Ok, I'm going to start hunting. Bow or semi-auto shotgun?

[jdubois]

I'm working my way through the basic ed class at the moment, and I'm pondering what I should get to hunt with. None of my current guns were purchased with hunting in mind, so I don't think any of them quite fit the bill. Should I get a semi-auto shotgun I can use to hunt birds and deer, or should I get a bow so I can hunt the longer deer season? I like the idea of bow hunting, but it'd take a lot more practice, as I haven't really touched a bow since I was a boy, whereas I have plenty of range experience with a semi-auto shotgun.

I'll probably end up with both, in the end, but I'm having a hard time deciding which to get first.

Any suggestions on what to get with either choice? I was looking at the PSE Stinger for a bow, and the Beretta 3901 w/synthetic stock as a shotgun. (The bow is a shot in the dark, the shotgun I've had some experience with and liked it)

 

[dixidawg]

Get a shotgun with interchangable barrels. Get a rifled barrel to use for deer, and a 26 or 28" with screw in chokes for birds.

If you have an 870 or Mossberg 500 you could just buy new barrels as they are available most everywhere.

Or just buy a "combo" package of either one and you can hunt most any animal in North America with it.

 

[jdubois]

Only shotgun I've got currently is a Beretta 686 Silver Onyx Sporting. Great gun, but way to heavy to hunt with. The 3901 I was looking at can take the 390 barrels, including a 24" rifled slug barrel.

 

[dixidawg]

Go for it. I don't own one, but have shot it quite a bit at retriever training and testing events. It is a very nice gun. I don't think you will be disappointed.


And get a bow too.

I don't bow hunt any more because I now enjoy bird hunting more, and the seasons mostly overlap.

 

[arlow]

How do your prioritys lay of what you would hope to harvest?

Deer
Turkey
Other birds and small game

 

[dixidawg]

Just to add, if you do get into hunting, you will very likely end up with multiple guns..... Semi's, pumps, O/U's and SxS...

 

[jdubois]

How do your prioritys lay of what you would hope to harvest?

Deer
Turkey
Other birds and small game

My main objective is to put venison in my freezer. After that, upland bird hunting seems like a good time. And maybe give duck hunting a go. Not as much interested in turkey or small game, but doesn't hurt to try it out

 

[dixidawg]

My main objective is to put venison in my freezer. After that, upland bird hunting seems like a good time. And maybe give duck hunting a go. Not as much interested in turkey or small game, but doesn't hurt to try it out

http://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_220F.htm

http://randywakeman.com/MoreWithTheSavage220F.htm

 

[arlow]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_220F.htm

http://randywakeman.com/MoreWithTheSavage220F.htm

Thats a great deer gun but it aint gonna work too well with grouse or pheasant...

Jdub

If I were you I would go with a mossberg trophy slugger combo. It comes with a bird barrel and 3 chokes and a cantilevered rifled slub barrel. They still retail for under 300 bucks. That would probably still leave you funds to purchase a bow as well and have the best of both worlds.

125 yard group with lightfield commander slugs

 

[jdubois]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_220F.htm

http://randywakeman.com/MoreWithTheSavage220F.htm

So what is a shotgun and what is a rifle? Lol. 321 CMR 3:00 doesn't really seem to define the difference. I guess you can just go on the fact that it takes shells and has a shotgun bore size?

If I were you I would go with a mossberg trophy slugger combo.

Thanks, I'll check it out. I've been thinking semi, so I haven't actually looked at any of the pumps.

 

[M1911]

Bow is hard. Seriously hard. It takes a fair bit of movement to draw your bow, and deer see movement. Also, drawing the bow makes noise -- the arrow rubbing the guides. It isn't much noise, but deer have great hearing.

Start with a shotgun.

 

[ChevyGuy91]

If you are set on a semi, check out the Mossberg 930. They are not that much money, and I love mine. I have taken mine and tailored it more towards action shooting, but would have no problem putting a slug barrel on it and trying hunting.

 

[jdubois]

If you are set on a semi, check out the Mossberg 930.

That's another good thought... thanks.

 

[davemata]

Re: Mossberg 500 combo - I did see one recently at Dick's in Natick for $350, I'm sure you can find it for much less somewhere else. I know a couple people that use them for chukar and mulies when they want a challenge, and swear by them, one has used that particular gun for 15 years, makes me think they're put together well also.

 

[CRSIII]

Get the bow.

You can practice in your backyard. Proficiency with a compound bow is a good skill to have.

I promise, get a good bow, have a pro set it up for you at first, drop the string for an hour 3x a week.

Come the fall, if you see it, it will die.

Choose your broad heads, get field points of equal weight. (practice with the field points)

A long shot with a bow is 40 yrds. (For most)

 

[Kurtz]

Depending on your area you might want to hunt with a bow because bow week is what starts off the Deer season, then the herders come in with the shotguns and disturb every square foot of woods, then the blackpowder hunters gets what's left. So if you think you'd enjoy a stealthy hunt get a bow. If you like yelling like you're at a rock concert get a shotgun. It would also be a good idea to join a gang if you're going with a shotgun, then being you're the new guy you're definitely brushing!

 

[Kurtz]

Bow is hard. Seriously hard. It takes a fair bit of movement to draw your bow, and deer see movement. Also, drawing the bow makes noise -- the arrow rubbing the guides. It isn't much noise, but deer have great hearing.

Start with a shotgun.

