What is your favorite animal to hunt with a lever?

[rangerider7]

Please make it from favorite to least favorite.

[RIHMFIRE]

deer, then wild hogs, then small game like tree rats
and wabbits!
I have tried wild turkey but with no success....
all have been taken with the 12 ga....
and if the population keeps rising...coyotes

[bigbore442001]

I never hunted with a lever action rifle before. In fact, I don't even own one.

[maddog]

Well, except for doves, ALL my hunting is with leveractions. 39A, for squirrels and small game. 1894 .44 mag for deer, here in Indiana. Marlin 1895, .45-70, that I have used on hogs, javelina, black bear, and African Plains game. I'd use the .45-70 for deer, here in Indiana, but its not legal.

maddog

[Hobie]

What's in season.... Seriously though, except for game birds, anything might be hunted with a levergun, singleshot or muzzleloader (or bow!).

[madman4570]

I have to say whitetail deer first/black bear second
1975 Marlin 336C in 35Rem (open sights) fantastic woods gun.
But I love all the Marlins!
bigbore??? Once you go Lever, you will stay with em forever!

[TedH]

Everything but fowl. I've hunted elk, deer, bear, coyotes, small game with my levers. Love it all!

[ceb]

Squirrels and rabbits mostly, sometimes yotes, illegal here in Illinois for whitetail.

[kimwcook]

Elk, deer, bear, down to rabbits.

[Old Ironsights]

Horse thieves, Rustlers, Yankees, Marauding Injuns...

Oh wait... Sorry, Channeling the 1860s again...

Whatever is in season. Honestly.

[86er]

I've shot 30 black bears - and probably won't shoot another. I learned to really appreciate the lever rifle for the ability to hit the bear multiple times before he can leave my sight. I think it is way cool to nail one with a smokepole or archery equipment but the lever rifle is my favorite firearm for bears.

Water Buffalo - I don't shoot many myself but I hunt them a great deal with clients. First I sometimes get a strange look and get to tell a little story when the client sees the '86 I'm carrying. Second, it is exciting to be able to use a cartridge designed a century ago that has improved it ability along with rifle making. Lastly, I trust that gun to get the job done and give me multiple shots if necessary. That is a big deal when I am responsible for the clients and my license is on the line, or worse.

Rabbits - I haven't done a lot of small game hunting with rifles because where I used to live there was no opportunity. Now I get a kick out of shooting rabbits with a .22 lever gun, either the 39A or the BL-22. Right now both have iron sights but the Browning has worn a scope and it is pretty amazing to be able to zap a rabbit at 100 yds with no recoil, hardly any noise and such a light, handy rifle.

After the above, I have to admit that I probably wouldn't be too picky about what rifle I was carrying for anything else. I am more interested in getting the job done with the right combo of action, caliber and cartridge from a professional point of view. I'd rather shoot a deer with a bow or smokepole than anything. I really like getting all my other rifle and hunting handguns out at least once a year for a hunt too. With the above mentioned 3 species I always go to a lever rifle though.

[KirkD]

Top of the list .... Whitetail Deer
Second: anything else from Groundhogs to Bear.

[J Miller]

What is your favorite animal to hunt with a lever?

Rocks.


But they are extinct in IL.


Joe

[crs]

Do not know yet. I have killed only a half dozen or so different types of animal with a lever (from armadillos to Nilgai) and am still researching the subject.

[O.S.O.K.]

Yeah, whitetail first, then probably hogs.

I like to hunt with a variety of gun types though. It's a sickness brought on by my collecting hobby.

Using different guns adds more variety and a sense of adventure to the hunt.

Muzzleloader hunting for deer is different than using a scoped bolt action. Leverguns are pretty similar to bolt actions really... especially if scoped. If not scoped and used while stalking, then they are different enough to add spice.

Then there's handguns...

And of course you have all of the shotgun species - dove is probably my favorite because you get to shoot so much!

[El Chivo]

Got to be deer, that's all I've hunted successfully.

I think the levergun is perfect for that, the quick shot and the follow-up, at short to medium range.

[Modoc ED]

I've hunted elk, bear, deer, hogs, coyotes, rabbits, racoons, and others with my lever action rifles -- .444 Marlin, .30-30, and .22LR.

I quit deer hunting this year and will concentrate mostly on hogs, racoons, rabbits; however, if the opportunity presents itself to go elk hunting, I will go for sure. If I do go elk hunting, I will take my .444 Marlin along with a Winchester Model 94 .30-30 .

EDIT: When I lived back East, my favorite game to hunt with a levergun was whitetail deer. Out here in the West up to now, it has been mule deer until I gave up deer hunting this year. I guess now I will have to find a new favorite. Probably, hogs and coyotes.

[rjohns94]

my favorite hunting with leverguns are squirrels with my Marlin 1897 in .22 lr. next would be whitetail with the '92 in .357 or 1886 in 45-70. follow that with any other big game with the 1886. My favorite hunting is bird hunting, dove, quail, grouse, pheasants, chukkars, timberdoodles, ducks. for that I use my side by side though i will be doing some with my smoothbore flinter this year. my next favorite hunting is either with longbow or muzzleloader. then the hunting with the leverguns for squirrels, deer, and other game. My heart lies with the longbow and muzzleloaders and side by sides. these modern things take a back seat to them.

