do you hunt, with what and for what? Thanks!

I'm in the northwest, Washington. I typically hunt mule deer, black bear, and sometimes elk. Usually with my 30-06 bolt action Remington and usually with a 165 grain Nosler bullet. Ya, I change that up time to time, but that's my normal "do it all" setup.

What's yours?

Whitetail deer and bear here in western Pa. I mostly use a 270 700 remington or a 308 remington 7600 carbine. !50 grain speer hot cor in the 270, and 180 grain sierra round nose in the 308

Whitetails and bears in upper Midwest

I shoot 7-08 in Montana

Family generally shoots 30-06 in Rem 700 and Bergara
One has a 270 in M70

Others used - M94 in 30-30 and M1899 in 30-30

Ten years ago it seemed like everyone here had a bolt action 243 since it was pretty much coyotes and whitetail deer. Now everyone has an AR since the pigs moved in.

Western SD here. Mostly deer and antelope, occasional elk.

This past season I hunted with a 700 ltwt 222 and 55gr GMX, 6.5x55 husqvarna with 129 Hornady, 270 classic fwt with 130gr TSX, 270 700 SS with 130gr GMX, 270 classic with 145gr eld-x, 270 kimber 8400 with 130gr bt, and tc triumph 50 cal muzzleloader with 200gr ftx.

Been in Illinois for 16 years now, so assorted 20 gauge shotguns and a CVA Wolf front stuffer for deer.

When I was living in MN, my two main deer rifles wer a Ruger 96/44 and a Remington 7600 in 270 Win. Also used an assortment of Marlin 30/336 and Winchester 94 30-30s.

For coyotes I run a Savage 1899A in 303 Savage with 110 Sierra Varminters or Nosler 110 ETips and an Savage/Springfield 840 in 222 with Barnes Varmint Grenades.

Winchester 9422 for rabbit and a Henry BBS carbine shooting 32 S&W Longs with 115gr cast rnfp for squirrel.

My most used are an H&R/Sako .222, and a Model 70 classic featherweight in 25-06

Coyotes in NW Illinois, and deer in SW Wisconsin

Actually bought the H&R/Sako to rebarrel, and woke up from a nap this afternoon with temptation in my head.

In interior Alaska, I see a surprising amount of open sighted big bore levers for moose. Mostly .45/70. Personally though, it is bolt guns for about everything for me here, either 6.5x284 or .300 H&H.

Back where I am from in Idaho and Montana and still hunt mule deer and elk every year, bolt guns in normal .300 Win/WSM, -06 and .270 Win level rounds still rule. I use them but also use lever guns a fair bit, especially if I am on horseback.

The last few years I am unsurprisingly seeing more bolt actions and especially Creedmores everywhere I hunt.

Here in NJ, it's shotguns only. No rifles except muzzleloaders.
Where I hunt, near the Delaware Bay, it's heavy cover, few shot opportunities past 75 yards or so.
I carry a Winchester 1300, 12 ga. rifled barrel w/fiber optic sights. Most accurate shotgun I have ever fired.

For those rare out-of-state trips, it's a Ruger M77 tanger in . 257 Roberts.

I'm also in western Washington but I use the same rifles for everything: a stainless synthetic 308 with 150s for deer and 180s in a stainless synthetic 30-06 for everything else. I recently worked up a fast, accurate 225-grain load for a new Remington 700 in 35 Whelen but I'm not sure how much use it will get.

I've become boring in my old age.


Okie John

Montana to New Mexico with Nebraska and Utah on the sides.
Elk and Mulies 8x68S, 7mm Mag, 300 H&H, 30-06, 308 Win, 358 Win - Partitions, Hornady ELDx
Black bear, 308 Win, 358 Win - Partitions - SMK’s
Coyotes, 243 Win, 223 - Hornady V-Max
P Dogs, 218 Bee, 223, 243 - Sierra and Hornady

Texas
White tail, pigs, coyotes, AR 6.8 SPC, 243 Win, 308 Win - SGK’s

Alaska/Canada
Bears, moose and caribou, 8x68S, 375 H&H, 358 Win, 300 H&H, 30-06 - Partitions

PA deer and bear. Either a 6mm with 100gr core lokts, model 70 featherweight or a 243 and 87gr VLDs model 70 extreme weather(borrowed from my dad)

Everywhere in the states and elsewhere for critters up to and including deer, its almost always some form of Centerfire .22

Bigger than deer stuff I have a .243 and a .275 Rigby for the really big stuff.

South Carolina. Deer and hogs. The 25-284, 257 Roberts, 257 Wby or the 25 BR A get the vast majority of the work. When I head out of state generally the 7 Remington Mag rides.

GreggH

Pacific Northwest - Oregon, Washington, Idaho. Occasionally Montana, Wyoming.

