appropriate deer/cariboo rifle, do I own one?

MaxKW

MaxKW

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Timmins,On
I've had too much time to think while in bed with the flu. I hunt moose, bear and predators but with a cariboo hunt coming up in november and a short local deer season picking up i'm wondering if I should pick up a dedicated rifle or just upgrade the gear I have (optics, stocks etc).

My big game rifles currently are a Rem Sendero in 7mm, a Gaillard custom in 338 RUM (about 9lbs scoped and loaded), a Gaillard custom in 35 Whelen (about 6.75lbs scoped) and a 416 Ruger in an Alaskan.

I'm in Northern Ontario, I hunt cut overs, farm land, swamps and thick brush haha

What would you guys do? upgrade or buy something else and what would you buy to fill the "gap"?
 
My goto rifle is a .30-06. As far as I am concerned it is the most versatile rifle ever made. That being said, I also use a .380, a .303, a .243, etc. If I had to buy a "NEW" rifle and couldn't get an '06, then I'd go to the 7mm for a general all around rifle. There is no required reason to upgrade either rifle or equipment. However, Possession is 9/10's of the Need!! If you want to get a new rifle, I would, but I would still get a 7mm. Besides, the better half won't know the diff, will she?
 
I'm also looking at the configuration of the rifle not only cartridge. My 7mm will do anything I need to do as a cartridge but when it comes the rifle weight and handiness there may be better or worse options depending on the conditions. The sendero is perfect for the tundra or clear cuts but less than ideal for hiking long distance in heavy cover.
 
i must say i consider the .303 british a very versatile, all around caliber. $22 for a box of federals makes them cheap to shoot, and the british empire has set quite a precident with it already so it's performance is never really a question.
RULE, BRITANNIA!
 
Workin Man, I think your right, and the 338 can fill in for any of them, not real heavy, not real light and plenty of power.

I'm thinking I could just step down to a lighter barnes tsx than what I normally load and call it good enough.

and yes a 303 is plenty of gun, I shot a very large cow moose this year and another guy in the group shot a 54" bull, mine was shot at 21 yards with the 338RUM and the bull at 60 yards with a 30-06, at those ranges the 303 is more than adequate and probably has accounted for more moose in Ontario than all other Cartridges combined. But I like to play.
 
How about a light weight bush carbine? The Win 94 or Marlin 336 are traditonal and my first choice would be a Marlin 336 in .35Rem. If you want a little more power then a BLR or Savage 99 in .308 but if you really want something interesting look for a Win 88 in .308.
 
Depends on the hunt / where and when.

With what you Have I would take the 7mm for a Winter barrens land Caribou hunt (maybe heavy if walking in the fall like you mentioned) and take the 35 whelan for an Ontario Deer Hunt .

You have everything you need but if you have an itch for something else to hunt Deer and Caribou how about a 25 or 6.5 cal ? Sounds like you can use nice light rifle perhaps in a Short action for walking around.
 
I think that your biggest obstacle will be knowing where your rifle shoots and properly juding distance - or at least that is what I have been told by friends who hunt caribou regularly. One guy knew where his .303 shot and the one other didn't. The difference was one dead caribou and one miss. The same guy who missed with his .303 made up for his mistake the previous year and used a 760 in 30-06 - bagging two last December. If I go this year, I'm taking my 7RM and the 30-06 as backup.

I don't believe that you will be "humping it" much, so weight should not be an issue. Most guys use sleds to get near and later retreive the animal - that is if you can't get close enough by truck + then walking.
 
There's nothing wrong with what I have and the money would probably be better spent on gear and shooting the ones I have.

I've agreed with everyone's opinion so far so I guess I'm just looking for justification of another rifle or reassurance that the current arsenal is fine.
 
You'll no doubt get lots of advice from guys who have never seen Caricou, let alone shoot one. Look at my picture. Those are Caribou.
They are pretty easy to kill, and don't seem to be put together as well as Deer are. A high velocity bullet really messes them up compared to Moose or Deer. I had good luck with 308 Win. but now use a 260 Rem. I think 250 Sav, 25/06 and 270 would also be good.
 
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