TODAY'S GUN TIME

[shooterdon]

Will try to answer what I can.

Root Cause,
I purchased this tank:

Omega Air Cylinders 4500 psi 75 cu/ft Tank

CalG,
CO2 power is very convenient. The two factors that pushed me to PCP were cold weather performance and cost. With .22 cal guns I was concerned about shot count per cartridge and the cheapest cartridges I could find were $.70 ea. Cost per shot was about double of air. For someone shooting less than 2000 pellets per year CO2 might be a good option but I will shoot at least double that.

AWSubie,
I decided on the .22 because there are more pellet options, better availability, and cost. If buying a rifle primarily for critter control with only little bit of plinking, the .25 is a better choice. My needs were to take a dozen or so chipmunks and squirrels a year at ranges to 75 yards, and 4000+ shots at paper and reactive targets.

PJS,
It shoots as good as it looks. Do not buy a used one. The Gen I rifles had many issues that have been addressed in the new model. I have the Gen 2. If you buy direct from the web site I posted you will get the new model.

General comments
In hind sight, I should have bought the DAR in .177 and just used it as a plinking rifle. At the time I was having issues with the Daystate so I wanted a back up rifle for hunting/plinking. Now that the Daystate is running very well the DAR will not get a lot of use unless two of us are plinking.

For someone new to PCP and/or on a limited budget, the DAR is an excellent value. If you can do a bit of trigger work (or luck out and get one with a good trigger) it is a smoking deal. If you are a "gun snob" and/or can shoot well, the Daystate (or other higher end offerings) are exceptional guns. Their performance is impressive.

One finial comment. I have had excellent service from Airguns of Arizona. Not saying other retailers are worse, but these folks have treated me well with the few issues I have had.

 

[paulsharvey]

Today was opening archery in FL. I saw a nice buck at 54 yards. Just wondering what most of yalls comfortable range with a bow or x-bow is. I practice at 40 yards with my x-bow (Killer Instinct Burner 415, shooting 485gr total weight fixed broadheads). Reason I ask, is a know people who claim to have made bow kills at 107 yards, and thats a heck of a long ways with an arrow. The Hunting Public I think said the majority of their shoots where within 25 yards.

For reference, I took a shoot at 64.3 yards, and clean missed a doe. Thats a long flight time, and I knew I shouldn't take it, but the deer was steady moving further, and I took a shoot I shouldnt have.

 

[sea2summit]

Today was opening archery in FL. I saw a nice buck at 54 yards. Just wondering what most of yalls comfortable range with a bow or x-bow is. I practice at 40 yards with my x-bow (Killer Instinct Burner 415, shooting 485gr total weight fixed broadheads). Reason I ask, is a know people who claim to have made bow kills at 107 yards, and thats a heck of a long ways with an arrow. The Hunting Public I think said the majority of their shoots where within 25 yards.

For reference, I took a shoot at 64.3 yards, and clean missed a doe. Thats a long flight time, and I knew I shouldn't take it, but the deer was steady moving further, and I took a shoot I shouldnt have.

I was once, a long time ago, ranked 6th nationally with bare bow (I was 15 then). Wish I was still that good.

I have a 40 yd pin zeroed and practice that distance quite often but realistically I’d only do a 30 yd or closer shot. I don’t bow hunt enough to get the buck fever calmed down enough for longer than that. I know some guys though that are absolutely solid to 60 maybe farther. Amazing what the right guy with a modern bow can do.

 

[shooterdon]

Today was opening archery in FL. I saw a nice buck at 54 yards. Just wondering what most of yalls comfortable range with a bow or x-bow is. I practice at 40 yards with my x-bow (Killer Instinct Burner 415, shooting 485gr total weight fixed broadheads). Reason I ask, is a know people who claim to have made bow kills at 107 yards, and thats a heck of a long ways with an arrow. The Hunting Public I think said the majority of their shoots where within 25 yards.

For reference, I took a shoot at 64.3 yards, and clean missed a doe. Thats a long flight time, and I knew I shouldn't take it, but the deer was steady moving further, and I took a shoot I shouldnt have.

I like an honest man.

A lot of game gets wounded by people who take shots they should not take. I understand doing that if someone needs the meat but those are rare cases IMH. At least you know your limits, but there are plenty of "hunters" who do not know and take shots they have no business taking.

Resist the temptation next time and you will be fine.