Elk, Mulies, Pronghorn, Black Bear. I like to pretend that someday I'll hunt Moose as well.

M70 .30-06 and 180 gr. Partition since forever, but currently a reprobate in the Creedmoor cat house.

Northcentral Montana- Harvested big game so far this year with 6mm-06 (95 LRX) .25-06 (100 Speer), 7-30 Waters (140 Nosler Solid Base), .300 WM (180 TTSX) and .35 Whelen (225 SGK).

My wife and kids also used .243 (85 TSX), 7mm-08 (120 NBT and 140 NAB), .30-06 (165 NAB).

Next year the .30 Gibbs will probably do most of the heavy lifting on everything bigger then antelope.

Western Washington. Elk, Deer and Bear. 338 Win mag and 257 WBY mag.

Now days deer in MN and WI. Back up gun for bad weather that is a regular companion is a Savage 16 in 7/08 with 140 gr Core-Lokts. A Remington 700 in 300 Savage with 150 gr Sierra Gamekings often makes the trip too but isn't a primary either. Primary gun for the last several years is something roughly 50 years old and more often 80+ years old. This past season it was a Marlin 36 in 35 Rem made in 1952 and a Remington M-8 in 25 Remington though marked 25/35 Rem. The Marlin was loaded with 200 gr Hornady RN and the Remington 100 gr Interlocks. The latter took a buck not far from where The Jordan Buck is believed to have been shot. The three previous years were various guns made in 1909,, 1912-1914, 1927, 1928, 1940, and 1950. They didn't all account for game but they went out.

In the slug zone or black powder season it has been mostly an H&R Ultra Slug in 20 ga with Accu-Tips or a 54 caliber T/C Renegade with a Maxi-ball.

Black bear, hunted until a couple years ago, were taken over bait and a Browning BLR has been the mainstay for many years. Main bullet was 250 gr Hornady RN. The T/C was used the first couple of years.

When I hunted out west for antelope, deer, and occasional elk, a Browning A-Bolt in 300 Win mag with 180 gr Core-Lokts and/or a Mauser 98 in 6mm Remington were regular companions. The 6mm is the old 1:12" twist and only shoots 100 gr core-Lokts well. I'm down to my last 11 bullets and am hoping I can get 85 gr Partitions to shoot well in it.

I'm hunting white tails and black bear in Michigan. In recent years I've just used scoped bolt actions. 7x57, .30-'06, and 8x57 for deer. For black bear I'm using a 700 in 350 Rem. Mag., but only because I found one in great condition for a good price. I ended up liking the rifle more than I expected, and had to find a use for it.

South central Idaho. There's lots of open country and sagebrush but we're not too far from heavy timber. The mountains are STEEP. It's mostly mule deer and elk. The 30-06 is the favorite of most hunters I know. I used a 300 WSM for years but I eventually realized that I'd never shot an elk with it that I couldn't have got just as well with an '06 that weighs pound less. So, I switched.

Deer hunting has changed here in the upper Midwest. Growing up hunting in the 60's, we went to deer camp with lots of guys nearly all carrying Remington 742 or 760's .30-06's. We drove deer and seldom only heard one shot because the deer were on the run in the big woods. Now hunters are older, QDM is on the private land and nearly everyone finds a good spot and stays there with a scoped bolt action, me included. Custom 7mm-08 with 140 NBT ammo. Much as I like walking and stalking with my .300 Savage 99F, doing that just gets "my" deer killed up ahead by some guy who stayed on his stand.

NY/VT Most the bucks in camp since 1972 have been taken with 150gr. 165gr. or 180gr .308

With the famous words of Little Brother Tommy Norris
"There it is Ralph "

Tommy Norris

Warshington. Mostly east side deer.

Go to rifle is an old M70 chambered for 280imp. McM stock. Rifle is about 7 1/2#’s all up. I’ve had good experiences with 150 BTs so use them for everything.

I got my first rifle, a Rem Model 514 single shot bolt action .22 when I was 10. Over the years I "upgraded" with a Rem 512 tube feed .22 and a Rem 541T that I lengthened the stock to the same as my centerfire rifles. These rifles have put many a rabbit on my dinner table, and after I moved to Montana, even a few deer into my freezer.

I didn't start hunting until the mid '60s when I was in college and worked and lived summers in NW Colorado. The locals that I worked with there recommended that I get a bolt action .270 Win or .30-06 for deer and elk. So I bought a .30-06. I actually killed my first deer back then with a borrowed Model 94 Winchester and a few years ago I shot my Mountain lion with another Model 94. I killed my best Mule deer buck and an American buffalo with a couple of my black powder rifles. I also shot a couple of Black bears with my pistols. Before Ieft Steamboat Springs, I killed a 5x5 elk with my recurve bow. I think everything else that I've hunted, I shot with my bolt action rifles.

