Hey guys, I don't know about you, but I'm ready for hunting season!!!! (Now if my gear just was)
Our bow season for moose is only 8 days long & starts Aug. 10. Have a friend coming up from Mich. & I'm hoping to bloody my longbow.
Failing that, I drew a cow moose tag for an area about 70 miles away during the general season that runs Aug 20 thru Sept 20. I'll also be hunting bulls local & fill whichever tag I get the opportunity to first. The biggest question is which handgun for the general season. .444 Contender, or a new to me .358 Bellm 12" Contender. Right now I'm leaning toward the 358 because it's new to me, but I haven't shot it or started load development yet so we'll have to see how that goes. Black bear season is also open, so I'll be watching for them, & maybe trying a spot & stalk for them with the 358 after moose closes. If all goes well F&G will open a short brown bear season here mid Oct., & I think I'll try & find one of them with the .444.
Big dreams, but we'll see what happens.

What have you guys got on the horizon, what will you be shooting, & when does it start?

I've got a free ranging Axis deer hunt on Aug 8th & 9th. I'll be using my SBH .44

Vance, I am having the same problem trying to figure out what round to use. I have been real impressed with the 338JDJ #2 I just picked up. On the other hand I just found some Lever-Evolution ammo for my .45-70 which I will try at the range tomorrow. The 338JDJ is great, but I am having a hard time staying away from the .45-70.

I have 26 days to go before my early season deer hunt starts. I have been getting all my gear together and going over maps the last few weeks.

Good luck with the moose and bear!

not even close i live in mn been in the high 90's last two weeks.need to pick a bbl for speed goat in montana deer in mn black bear in mn then i need to check loads if it cools down ever .....were to start

ME,ME,ME,ME!!! I am READY!! Well...almost. Before I ever get to pull the trigger I have a youth hunt that I'll take three youn men on...I helped two get there first deer last year. That hunt is a hoot!

Then I have fall turkey which I'll do with a XP-100...most likey the .222 Rem Mag Imp this year. Blooded the yellow .222 Rem last year in the fall season. The .222RMI is ready to roll!

Then...I have my elk hunt in Colorado for mid-November. I have three Contenders ready to go...the .338JDJ#2, .375JDJ, and 45-70. But...the main gun for this hunt is not yet completed! It should be done very soon though...it's a XP-100 chambered in 7mm-270WSM...my long range hammer!

Following that will be the PA deer season...two weeks and hopefully three tags to fill! I'll use the big XP for long range shooting and maybe blood the .35 Remmy this year.

I should be receiving my new sight today. A brand new Bushnell Holo Sight xlp. It will have a happy home on top of my new (well, new to me) S&W 686. This will be my first season with the handgun, so I am very exicted. Unfortunately, I can't shoot at deer here in Illinois with a gun until the weekend before Thanksgiving. At least I have pleanty of time to warm it up.
This is a great time of year. I feel like I am 7 years old and we are about to get out of school for christmas break. I can't hardly drive anywhere around here without streching my neck watching a flock of doves flying across a corn fiield. That season starts September 1st. Squirrel opened today, but it's too darn hot for that right now, it's going to hit 101 today. After Doves, Archery Deer opens the first of October and runs through the middle of january. If everything works out, I should have four tags for whitetails again this year. I did pretty good last year, I got out three times and tagged three deer so I am hoping to do at least just as good this year (especially since I am taking the hand cannon out with me this year).
So as I sit here at work googly eyed reading this forum and thingking about going hunting, I keep hearing this annoying noise in the background....Oh that's my boss Well got to go! Good luck everyone!!

I leave for a CA Boar and Deer hunt just outside of Colinga, CA in the 17th of Aug. I'll be hunting with my middle son, this will be his 2nd big game handgun hunt. Our next trip will be the 20 anniverary HHI Antelope hunt in WY, but not until October. Of course I'll slip in a blacktail hunt here in OR and one more deer hunt in CA before the Antelope hunt in OCT. I drew a late season (Jan) doe hunt in OR too!

Bill in Bend, OR

Just yesterday, I got permission to hunt 300 acres of private land with 2 of my buddies, here in middle TN. The last few years, I've been hunting public land, but it's getting to crowded. Can't decide on taking the .270Win Encore or the 7mm-08 Striker.

