your first game animal taken with a handgun.
#50528
04/20/2009 3:27 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
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ahandgunhunter
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i am sure this has been covered before but with the big game seasons closed lets here some stories from the past.
my addiction to handguns started long before i could legally owen one. first chance i got i bought a ruger redhawk 44mag. then i added a t/c contender to that. the first season my father and brother thought i was crazy for hunting opening day of deer season with the contender. they were right i missed a buck 7 times between the t/c and the ruger. that made me pull the rifles back out for that season.
fast forward to the next year opening day after lots of practice i was determined to take a deer with my handcannons. opening morning i rattled in a small 4 point he would leave then i would rattle and he would come running back. wasnt the kinda of buck i was looking for. when he left the last time i looked over my shoulder and heres comes a nicer buck looking for a fight. panic mode kicked in missed him once at 60 yards he ran out to about 85 yards and put a 200gr bullet from my 35 remington into his shoulder. he ran about 20 yards and piled up. my brother was hunting on the backside of the land he had to drive past me on the 4wheeler so i just dragged the deer to the trail and waited for him to come out. i was sitting there waiting when he finally drive up he didnt even stop just left me there. he couldnt believe that i killed a deer with handgun. he finally came back about 10 mintues later. they both thought i was crazy until that day when i showed them that it could be done. By the way the buck was just a 15inch tennessee 8pt but still my favorite trophy. had that deer mounted just because that was my first handgun buck.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: ahandgunhunter]
#50564
04/20/2009 11:28 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,704
Tigger
Distinguished Expert
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Distinguished Expert
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I bought a DW in 357 Max in the spring of 1991. I practiced all summer long on charlies and paper. That fall I took two large doe, each with one shot. The first doe came along a trail from my left, at about 25 yards I took her out. A couple days later a medium/large sized doe at 65 yards was harvested with my wolf and brother in laws as witnesses. Sure suprised them. From that time forward I have been "hooked" on handgun hunting!
NRA Life Member
** NEVER! Moon a Werewolf!!**
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: Tigger]
#50566
04/20/2009 11:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,655
wapitirod
Shootist
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first thing bigger than a squirrel was a badger with a S&W 629
I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them. John Wayne-The Shootist
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: wapitirod]
#50568
04/20/2009 11:43 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 547
sscoyote
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Pretty cool guys. My 1st was when i went hunting west of Ft. Collins, CO with Ernie (XPhunter). WE backpacked into a spot right off the road with several big basins and i had my too big 15-60x Spacemaster spotting scope. I was hunting along a ridge and spotted a couple deer bedded up under some scrub oak about 150 yds. away. I slowly gathered ny gear and glassed the lower buck as the higher buck was too small (had to have 3 points on one side then). But for the life of me he was positioned in such a way that if he had a 3rd point i couldn't see it. So i gave out a low whistle while watching thru the s. scope. He turned his head just slightly then, and there it was--a skinny little brow tine. I went prone with my XP-100 7 BR with a Bushnell 4-12x on top and sent a 115 gr. Speer HP into his chest. He never got out of his bed. Never forget that 1.
Steve
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: ahandgunhunter]
#50571
04/20/2009 11:49 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 174
clayzzz
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Groundhog just taken last week, but hey you have to start somewhere. I will say this I'm more proud of this one when I tell people it was taken with a pistol they say noway so I just show them the pics on my cell phone. Then they give you that look of suprise.
Last edited by clayzzz; 04/20/2009 11:55 PM.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: H2OBUG]
#50578
04/21/2009 1:02 AM
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 98
silly goose
journeyman
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journeyman
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Took a three point this year that could have been a twin to h20bugs. Nice doe was my first last year. Squirrels in years past, but didn't consider myself a handgunner, until I proved to myself I could do it again this year. Its not the harvest. its how I harvested that gives me a feeling of accomplishment. I'm hooked.
I went from pow to Boom. I love the BOOM!
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: ahandgunhunter]
#50582
04/21/2009 1:35 AM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,825
MIHunter
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: silly goose]
#50584
04/21/2009 1:42 AM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,963
KRal
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Shootist
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My first was a spike whitetail I took with a T/C Contender in 30/30 win, topped with a Tasco 2x... back in, I think 89' or maybe 90'.
It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger squeeze.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: KRal]
#50586
04/21/2009 2:23 AM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 454
lhunter03
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325 pound hog with a T/C in 357 max. Took 3 years to spill blood with a handgun, but I'd never give it up for anything.
Lars
Lars
.357 maxi, .375 win, 30-30 ackley, .450 marlin, and anything else that goes boom!!!
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: lhunter03]
#50591
04/21/2009 4:06 AM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 478
Pasco
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I nice Javelina taken in the Superstition Mountions N.E. of Pheonix AZ. That gave me the confidence to go handgunning for Mule Deer.
Don't confuse shooting with hunting. Shooting is a game, hunting is a sport.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: Pasco]
#50604
04/21/2009 2:30 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 95
patch
journeyman
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journeyman
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The 1st was a fork horn mule deer. Taken with 7-30 waters at 140 yards. That was 1996 near Pagosa Spring Colorado.I crawled the last 50 yards to get that close.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: patch]
#50615
04/21/2009 7:42 PM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 493
wyote
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The first head of big game I took with a handgun was an antelope doe. I used my Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44 mag. I shot my second antelope doe about 10 minutes after I had my first one loaded in the truck.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: lhunter03]
#50633
04/22/2009 4:07 AM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,625
Raptortrapper
Shooting Master
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Took a six point mule deer in colorado with Smith and Wesson .460 performance center hunter with a 12 inch barrel and a burris XTS-135 speed dot scope. Shot him at 104 yards. No wasted meat at all cause to bullet was going so fast, it never had time to expand. The shock wave is what killed the deer -- stood it up on its back feet, and it fell over dead before it hit the ground. That's my kind of tracking!!! :-) I've sold that .460 cause I've moved to texas. Wanted to hunt elk with it, but didn't get the chance. Now looking for a TC encore .44 mag or .357 mag.