My last few years in Colorado and first few years in Montana, I used my 30-06 for my deer, elk, and antelope. About 1978 I had my .30-06 re-chambered to .30 Gibbs and that became my primary elk rifle, and later shot a couple of moose and an Alaskan caribou with it. At that same time, I had a .257 Ackley built for my deer and antelope rifle and later I shot an elk, several bighorn sheep, a Dall sheep and a Mountain caribou with it. And I built a .22-250 mainly for varmints but also shot several deer and antelope with it.

After the turn of the century, I bought a Rem 700 in 7 mm RM for deer, elk, and antelope here in Montana, several hunts in South Africa, and several hunts In Canada for a Musk ox and several caribou. In 2004 I built a .375 RUM in a Rem 700 for an African cape buffalo hunt and a couple of plains game hunts. It then was a safe queen until this last September when I took it to Alaska for a brown bear hunt.

In 2009 I finally fulfilled a 40+ year dream and built a .300 Weatherby. I broke that rifle in on an exotics hunt in Texas. a couple of elk in Montana, and a great hunt in New Zealand. That quickly became my favorite rifle and I have also used it on 3 more African hunts and a hunt in Azerbaijan for a Dagestan Tur.

I couple of years ago I bought two more Weatherby Vanguards, mainly for plinking steel at the range. I did use the .308 Win for a Sitka blacktail deer hunt on Kodiak Island, and the .223 would also be a fun varmint rifle.

I think that I now have a pretty good battery of rifles for anything that I would want to hunt. Now I just need the time and $$ to do it.

To generalize..... many years ago I had built (semi-custom) a rifle that would perform on any game on any continent (region) that I may hunt! While life didn’t provide me with the hunts on other continents or Alaska....it has served me well here in the lower 48.

I suspect that you will find very few hunters that have taken the “chosen rifle/cartridge” path that I have taken! memtb

Colorado, Montana and Idaho for elk using Remington 700BDL in 8mm Rem Mag
Saskatchewan for moose and black bear using Remington 700 BDL in 338 Win Mag
Here at home for antelope and deer using Ruger #1 in 7mm STW

NE Washington deer usually .257 Roberts, elk .35 Whelen

NW Colorado elk .300 Weatherby, big mule deer usually 7mm Wby.

Southeast - mainly GA and AL - wooded mountainsides and open crop fields

Deer from mid-October to early February - NULA muzzleloader to start it then centerfires - mainly bolt rifles, all over on the cartridges as I like to experiment over the ~4 months. 6.5, .308, and .358 Win are the most used.

Predators and crows - mainly a few .223/.223AI bolt guns

I try to hunt all over, usually about 3 states a year…it’s money well spent imo. Always use a M70 is a boring caliber that you can find ammo for anywhere, they all weight 7.5-7.75 lbs and have set and forget 2-7’s or 3-9’s on them. I wear wool and have a striking resemblance to Elmer Fudd.

For regional trends, I do have a soft spot for the NE, snow, tracking and Remmy pumps with a peep.

When I lived in New England up until 1990, you saw a fairly balanced mix of action styles; bolt, lever, pump, and semi-auto.

Since moving to Nebraska, I've mostly seen bolt actions, a few semi-autos, a couple of lever gun, but no/zero pump guns.

For some reason, when I see used Remington 760s in gun shops or at gun shows, they are mostly pre-1970 vintage and mostly appear to have hardly been used. A friend came across a minty 760 in 257 Robert in 11/20 with an asking price of $425 OTD.

I hunt with old wore out rifles. I haven’t a clue what all the other goofballs around here hunt with.

But the big difference is I have ample cartridges for all my rifles. I doubt many of them do.

When I started deer hunting in 1984, a lot of hunters were using either levers in .30-30 or .35 cal. I saw a lot of Rem. 742 and 760 in .30-06, .243, and .270. Some bolt rifles in various calibers. Today mostly bolt rifles. Don't see many levers or autos anymore. Unless you take in consideration the AR crowd.

Mostly bolt action rifles here in Texas

Until back to the1990 the bread and butter gun for the average hunter in Germany was the combination gun called "Drilling". But since the wild boar moved in the bolt action rifle in calibers from 30-06 7x64 mm Brenneke to 9.3x62 came more and more in use. Since boar hunting by nighttime is legal the guns often were mounted with almost an observatory.

Southern CA use a made in 1976 200th year of American Liberty Ruger 77 in 7mm RM 150 grain TTSX primarily. Deer pigs, elk the occasional noisy squirrel. Most use bolt action scoped rifles here mountain hunting most common. In NW CO & other places with elk old Vanguard in 300 Weatherby.180 grain TTSX. I killed an elk years ago with my Dads old 30-06 mostly because he never got to shoot one.

Grandfather used a Remington 742 in 30-06 with a variable scope, iron sighted levers were common years ago but not nearly as common today.

