This afternoon, my oldest prodigy and myself will be leaving to pursue the hoofed hatrack.  I'll be back on Monday and will report the results....

Good luck and have fun. I hope the boy bags another one.

have fun!  don't get eaten by bears, I mean, ummm...
I wish mystepdad still hunted so yummy

Fortunately there aren't any bears around here...just coyotes and bobcats (although there are still 'sightings' circulating of a phantom puma.....)  Out of 12 hunters, we got 10 deer.  Not our best hunt but not bad either.  I saw a monster buck about 500 yards away.  Two others from our group got a glimpse of him as well, but he was too old and wise for us.  (We hunt with shotgun or muzzleloader in Illinois...no high powered rifles...)  My son and I didn't get any deer, but we had fun, enjoyed the comraderie, and told a few tales along the way.

So do you get to share in the meat at all even tho you didn't bag a deer??   Sounds like a pretty good weekend just the same.    
You hunt deer with shot guns???   What kind (size) of shot do you use for that??    I picture shot guns for small game not so much for large game.

My Dad used too go hunting up north every year-- used an old army issue Enfield 303 rifle.  Never got anything and I'm sure he'd cry if he did--he is all about the majesty of the beast.
He did come home with an old stuffed grouse he bought in an old general store somewhere up near Shining Tree.  Probably sat in a window display.  It was missing a wing and half his head was blown off hahaha.

We keep our own, but if we use all our tags, then we help the others who didn't get one to fill their tags.  I use a muzzle loader...basically like the old style rifle used long ago, but more accurate and a good scope.  The guys who use a shotgun don't shoot shot...they shoot a slug, which is basically a large bullet.  Also, the shotguns now have a rifled barrel which allows then to shoot the slug more accurately and at longer distances.  They still can't shoot the longer distances like a rifle can (they shoot accurately at maybe 100 yards..a muzzle loader can maybe shoot 200 yards...rifle can shoot accurately up to 1000 yards).

I love shooting the old Enfield 303!  My best friend who hunts with us has one and we used to target shoot a great deal with it.

There is nothing like a black powder shoot!
My uncle was big into it for a while---we helped him polish up the brass on a handmade muzzle loader---very cool and great memories over fall turkey shoots.    

You addressed everything I was wondering about shooting big game with a shot gun--thanks.  I'm mostly familiar with the scatter gun effect and taking down birds and bad guys on TV

Altho I never shot the big guns,I'm afraid of loud noises, I did however like pellet guns and targets, bottles, cans, sticks hanging on string and flies.  
I think Dad's Enfield is still hidden in the attic--don't think it will be used again.

Quoted from dadof5

Fortunately there aren't any bears around here...just coyotes and bobcats (although there are still 'sightings' circulating of a phantom puma.....)  Out of 12 hunters, we got 10 deer.  Not our best hunt but not bad either.  I saw a monster buck about 500 yards away.  Two others from our group got a glimpse of him as well, but he was too old and wise for us.  (We hunt with shotgun or muzzleloader in Illinois...no high powered rifles...)  My son and I didn't get any deer, but we had fun, enjoyed the comraderie, and told a few tales along the way.

In Illinois anything bigger than a bb gun is a high powered rifle.  

You should come up my way.  We had our first crossbow season this year.  I saw a nice eight point buck going in to work yesterday morning.  Unfortunately, ya can't hunt in a subdivision. . .

Moose

We hunt way down by the Ohio River and there are 3 guys who hunt in our group from the Chicago area...  They are legal to hunt with a car, though...just rev it up and run em down....plus it tenderizes the meat...

Tish-  Shooting the big boys can be a lot of fun.  If the noise bothers you, use hearing protectors (you should do so anyway...)  Also, get the Enfield out and at least keep it cased and cleaned.  It will last longer than any of us if properly cared for and the value of them is only going up.  Most of the ones I have heard about at auction are going from $300 on up depending on the model, year, and condition.

Guns--we don't need no stinkin' guns!
A deer somehow wandered into the business district of the cityToronto today.    
Animal control, one zoo vet, a police barricade, a tranquilizer and two shots of a tazer later and she was safely(?) taken back to the bush!

Tish...no dear, that's "Badges! We don't need no stinking badges!"  LOL

Yeah that's right dcrim--badges on the police tactical team that was on guard in case the suspect bolted---hahahaha