Hunting with a Revolver

[kerdunk]

Any recommendations for a guided hunt in the Lower 48 where I can:

1. Use a revolver (44 mag)
2. Hunt edible game (not pigs)
3. Have a reasonable chance at a lethal shot ~100m +/-

I am silhouette shooter - not a hunter. So a guided hunt with these constraints is really the intent of this post.

Thank you for any feedback.

 

[WV Hitman]

A baited bear hunt in ME. I did Foggy Mtn. Guide Service. Was OK. Get ahold of a Bear Hunter Magazine. They have other ME guide services listed. Used my M29 Smith on this hunt. Baits were 40-60 yds.
Did a guided dog hunt in NM-lots of walking. Got mine with my .44 Anaconda.

 

[kerdunk]

A baited bear hunt in ME. I did Foggy Mtn. Guide Service. Was OK. Get ahold of a Bear Hunter Magazine. They have other ME guide services listed. Used my M29 Smith on this hunt. Baits were 40-60 yds.
Did a guided dog hunt in NM-lots of walking. Got mine with my .44 Anaconda.

Awesome feedback! What were you hunting in NM?

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Mountain lion hunts with dogs are also close shots in a tree. Its on my list of things to do one day

 

[JayHHI6818]

Awesome feedback! What were you hunting in NM?

WVHitman is a wealth of knowledge!!! Hands down most experienced handgun deer hunter ever!

 

[WV Hitman]

Kerdunk, I got a cinnamon colored black bear. Very long walk on this hunt, all downhill. Very brutal uphill walk out. Dog hunts are fairly productive, but usually lots of walking. Need to be younger & in good shape. Baited bear hunts are much friendlier.
I got lucky 12 years ago. Became friends with a farmer that had bad bear damage to his corn. He's 30 miles from my house. The bears live on the mtn. above his massive corn fields. They come down, cross the river, then a small dirt road, then the corn. He sets up a large round hay bale about 200 yds. from where they go to the corn.
I've killed 7 bears the last 12 years here in WV Youth bear season!! In that season if you're over 65 you can hunt with the kiddies! It's a 2 day season in Sept. & Oct.
One year I got brave/dumb/stupid & went on the mtn. where the bears live. Saw one on a flat in thick woods at 150 yds. He turned & fed toward me. When he got to 48 yds. I figured that was close enough. Facing me I shot him with my .325 WSM XP-100 handgun. He ran a little. He was so big (6'2", 350#) I had to get 3 guys & pay them $50 each to help me pull him off the mtn. The pic of the bear isn't great, the guys were in a hurry to leave. The result of the shot was pretty good. Got him in his auricle(heart).

 

[Galan]

475 Linebaugh custom in RSA in 2003 for plains game, incredible experience...sad that the regulations over there have changed to long barreled/scoped only, minimum of 8" bbl. Went back over in 2004 & took wife over in 2017 (rifle),
but that 2003 hunt was a real challenge.

 

[kerdunk]

Kerdunk, I got a cinnamon colored black bear. Very long walk on this hunt, all downhill. Very brutal uphill walk out. Dog hunts are fairly productive, but usually lots of walking. Need to be younger & in good shape. Baited bear hunts are much friendlier.
I got lucky 12 years ago. Became friends with a farmer that had bad bear damage to his corn. He's 30 miles from my house. The bears live on the mtn. above his massive corn fields. They come down, cross the river, then a small dirt road, then the corn. He sets up a large round hay bale about 200 yds. from where they go to the corn.
I've killed 7 bears the last 12 years here in WV Youth bear season!! In that season if you're over 65 you can hunt with the kiddies! It's a 2 day season in Sept. & Oct.
One year I got brave/dumb/stupid & went on the mtn. where the bears live. Saw one on a flat in thick woods at 150 yds. He turned & fed toward me. When he got to 48 yds. I figured that was close enough. Facing me I shot him with my .325 WSM XP-100 handgun. He ran a little. He was so big (6'2", 350#) I had to get 3 guys & pay them $50 each to help me pull him off the mtn. The pic of the bear isn't great, the guys were in a hurry to leave. The result of the shot was pretty good. Got him in his auricle(heart).View attachment 1727395View attachment 1727396

Outstanding! I am going to investigate your recommendations. Thank you.

 

[Steel Mover]

Believe it or not, the 44 Mag with 240s and Unique can be loaded with target loads and with magnum loads both. So I would carry a 44 Ruger Blackhawk or Super Blackhawk. The standard silhouette load is 23 grains of 297/h-110 with large rigpfle primers. However, the recover for a follow up shot is slow if you want to hunt dangerous animals.
A moderate load would be better for hunting with the 44 and still use the 240 grain. in my opinion. Never can tell when a second shot is a good idea.

I have found that the 200 grain RCBS hard cast in a 357 Mag or super Mag does well also with H-110.

 

[K22]

I was an avid handgun hunter in the 70 and 80s, mostly groundhogs using a Model 27, S&W, 357 Magnum pistol. The rolling terrain in Greene County, PA make stalking to within 50 yards a possibility. I was also a Hunter's Pistol Silhouette competitor in those days which is a great way to hone your skills for hunting. I didn't hunt big game a lot with a pistol but did manage to take one deer with my Model 27.

Hunting with revolver was the most satisfying hunting experience I have ever had. Roaming those hay fields with my Model 27 strapped to my side was a pure joy.

Addressing your specific issue, a 44 Magnum can be an ideal choice for hunting deer in heavy cover, especially from a tree stand. If you have access to such terrain in your State, then I think you can be successful without a guided hunt. In many areas of my State in the "big woods" most shots are under 100 yards which is certainly within the capabilities of the 44 Magnum behind a skilled pistol shooter.

 

[Steel Mover]

I prefer the Ruger 44 Blackhawk in a 6 1/2". It is what I used with 240 hard cast SWCs over Unique loaded to shoot clover leaf touching groups at 50 meters. A moderate load are more handy and not one bullet was recovered.

 

[std7mag]

Unfortunately I'm a DIY on public game lands person.
Only difference with guided hunt is someone else does the preliminary scouting for you.

That being said, I do take my Ruger Security Six in 357 Mag and my Taurus Judge 6" barrel in 45 Colt out with me hunting.

So far I've taken one doe about 20 yards away with the Ruger. 158gr Sierra SportsMaster over Alliant PP300MR.
One shot and down.

 

[gravelyctry]

Why not whitetail? I’ve hunted them with my 44, and they’re in a lot of places.

 

[kerdunk]

Why not whitetail? I’ve hunted them with my 44, and they’re in a lot of places.

That seems to be a good fit. Any recommendations for an outfitter/guide?

 

[gravelyctry]

No experience with guides,but I would think there’s 3nough deer around and public land that you might be able to pull something off on your own. Lots of knowledge and people willing to help.

 

[WV Hitman]

In my many years of experience almost all guided hunts that aren't over bait require lot of walking & almost always long shots like my elk (NM)-352 yds, Shiras moose (UT)-200 yds, Carmen MTN whitetail (AZ)-265 yds, moose (AK)-150 yds., dogs for bear(NM)-shot was 5 yds in tree, but walk was several STEEP miles, blacktail(OR) 200 yds), pronghorn (NM)-180 yds., brown bear (AK)-125 yds- not a .44 shot, did this with a .500 Mag.
If you consider a guided whitetail hunt in decent range, then TX baited is the way to go.