How many hunts from a box of ammo?

[Rembrandt]

Years ago I hunted Wyoming and ran across an older gentleman in his late 80's. He pulled out a worn 20 round box of 30-06 and loaded his rifle. He had six loaded rounds left in the box, rest were empty cases. All the younger guys were concerned whether they had packed "enough ammo" for the day. The old man laughed and said he only needed one round and still had enough for the next five years of deer hunting. That single box of ammo represented 14 animals and six more hunts.

I've often thought back on this and realized how inefficient we have become with our hunting. Here's a man who grew up during the depression and made the most of each round he had....that experience stayed with him the rest of his life.

Sometimes I wonder how many years we could hunt on a single box of ammo.....

 

[RocketRider]

I puchased a new Remington 700 7mm Ultra Mag this year,,with it I purchased 5 boxes of ammo,,I am positive this will be ample supply to finish out my hunting life,,,I'm 44 now,,,,sooooo maybe the next 20 or 25 years are taken care of,,,

 

[JonnyReb]

Rifle ammo i always go through quick because i'm down at the range several times a year. Shotgun slugs are a different story. Since they are not to much fun to shoot, i picked up 2 boxes(10) rounds and was able to sight in with those. 2 more boxes of Rem coppersolids were purchased and they are still with me. Was 6 or 7 years ago. 5 deer down. 5 rounds left. J.R.

 

[globemaster3]

That brought a smile to my face and memories of grandfathers long passed sitting around the deer camp sharing the wisdom where I used to hunt. What I'd give to go back and ask the questions I was too inexperienced to have thought of yet.

Let me guess, he probably had an older rifle, the same one he shot for more years than I've been alive. Probably didn't need to practice, because he knew that weapon inside and out and could've tagged the X blindfolded.

For me, I go through a good amount of ammo because I like to punch paper/clays with my rifles/shotguns to gain that level of proficiency that older gentleman had. Then add on my kids who are hitting the range age and I see my ammo bill going up over the next few years!

 

[Bitmap]

Am I the only one that ever checks zero on a hunting rifle, let alone practices?

Maybe I'm the only one that's ever seen a rifle shift zero when it wasn't fired for a year.

I had one of those Grandpa's that used one or two rounds per year hunting. Even he would check his zero every year before he started. He would put a paper plate on a fence post and walk off 75 long steps. If he hit the plate with his first shot, then he was done.

For actual hunting I've only once had to shoot a deer a second time. Before my boys started getting old enough to hunt I used to shoot two or three deer a year, so in actual hunting I would fire two or three shots per year. However, I would use a bit more than that in preparation.

 

[bswiv]

With my OLD .35 Rem, which I am very familiar with, I'd say I use a box to a box and a half a year. We have a long hunting season here in Fl., over two months for deer season, and we spend a good bit of time chasing hogs too, so we get the opportunity to use a few rounds in the woods. Even with that the vast majority of them go down range at paper.

I agree with the "check your zero" during the season policy. Better to be safe than sorry.

Now once we get into the hog only part of the season and have to use our shotguns I don't bother. Kind of hard for the old Mossberg to change where it tosses a load of buckshot. Even at that I do test one round before the season.

 

[bullspotter]

Great story, but not a reality for me, I end up with 3 or 4 tags a year to fill, i will also go check my zero every year befor season starts. (2 shots is good for this) I have also let a buddy use my rifle to shoot 3 deer in the last few years. I also did have a issue up elk hunting one time where i fell in a creek and bumped the scope pretty bad, it was dented, and the zero was off. so i needed a few rounds to get it back so i could continue hunting the rest of the trip. I was walking on the rocks to avoid getting wet, opps they were covered with the really thin slick ice that looks invisable... lesson learned.... Ill go though 1/2 to 3/4 of a box a year, unless i dont hunt with the rifle much. I dont wast my ammo however. Havent had to shoot more then once in the last several years to put what i was shooting at in the freezer, I pick the shot i want, and wait for the animal to turn or stand how i like for the shot, i dont just go take any shot to slow an animal down to get a good 2nd or 3rd shot like some guys ive seen......

 

[hogdogs]

A 20 round box is good for 18 shots on deer. 2 rounds to make sure I and the rifle are both worthy to attempt a hunt. So with a conservative 3 rounds given up as misses then 15 rounds should result in 15 dead deer.
How many seasons depends on how many freezers I have available to fill and how many deer I see moving.
Brent

 

[Tomas]

I handload, so a 20rd box doesn't really apply, but I do load ammo in lots, and so it's similar. My zero does change from year to year, and I often change loads for applications. 150gr for bear and deer, 110gr for coyote, 180gr for elk - all .308 win.

Still, if I were to do it in a 20rd box, I'd think one shot to check zero on a cold bore/barrel, adjust, and I'm set, two at most. I'd think a 20rd box should last 4-8 years depending on how many of whatever I killed in a year...or how many times I had a stupid attack and dropped my rifle.