Maine here. We use bolt actions though my buddy has a thing for lever guns. Mainly 7mms and 30 cals though I do like shooting them with my 9.3.

When I hunted public land in upper Michigan the most prominent deer rifles encountered were the "turdy-turdy" in a lever action of some flavor or the "ought six" in a Remington pump or semi-auto. Southern area was a Remington 870 or an Ithaca 37 Deerslayer. In the southern zone today I would say the Ruger American in .450 dominates.

Can’t see far in southern woods and I don’t shoot open fields. .30-30 does the trick about 95% of the time for deer. Toss up with hogs, but the .22 CB Short leads the pack. #2 is 20 ga #3 buck.

When hunting white tail & pronghorn I’ve used 22-250 with old Winchester 55 grain bullets to 300 Win Mag with 180 grain bullets, plus many cartridges in between. Off hand - 25-06, 270, 280, 7mm RM, more than others listed below besides the 30-06.

I shot more with the 30-06 than any other cartridge using 170 grain hollow point cast, 150 grain, 165 grain and 180 grain jacketed.

I shot four with 300 Savage and a couple with a 308 Win with 150 Interlocks in the last couple of years.
This last time out I brought a 300 H&H with 168 grain GMX and 358 Win with 200 grain Interlock SP’s, but only saw bucks and I had doe tags.
Others I’ve used, 7.92x57, 7x57, 303 British, 257 Roberts, & 6mm. I shot a few with a 54 caliber muzzle loader with round ball and with maxi-ball - the 54 anchors them quite soundly with either.

I shot a couple of does with the 300 Win Mag through the heart. I thought I’d be shooting at a distance which is why I brought the 300 as it was both were less than 20 yards when I shot. One ran a hundred yards or so and the other flopped over.

I shot one doe in the shoulder with a 30-06 and a 165 grain jacketed bullet that the manufacturer said was a “Game” bullet. The shoulder stopped the bullet - it never entered the chest cavity.

I shot a large buck antelope through the lunges six times with a 6mm and 105 grain bullet before he dropped. That bullet was a poor choice!

I plan on using a 44 Magnum & 45-70 with cast bullets next year, if I’m able.

All the above will work with white-tail. I only shot one deer with the 22-250, I’ll not use that cartridge again - I was a hungry college student and that was what I had. I know that other people use 22 calibers for deer and they are welcome to do so.

North and Central Idaho. 6.5 creedmoore and 30-06 are popular amongst folks and surprisingly so too are the 30-30 and 45-70.

Personally I've been a user of 308win and various larger 338 cals and my leverguns. Currently I'm getting acquainted with the 270 win and 30-06. Truth be told our game numbers have plummeted from what they were when I was a youngster in the 70-80-90's. We have more predation but far fewer herbivore game animals and there's also overcrowding of folks from Washington state coming over here using the local resources. Just the facts that there isn't the same hunting opportunity there was a couple decades ago.

Northern NY deer, black bear, for years it was a Remington 700 in 270 and a couple years ago changed over to winchester 70 270wsm for sitting. When still hunting I use my short barreled model 7 6mm rem. loaded with 90gr accubonds.

I have now needed to quit hunting. I finished up my northern Ontario moose hunting using a Remington 700 .338 with 225 grain Partitions. Deer hunting in southern Ontario in the shotgun zone I used a 12 gauge with handloaded, home cast 525 grain slugs. In the rifle zone I killed my last deer with my Sako M85 Finnlight in 30-06 handloaded with reduced load 170 Hornady FN bullet.

Many other rifles and loads were used over the years, all of which I was happy with.

Jim

Wyoming hunting is mainly using my 300wsm or my 270 wsm for elk, mule deer, whitetails, pronghorn, cow bison and shiras moose so far.
I take my 300wsm or a lever action down to Texas for hogs and maybe a whitetail doe. 41 mag on the Henry lever gun for hogs.

I hunt deer, antelope, hogs, turkeys, predators and varmints in Texas and Wyoming. I haven’t used anything other than a .223 or 22-250 for many years.

Western Wa but mainly hunt open AG fields on the east side of the state. My main deer rifle is a 6.5 saum and 140 Berger’s or 147 eld-m’s. Recently working up a new 300 Norma Improved with 230 Berger OTM’s as a packable big rifle. For elk and bears in the open where I don’t have to carry it far I use a 338 edge with 300 bergers. For tight country on the west side it’s usually my 300 wsm and 155 scenars or partitions but shots are rarely over 300 yds.

se arkansas. most use bolt action 270win, 30-06, 243, or 7mm rem mag. some 6.5 creedmoor shooters but is suspect they'll sell them as soon as the long range craze subsides. this is farm country, so unless you're shooting across a bean field most shots are 40-60 yards in the woods. rarely see any lever actions and it's been 30 years since i've seen a 740 or 742 jam-o-matic.

