The Iowa deer hunting seasons are less than a month away! I've got my new Ruger Super Redhawk 44MAG dialed in with the Bushnell Elite 2-6X32 scope and I'm chomping at the bit! I've got my eyes on a very nice mature typical 8-pointer that I've seen a few times and my B-N-L has seen a few times as well. I sure hope he shows up during season.

I've got an any sex tag and a couple antlerless tags to fill and if I can I want to fill all my tags with the Ruger. I'll have my 20 ga. H&R Ultra Slug Hunter with me just in case the big boy shows up and hangs out there @ 200-250 yards away but I sure hope to get him within 125 yards or closer so I can get 1st blood with the Ruger.

Leave the 20ga home and any blood that's spilled will be on the Ruger. Just sayin'

Jeff

I'm not sure I can bring myself to do that just yet. I have tags for the late muzzle loader season as well and that's when I'll be carrying the Ruger exclusively to fill some doe tags.

I trust my H&R out to 250 yards, I trust my Ruger out to 125-150 yards. I just have this fear that the buck I'm after might be out there in that farther range and I guess I haven't totally committed to being just a handgun hunter just yet.

Agree just take the pistol

It is your hunt, take what you want.

To each his own. This year, I'm going to leave my rifle at home. Well, my cousin actually has it at the moment, but I'm in no hurry to go get it back.

Anyway, good luck IAshooter! Regardless of which weapon you use.

Take what you want for sure. But sometimes, having a long gun and a handgun together can complicate things. Especially if you, say, have your rifle or shotgun across your lap and the deer appears at an awkward angle and, well, switching to the handgun at that point becomes problematic.

Only 11 days away now.

250 yards with a 20ga slug ?
Seriously ? What kind of ammo are you using.

Jeff

Yes, seriously.

I have an H&R Ultra Slug Hunter (single shot heavy barrel) topped with a Nikon 2-7X32 scope and use the Remington Accu-Tips. It shoots 1" groups @ 100 yards, and thats no BS. Here's my 1st 3-shot group I ever shot with it @ 100 yards.



I shot my buck last year at almost 210 yards but I have shot my 12" steel target @ 250 yards w/o any trouble using the Accutips out of this gun. The H&R is stupid accurate for me for a slug gun.

But I'd like to do most, if not all, of my deer hunting with the Ruger SRH this year.

Well good luck in whatever you use. I hope the ML season is warmer than it was last year in IA. I was lucky enough to get a non-resident Late ML tag and enjoyed hunting in IA last year but didn't enjoy the 20 & 25 below wind chills from the 26th on was a little chilly. Hope your season this year is a little warmer and shoot the big one.

I had a 22-250 and my son had a 243 in a H&R heavy barrel and they both shot good. Neither one of them was beautiful on the outside but they would shot. I know we are comparing apples and oranges here but I believe you that H&R's are accurate. Nice shooting.

I've hunted pretty hard most of the last 8 days. Shot 2 does with my Slug gun this last Monday (in the rain) and have carried the 44mag with me everywhere I've gone but just haven't seen ANY bucks bigger than small basket racks other than once and have yet to have a buck present itself for a makeable shot.

Today is the last day for me to have a chance at a buck this year and I'm about to head out and try once more. Wish me luck, I'll need it I think.

Tomorrow, late muzzle loader season starts and runs through Jan 10th and I have 2 doe tags for that season and I will be hunting exclusively with the Ruger SRH for that season.

I need to get "1st blood" with this beautiful handgun!

good luck shoot straight!

"1st blood" is always a must to fully initiate a new firearm. Good Luck.

No buck for me this year.

I just never saw bucks this year like I have in years past unfortunately. Oh well, that's just the way it works sometimes I guess.

Hopefully I'll get some does in the next few weeks with the SRH.

No antlers for me this year either, but the freezer is still full nonetheless. Years ago, I built up an old Remington 870 Wingmaster into a purpose-built slug gun that's capable of similar accuracy with the right ammo. Still have the first "proof" target taped to my fridge that I shot once I got it dialed in. Big-game shotguns have sure come a long way since the old-school smooth bores and rifled slugs!

The first deer I shot with a handgun was a doe on opening day some 8 years ago. I still vividly remember the details as if it happened yesterday.

Good luck filling the rest of your tags.

Been there and done that! I was referring to trying to hunt with a rifle in my lap and a revolver in my hand. I have killed four deer doing that but had more fun when I left the rifle at home and had just my Ruger Redhawk.

I drew first blood with my Ruger GP 100 357 this year on a mature doe at only 28 yards. I had wanted to kill a deer with my GP 100 for several years but always took my Redhawk.