Nashcat

Getting ready for antelope hunt at end of Spt. in WY with a group of handgunners, we will be at the Casper KOA the last week of Spt. if any of ya'll out there want to come and visit. A KY whitetail hunt is on the calendar as well as whitetail here in WI. this fall. The dilema now is what guns to take and shoot. Like MN we have been having some kind of terrible heat wave, to hot to shoot and time is running out. Will probably take the 260 and 7MM-8 HS's to WY. The 284, 308 and 300 WSM HS's to KY and here in WI for the deer. Good luck to all this season
nmhunter

14 days till deer season opens here in SC. I hunted hogs a little this spring and summer, but its a poor substitute for deer season. We've got two farms loaded with deer and I hope to do my part controlling the population. Looking foreward to trying out my new to me Contender.

NOT ME!!!!!!!!! Bear season opened today but I havn't even had a chance to recheck the zero on my 460 and 475s' since moving over here to the coast which was a 4000 foot drop in elevation, I'm supposed to chase elk in eastern Oregon and Blacktails in southern Oregon this year but so far I'm running way behind.

I've been ready since last day of last whitetail season. Saw the biggest buck of my life then but too far for my 10" 7-30 Waters 'Tender. I've recently purchased a Competitor in .308 Win to cover that situation. Also added a 10" .357 Max barrel to the arsenal and will hopefully have my long wanted .454 SRH by this fall so I too will be having to make those tough decisions. Why is there so many days between Novembers?!?!?!?

I am SO ready! There isn't a day that goes by that i don't see deer here in Illinois. Unfortunately, I didnt draw for the regular season here, but I have another chance for the antlerless deer season here in January. I will be going to hunt with a buddy in Ontario in November.... with some long barrelled rifle thing, but at least I am out in the woods!
I will be planning a trip out west next year for Elk in a drop camp, maybe somebody here would be interested in joining the group??

Wow I can’t believe it’s august already. When I first read this post I said we still have lots of time! Then I looked at the calendar. 5 weeks till bow season and I haven’t even looked at the bow this year. I still haven’t decided on a recipe for my new 44 that I will hunt with for the first time this season! Although I really like what it did with the AA#9 last weekend. 180g win sjhp’s cci primer and about 19g+\- (or maybe 16 I don’t have the notes here at work) AA#9 if memory serves me right got it up to about 1740-fps +\- 10 fps. Think I might tweak that alittle with some xtp’s. I like the 180’s there bigger around and heavier than anything I shot out of my 30-06. I also have to plan how I hunt. NYS isn’t giving out doe tags in my normal zone 4m this year. We saw a lot more bucks last year than we have in a few years but I will be hunting with a much smaller party this year. Could be just me at times so I will need a new strategy. I would like to find some land where I could walk in to hunt and drive the quad in if I need it to drag. Very hard to find people willing to let you on land anymore.

I am ready to see if this 44 redhawk is as nice as everyonesays it is. I have a new spot to try for some closeup whitetail action, and i think the first big doe I see may end up having a very bad day!!

reading all the hits on this post and watching the mens channel tonight got me going. i am going to do a hog hunt here in VA in sept if i can going to use my new encore with tc custom shop 450 custom grip and forend in desert camo from D. Roberts out of texas wit Burris 2x7 e-dot on top. slinging the new hornady leverevolution ammo. then waiting for the VA deer season to come,happy and good hunting to all

where in va. can you do a hog hunt?im 45 minutes from roanoke,and 15 minutes from va.tech...jim257

i am in Nottoway county myself , there are two different places to hunt hogs in VA one in gladstone Va called Willis River hunting they have a web sight hogs on 200 acres you spot and stalk or stand hunt other place is new has been in operation for a year or so just outside of farmville VA in Cumberland County forget the name of the operation but i can find out if you are interested.

check sight in on a few guns.....n i'll BE ready for deer in november. it's too hot to think about it now

Looks like tx44hunter is about the only one that'll get a jump on me! Good luck.
I'm glad I'm not the only one chomping at the bit. Bow moose starts a week from this morning! Soon as that's over it's time to start playing with guns.
Man I can't wait.
I really envy some of you guys in the south with long seasons & liberal bag limits.
I hope you all have a safe, productive, & wonderful season.
And keep the rest of us posted!

