GAHUNTER60
Senior Member
Several years ago I went the "traditional" route all season. I hunted with a SRC 1892 in .44-40 and a original SRC Trapdoor in .45-70. I decided to give it up when I had to sit there and watch a buck, near 150 class, walk across the field at 250 yards. What made me sick is knowing I had a 300 WM sitting in the truck. Never saw that buck again. No one had pictures of it before or after I saw it. It just happened to be passing through.
Wyman
Exact same thing happened to me many years ago when I decided to use my .50 caliber Hawken on our one and only doe day instead of my scoped Model 70. Of course the only deer I saw that day was a buck bigger than any I had ever shot, or even ever seen before, crossing a cutover 200 yards away. No way should I have taken a shot with those open sights -- but I did anyway (I was young and dumb). Fortunately, it was a clean miss, as the big boy just stopped, looked around for the source of the commotion, then continued on his merry way.
Now, when I hunt with what should be considered a short-range rifle, (like my .32 Remington), I only hunt stands where any deer that approaches can only be seen in close quarters, well within the effective range of the weapon.