For my moose hunting, in my normal area in Alaska:
I use stainless and synthetic rifles. Normally Ruger rifles in 338 Winchester, 375 Ruger, 416 Ruger. If not the Rugers, M70 stainless in 338 Winchester, 375 H&H, 416 Ruger.
Bullets:
338 = Barnes 225 grain TSX
375 = 270 grain TSX
416 = 350 grain TSX

My usual is a Ruger stainless in either 375 or 416 Ruger. My shots are normally pretty close.
Winchester M70 stainless in 338 Winchester, 375 H&H, 416 Remington are also options in rifles. But, normally it is the Rugers.

I have the urge to try a Kimber Montana in 325 WSM, 200 grain TSX.

If I had to choose one for varied terrain and pretty much any game animal, I would pick my old Ruger Mark II stainless with 210 /225 grain TTSX. I have lots of faith in the rifle and those bullets.

I live and hunt in North Arkansas. Most of the older people hunt with 270s and.30-06 Wood stock rifles they bought when they were young. Younger ones hunt with smaller short action guns mostly cheaper line plastic stock throw away rifles with cheap scopes.

Here in NH I see too many wayyyyyy over gunned with magnums…

22 “Magnums”? memtb

I hunt southern Iowa where it's any old shotgun and the cheapest slug they had at Walmart. Most deer have 3-5 holes in them before they go down. I use a 350 legend but it's a bolt which isn't ideal on drives. Probably switch to a shotgun with red dot for next year. I travel to rifle hunt every year. I use a cheap 270 bolt for that because that's what I have. I always tell myself that I am going to buy something nice but I have not done so. All I ever see are bolt guns when I travel.

The Remington 742 and 760 in .30-06 along with lever .30-30s used to be the rifles of choice here. Now bolt guns predominate with .30-06, and .270W predominating. The WW-2 generation wanted semi-auto and deer hunting was done with dogs mostly. Lots of deer hunters used shotguns and buckshot. Buckshot is a terribly deficient choice for deer past about 25-30 yards.

Central Ohio. Used to use a 12 gauge for deer. Now I use an AR-15 350 Legend, Marlin 45-70, or Remlin 1894 .44 magnum. I have a Ruger .44 carbine that I haven't hunted with yet, but plan to. I always hunted groundhogs in the summer with my Remington 788 .243. Seems like there aren't as many groundhogs as there used to be. I think the flourishing coyote population is thinning them out.

Ron

When hunting elk in Colorado and when hunting anything in Alaska, I use a T/C Icon Weathershield 30-06 with 180 grain Nosler partitions.

When hunting deer or antelope in Colorado and when hunting Coues deer in Arizona, I use a T/C Venture with 117 grain Sierra Game Kings.

When hunting prairie dogs at close range, in Colorado I use a Savage 93 with .22 mag boolits. Slightly quieter so maybe doesn't scare the survivors away.
When hunting prairie dogs or coyotes at longer ranges I use a T/C Icon Precision Hunter .223 with 55 grain Ballistic Tips.

I do moose most every year in eastern Canada with one of my 338RCMs current loads are 210NP in one and 210TTSX in other. I haven't elk hunted in a few years now but the elk gun is a 300wsm/168TTSX. For bear from a stand or hunting on the ground in the ADKs for deer, a 358win current load is 200gNF. For deer from a stand in Western NY 250AI/100g NBT.
There are few others that get thrown into the mix, mostly for deer.

Open sage brush country here in Nevada and where I hunt in Montana and Idaho are pretty open country. I hunt mostly Mule deer, Elk and Antelope . I shot a 6.5 Creed and a 6.5 X 55 along with a .243 Win for a few years, but am back to shooting the 270 Win for everything. I still use the .243 for coyotes and a truck gun. Most of my hunting buddies shoot the tried and true 30 06. The 6.5's worked but at the ranges I shoot the .270 is just more gun! In my youth a packed a heavy Ruger 77 in .338 but found my Winchester FWT .270 did just as good on the Elk. 270 or 30 06 toss up. I like the way a Kimber carries but I don't shoot a light rifle very well.

I'm in north central Louisiana, hunting deer and hogs. I have three main hunting scenarios:

1. Open pastures or long pipeline right of ways. This generally gets a magnum-weight bolt action sporter, but I've gotten by with stuff like the 7mm-08, .308, .260 etc.
2. Medium range locations with cut lanes or logging roads, distances out to 250yds or so. This generally gets the short-action standard rounds in a bolt action sporter or AR10.
3. Short range spots in the woods where 100yds is far. This often gets a light bolt action carbine, a lever gun, or AR10.

Northern Maine although I also hunt the central part of the state. Deer, black bear, and moose if we draw a permit.