Ready??? Not even a chance. The only thing I have done is make the reservations for the motel in September for our bear hunt in Old Forge. I have some 400gr pills loaded for the 480, but need to get to the range and check zero. I can get that done next Saturday at the range clean up and fix up day. Deer season isn't until the middle of November, so I still have some time to dial in the 35 and 243.

hey tig.......what bullet/load ya gonna ready up for the .243?
if ya push the 80gr sspb's too fast they will react pretty violent(not always a bad thing imo). they are designed for a 2600fps muzzle velocity, and your .243 should better that some.
my only load is with the 87gr v-max. although i'm sure that one will work at 2600fps, i think i'll work up another with the sierra 85gr bthp when i get time.
my 35rem will definately be ready when november comes. i love that lil deer thumper bout as good as any

Not really sure on the 243. I have some 80gr Sierra sspb. I also have some 100gr pills on the shelf.

Well it seems in Bama it's still a long way off before deer season opens. I'll shoot some resident geese, early teal, and dove in September. Then October I can finally break out the handguns and warm up with some tree rats. October 15 our archery deer season opens (2 deer per day) and then November 18 our gun deer season opens again with 2 deer per day season and runs all the way through the end of January.Legally you could kill 200 plus deer in Alabama in one season

The rut in Alabama usually comes in around the 3rd week in January. I'll spend Sept and October in SE LA fishing for specs and reds. I've got friends in MT that have already tagged out for archery antelope.

I still have to p[lant some food plots, heck It's so dry I won't break the fields until October.

I finished with loads and zero's on the barrels I want to use this year.Its been a tough decision but I have these shooting plenty good for minute of deer .A couple even better than that.I ended up with these,

6mm x 30-30 AI,14"
45-70,14"
45 winmag,14"
357 herrett,10"
30 herrett,10"

on stand by,
44 mag,14"
35rem,14"
357-44,10"
6.5 tcu,10"
30-30 win,10"

I'm ready for it to be here.
First off is cow elk and mule deer buck in Colorado ( mid-Nov) then whitetail locally in December.
Number one rig for me this year is the 7mm Dakota XP with my 6-284 or 6.5-285 XP's running back-up or for a change of pace.

I'm now ready for early bear, as the 480 is sighted in and ready to go.

We stoped by the gun shop and got our 06-07 licenses. I lucked out and got a doe tag in our unit. Looks like the season is starting to shape up.

Well bow season for moose closed here last Thurs. night & general saeson opened Sunday morning.
I had a friend up from Mich. for bow season & he got a nice spike, but my tag went unfilled. Today I headed out to start testing handloads for my .358 Bellm. Hoping to hAVE A LOAD SETTLED ON FOT IT BEFORE THE WEEKEND (excuse the caps).

Hey neighbor, how did your bear trek go? where do you hunt? Last time we were up north we stumbled into the moose river wilderness area, near Lime Kiln Lake. saw some bears . Planned on getting back up there, but haven't been able to make the time.

Right here. Going to hunt east of Boulder, CO. We bought some left over antlerlss deer tags. Buddy I'm hunting with is using a rifle and I'm taking my 309 JDJ loaded with some 125 Nosler BT's.

Headin down to Southern Ohio in a couple weeks for the bow opener. Was invited to hunt with the Disabled Wheelin' Hunters through a good friend here so I get to assist the Disabled hunters and hopefully fill a tag or two for myself.
Should be a good time.

Deer season is 5 weeks away, but we

are ready.
Dave

Deer season opened up here in Oregon yesterday but I'm fighting a case of bronchitis so I just drove around the woods and checked out clear cuts, hope to be beating the brush next weekend.

Be praying for your health Rod.
How's the back?

Thanks Vance, the back is coming around, I realized just how much muscle I lost when I started trying to hike up and down some of these logging roads here in the coastal range, packing out an animal should be interesting if not ammusing, especially since with my luck it will be in the bottom of one of these wonderful canyons we have around here.