Do staineless guns spook big game?
- Thread starter Woodsman
- Start date
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
I always thought the matt stainless looked like a sun bleached dead branch. In that way, it's a camouflage of sorts. So, no, it doesn't spook game.
lejarretnoir
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- 162km from Connaught
My shiny stainless Rem 700 barrel keeps on racking em up. Don't know if shooting them spooks em or not.
According to the UV blocker advertisement in the hunting magazines, we all glow a bright blue, unless we buy their products
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
No, stainless barrels don't scare game. But the crashing through the bush and all the wheezing and swearing from hunters will.
- Location
- AB foothills
It is as simple as that.
- Location
- Dah Soo,ON
I haven't seen a moose since I bought my CDL SF .
I believe the answer is, "Yes game animals are absolutely spooked by stainless rifles.".
.I believe the answer is, "Yes game animals are absolutely spooked by stainless rifles.".
It depends on distance.
I hunt deer in an environment where the typical shooting distance is from 10 to 40 yards and at those distances you better not move a stainless gun too quickly if you want to get a shot.
I have learned that you usually need a combination of sound, movement and smell with one of these getting the deer attention and the second, immediate flight.
For example, a deer could see a stainless steel gun and it might get its attention but what would spook it is the movement of it.
The same applies in bright sunshine for shinny blue steel guns.
I have experimented considerably in the last couple years and I've had deer walking by me at ground level at less than 10 yd without seeing (no blind used) or smelling me but I use all the camo tricks available including scent killers, etc.
In concluding, I would not hesitate to use any kind of gun (blue, stainless, camo, etc) for moose hunting but for deer in my part of the country, I would be a bit more selective .
And finally, keep in mind that the human eye response is not the same as animals so what colours attract your attention might not be the same as the ones that attract the game. Also, some animals have considerably better eye vision than humans while others, have less.
My 2 cents,
Duke1
I hunt deer in an environment where the typical shooting distance is from 10 to 40 yards and at those distances you better not move a stainless gun too quickly if you want to get a shot.
I have learned that you usually need a combination of sound, movement and smell with one of these getting the deer attention and the second, immediate flight.
For example, a deer could see a stainless steel gun and it might get its attention but what would spook it is the movement of it.
The same applies in bright sunshine for shinny blue steel guns.
I have experimented considerably in the last couple years and I've had deer walking by me at ground level at less than 10 yd without seeing (no blind used) or smelling me but I use all the camo tricks available including scent killers, etc.
In concluding, I would not hesitate to use any kind of gun (blue, stainless, camo, etc) for moose hunting but for deer in my part of the country, I would be a bit more selective .
And finally, keep in mind that the human eye response is not the same as animals so what colours attract your attention might not be the same as the ones that attract the game. Also, some animals have considerably better eye vision than humans while others, have less.
My 2 cents,
Duke1
Moose Masher
CGN Regular
- Location
- Oak Hammok Manitoba
High gloss blueing and even glossy stock finishes are usually more reflective than stainless.
I think its movement that they notice and are set to alert by more than anything else. That said, its likely the more contrast the object has from its surroundings, the more evident movement is. Deer don't seem to be afraid of inanimate objects and are often quite curious of them. Several times I've had them walk right up to parked vehicles in the bush while we were either away or I was catching some ZZZZ's. I'd imagine my white face to be more of a problem than the stainless rifle in my hands.
I've repeatedly seen the glint off of stainless guns that I or my buddies carry far more than blued guns.
We have discussed this many times and the common consensus is that stainless guns spook animals far more readily then other guns we carry.
So if we are concerned in the hunting situations we are in that the guns may spook game we wrap them in reusable camo tape.
Just remember to check point of impact after you wrap the barrel/fore end most of my guns don't change point of impact but my new Sako 85 Grey Wolf 22-250 when I wrapped it moved the impact point about 4".
We have discussed this many times and the common consensus is that stainless guns spook animals far more readily then other guns we carry.
So if we are concerned in the hunting situations we are in that the guns may spook game we wrap them in reusable camo tape.
Just remember to check point of impact after you wrap the barrel/fore end most of my guns don't change point of impact but my new Sako 85 Grey Wolf 22-250 when I wrapped it moved the impact point about 4".
Any deer I have ever seen at 10 to 40 yards has required very fast movement to get the shot off!
But I don't necessarily hunt under the same conditions that you do.........
I've never noticed the finish on a gun to make one iota of difference. The glint of of the scope lens or even your glasses would do more to spook game if it were even an issue. Hell, deer have been known to not be afraid of high-beams on a vehicle.
Added to your 2¢, now we have 4!
Now that's a meal fit for a King.
Not yet!
And the grouse don't seem too bothered either.
Let me shine one of those lights into your eyes at night then you tell us...
I'm also curious how you know it makes them stand still?
Being well read on some subjects does not make one a participant in said activities.
Also my first hand experience comes from the many years I have emergency swerved around Deer on our twisty BC Highways, so yes I have seen the "deer in the headlights" effect for myself.
