O/T favorite hunting caliber

[Czy_Horse]

It would be something in .44cal . . . .

Marlin 1895 444Marlin c/w Vortex Diamondback 2-7*35 BDC

Malron 1894c 44Mag/44Spl c/w Vortex Diamondback 2-7*35 Rimfire

If we could hunt with hand guns in Canada . . . .

7.5" Ruger 'Bisley' Super Blackhawk

7.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk

[Robinsons Rebel]

I still love my .30-06 . Guess I'm alittle old school. It's been around forever and has killed everything under the sun. And in emergencies, you used to find some ammo at every mom and pop store. My 45-70 is close second. If I lived somewhere else, it might be something different. I want a 30-30 but looks like I'll have to wait to see what Ruger does to the Marlin 336.

[grouse]

In truth, the .30-.30 Winchester has probably killed MORE Deer than all the rest of the calibers combined. However, it is NOT my first choice!!

In the deep woods of Maine, or Wisconsin, Minnesota and other states for that matter. A short, lightweight, fast handing firearm is a MUST. Here in East Texas deer fall victim to this caliber over and over again. Shots range from 10 yards to mayber 50. I'm sure it's the same way where a lot of you guys live.

Lets move out of the "thickets" as they say, and hit just the central region of the USA.

Places such as Kansas, Nebraska the Dakota's all require a little differnt fiream to meet the "distance challange". I mean even in parts of central, south and west Texas it requires one at times to "reach out and touch something" at a considerable distance. Senderos in south Texas can run for miles. The plains of central and north Texas one can see for miles and the tallest tree MIGHT be the size of your Christmas tree.
(We actaully have a town out near Odessa in west texas named "NO TREES"!!!! ) Excuse me. I digress!!
A .30-.30 won't help you much out here. I'm not saying it's useless, just not the best for the situation.

Let's move to the mountains. Ah yes, there is Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Idaho, Utah you name it!! Lots and lots of miles and miles of BLM land to hunt. Yes...that's Bureau of Land Management, not the other!! Once more I digress!! I apologize profusely!!!

Cross canyon shots. Across rolling plains. No shot is too close and no shot is too far. Welcome out West!!
And lets NOT forget Alaska!! Been there a few times. It's a rather humbling experience to say the least.
These states all have LARGE hoofed and toothed animals and some of which will eat you as a snack!!
I know, before I get hate mail, the North and Canada has bears too. And I know more people are mauled by Black Bears than Grizzlies every year, but more people end up as bear scat from the Grizzly family!!

Will one firearm work in all these situations? It seem to do so for our Forefathers!! Most couldn't afford 5 or 6 rifles. They carried one rifle. And they made dang sure they could use it well.
I heard a story a long time ago about a Kansas farmer that saved his money for years to go to Africa. When the time came, he carried the only rifle he had. A beat up, scarred old Model 70 Winchester in .270. The PH looked at him and told him the rifles was too small to hunt with. The old farmer said just to him, "just show me which one you want me to shot. I'll do the rest".
Well, when the trip had ended the old farmer and his .270 had killed 28 different head of African PLains game. NONE requires a second or "follow up" shot to dispatch the animal.
Right before leaving Africa, the PH ask the old man about his rifle and how he could shoot so well. The old farmer told him this, "I carry my rifle everyday with me on the tractor as I'm plowing or working the fields. I shoot running rabbits from the seat of my tractor while I'm working. I haven't missed a rabbit in 10 years"!!!
The PH came away with a different point of view.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE MAN WHO CARRIES BUT ONE GUN!!!

Pick the caliber and rifle that suits you. Use it for everything. Know you're limitations, and know your rifle's limitations.
The Marines have an old saying, "This is MY rifle. There are many like it, but this one is MINE. Let that be true for you too!!

My rifle? Well, since the last time I fired a shot at a game animal was in 1999. I haven't kept up much on long guns or calibers. I spent most of my youth in South Texas and in the Western states. Hunted Wyoming and Montana almost every year for close to 2 decades. I shot a heavy wood stocked rifle for years, then realized I carried it more than I shot it, so in 1985 when Remington introduced thier new Mountain Rifle that weighed half as much as the coal barge I was toting around, I bought one.
Added Leupold scope rings and bases and of course a Leupold scope. And went back to hunting.
Oh...what caliber?
.270 Winchester, of course!!

From Deep within the Heart of the East Texas Piney Woods!!
AJ

I own or have owned rifles chambered for 30-06, 25-06, 270 and 6.5 Creedmoor. They all work fine, but my favorite is my stainless Tikka T3x .270. It's light, well balanced, powerful and accurate. I really don't need anything else.

[xcaliber]

This little, light weight .44 does it's thing in the tangles I hunt, and being a single shot with the hammer blocking safety, it is in my opinion the perfect gun for stand hunting, and still hunting. Accuracy is top notch to 100 yards which is 5 times farther than I like my shots to be.

[url=https://postimg.cc/V5LT7m45]

[xcaliber]

It would be something in .44cal . . . .

Marlin 1895 444Marlin c/w Vortex Diamondback 2-7*35 BDC

Malron 1894c 44Mag/44Spl c/w Vortex Diamondback 2-7*35 Rimfire

If we could hunt with hand guns in Canada . . . .

7.5" Ruger 'Bisley' Super Blackhawk

7.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk

Some mighty fine hardware you have there Sir!

[wheelie]

If I could only keep one gun it definitely would be my .243. Light shells for varmints and heavy shells for deer. Been using it for years as my only deer rifle. But for varmints I usually take one of my .22 mag because of cost factor. Expensive sport now and glad I jumped down the rabbit hole of pellet guns. But pellet guns turned very expensive to buy now compared to 3 or 4 years ago.