While hunting big game?

People love to use the.... you don't need a lot of rounds to hunt as an argument for banning "large" capacity magazines. That got me thinking of my question.


I was always taught and always carry at least 10 (or double the capacity of the gun or 2 mags). 1 maybe 2 for the animal the others are for a survival situation that might arise.

I would say 8 - 10 but I only plan on shooting once.

5 but I'm usually not far from home.

When I go out to hunt squirrels I just grab a handful of .22 shells, maybe 20-30, and stick em in my pocket,nothin fancy. The limit on squirrels here is 7 a day, so figuring I have to shoot a couple twice, and shoot some cans afterwards that about right. My .22 holds 8 rounds.

I do most of my deer hunting here in ks. pretty rare im not within a mile of a house. any survival situation extra ammo wont help. i just put 4 rounds in the magazine. keep the box i have my reloads in, in my pickup for in case. chamber a round when its time to. trapping is different. keep at least 50 rounds of 22 in the pickup. usually more. 50 rounds or so for my 22 250. sometimes i have my 22 hornet along. them ill have 50 or so rounds for it too.

I've not hunted bighorns, but pretty much everything else in North America (and quite a few species in Asia). If I can't kill what I'm after with my 5 rounds, I shouldn't be afield, in my (warped) opinion. Shouldn't take more than 1 shot, unless the limit is 5 (caribou or Sitka deer, or whatever).

Jack

5-20+ If im deer hunting i like to have at least 5. If im hog hunting i might want a couple mags worth. I am never in a survival situation hunting around here. If I were walking way out in the boonies i would have plenty of ammo. When I was growing up the plan was if one of us got really lost we would shoot 3 rounds as fast as possible and wait there for someone to find whoever was lost. Later on we just carried walkie talkies. Where we hunt there isnt any really getting lost, it was more of getting turned around in a swamp in the dark and not know which way to walk out.

8 4 in the rifle and 4 in my pocket

For whitetail hunting here in Wisconsin I usually have 3 in my aut six be it 30 or 25, and a couple more in a pocket somewhere
so they do not make noise. I have always been taught 1 shot, 1 deer.
I only hunt for the most part on my land a quarter mile from my house so am not expecting an emergency.
I guess when I hunted out west as they say I carried ten rounds total. If ya don't get it done with the first shot or two
it probably will not happen anyway. Now big bears and such is a different story.

Zim

50 or 60 for the semi 7.62.in strippers in the gun case
Everything else,a box in the gun case.
Who goes out to shoot just one thing?

Usually about 10...4 in the gun and 6 in a little pocket carrier. Usually carry a few more in the bottom of the pack.

Moosetrot

Just one.

4 + 4 , if I need all those I better go back to the paper target.

4 in the mag plus one in the chamber when I'm hunting deer. Not too worried about survival as I usually only hunt less than 1/4 mile from our camp, and if i dont come back, my gang knows to come get me.

The last couple years I've taken 2 deer each within 10-15 minutes, 2 shots and 2 kills. Most of my hunting is done from a stand with a steady rest. If I was doing a deer drive or something similar, I may carry more rounds just in case.

One in the chamber, one in the magazine and 1 in each front pocket. 4 total, no noise!

The last deer hunt I went on I carried 20 in the magazine. I shot twice.

On a long day in a stand from sheer boredom I have been known to take a cartridge from my front pocket and polish the bullet.
I feel better now, having admitted that.
Nice shootin MJM.

Zim

I only need one.
But I carry 20 or so in case the only "accurate one" is in the middle of the box.

7 mag-10
22. Mag , just grab a box of fifty

When deer hunting, I keep 3 slugs in the gun, 2 loose slugs in my right side pocket and a box of 5 in each side pocket.

Keith

X2: Usually about 10...4 in the gun and 6 in a little pocket carrier. Usually carry a few more in the bottom of the pack. Reloads in truck
22: fifty
12 ga. tureky 5 and i admit shot them all once. Killed him flying
.308 semi auto as a kid carried 20 shot them all one drive and had to borrow. We were piling them up like cord wood, over population.

I think, in 52 years of deer hunting, in Wisconsin and Montana I have never fired more than two shots at a deer or antelope, elk or moose.

Zim

Big game 20
4 in the mag
4 in my coat pocket ( which ends up stuffed in my pack lol)
The rest of the box in the outside pocket of my pack so i can get them if needed

My last deer hunt i shot the whole box after i missed the first 2 and still couldn't get it back on paper dont know how or when it got bumped but it did and way off took 2 full boxes to get sited back in .

Coyotes always have one full mag in and one in the truck plus a couple 20 round boxes in the case.

Trapping 50 in a zip lock baggie in my pocket

when some one says that they don't need very many rounds for hunting the very first thing any of us should say is , the Second Amendment is not about hunting however hunting is listed in many state constitutions as a valid and legal reason for arms as well as those secured by the US constitution and many state constitutions.


15 is normally what I carry for my slug gun when deer hunting.

