America’s favorite game animal has a keen nose, ever-vigilant ears, eyes that detect the slightest movement and natural camouflage that seems to work better than the latest man-made patterns.
For most of us, using a centerfire rifle, high-tech compound bow or high-speed crossbow is the proper weapon for outfoxing the white-tailed deer. But some of us like doing things the hard way, or at least increasing the challenge for even more satisfaction when that fat doe or savvy buck finally drops.
I’ve shot deer with centerfire rifles, muzzleloaders, compound bows and crossbows, but one of my favorites is using a handgun. Before you decide to try this satisfying method, let’s look at the pros and cons.
If you only care about putting venison in the freezer every season, then you probably should skip the pistol or revolver. Although you can get pretty good with either out to about 75 yards, even with open sights, it’s much more difficult to connect at longer distances, when compared to your trusty rifle.
If your eyesight is so-so, or you are getting up there in years (like me), you may want to add a scope or red dot to your handgun. Shooting with open sights gets to be a challenge as we age, but these optical additions make it easier to focus on one spot.
Because of a handgun’s shorter barrel and the lack of a stock, it is much more difficult to hold steady than a rifle. While a bipod or other shooting stick is handy for rifle usage, it’s almost a must for handgun hunters. You can buy a fancy one for $100 or more, or make your own with either wooden dowels or fiberglass driveway marker poles and a piece of inner tube or other connecting material.
One of the biggest disadvantages of a handgun is the tremendous sound level blasting close to your ears. While all hunters should use ear plugs or earmuffs every time they fire any firearm, most hunters don’t bother when using a rifle because they also want to hear approaching deer, other shots and the sounds of nature. Just a few centerfire handgun shots, however, can cause permanent damage to your ears and may leave your ears ringing for hours or even days.
Exposure to gunfire has a cumulative effect on hearing, meaning the more you ignore ear protection, the sooner you will have profound hearing loss. The best solution for all hunters is to buy a pair of electronic earmuffs, which allows normal sounds to be heard but electronically “clips” noises at a higher volume. You can get them as cheaply as $40. I normally use Walker’s Game Ears for my handgun hunts, but Caldwell makes a dandy model with a light indicator to prevent leaving it on for less than half the price of the Game Ears.
A handgun is lighter and more compact for carrying in the woods, and with a holster, you can carry it hands-free. If you carry a lot of gear like most deer hunters, your treks to and from your stand are easier with a handgun.
Almost anyone can learn to shoot a deer rifle out to 100 yards and beyond in an hour or two, and put virtually every bullet in a 3-inch circle with a rest. But doing it with a handgun takes more practice. Yet this is also a good thing, because success is that much sweeter. Those poses with your thick-necked buck or chunky doe will draw more attention when you’re holding a stainless steel revolver or blued steel pistol. And you will remember those deer for a lifetime.
There are many handgun calibers that will work well for deer hunting, but the bare minimum is a .357 Magnum revolver. Many recommend the .44 Magnum, which provides more energy and a bigger hole, as well as insurance in the event of a marginal hit. The .460 and .500 lead the pack in handgun cartridges, and should bring short blood trails.
The other option is to use a Thompson-Center Contender or Encore, single-shot pistols bored for many rifle calibers as well as handgun cartridges. Barrels are interchangeable, so you can buy one frame and as many different barrels as you want. Although Thompson-Center officially closed, there are many of these guns available on the used market. I have Contenders in 7-30 Waters (.30-30 necked to 7mm), .45-70 and 7mm-08, and they are all great deer calibers.
Choose a caliber and bullet weight combination that will efficiently kill the deer. I recommend a minimum 6-inch barrel for revolvers (the longer, the better) and 10 inches for single-shots like the Contender.
Remember that unless you have a concealed carry permit, you must leave the handgun visible to others (regardless of weather). Those with a CCW permit can carry under a jacket or inside a backpack legally.
Ross Bielema is a freelance writer from New London and owner of Wolf River Concealed Carry LLC. Contact him at Ross@wolfriverccw.com.
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