Most of the time a bolt action 308 but I also carry a lever in 35 Remington or a pump carbine (30-06) when still hunting or tracking.

Lever guns are the best in the woods where I hunt. I shoot a 35-30 wildcat and 38-55. I used to have a 45-70, but my neck problems won out. I just couldn't make myself load them mild. I turned to a "mini 45-70", the 38-55, and it has plenty thump for my needs. If I am going to hunt where there are possible longer shots, I have rifles for that, too. No 300-400 yard shot around here.

Texas Hill Country.
Deer, hogs, misc exotics.
Short action rifle in any cartridge with a reputable bullet will kill them all.
I use 260/308/7-08/6.5CM. The difference for me is the optic. If I’m hunting the big open spaces, I’ve got scope with 15-16x top end.
For tighter cover under 200 yards or in the trees, It’s a 2.5-10 or similar.

Indiana

.50 TC Hawken Silver Elite for late season deer
.35 rem Remington 760 w 2-7x for reg gun season
.30 06 Steyr PH w 3.5-10x

Western Pa here. Flip between 4 more based on what mood I'm in than any consideration of ballistics. Rem 760 .308, A-Bolt. 308, Custom Mauser .35 Whelen, and my new to me (acquired here on the Fire) Charles Daly/Zastava .358. On the few occasions I hunt a buddy's farm, usually. Y Wby. 240.

Said it earlier.in this thread but worth saying again: Herr Bock knew what be was doing. I could happily use my 9.3x62 exclusively. It's a near perfect game hammer for most hunting applications.

And I could happily use a 308……

Northern Alberta
I hunt moose deer black bears and elk with a ruger single shot in .303 these days .
Cat

So. Texas 250 SAV 100gr greenbox

Anything smaller than elk, 257 bee. 120 grain np. all else .300wm 180 np. Or 180 ttsx. Just got a cooper timberlight in 7rm. So if I draw anything this year it will get a chance.

I'm in Kansas and hunt whitetails and coyotes. I don't think my current go-to hunting rifles are indicative of what others are hunting with.

For the last few years I've hunted with ARs; .223, .308, and 6.5 Grendel, with a smattering of 10mm 1911 hunts in there.

In hunting across 3 states, I have yet to run into another hunter carrying an AR (other than my 2 sons), of any flavor.

I did run into a hunter from out of state who asked if everyone in Kansas hunted with a .25-06, 'cuz he heard that's what everyone in Kansas hunts with. Huh, I neither own, nor do I know anyone who hunts with a .25-06.

Another out of stater I ran into was hunting with a .338 Win Mag, because, according to him, he got tired of the big Kansas bucks running off after he knocked 'em down with his .300 Win Mag. I had a .223.

So, there's that.

Savage model 1920 in 250- 3000, 87gr Hornady, Elk a Savage 99F in 358, 200gr Hornady. My dad always used his Remington 742 in 30-06 for deer and elk.

Skeen.......
While my normal 'go-to' at home is a 7600 of some flavor, I made it a point to hunt a part of each season with an AR this year (.450 for bear and .300BO/.350 legend for deer). It's becoming more common around here

George

I saw people using ARs this year while hunting moose. Lots of guys use them predator hunting.

Elk: 340wby, 7mmSTW, 300wby
Mule deer/antelope: 300wby, 7mmSTW or 270wsm
Whitetails: 270wsm, 270, 30-06, 308, 6.8, 35Whelen, 7mm-08, or Knight MZ

On out of state hunts, I always bring a backup. For our Catskills farm, I’ll use a different rifle depending on set up and mood.

Many years ago now I had the opportunity to ask Bill Carter the owner of the Carter Country stores in the Houston area and at that time the biggest gun retailer in Texas this question. I asked what was the most common type of "Deer rifle" and round that they sold. This was way before the 6.5's were beginning to get popular and at the time the 7mm-08 was steadily gaining in popularity. He told me the most common rifle they sold by a wide margin was a bolt action in .270 Win. The next two most common rounds were the .243 and 30-06, the next tier was the .308 and 7mm Rem. Mag. He said behind these in bolt actions that they sold a good number of autoloader's in the Browning BAR and Remington 742. These were predominantly in the 30-06 and used by hunters hunting in East Texas.

Times have certainly changed.
I'd be willing to bet that now the 6.5 Creedmore and the .308 have moved up to the top sellers along with the .270
I base that on what I see coming through the hunting camps that I frequent. I also don't see many 742's and BAR'S come through as I used to.

As far as matching a gun to a region and quarry, I sure like my stainless Model 7 in .358 for Oregon blacktail. It’s put a lot of meat in the freezer. For a more general purpose rifle I love my 7 WSM Kimber. And while I can’t claim much killin’ with it yet, my midweight 6.5 SAUM is really easy to shoot and should kill stuff about like a .270, only better.

