NullPointerException
New member
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2019
- Messages
- 29
Well I've come to realize I'm a decent hunter, awkward/clumsy at stalks, and a pretty darn good shot with a bow. That has added up to one antelope over two seasons of hunting (two antelope tags, and two muley tags). In my defense, the first muley tag I got (last year) was in a pretty terrible leftover unit with historically poor success rates. While I'm piling on excuses, I had a rancher cancel on me with two days of paid access left for my antelope tag (public land for the CO OTC tags is really hard to find) and I'm pretty sure I would have punched that tag if I had a bit more time.
While I still want to go chasing after game with my bow (heck, I've even been bit by the trad bug, which further reduces my chances of bringing home meat), I want to pick up rifle hunting to hopefully snag a doe antelope, doe deer, or cow elk tag next year. I need an insurance policy to prevent looking at a sad, empty freezer like I am now.
As a brand new gun hunter looking for my first big game rifle, I have a few questions (some of these I'm afraid will open a can of worms):
1. Given that I want to chase after everything from doe antelope up to cow elk, what cartridge would you recommend? I don't plan on reloading, so I need something that has great factory ammo availability. If possible, I'd like things on the lower side of recoil. My hope is that my boy (that shows up in February) will be able to use this rifle when it's his turn.
2. I have a few buddies that gun hunt and swear by various brands religiously. It's almost as bad as the Hoyt vs. Bowtech vs. Matthews vs. PSE arguments I see at the bow shop. Are there any rifle brands/models that I should be looking at? I would like to spend less on the rifle than I would on a brand new flagship bow (not including the scope). Accuracy isn't a huge concern, since I've convinced myself that I can sneak into 200 yards no problem on most game. That last 160 though is a killer (ask me how I know).
While I still want to go chasing after game with my bow (heck, I've even been bit by the trad bug, which further reduces my chances of bringing home meat), I want to pick up rifle hunting to hopefully snag a doe antelope, doe deer, or cow elk tag next year. I need an insurance policy to prevent looking at a sad, empty freezer like I am now.
As a brand new gun hunter looking for my first big game rifle, I have a few questions (some of these I'm afraid will open a can of worms):
1. Given that I want to chase after everything from doe antelope up to cow elk, what cartridge would you recommend? I don't plan on reloading, so I need something that has great factory ammo availability. If possible, I'd like things on the lower side of recoil. My hope is that my boy (that shows up in February) will be able to use this rifle when it's his turn.
2. I have a few buddies that gun hunt and swear by various brands religiously. It's almost as bad as the Hoyt vs. Bowtech vs. Matthews vs. PSE arguments I see at the bow shop. Are there any rifle brands/models that I should be looking at? I would like to spend less on the rifle than I would on a brand new flagship bow (not including the scope). Accuracy isn't a huge concern, since I've convinced myself that I can sneak into 200 yards no problem on most game. That last 160 though is a killer (ask me how I know).
) it'd be a 7mm Rem Mag at 7.5 lbs naked w/ a VX3i 4,5x10x40. The 7 sits right there in the middle of the pack in a class by itself IMO. 