I have a hunting buddy who loves the Winchester Fail Safe even more than I do. I found two boxes, bought them and sent them to him. He shot them all zeroing, practicing and doing some long range shooting for fun - he also dropped a monster bull with one. To each his own.

Tom

 

[Art Eatman]

Most of my Texas hunting has been for whitetail, during the years of a two-buck limit. By and large, the actual hunting-shooting has predominantly been two shots a year.

Since shooting has long been an avocation, and handloading has been part of my deal, I do a lot more shooting than just during the hunting season. Benchrest in the back yard (now on the front porch) and all that.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

90% of the time a 5 round pack of 12ga slugs gets me 5 deer. Might be 3 occasions but generally 1 shot/1 kill.

 

[pbrktrt]

a box of hunting ammo would last me a long time. i do, however shoot my rifle year round to stay sharp & perfect the little things that make a better shooter. there are less expensive rounds to use for this. but as others have said, check your zero annually with the ammo you are going to hunt with.

 

[dahermit]

The difference between only mediocre shooting skills and proficient shootings skills is hours of practice with hundreds (sometimes thousands) of shots. Which are you satisfied with?

 

[kametc]

I have not purchased a box of ammo for my last 3 hunting rifles. Handloads only from day one. I shoot all year long including targets and varmints. At the start of each hunt I take the neccesary ammo out of a MTM 100 box and fill an Uncle Mikes belt carrier. That said, in a five week season this year I fired 4 shots from three different hunting rifles and have 4 clean kills to show for it. I'm pretty happy about that even if I'm not very efficient.
Ken

 

[ZeroJunk]

I had an older friend growing up that was a full bird colonel in WW11. He killed 16 deer with sixteen shots using a pre-war Model 70 in 30/06 with peep sights. Myself, I'm not quite that good.

 

[zahnzieh]

The spooky/sad about this story is that by the time this old gent is done with his 6 rounds, he will probably truely be moving on to the happy hunting grounds. I guess at that age 6 rounds is all anyone really has... More power to senior guys hunting, though. I knew a guy who hunted deer still at age 86 - crack shot too (did Camp Perry several times) with his Garand, iron sights. Came in from hunting one cold winter day, went to untie his boot laces and fell over dead. That's the way I'd like to go - doing what I love!!!!

 

[HiBC]

There is a difference between hunting and shooting.
I like to shoot.
I'll shoot a rock on a hill,or a puffball gone to spores.200 rounds is not enough ammo to make it through a year of shooting with my hunting rifles.
As I am a glassbed and freefloat kind of guy,often my sight in is one round.But I always check my sight in before season.
I have gone hunting with only 5 0r 6 rounds of ammo,but I usually carry 10 plus a magazine full.The idea of shooting a 3 shot trouble signal can be useful.

Now,if ammo gets real scarce,Not only will I shoot less,I'll rely more on a .22 or even a muzzleloader.Comes down to it,there is a lot to be said for a flintlock. Charcoal,"night soil" or bat guano,and sulphur,recover the ball and recast it.Dig out your Foxfire Books!! Good info on making whiskey,too!

BTW,hunting pheasants and such,some folks like to shoot,and so will shoot when they know a kill is unlikely.The Lucky BB shot.I figure,if I put pellets in a bird,he'll likely die sooner or later.If a limit of birds is 3,a guy might want to think about it if he shoots a box of shells in a day.He might have killed 10 birds to get 2.PheasantsForever !! I sometimes only take 10 shells.

 

[sc928porsche]

I enjoy building rifles and of course shooting them. I will go through a 1000 rnds or more each year. I also enjoy reloading. All of which keeps me busy with my favorite hobby....gunsports.

Before heading out on a hunting trip, I will choose 2 rifles, take them out and check zero, and pack them away with 20 rounds for each because the box holds 20.

I always take 2 rifles. Just in case one has a problem or someone else does. I take special care of all my firearms and have never had to use my "back up" but have had a few friends that were glad that I did bring one when they had something go wrong with theirs.

 

[TheNatureBoy]

I have shotgun shells that I've had for years. I know what they are because of individual size. The writing has worn off. The fact that I still have them doesn't have anything to do with me being an outstanding shot/effecient hunter. It has more to do with the fact that I don't do a lot of shotgun hunting or shooting. Can't say the same about rifle ammo. Rounds last long enough for me to get to the range and then I load more.

 

[texfar]

Where I live, I take 5 deer every year and fill the freezers. 5 hunting shots per year. I hand load so sometimes I don't even load 20. I play around with different bullets and loads for most of the rifles I hunt different things with different conditions . I can honestly say that I only have two rifles that live with the exact load every year, but I shoot em too off season. Plus I am a shooter plain and simple. Have my own range now and I get a whim.....walk outside. I'm with sc928porsche, almost to the tee, this sport is addicting.