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DEER HUNTING WINNERS: 2019 TOP PICKS IN GUNS, GEAR

19th Dec 2019

Source Credit to guns.com | by Kristin Alberts

Deer hunting is America’s outdoor passion. With that comes a host of guns and gear marketed to us hunting junkies. Choosing the best of the best comes with time and trials in the field. Guns.com has gathered some of our favorite options from this season’s successful whitetail hunts.

HENRY ALL-WEATHER RIFLE

Deer Hunting

Henry’s All-Weather rifle won “The Coolest Things Made in Wisconsin” award this year, and then dominated our Wisconsin deer camp. (Photo: Kristin Alberts/Guns.com)

This weather-impervious lever gun not only won the “Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin” contest but also dominated our Badger state’s Whitetail season. The All-Weather comes chambered in both .30-30 and .45-70, ideal for deer hunting, but Big Boy All-Weather calibers .38Spl/.357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45 Colt are also available.

Every rifle, regardless of chambering, wears a 20-inch round barrel and smooth lever action. All metal surfaces are low-gloss chrome-plated for extreme durability, with an industrial-grade black finish on the hardwood furniture.

FEDERAL FUSION AMMO

Deer Hunting

Federal Fusion was the first deer-specific marketed ammunition and remains one of the best. Our .45-70 Fusion performed exceptionally on whitetails with one shot harvests for all. (Photo: Kristin Alberts/Guns.com)

Rifle ammunition lines the shelves, often making the selection a crapshoot for casual hunters. Yet, companies like Federal take the guesswork out of selecting the most consistent performers and cost-effective options by combining those into one: Federal Fusion.

These are bonded-core bullets with a soft point and skived tip, all intended specifically for ideal penetration and rapid expansion on the more thin-skinned North American deer species. We’ve used the .243 Win, .308 Win, .30-06 Spfld, and .45-70 Govt with exceptional success on deer over the last few years, including several whitetails cleanly harvested with a single shot and textbook bullet performance from the .45-70 Fusion projectiles.

Fusion prices are exceptional, with boxes of 20 starting at $14.99 on Guns.com.

TRUE TIMBER CAMO

Deer Hunting

True Timber may not be one of the biggest names in camouflage, but their patterns and garments are well-designed. Our True Timber Kanati outerwear, partnered with their SilverTec base layers, kept us warm, quiet, and comfortable throughout a season of rain, wind, and snow. (Photo: Kristin Alberts/Guns.com)

Whether hunters desire any number of camouflage patterns or seek blaze orange garments to comply with deer seasons of various states, True Timber has things covered. We opted for the Kanati pattern in the Pulse pants and jacket, along with the company’s SilverTec base layers to remain warm and comfy throughout the harshest deer season in the states.

The TheafRiver Tech blaze vest and logo-ed hat kept things legal yet quiet and useful with all the expected pockets and features. True Timber is based in South Carolina and offers 27 different camo patterns geared to every type of outdoor activity, with most garments at quite affordable price points.

EFFECTIVE RANGE TARGETS (ERT)

Deer Hunting

Getting prepared for deer season on the range has never been easier, thanks to Effective Range Targets. Even when limited to a 100-yard shooting range, these targets let a hunter know just how far they can ethically shoot. Using them offhand, kneeling, or from realistic hunting positions, helps built confidence and responsibility. (Photo: Kristin Alberts/Guns.com)

Time on the shooting range always lends itself to the preparedness of a great outcome for any season. We’ve recently been introduced to Effective Range Targets, and they are something special for judging an ethical hunting range for any rifle, ammo and scope combination.

The paper targets use “Vital Rings” sized to the specific game and are intended to be shot from 100-yards in any number of shooting positions–not just from the bench. The ERT targets essentially allow distance practice while illustrating to hunters how tightly the shots group at a 100-yards. This information helps shooters judge their maximum effective distance.

The theory is a good one and though we’ve only spent limited time with the targets this season, the premise is already holding true in the field. Best of all, they are American-made targets, priced at $9.99-$19.99 per five, depending on species.

TALLEY SCOPE RINGS

Deer Hunting

Hunters can use the best rifle and the perfect scope, but there must be a quality connection between the two. Talley’s made-in-the-USA scope rings and bases are some of the best in the business, used here with our Henry All-Weather .45-70 and Leupold VX-Freedom scope. (Photo: Kristin Alberts/Guns.com)

Hunters can purchase the best deer rifle and highest-end optic, but what mates the pair is perhaps the most overlooked piece of gear in the hunting world—the scope rings and bases. From the most basic one-piece ring and base combinations to rock-solid detachable options or even high-end color case hardened beauties, Talley has mounting solutions covered.

Talley mounts are machined from solid bar stock and intended to “hold your scope with absolute rigidity under severe recoil.” All Talley products are made in the U.S. and carry a money-back guarantee