I bring more than that to camp, where I hunt there isn't a quick run to the store.

now the amount of ammo we will go through in practice would be mind boggling to some anti's like tonight we did some pistol practice , there is a drill target that we ran it actually does a very good job of finding your weakness and provides excellent target feed back and it prints on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper but it takes 50 round of ammo and I run that in about 3 minutes.

600 rounds in an evening is not difficult at all and I try and bee productive with all the ammo and not just emptying mags on single targets

One in the chamber, 2 in the tube and 6 on the stock

I bring way more than I'll need.

...a case pocket knife with 2 blades

When moose hunting for a day, I normally carry 6-10 rounds.

On 7-10 day sheep hunts in remote areas, I would take maybe 12-20 rounds. I balanced the remoteness of the country, the chance of encountering a bear, and how much weight I wanted to haul around.

I always have extra ammo at base camp. I once had scope screws loosed on me on a deer hunting trip to Kodiak, and I burned a dozen rounds trying to sight the rifle in before I realized the problem.

Jim

It says 760 on the side of the gun so 760 it is

My deer rifle (Ruger 77 in 30-06), one in the chamber, internal mag full (4 more) and a half dozen or so in a sleeve on the stock. Years ago I had the action freeze tight while hunting in a snow, sleet, rain mix. I shot, and could barely get the action open enough to clear the spent round. No way would it pick up the next cartridge from the chamber. I was able to take one from the sleeve on the stock and chamber it. I always reload right away, whether it is for a finishing shot or a second target. Had it not been for the spare rounds in that sleeve, I would not have had the second round available.

When muzzleloader hunting, I carry enough powder, patch and ball for 10 shots.

Rabbit and squirrel, a box of 22's in a jacket pocket.

Pheasant hunting? Not enough pockets to carry all the shells I am going to need.

for Elk 15, the 22 at least 2 boxes so when one gets empty I replace it that way I don;t run out

A box of 20 here but we are shooting yotes at the same time!

I'm a city kid so I need to carry way more ammo than folks that live in bush.. There is of course what ever animal I'm hunting needs shot at one maybe two rounds.... Then there are always stop signs and no trespassing signs around to shoot up.. The rail road signs have that natural big X that always looking for a few rounds...Dad always said windy days are where you use the most ammo.. More good sound shot when it's windy...
Then of course should a guy score that big buck.. no high fives for this guy. Celebratory gun fire like a freedom fighter just over ran a government out post..
So anyway
That takes big pocket and big mags and lots a rounds..I usually carry a back pack and put couple sandwiches in there too..

But then seriously?? big game...gun holds 5 and put 5 in my pack. I'm such a looser...

Mac

Usually about 10. Looking back over the years, I don't remember shooting more then 3 or 4 times in a season (big game). On a good year that usually means a deer, an elk and a bear.

I normally carry over 100. I know I don't need this many, but in the afternoons we will pull out the rifles and do a little target practice.

you make a good point drives are a whole different kind of hunting , one few people do any more or understand and why I carry 15 I have never shot them all but have come close and more often am borrowing to family who think 7 were going to be enough.

deer are almost never standing still.

we regularly have 40 tags , no we don't fill them all

My .270 holds 5 rounds, and I usually have 5 more in my pocket.

270 in the gun 5 rounds and 4 more in my pocket. When I have a youth hunter fill there gun and they have same amount in their pocket and I have another box of 20 rounds for them in my pack.

4 or 5 in the gun, a 10 shot holder on the stock, and a box in my pocket. I have been on a few long tracking jobs. Being several miles in the woods with no ammo could be bad.


I normally only shoot once during deer season, unless it's a double.

I’ve never had too many bullets. I’ve run out of em plenty.

3 or 4 but I hunt my own property so im close to home and i'm a meat hunter last time I used all 4 my magazine disappeared for a couple years

Four in the magazine four in pockets one each. Was spring bear spot an stalk in Montana spent all morning looking for bears. About noon decided to set under a tree and eat lunch, couple of pine squirrels took exception to my choice of dining room. Took a perch about 10’ above me and proceeded to cuss me out after about fifteen minutes I had all could put up with and decided to teach them a lesson, so I shot the branch out from under them.
Well I thought, that is it for bear hunting so I decided to do a little off hand target practice. Shot three pieces of white quartz on the hillside and reloaded the magazine shot three more all that were good targets. Set there a spell enjoying the day. Got back on the two track to the truck and hadn’t walked three hundred yards when a bear galloped across the two track he stopped about 75 yards up the hill. Looked to be mature and no cubs around so I shot him, he rolled down the hill into some really tall weeds. I took the spent case out of the action and realized I was OUT OF AMMO! After throwing ROCKS where he stopped rolling I figured it was OK to walk up to him. He made a nice rug and squared just under five feet. I still carry four rounds in the magazine and four in my pockets. But I limit my target practice to the range!

.270 holds 5 so that's what I carry. As a kid my dad always said he could tell where I hunted because he's just follow all the shells I dropped along the way. Now I never carry spares because I park, walk in, hunt, and walk out. Only shot empty once and that's because I got into a whole mess of hogs at one time.

Not real sure... However many .310 balls will fit in the little Tic-Tac box in my shooting bag.