BTW, I did something similar three years ago with a .308. Clean miss on a doe at 275 yards. I realized after the shot I had not held over as far as I should have but I should still have hit her...but no blood. Looked for an hour and nothing. It was near the end of the hunt season and I had gotten bored and lazy.

Still it bothered me. After the season closed I checked the rifle. I had dropped it a couple of days before the missed shot, and sure enough it was off by 5-6 MOA. I kicked myself for not checking the gun...novice mistake.

I do not bow hunt but one of the guys at deer camp let me shoot his Raven cross bow. What a shock. Off the back of a chair used as rest, I was getting 1.5" groups at 50 yards. But even with something like that, range estimation is important. Most of the guys at camp who bow hunt take game at about 25-30 yards and use cross bows.

 

[hunt4570]

I like an honest man.

A lot of game gets wounded by people who take shots they should not take. I understand doing that if someone needs the meat but those are rare cases IMH. At least you know your limits, but there are plenty of "hunters" who do not know and take shots they have no business taking.

Resist the temptation next time and you will be fine.

BTW, I did something similar three years ago with a .308. Clean miss on a doe at 275 yards. I realized after the shot I had not held over as far as I should have but I should still have hit her...but no blood. Looked for an hour and nothing. It was near the end of the hunt season and I had gotten bored and lazy.

Still it bothered me. After the season closed I checked the rifle. I had dropped it a couple of days before the missed shot, and sure enough it was off by 5-6 MOA. I kicked myself for not checking the gun...novice mistake.

I do not bow hunt but one of the guys at deer camp let me shoot his Raven cross bow. What a shock. Off the back of a chair used as rest, I was getting 1.5" groups at 50 yards. But even with something like that, range estimation is important. Most of the guys at camp who bow hunt take game at about 25-30 yards and use cross bows.

I have a crossbow but have never tried to hunt with it... someday maybe. I do not really hunt deer anymore, I dont pattern them anymore, I dont scout anymore (only hunt my property anyway) I sit up in a blind or now my tower and just wait for a nice one to show up. Not looking for horns or anything, just meat for the fridge. Makes it all so much easier!

 

[LouNY]

I haven't hunted in several years if and when I need to get more venison I'll harvest one.

 

[shooterdon]

I have a crossbow but have never tried to hunt with it... someday maybe. I do not really hunt deer anymore, I dont pattern them anymore, I dont scout anymore (only hunt my property anyway) I sit up in a blind or now my tower and just wait for a nice one to show up. Not looking for horns or anything, just meat for the fridge. Makes it all so much easier!

I do not hunt either. I have a range and shooting lane off my back porch and it is also one of my food plots. If I get cold/bored sitting on the porch, I walk into the house for a coffee. A couple of times the deer show up at the corner where the shooting lane intersects a lane to my main food plot 90* off the range. That is a 135 yard distance and even if I am in the house, I can walk out the doorwall to the porch and they will not move. Pretty easy shot.

I am an honorary (no charge) member at the hunt club next to my east fence line. I watch the place for them, help them with projects, and help put in food plots (they have 16 on about 250 acres). I have permission to hunt there after opening week. But I do not call shooting deer over a food plot hunting. The hunt club has blinds that cost $2-3k, and Mr buddy heaters.

They have pushed me into getting into bow hunting. In fact the guy who owns the place offered to buy me a very nice crossbow so I could bow hunt with them. But I have no interest in it. They are great guys and I enjoy their company so that is enough for me. With just the two of us, two deer a year is plenty of venison anyway.

 

[PJSprog]

We have a sportsman's club across the road from us, too, Don. Lots of woods and a nice little lake. Also not a member. I stopped hunting anything but small game back in my 20s, and even stopped the small game about 10 years ago. Just lost interest, honestly. Like you, we get plenty of deer on our property, but I've never been a fan of venison.

 

[sandman2234]

My guns are there to shoot anyone who tries to shoot our deer and turkeys!

 

[shooterdon]

We have a sportsman's club across the road from us, too, Don. Lots of woods and a nice little lake. Also not a member. I stopped hunting anything but small game back in my 20s, and even stopped the small game about 10 years ago. Just lost interest, honestly. Like you, we get plenty of deer on our property, but I've never been a fan of venison.

I understand completely!!! I am nearing that point as well. I have always enjoyed shooting and still do. Did a lot of competitive shooting for decades. Maybe it is old age and not looking forward to the work after an animal is down, but hunting has lots its attraction. And it is scary to walk the woods with the citiots out there. I border state land and have pretty well decided I will not hunt opening week this year. Let the drunks and spray ang pray crowd go home first.