What Was your first deer shot with?

Shot my first deer this past season with a Model 94 in 30-30, which is also the same rifle my dad shot his first deer with, AND is also the same rifle that my grandfather shot his first deer with. If my son gets into hunting, this is the rifle he will be using for his first deer as well.
 
Winchester 1300 12ga with a slug. Was on my first deer drive and the buck was running straight at me with its head down. All I could see was antlers. I put the bead between the antlers and shot it right through the inside of the shoulder at about 10 yards. It slid to a stop into a tree stump about 4 feet in front of me. It was an 11 point and my biggest deer to date. I was 16 and was shaking so bad afterwards from adrenaline that I couldn't even unload my gun and had to have my dad do it. He teased me it was shot in self defense cause it would have ran me over, and I should have just turned the gun over and hit it in the head to save bullets. I will never forget that day.
 
First Deer ShotÉ

1943, Ontario commercial camp, very posh, with my father and uncle, Baptese Lake area of Ontario. I had turned 16 in October for the November hunt.

A good 10 point buck and a spike, both one shot with an old City of Toronto Model 94 Winchester .30-30. Rifle cost my father $20, with a very poor bore. Wish still had it!
 
Savage 99EG, 300 savage caliber,in the mid 70's. My dad's gun, mule deer doe. Next year first whitetail buck with a 25/06 ; husqvarna; my dad had fronted me the $$ earlier that fall.

Both are still in my safe
 
Sadly my first deer was taken with a savage 111 Iin 270win. First two deer actually within seconds of each other. First deer rifle was a super sporter model 40 in 300sav with aperture sight.
 
First deer last year with a Rem 700 in 243, loaded with 80gr Barnes TTSX pushed pretty hard, 100 yard shot, dropped in it's tracks.

Second deer this year with a Rem 700 in 257 Weatherby, 110gr Accubond, 260 yard shot, dropped in it's tracks
 
Big doe at approx 80yrds with moms bps 20 gauge womens/youth 18 yrs ago. not really where i wanted to hit her but took her spin out above the vitals with a win el cheapo rifled slug. My wife almost got her first being a 17 point drop tine buck with a remington lt20 loaded with a winchester el cheapo rifled slug 4 years ago when she had a 70 yard front shoulder hit. Unfortunately i was a mere 50 yards away and had 2 vital hits allready as it was bleeding out when she shot it....lol..... Ironicly she got her truely own decent sized 8 point buck the season before last with that same 20 gauge at 50 yards standing on the same stand (both of us as before), emptied her 1100 but got the 3rd shot in the heart, first 2 in the mud on the far bank.
 
I don't know if anyone has had the time on their hands to go through this thread and list the calibres by frequency of use, but I think it would be interesting. From what I've read thus far, I don't think I'd be far wrong to say that the venerable .303 British and .30-30 are the most frequently named calibres. I've been hunting a lot of years now, and my "go to" rifles are still a heavily modified .303 and my .308. I've shot deer with my 20 ga. and last year I shot a nice little 4 pointer with my SKS.
I know there are a lot of new ###y calibres out there, and I'm not knocking them at all. One of my clients at the place I used to work pooh-poohed me for living in the past but I've got the meat in my freezer and at the end of the day, that's what matters. I tell a lot of new hunters that if you want to get your feet wet for hunting in Ontario, you can't go wrong with .303, .30-30, or .30-06. You can get a good serviceable rifle and ammo for a lot less than let's say a .270 WSM, and if you find hunting isn't for you, you're not out a lot of money. Another upside to the tried and true old calibres is the availability of ammo. I've know guys who either had their ammunition damaged or forgot to pack it when heading out for their hunting trip. Try getting .300 WSM or .257 Roberts or 7-30 Waters at your local gun shop or Canadian Tire in Kenora or some other northern town. By loading my own, I have highly accurate ammo for what I shoot but I also know that if I had a senior's moment and forget my ammo at home, I can pick up what I need locally and sight in quickly. If I was hunting mountains or prairies, I'd see a long range, flat shooter like the new short magnums or even the 6.5 X 55 as an ideal addition to my equipment list, but such is not the case personally. Please bear in mind that I'm not slamming anyone for their choices, but I just thought I'd put in my two cents worth.
 
It was my grandfathers 303 enfield. Not a great shot, had to track it in the deep snow. I have never taken a shot again that didnt drop an animal in less than 100 yards. Usually drop in 10 yards maximum now that I am older and more proficient.
 
First deer Win model 70 westerner in 30-06 dropped in its tracks

Second Model 94 30-30, my grandpa gave it to my dad and it isn't mine yet but one day. Also gutted and skinned with a kinfolk knife that my grandpa gave to me which has undoubtedly been used on kills from this gun when my grandpa used it.

Hopefully third will be next year.
 
55 years ago, WhizBang 22LR out of a Ranger single shot. Distance 4 meters, POI- in the right ear while it was reaching up for the stamens at the top of the corn stalk.

That Mulie had been stealing everything in the garden all summer. Nothing that was serious, except when the potatoes and carrots/beets started to come up. It would eat off all of the tops when they got around 6cm tall. Good thing we anticipated the browsers. There was lots for winter, including some very well fed venison.
 
First one with a Remington 700 - .30-06.
Since then a 6mm Remington, 270 Winchester, 280 Remington, 260 Remington, 338 Win Mag.
The 243 Winchester, 25-06 and the 300 Win Mag have been christened with Black Bear.
 
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