I live and mostly hunt in Saskatchewan. Whitetail, Mule deer, Elk, Moose, Black bear, sometimes Pronghorn. I use different rifles and cartridges depending on the terrain and species, everything from thick bush and bears to open plains pronghorns. I could do it all with my Sako .308, as I did years ago. But I prefer to specialize. So I use a variety of rifles / cartridges. Picking favourite for each would look something like this:
Mule deer - 7x64 Sako m85 Bavarian/ 2-10x Zeiss,
Whitetail deer .308 Sako L579 / Zeiss 2-12x,
Moose 30-06 Brno ZKK 600/ Kahles 2-7x,
Elk 9.3x62 Verney Carron Impact Plus/ Docter 1-6x
Bear 9.3x74R Beretta Silver Sable O/U Express/ S&B 1.5-8x
Pronghorn 25-06 Sako Finnbear AV/ Leupold 3.5-10x
But other rifles sometimes jump in front of the line. This fall I shot both whitetail and moose with a Krieghoff Hubertus single shot in .30R Blaser, mounted with a Swarovski 3-10. The elk was with my Sako 7x64.

Maryland.. 270 Win...Or 06 .. More of the 270win..

Here in SW Ontario it's 50 caliber Knight MZs for our crew in deer season in the shotgun muzzleloader units though I know a few guys who prefer their automatic 12 gauges.

In NB in York County the Upper Miramichi boys show a decided preference for the 308 cartridge and rifles but across the CN line to the east in Irwin clear cut country the 30-06 is ubiquitous and touted as the finest cartridge ever developed.

Local preferences...

I run a Marlin XS7/Leupold VX-1 3-9x40mm in .308 with 165 gr Speer GS's over 43 gr of RL15 (deer and hogs) or 180 gr Nosler BST's over 45 gr of IMR4350 (elk and bear). I have hunted NE, MO, PA, NY, UT, NM and FL this way. Got a .308 RAR spare with same scope that rides along in the SKB. Have a Savage 11 in .223 with a 2-7x33mm Rifleman scope in the truck loaded with 64 gr copper solid HP for targets of opportunity. For IL, I have a rifled barrel 870 with the thumbhole stock and open sights that really likes the BRI sabots. CVA Wolf 209 Magnum (don't laugh, it was a Christmas gift) loaded with 90 gr loose 777 and 250 gr Knight Red Hots for muzzleloader season.

Alabama , whitetail, November thru Feb, planted pines, clearcuts and hardwood drains, bolt actions 7mm08 and 270 win.
Florida, Hogs , feral farm fields, cypress swamps , pine forest and pastures, Bolt actions 7mm08,270 win, 30-06.
Ohio, whitetail deer, Big Timber and farm field edges along woodlots, bolt action 350 Legend , 444 marlin levergun and previously shotguns with slugs.

Every deer hunter in Texas has a 243/6mm in their arsenal. It might not be their primary, but every one has at least one.

Here in Montana most of my hunting partners run a 300 wm. Deer and elk general season are at the same time so it’s nice to have a larger caliber rifle in hand.

Now this just cannot be right. We have been told by the internet experts that all the locals in Montana use a .270 for everything because they understand cartridge ballistics, bullet construction and how to shoot so much better than the average nimrod that a magnum is not needed.

For Coues whitetail here in Arizona, I have been using a 6.5 WSM. For the last two cow elk, the 6.5 WSM with 124gr Hammer Hunters was used. Previous bull hunts had me carrying a 30-06 or 300 WSM.

For here in se Missouri or hunting Michigan (my birthplace) either my 700 mtn Remington or my classic featherweight model 70, both in 7mm-08. A 12 ga Wingmaster with rifled slug when we go southern zone in Michigan, though my relatives that live there have lined up behind the 350Legend.
I would say the budget rifles are overwhelmingly what I see now around here. 308 dominates the cartridge choice. The 6.5 C had a chance to be #1 but the ammo shortage killed that.

I've seen more .270s, 7mm RMs and 30-06s out here than anything else. I've seen more 25-06s and 243s than 300 Mags. During the Youth Elk/Deer seasons, I've seen more 30-30s and 7mm08s. I have also seen a few 280s. Overall, fast and flat shooting for the most part. I've used alot of different ones, but mainly a Magnum of 30 to 375 on elk, 220 Swift to 300WM on deer/antelope. I've killed more game with a 280AI than I did with any 7mm Mag from Rem to RUM. Bad luck I guess. I know for a FACT that Life is alot SHORTER than I thought when I was 20! ha So many choices...so little time ( and resources!) lol

Alaska.

Caliber is whatever I feel like that's in the arsenal, from .243 to .338WM and in Ruger, Remington, Winchester, M98.

It all works on pretty much everything up here. I don't do brown bear/griz tho. At least not on purpose.

