For those of You who are also warmed to the whole idea of Traditional Lever gun hunting, or simply Hunting deer with a Lever Action rifle- I'd like to hear Five aspects of it which excites you the most.
For Me, the idea of being in thick enough bush landscape, reading sign and trying to read what deer might be doing brings me alot closer to the animal in which i am hunting than merely just scanning over vast country waiting for an animal to stand up for the Afternoon, in some scenerios thats the hunt- its often a well waited, thought out process to dial in xx numbers and aim, dead on when it turns broadside- alas- often the end of a Hunt.
For Me, sitting still doesnt cut it, even waiting over red hot wallows isnt enough, i prefer to be moving about through the bush at a very slow, silent and delibrate approach- i still glass over yonder Faces at any chance one gets, but most attention is on the ground 10 to 50 feet ahead, with eyes scanning behind every opening of brush with a sense of anticipation that I feel, a Deer can sense..
Thats where the fair chase really echoes and it does somewhat become a sport to Me, it is easily summed up as a game of Hide and Seek, with the seeking often not being the ending of the story.. or more specifically it is the end of the chase for that day..
It might be only a Doe, an i hate saying "only a doe", for as a Hunt on a Doe, be it spot and stalk or just bush stalk, is as thrilling and difficult as any 'trophy' antlered buck... more often than not, that Doe is one of many Eyes that bust you sliding through the Brush with intent of 'droppin the hammer' an with a gulp of air and an alarm bark resembling truck air horns, its quite often the way the cookie crumbles with such an old tool in hand.
Distances need to be 'close' and shots have to be placed to be effective, it is often no use shooting at fleeing deer- there is times when this option is viable, not often-
Traditional Lever gunning would be along the lines of the "Trad Bow", effectively you are using 'iron sights' or open sighted, without the Telescope.. many prefer Peeps or buck horns...traditionally.
many of the lever gun calibres are ex pistol cartridges, which when loaded in a rifle length barrel does up the Velocity and effectiveness of the round.. it is a wise choice to look at calibres in the 30-30 or larger Class- however horses for courses as many of the pistol cartridges like 45 Long Colt , 357 Mag and 44Mags will offer an ideal lever gun for 100m shots on deer.
perhaps wit hthe 30-30 , you may get a chance at an across gulley shot in the range of 200m (scoped), without the scope perhaps 150m with a good peep, an well with some practise perhaps 200m is not out of your range, with the other Lever guns,patience and persistence is the key- being able to watch that 200m deer scoot off effectively passing up the only deer you see that day... but that is hunting.
Typically sitting and waiting is the most useful method with Lever guns, just because it can load 5-8 rounds, doesnt mean you need to blert them out- i often only load 4 sometimes 5 rounds for the Day.
A Sense of accomplishment is felt when harvestin an animal with an old lever cartridge at close quaters, knowing how elusive deer can be and even just suprising one by chance, is a moment to be proud of as it was not by complete fluke that you were in the right spot at the right time.. that is Also, hunting.
anyway. keen to hear.
Cheers
WL
For Me, the idea of being in thick enough bush landscape, reading sign and trying to read what deer might be doing brings me alot closer to the animal in which i am hunting than merely just scanning over vast country waiting for an animal to stand up for the Afternoon, in some scenerios thats the hunt- its often a well waited, thought out process to dial in xx numbers and aim, dead on when it turns broadside- alas- often the end of a Hunt.
For Me, sitting still doesnt cut it, even waiting over red hot wallows isnt enough, i prefer to be moving about through the bush at a very slow, silent and delibrate approach- i still glass over yonder Faces at any chance one gets, but most attention is on the ground 10 to 50 feet ahead, with eyes scanning behind every opening of brush with a sense of anticipation that I feel, a Deer can sense..
Thats where the fair chase really echoes and it does somewhat become a sport to Me, it is easily summed up as a game of Hide and Seek, with the seeking often not being the ending of the story.. or more specifically it is the end of the chase for that day..
It might be only a Doe, an i hate saying "only a doe", for as a Hunt on a Doe, be it spot and stalk or just bush stalk, is as thrilling and difficult as any 'trophy' antlered buck... more often than not, that Doe is one of many Eyes that bust you sliding through the Brush with intent of 'droppin the hammer' an with a gulp of air and an alarm bark resembling truck air horns, its quite often the way the cookie crumbles with such an old tool in hand.
Distances need to be 'close' and shots have to be placed to be effective, it is often no use shooting at fleeing deer- there is times when this option is viable, not often-
Traditional Lever gunning would be along the lines of the "Trad Bow", effectively you are using 'iron sights' or open sighted, without the Telescope.. many prefer Peeps or buck horns...traditionally.
many of the lever gun calibres are ex pistol cartridges, which when loaded in a rifle length barrel does up the Velocity and effectiveness of the round.. it is a wise choice to look at calibres in the 30-30 or larger Class- however horses for courses as many of the pistol cartridges like 45 Long Colt , 357 Mag and 44Mags will offer an ideal lever gun for 100m shots on deer.
perhaps wit hthe 30-30 , you may get a chance at an across gulley shot in the range of 200m (scoped), without the scope perhaps 150m with a good peep, an well with some practise perhaps 200m is not out of your range, with the other Lever guns,patience and persistence is the key- being able to watch that 200m deer scoot off effectively passing up the only deer you see that day... but that is hunting.
Typically sitting and waiting is the most useful method with Lever guns, just because it can load 5-8 rounds, doesnt mean you need to blert them out- i often only load 4 sometimes 5 rounds for the Day.
A Sense of accomplishment is felt when harvestin an animal with an old lever cartridge at close quaters, knowing how elusive deer can be and even just suprising one by chance, is a moment to be proud of as it was not by complete fluke that you were in the right spot at the right time.. that is Also, hunting.
anyway. keen to hear.
Cheers
WL
