Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles First deer/elk killed with ?

I admit it. I have a love of useless and inane trivia and minutiae. I like trying every variable just in case there's something I may have missed or just for info's sake! This explains the plethora of bullets and powders on my shelf even after I've found a great load!

Anyway, after my last post I got to thinking about what would have been my first kill had my Model 600's firing pin not gummed up and gone 'click' on a bitter, November morning in N. Wisconsin.

So my first big game kill ended up being with a 1966 Rem 700 in .270 WCF loaded with (the then fairly new) 140 Ballistic Tips. Can't remember the powder or amount and we didn't have a chrono but it killed quite dead nonetheless!

I know many of the guys here on the Fire are, ahem, 'older' gents and I would be fascinated to know what rifle, cartridge and even bullet you made your first bag with. Might as well throw in your first elk, too, for giggles.

Is this important info? No, but that's part of why I would just love to know! Thanks.

First deer,,,,30-06 factory 150 gr (before I started reloading) @ 10 years old. Don`t remember the bullet.

First elk,,,,,30-06 factory 180 gr (before I started reloading) @ 13 years old. Don`t remember the bullet.

First hog,,,,,30-06 factory 150 gr (before I started reloading) @ 11 years old. Don`t remember the bullet.

The rifle was a `03 Enfield that was converted over to a sporter by my dad. Had a Redfield on it.

My parents divorced in `67 and that bastid took the darn rifle....LOL!

Good question, should be some fun answers.

First deer was downed with a 50cal ML. Probably some cast bullet and whatever "youngster" powder charge my dad used to dump in there for us boys huntin out in the back 40.

Elk was with a 308win. running 165 PT around 2775fps.

First deer.... 270 factory 130gr
First elk..... 270 factory 130gr
First hog..... 270 factory 130gr

The elk was shot when I was young and dumb and before I found out a .270 wouldn't work on them.

I'm not one of the "'older' gents" (I'm 41) but my first deer was killed on Nov. 7th 1987 on a dog drive with a Benelli 121 SL 80 12ga with Federal Premium #4 buck 2 3/4". First with a rifle was with a Ruger 77 6.5mm Rem. Mag. with Remington 120 gr CL.

First deer - .243 Win. M788 100 gr. Partition ahead of 43.5 gr. IMR 4831
First elk - still hoping...will use a .260 Rem with 140 gr. Partition or a .30-06 with 165 gr. Partition

First deer- 1974, Marlin 336, .35 Remington,200 grain Remington Core-Lokts
Firts Elk- 2009, (Rifles Inc.) Remington 700, 6.5X55 Swedish, 140 grain Core-Lokt
Bucket List- Hog, Pronghorn, Caribou, Moose, Mt. Lion not in any particular order.

Deer - iron sighted thuddy thuddy at age of 12. Prbly 150 core loks

Elk - hoping 300 saum next fall. Either 180 partition or accubond

Hog - colt king cobra 357. Don't recall bullet

How are you ever going to compile any data on what will work if you keep using so many different rifles and bullets?

First deer 8mm Mauser BCD code WWII cheap Herters 196g
Have not as of yet got an Elk
First Caribou 30-06 Winchester Model 70 180g Nosler

first deer - (about 1964/florida) - lc smith double barrel 12 ga and buckshot

first elk - 1973/colorado - browning nomad stalker 50# recurve

First deer--Marlin 336 in .30-30 (1959). Factory iron sights and Peters factory loads (I can still see that purple and white box).

First elk--pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in .30-06 (1964). Hand load with 165 grain Partition.

First deer (doe)...65lb Person Renegade compound bow with Easton 2216 aluminum arrows. Wasp 125gr. broadheads...1988.

First buck...Rem. SPS 300WM...185gr. Berger loaded over RL-22...Nov. 2010. I hunted deer with a bow for a long time and never could connect on a buck...I missed a few, probably buck fever. Took 4 years to get a rifle buck tag.

First antelope (Buck)...Ruger #1 25-06...100gr. factory Remington Corelokt bullet...1992. Borrowed from a co-worker cause I didn't own an "antelope" rifle.

First Elk (Cow)...Remington 700 BDL LH 30-06...180gr. Hornady loaded over IMR-4831...1993.

Not very exciting, but that's my list...I have Elk, Deer, Antelope, Goose and Pheasant in the freezer right now!

Shoot straight,

Elk Country

First deer was taken with 308 Model 99.
First elk with 50 cal renegade.

First deer, H&R 12 ga single shot and 00 buckshot 1976
First hog old Winchester lever action in 38-40.

Probably the first dozen deer I shot (probably more) was with a 700 ADL in .270 Winchester. Bullet was a 130 grain Hornady, same as dad always loaded in his .270.

First deer...Rem 700BDL in .243..Williams Reciever sight ( ! ), 100 grain Hornady..

First Elk; Herters Commercial Mauser Bbl action on a Flaigs stock, Williams Reciever Sight ( ! ) .300 Win Mag, 150 Grain Nosler PT

Didnt use a scope for quite some time.....

1st deer tang saftey 243 Ruger

1st elk tang saftey 7mm Ruger

Yeah but back in those days most large big game could be killed with a .270 or .30-06 using nothing more than standard cup & core bullets.

It wasn't until years later that hog, deer, elk and other big game started wearing Kevlar body armor, requiring at least a .300 Whiz Bang Super Magnum cartridge to bring them down.

First Whitetail, A large doe. Browning Nomad Compound with Easton XX75 alumimun arrows and 125 grain muzzy broadheads. I was hunting central Wisconsin and sitting in a Baker climbing tree stand.
That was close to 30 years ago and I still remember the arc of the orange XX75 intersecting with the ribcage.

First whitetail gun kill, A six point buck. Remington 760 pump with lupy scope and 100 grain core-lokts. Wisconsin

First Elk, 5x5 in Colorado, Sako deluxe in 280 Remington with 140 grain core-lokts. about a 250 yard shot that took the bull down so fast I thought I had missed and the bull had some how ran off without me seeing him. This bull, and the hunt may have been the most memorable/enjoyable hunt I have been on. I have returned to Colorado several times and taken several bulls, but that first one was intoxicating.. A drop camp at treeline in the rockies is one of the most rewarding adventures.