I've likely killed more stuff with 30-06 than any other caliber. Currently in stock in Ruger, Remington, and M98 (second one over the years and I'm thinking that may turn into a 300WM if I get my lathe set up again).

SC hunts typically involve some woods and fields with shots mainly 100 yards or less. Occasionally a couple hundred yards across a pasture or down a powerline. Combine that with the huge size they get to here and you better bring plenty of rifle. Most of what I and friends hunt with are 243/25-06/6.5mm of some flavor/270/7-08. Don't need any heavily constructed bullet either. 243 with 95gr Nosler BT and 25-05 with 115gr Berger are some of my favorites.

I hunt from the coast to the eastern boundry. Mauser 30-06 is my huckleberry. Others go hunting at times.223, .243, .308, .338wm and various shotguns. With the exception of shotguns, bolt actions are my go to type. I do have an old 760 pump in .300 savage I used a couple times, just never could like that action!

A bolt action 300win is my go to gun. I prefer to shoot a 280 or 243 when meat hunting and just killing deer. I'm planning on killing a couple of does this afternoon with a 32 special that my grandfather used a 100+ years ago. Sure is nice to have the luxury to pick and choose what rifle you use, and not go hungry if you don't kill something.

As a gunsmith in the center of Wyoming I get to see what the most common rifles and calibers are on a common basis. Without a doubt the bolt action is most common and the 2 most popular cartridges (by far) are the 30-06 and the 270 Winchester (no one is likely to be surprised there)
In a close 3nd place is the 300 Win Mag and if I were to guess I'd pit the 7MM Rem mag and the 25-06 in a tie for 4th place.
By guess at 5th place is a mix of many shells. 25-06, 243, 6.5 CM, 280, and probably a small batch of others are in that bag.
Just below that placement are the 338 Win, the 300 Ultra mag, 6.5X55 Swede and the 45-70 as well as the 375H&H. This category are the ones that are not near the top, but not a surprise at all when you see someone hunting with one.

There is no way on God's Green Earth I could boil down all of my Favorite's List in bolt action Rifle's and # of calibers I've owned and hunted with. I spent 13 years as sporting goods wholesaler's rep in Texas & an Importer's Factory Rep in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana & Mississippi. Handguns & Mil Surp black guns were never my gig. NOTE Yes of course I own some of these too.

I did however use that experience to gravitate exclusively in hunting rifles to Bolt Action rifles in a dozen+ calibers, and in couple Pump or O/U Shotguns. Given a choice I'll always own at least one 270, + smaller caliber's of some sort like a 6.5 Swede/7x57 or something similar or like a 257Rbt's -243 or other, and a "thumper" bigger caliber rifle from a 300 - 338 WMg or 9.3x62.
Ron

There is no way on God's Green Earth I could boil down all of my Favorite's List in bolt action Rifle's and # of calibers I've owned and hunted with. I spent 13 years as sporting goods wholesaler's rep in Texas & an Importer's Factory Rep in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana & Mississippi. Handguns & Mil Surp black guns were never my gig. NOTE Yes of course I own some of these too.

I did however use that experience to gravitate exclusively in hunting rifles to Bolt Action rifles in a dozen+ calibers, and in couple Pump or O/U Shotguns. Given a choice I'll always own at least one 270, + smaller caliber's of some sort like a 6.5 Swede/7x57 or something similar or like a 257Rbt's -243 or other, and a "thumper" bigger caliber rifle from a 300 - 338 WMg or 9.3x62.
Ron

SC and Georgia whitetails. 22-250 with a 40 grain v-max.

Raised in CA in a ranching family, hunted the West with points for everything we could sometimes 3-4 states a year & shot 270 Win & 270 Wby. mostly. Now in VT and learning the ropes of this area (tougher than most but doesn’t get the credit) 308 & 30-06 with 180’s are the standard. Now I hunt all around the the Eastern region and find myself using a 6.5 Creed. I really like the 127 & 129gr bullets.

All that said, I really like a great, accurate 270 Winchester for all things. In a slow creep, I’m getting back to where I started. That 150gr .270 Partition is something very special. I can’t describe it or you guys would think I’m bullshi**ing.

Great picture!

Thanks MGunns--- That photo of Little Brother Tommie Norris was taken by myself in 1971 as we were going up Bao Loc pass QL 20. He looked 16 then and looks about 30 today. -- The twin .308 's were also good for that region . Web

Here in North Arkansas when I was a kid most people hunted with a 30-30 or a 30-06 or 270 Remington Woodmaster or Fieldmaster.
Many Then went to bolt actions in same calibers adding in 243, 25-06 and 7 Mag. Now lot are buying the cheapest bolt actions mostly in sub 30 caliber short action cartriges.
The style of hunting has changed. From dogs and deer drives to sitting on Food plots and corn feeders for most.