I'll never hunt with anything but a handgun again. Even flys if I could! :-)
A lot of people are like a slinky: Not much fun till you push them down the stairs!
Lifetime Member of the NRA! Wish I'd a done it sooner.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: lhunter03]
#50763
04/25/2009 7:04 AM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19
jarinwv
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My first was a small doe about 6 yrs ago. Third dayof season. Had already killed a nice buck on first day with 444 malin lever. Sitting in tree stand, small doe came by about 15 yds. I decided was perfect opportunity for handgun shot. Made a nice clean shot through both lungs and she piled up pretty quick. silver dollar size backstraps for supper that nite at camp. yeah i know i shouldn't have shot such a small deer. However I was elated and will never forget it. 45 BH with ( as memory serves me correctly) a 265 gr wfn at 1360 fps chronied. Alll the guys at camps said i should be using hp loads. I loved showing them the wound channel about the size of a golf ball thru the ribs. shot clear thru with no bullet recovery. Will never forget it.
jar
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: jarinwv]
#50768
04/25/2009 3:03 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,057
Gary
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My first animal was a ground hog, not really considered a game animal. My first game animal was a doe from about 50 yards. Both were shot with a T/C Contender in .44 magnum.
You can't wait any longer. Join the NRA and start writing your Congressmen and Senators.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: Gary]
#50797
04/26/2009 3:08 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 473
ahandgunhunter
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thanks for the stories. like the hunting stories as much as i like hunting.
second animal i took was also with my 35rem contender. big hog at about 10 yards. the dogs had him bayed up next to a rock bluff and when he saw me he stared to charge talk about a rush charge hog. dogs everywhere and trying to get a shot off. i manged to drop him in his track before he got to me.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: ahandgunhunter]
#50807
04/26/2009 11:39 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,725
500WE
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Pooh-Bah
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The first game animals were squirrels, taken in Pennsylvania with a flatgate Ruger Single-Six. The first big game was a wild boar taken in Tennessee with a Ruger Super Blackhawk.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: 500WE]
#50825
04/27/2009 12:46 AM
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,757
cottonstalk
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Well technically my first were coons when I hunted them with hounds,with a 617 masterpiece w/full underlug.My first big game was a suicidal white-tail that came out in a cloud of cigarette smoke only 25 steps from me.Just got off work and went by a hunting spot to look and see what was using the area from a ways off,so smoking weren't going to bother the deer because I was looking for activity to be 600+yards a way and the area is known for yotes so I carried the blackhawk for them.Never guessed a white-tail wanted to be in my freezer that bad.Came out right after I blew a big puff out.At that range I figured I couldn't miss and didn't.Pics on bragging board.
"If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence,try orderin' someone else's dog around" unknown cowboy
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: cottonstalk]
#50840
04/27/2009 5:23 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,836
Whitworth
Shootist
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Shootist
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Posts: 9,836 |
Shot every kind of varmint with a handgun, but the first big head of game was a hog....... I rarely hunt with anything but a handgun any more.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: Whitworth]
#50845
04/27/2009 11:19 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 20
flipajig
stranger
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stranger
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my first was a doe at around 20 yards with my super blackhawk 44 mag. punched both lungs ran around 60 yards. now im hooked just picked up a contender in 7-30 waters cant wait til next year!
One shot is all you need Aim small miss small.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: flipajig]
#50860
04/28/2009 2:59 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 473
ahandgunhunter
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: ahandgunhunter]
#51299
05/13/2009 2:38 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5
LeonCarr
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My first game animal taken with a handgun was a forked horn 4 point whitetail shot in Leon County, Texas in 1991. I used a Ruger Redhawk .44 Magnum 7.5 inch stainless barrel, open sights. I was shooting handloaded 240 grain XTPs with W296 powder, Winchester brass, CCI 350s, chronographing about 1450 fps. Sitting in a tree stand, deer walks out to sample the oats about 35 yards away. I put the red ramp on his shoulder, gun go boom, deer fall down. Went through both shoulders and left a baseball size exit hole. I hunted for a while with rifles after that but have been handguns exclusively for about a year now. Not going back.
Just my .02, LeonCarr
Last edited by LeonCarr; 05/13/2009 2:40 PM.
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Re: your first game animal taken with a handgun.
[Re: LeonCarr]
#51301
05/13/2009 2:55 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 570
huntkng
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My first handgun animal was a 125 pound wild boar. This happened in 1970. I was living in NC and living off base while working for uncle sam in the 82nd Airborne. I saw a group of 8-10 pigs run across the dirt road ind into a corn field where I knew there was a bramble. I handed my old 1897 12 ga. shotgun to my partner, loaded with 00 buck and I grabbed my High Standard 9 shot 3"bbl 22LR revolver and gave chase. I creeped within 10 yards, my buddie was on the other side of the bramble, maybe 25 yards away. The first pig I saw was a big old sow, maybe 300 pounds, ah, no way! She moved off and a little boar took her place. At about 5 yards I put the first round behind his ear, he stiffened and rolled over then started squealing and thrashing. I shot 8 more shots at the moving grass where he was and got the hell outta there. We came back and there he laid. I hit him with 5 outof the nine shots and we ate like kings!!
Bill in OR
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