[slimster]

Hmmm, been shooting and hunting with leverguns for 'bout 40 years now and ain't rightly decided yet. Guess it'll take some more trials. I'll let ya know when I've figured it out! (But don't hold your breath )

[BigSky56]

Elk,mulies and wt deer then moose if I draw a tag and when I do ADC work. danny

[Noah Zark]

None of my favorite animals can hunt with a levergun. Or a boltgun for that matter. They can't work the actions. Primates probably could, but they aren't my favorite animals.

Noah

[DBW]

Fascist, socialist, marxist pigs if I were so inclined to waste lead.

I'm not an Elmer Fudd type but who knows what the future holds. I just like the sound guns make when the primer goes off.

[Noah Zark]

. . . I just like the sound guns make when the primer goes off.

I like the sound that lead makes when it hits something.

Noah

[Don McDowell]

Can't hardly stand to eat them, but Antelope have got to be the most fun critter to there is. Doesn't matter whether its lever, handgun, bow, flintlock , or a handfull of rocks, those buggers will challenge your mind and abilities.

[Idiot]

Collard Peccary

[2X22]

Everything but upland birds and waterfowl! Elk, deer, bear, grouse, wabbits.....

22

[AJMD429]

Top of the list .... Whitetail Deer
Second: anything else from Groundhogs to Bear.

We've shot whitetails with .44 Mag, and feral cats & dogs with .22 LR, .22 Mag, .357 Mag, .44 Mag, & .444 Marlin (only gun on hand at the time... ) - nothing else but squirrels around here enough to hunt and eat. May do squirrels with .22LR sometime, but more for practice/fun than meat, since the amount of meat seems hardly worth the field dressing effort. If groundhogs 'come back' (i.e. if we kill enough coyotes), we'll likely use the .22 or .22 Mag on them. So far, coyotes vs. leverguns = they win. The 10/22 with Holosight, laser, and flashlight is just too handy and fast and more practical at night when they get into the livestock.

Hope to get a time next year to go on a hog hunt with .444 or .45-70...

[Old Ironsights]

AJ... the best way to do squirrels (IMO) is to quick-skin 'em& lop off the hind quarters. The "hams"/drumsticks are about the only "real" meat on them anyway. Sure, you can spend a bunch of time trying to get some Squirrel Strap... but why?

It all becomes "Pulled Meat" for BBQ sandwiches anyway.

More:

http://www.gutpilestyle.com/ForumSMF/in ... c=1968.new
http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/1999/11/30.htm

Please make sure you are well Pyrethined up though. Them buggers are NASTY with fleas/ticks/etc until after the first good freeze...

[marlinman93]

I don't have a least favorite, but the Mulies are definitely my favorite!

[tman]

need to find a way to plug the magazine of the 1887 winchester to 2 shots. then, i could hunt all game, big and small with it.

[the telegraphist]

Feral pigs with a 44 magnum Marlin or a 45/70 Marlin for the big bastards.

[BenT]

I've always hunted with a levergun. Whitetail mainly with the 30-30 , but also 32sp ,308,356,444,38-55. Small game mainly squirrels with the 39A. I've only hunted elk twice , both times with a BLR 7mm- mag. I do a lot of grouse hunting and I use a double barrel for that.

[Streetstar]

Well, --- hmmm


I like steel pigs

followed closely by steel turkeys, then steel chickens

I actually prefer bow-hunting fella's I live in a coyote rich area, so i keep a lever gun handy in case i see them, and i dispatch crows regularly with my Henry .22-- i know thats not real hunting , but thats all i do. My justification for my Guide Gun is when i take my dream fly fishing trip to Alaska

[hocbj23]

I dont know what u call em,but their pelt is white with a black circle in the middle of it.darned hard to skin because they are so thin and chewy to eat.Lol.My second is the dreaded and elusive tin can,followed by chucks with the Bee Marlin.bj

[papasan]

Well, except for doves, ALL my hunting is with leveractions. 39A, for squirrels and small game. 1894 .44 mag for deer, here in Indiana. Marlin 1895, .45-70, that I have used on hogs, javelina, black bear, and African Plains game. I'd use the .45-70 for deer, here in Indiana, but its not legal.

maddog

Well that makes sense that the 45/70
would not be legal there for deer. I mean we all know it lacks the "punch"
needed to bag a deer.And as they say
always use enough gun. Just last week
i had to shoot a rabbit 3 times with
my 45/70 before he succumbed. LOL

papasan

[Leverluver]

P-dogs. Don't hit many but don't wound any.

[piller]

I have enjoyed everything that I have hunted with a lever gun. The Water Buffalo was the most fun. The Oryx was second. If I had practiced with it more, the Guide Gun I used on the Oryx probably would have made it the most fun, but it was my fault for not practicing more. I kind of enjoy hunting the bullseye on a paper target with a lever gun. The sparrows in the back yard with a .22lr Henry and the Aquilla quiet rounds are a real blast. You need to put birdseed on the ground so that you have a good backstop, and then the quiet rounds do not disturb the neighbors. I miss more than I hit, but a sparrow can only take 1 hit. I have been doing this for practice since I did a poor job on that Oryx.

[Bogie35]

White-Tail Deer!

bogie

[Pathfinder09]

Anymore I hunt everything with a levergun. Elk, Bear, Dear, Couger, coyotes. I would love to hunt Moose.