Yeah it's hard, but it's real hunting. If you think you hear a Deer coming in, pull back your string and hold it, and hold it, and hold it The mechanical release makes it a ittle easier...

 

[jdubois]

Depending on your area you might want to hunt with a bow because bow week is what starts off the Deer season, then the herders come in with the shotguns and disturb every square foot of woods, then the blackpowder hunters gets what's left.

My ace in the hole is that I've got two plots of land (20 acres, and 8 acres), both of which I know have plenty of deer on them. My 8 acre plot with my house already has hunters on it, but I've let them hunt here for the past two years and they're good guys and have offered to take me out and show me the ropes next fall (they're bow hunters, so that would definitely mean I'd need a bow). The 20 acres has nobody hunting it, and it backs up onto conservation land which the town doesn't allow hunting on. So that's my own private little world

 

[boxerjake77]

My vote is bow. You can hunt deer all three seasons with it.

 

[arlow]

My ace in the hole is that I've got two plots of land (20 acres, and 8 acres), both of which I know have plenty of deer on them. My 8 acre plot with my house already has hunters on it, but I've let them hunt here for the past two years and they're good guys and have offered to take me out and show me the ropes next fall (they're bow hunters, so that would definitely mean I'd need a bow). The 20 acres has nobody hunting it, and it backs up onto conservation land which the town doesn't allow hunting on. So that's my own private little world

In that case, especially if you have people to show you the ropes I would go the archery route first. Archery hunting isnt neccessarily "hard". But like everything else it takes time. You learn from mistakes which you will inevitablly make. But nothing is as satisfying as getting an animal within 20-30 yards and it having no idea you are there.

If you have any questions feel free to ask. I usually shoot at least 1 or 2 deer a year with my bow in Mass. Sometimes others in CT and NY.

I actually did a blog of my entire season this year. It might be fun for you to read to get a feel of what is involved. Arlow's 2010 hunting season

 

[Busa]

If you can sit still in a tree for long periods of time bow is a good option and the only way I hunt deer and turkey. I would recommend getting a Mathews, Hoyt, or Bowtech bow. Start with low poundage, You will be able to practice longer with out getting tiered. A high poundage bow is also very hard to draw back after you have been sitting in the cold and all your muscles are tight. Once you are proficient with your bow you can start increasing your poundage.

 

[M1911]

Yeah it's hard, but it's real hunting.

Oh, sure. Deer hunting with a shotgun isn't real hunting

The mechanical release makes it a ittle easier...

I have a mechanical release.

 

[jdubois]

I have a mechanical release.

That's what my wife keeps saying about me... I don't think it's a compliment

 

[jdubois]

I went and bugged IDC Firearms in Clinton about shotguns. They can get me the Mossberg 930 no problem and would let me transfer the Beretta in. Now I think I'm going to go over to Tepee Archery in Acton and have a chat with them about bows.

 

[Boghog1]

if your goal is to put venison in the freezer your odds are better with a shotgun. long term the bow can be cheaper depending on how much shooting you do.

 

[jdubois]

if your goal is to put venison in the freezer your odds are better with a shotgun.

Yeah, that's what I've been thinking. I'm definitely after the meat more than the sport. Not that I won't enjoy the hunt...

 

[M1911]

Now I think I'm going to go over to Tepee Archery in Acton and have a chat with them about bows.

That's a good shop.

 

[CRSIII]

That's a good shop.

+1.

 

[Busa]

I went and bugged IDC Firearms in Clinton about shotguns. They can get me the Mossberg 930 no problem and would let me transfer the Beretta in. Now I think I'm going to go over to Tepee Archery in Acton and have a chat with them about bows.

Brian at tepee is a great guy and one of the best Hoyt bow mechanics and string makers around. I have his strings on all my Mathews bows. I know he hurt his back recently so I'm not sure he is doing much shooting but have him give you some pointers on form and release and practice practice practice.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

My vote is bow. You can hunt deer all three seasons with it.

Bow hunting is indeed harder and requires more practice but it is by far my favorite way to hunt. If I had to pick one weapon only to hunt with it would be the bow (actually a crossbow in my case due to injury). You can use a bow in all seasons as long as you have the right stamps.

You said your main objective is to put venison in the freezer so I would also have to recommend a shotgun combo. I have a cheap Winchester smooth bore and it has done very well by me so far. It is accurate out to 75 yards which is about as far as I shoot anyway. The Winchester is my hunting gun so it goes out in all conditions and I don't worry about keeping it meticulously clean. Thats what I bought it for. I have had it for years and it has a lot of "character"; each ding reminds me of a hunt, or falling on my ass.

The other option to consider is getting a muzzle loader instead. The new muzzle loaders are accurate out to 250 yards and you could use it for both the shotgun and muzzle loader seasons. You may only get one shot put you would be able to hunt the muzzle loader season as well for an extra $5.00 stamp.

If you decide to go the muzzle loader route wait and see what happens with the regs this year before you buy it as there is a proposed change to allow of the use of break-open breech muzzle loaders. See DFW announcement below:

Public Hearing in Westborough March 22 Regarding Deer Hunting Regulation Revisions
Public Hearing, Westborough. A Public Hearing will be held by the Fisheries and Wildlife Board on Tuesday, March 22 beginning at 3 PM at MassWildlife Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Rd (off North Drive) in Westborough, regarding proposed revisions to the deer hunting regulations administered by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. The regulation revisions propose the allowance of the use of break-open breech muzzleloaders which have become widely available and popular. This facility is handicapped accessible.

Bob