I'm allowed 25 squirrels a day here but doubt I would want to skin that many. Lol

Mike

X2

Some of my winter trips are as far as 150 snow machine miles from home. Caribou, wolves, wolverine, lynx, fox all available. 6-8 10 round mags for the 223. Limits are 25 for ptarmigan and no limit for snowshoe hares. So 12-15 mags for the .22 mag. Fall expeditions by ATV have moose, caribou and grizzly bears on the menu. Again up to 150 miles from home. So 40 rounds for 30-06 or .338.

Whatever the gun holds plus a handful (say 3-5) of rounds for big game if I'm only planning on being out for the day. If I'm spending multiple nights out of a backpack I might take a few more but probably not more than 10. Even on a backcountry drop camp I doubt I'd take more than a box. I would take a sidearm and some appropriate ammunition in that situation though.

For deer, my BLR hold 5+1. Moose hunting....I have a full box of 20. ( hoping it doesn’t come to that ). Squirrels with the 10/22....a big handful of .22 LRs.

I use no rounds, I hunt like a real man. Spear from the trees that are my brothers and sisters. Actually it all depends, sometimes I see a blade of grass lol.

One in chamber, 4 in mag, and a full box in my pack...so 25.
If I’m hunting with an AR a full mag and a full box.
If my bow, as many as the quiver will hold...ran out before from shooting pigs.
For dove or ducks, a couple cases.
Paranoid? I prefer Prepared!

5

I once could only scrounge up 5 at home before I left for our cabin on the rifle opener. Opening morning I encountered the biggest buck I have ever saw in Northern Michigan and shot 5 times at him. Severe underestimation of the range was the culprit of the misses. He had no idea I was ever there even though I shot at him 5 times over a 5 minute span. Let me tell you it sucks watching the biggest buck of your life close in to 150 yards at 9 am opening morning with his antlers and hide shining as the sun burns the dew off of him and you have no more bullets to shoot him! It was not all bad though as I shot a nice buck that was wider than him but not as tall tined the next week in the same spot. I now bring about 20.

Trapping I always have at least 50 22s.

I will tell a story if anyone wishes to hear it about rounds carried. Just one has to reply.....

Let's hear it

Dang it adam lol. Ok. When I was 10 and squirrel hunting with the old man our conversation leaded me to ask him how it was hunting with his old man, my Grandpa. And I'm going with the short version. He never hunted with him. We were in a huge stand of Hickory's in the early season before the leaves came off. Anyway he said I think we should talk about something else and as a kid I said no, how was it. He was born and raised in WV, around Sutton in the early 40's and is gone now. He said to me when I was your age my Dad was a coal miner and was leaving for work when he woke me in my bed. He said to me, boy, here are 4 shells for the family .22 rifle which was a Winchester. You have 4 shells, you are to get 4 squirrels or don't come home. The pressure that was put on him transferred to the day of our conversation. First time I seen what was a rattleless man become rattled. I have never since carried only a few rounds. Same reason my Mama had over 20 coats when she passed over last year. I will add a disclaimer because he was my step Dad who raised me since I was a shaver, Both my real parents and all my kin are from SE Kentucky. Moral of the story, put a few extry in your pocket lol!

Four in mag of bolt rifle and one in each of two pockets so they will not clink together.

If just out for a walk at my place in deer season any amount over zero is fine. When traveling to hunt, as many as a full box is desired.

A friend and I went to another friends place to harvest a couple of antlerless deer. I had a .270 he had an .06. He accidentally only brought one round. Told him to make it count. Put a short push on for him. He waited for the rite shot and we left with our tags filled in under an hour.

Catch, all I can say is....Wow that's some story. That's sad and way too much pressure for a young boy.

I cut it close on one memorable hunt. I was running low on ammo, but I figured I only needed what I had. Problem was that I didn't have as many slugs as I thought. I spotted a doe at 100 yards with less than 30 minutes of legal light left. I never shot one that far with a slug, so I went for it. I shot low, made an adjustment on the holdover and dumped it. I went out in the field to recover it, figuring the shot would run every deer around away. As I got to the doe, here comes a monster of a buck, moseying straight my way. I got down on one knee and waited until he got to about 75 yards and piled him up. Biggest deer of my life. I racked the shotgun just in case he got back up. No more bullets.
So I will change my number to 3 bullets. You only need three bullets.

5,248, I'm a terrible shot.

Pocket full for me and think if ever hunt hogs will bring a lot more LOL.

They make a belt fed upper for an AR ya know

Always have a coffee can full in the truck 3-5 hundred especially when coyote hunting ,never ran out yet

Gatling gun?

my grandpa was a stone mason and loved the question how high you going with that chimney. his answer all the way to the top.

so I suppose the answer to how many rounds do you carry hunting , all of them.

when I was a young-un I used to carry at least a box with me, so 20 rounds or more.
then I got wiser and just carried enough to load the gun up so 5 usually.

8-12 for deer. small game .22 ill take a 50-100 rd box just cause. shotgun for rabbits I take at least a box. rarely need the extras but id rather have and not need than need and not have