Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting What did you use to kill your first deer?

I own some real nice rifles, but my pet rifle that's been carried more than any of the rest is a 788 in .222 Rem. I love that rifle.

If it was my bullet that killed this one, then it was a $5 Mauser 98 7.92x57. with issue sights - Norma ammo.



There were two others that shot at that deer. I was a teenager.

The next one would have been with a '03 Springfield with a K4 scope, either with cast bullets or 180 grain core lokts.

50's model 870 corncob 16 gauge and #1 Buckshot on a hound chase

Remington 760 in 6mm Rem 100 grain cup & core game king I believe.

A borrowed 870 w iron sights a lot of years ago.

The following year I bought one of my own and have easily shot 25+ deer with that gun.

Time tested, mother approved.

I shot my first deer with a combo identical to this one. Wound up selling that gun then traded into this one a few years ago. I have yet to use it for deer but it is a sweet shooter. The ported barrel gives an impressive fireball.

Shotgun.

A new 6mm Rem 788 left hand with a 100 gr. Rem CoreLokt.

I was lucky to be a lefty, or I'd likely have gotten whatever was cheapest on the used rack. 4 of my brothers and I each got a Buck knife, a deer rifle and a shotgun for our 12th birthdays. Most of us still carry them some 50 years later.

An open-sighted 6.5x54mm Mannlicher Steyr, made in 1905. It was my first Roe buck, stalked on my own in the Highlands of Scotland, when I was 16.
A rite of passage in my family!

Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .308 Winchester

Remington 870 12ga with slug. DRT!

I was nine years old. I used a Pre-64 Winchester Model 94 in .30-30 Winchester. A beautiful rifle, but she's spent the last 30 years in my safe. I got a .25-06 when I was 15 and since then I have not needed another rifle (hasn't stopped me from buying them though).

Early 70s Winchester M94 30-30 with iron sights.

I started hunting deer in 1995 after I'd moved to Cali. Picked up a boat paddle Ruger in 30-06 really cheap from a farm and ranch store that was closing.

10 minutes into the hunt and I spooked a heavy forked horn buck and dropped him with a 165 grain Corelock.

This was my last buck on the same ranch and also same rifle but it's now stocked in a coyote bomber Micky.

I had a sears ted williams pump gun 23 gauge. My dad set me up on his stand on a hill. Buck jumped over fence spined him as he ran downhill

12 gauge not 23 gauge. Had a weird glued on site. I remember sighting in and I centered the target. One shot and good to go

Weatherby Vanguard in 270 Win

Pre war Winchester 94 in 32 special

I attempted a ~500 yard shot with a 300 winchester handloaded with 165 Hornady Spirepoints. Missed but I insisted I didnt so we went to look in very high grass. Jumped him from 20 or so feet and I still had the scope on 14x so i couldn't see. Held the rifle a bit offside and hit him in the right rear . Darn near didnt have to gut him. A real mess

Savage 340 in .222 Remy