Stalking deer with iron sights?

[East Coast Lifeboat]

I just read this very interesting article about stalking deer with iron sights. Hunting Deer with Open Sights | Blog

Q: Do any UK members stalk with iron/open sight rifles and if so what are your experiences?

 

[Tim.243]

I just read this very interesting article about stalking deer with iron sights. Hunting Deer with Open Sights | Blog

Q: Do any UK members stalk with iron/open sight rifles and if so what are your experiences?

I would think if you had to make follow up shot on a deer that ran to 200 yards you would be wishing some one would pass you a scoped rifle...

Like the one shot muzzle loaders the yanks like to use, holy crap the bear is running at me.....MUM...!!

Tim.243

 

[User00001]

I shot a few with the open sights on my old .275 before I stupidly sold it (just before the rest of the world rediscovered the .275!)

In fact I shot the last roe doe on my old Scottish ground with it, nice way to end a 17 year run on that forest.

Obviously practice is paramount, you have to be sensible about range and, probably most importantly, the light needs to be good. As I get older, I'm not sure my eyesight would be up to it.

I have recently bought an old .270 that still has the iron sights fitted so I will give it another go.

 

[enfieldspares]

I always have one stalkingrear ring of rifle with iron sights in my gun cabinet. Mainly for the fact that if you want to teach a novice it's a good start not least because they won't clout their eye with the rear ring of the 'scope the first time they fire it. Like Glyn mine is also in .270 WCF. But the other rifle, yes, a .30-06 Parker Hale M81 Classic has a 'scope on it a 3-9x36 Zeiss Diavari-C. I learned to shoot by shooting rifles fitted only with iron sights so it's nothing unusual. But above seventy-five yards a suitably 'scoped rifle is a better tool.

 

[Tom D]

Given that most of us shoot most of our deer inside or around 100 yds I think it’s totally feasible.. I have a hankering for an open sighted rifle chambered in something like 338 federal or 35 whelan for exactly that purpose. Proper stalking!

 

[deerwarden]

another BSA 7x57 rests in my cabinet, has nice iron sights, and some period scope mounts with a set of mounts attached to an oldish period scope that I had laying around, and it worked fine out in S.A. on plains game. deerwarden
,

 

[VSS]

I think that PKL on this site stalks with open sights. He'd be able to answer your questions.

 

[User00025]

Shot quite a few hundred deer with open sights, but ageing eyesight precludes that now. When I think back we shot thousands of rabbits with open sights on .22 rf out to 70 or 80 yds.

 

[McKenzie]

I think that PKL on this site stalks with open sights. He'd be able to answer your questions.

Yes, PKL is your man.

 

[User00003]

Indeed, I stalk a lot with open sights and it gives me tremendous pleasure as it really puts stalking and field craft skills to the test. I usually take shots from 10yds to 50yds and my stalking skills have excelled because of this. I have to add that I practice with iron sights a lot and am very confident in their application, which is very important.

Late evening shots are not really possible but giving that opportunity up is more than worth the enjoyment of when you do manage to succeed.

When hunt with irons I usually bring a simple set of twin hazel sticks, but frequently end up shooting off hand tbh.

It’s not a way to manage your deer for numbers, but when I want to go out and have some of the most amazing experiences in the field, with the hope of taking a deer for the freezer, nothing beats hunting with irons sights!

I will end in saying that I also hunt with my 4x32 scope for when I wish to manage deer, ie, cull certain deer I’ve seen that need to be culled, and when I stalk Red Deer as the landowner prefers scoped rifles.

I am not concerned over follow up shots tbh, if the many deer I’ve culled with irons, due to the very short distances involved, they usually fall over without as much as a twitch.

My preferred tool is my 1940’s Brno 30-06, and what I may add is that the iron sights are fit for purpose, solid and reliable.

Practice, give it a go! You’ll experience a whole new level of hunting you never knew existed and have some experiences and learn skills you never thought possible.

 

[East Coast Lifeboat]

Indeed, I stalk a lot with open sights and it gives me tremendous pleasure as it really puts stalking and field craft skills to the test. I usually take shots from 10yds to 50yds and my stalking skills have excelled because of this. I have to add that I practice with iron sights a lot and am very confident in their application, which is very important.

Late evening shots are not really possible but giving that opportunity up is more than worth the enjoyment of when you do manage to succeed.

When hunt with irons I usually bring a simple set of twin hazel sticks, but frequently end up shooting off hand tbh.

It’s not a way to manage your deer for numbers, but when I want to go out and have some of the most amazing experiences in the field, with the hope of taking a deer for the freezer, nothing beats hunting with irons sights!

I will end in saying that I also hunt with my 4x32 scope for when I wish to manage deer, ie, cull certain deer I’ve seen that need to be culled, and when I stalk Red Deer as the landowner prefers scoped rifles.

I am not concerned over follow up shots tbh, if the many deer I’ve culled with irons, due to the very short distances involved, they usually fall over without as much as a twitch.

My preferred tool is my 1940’s Brno 30-06, and what I may add is that the iron sights are fit for purpose, solid and reliable.

Practice, give it a go! You’ll experience a whole new level of hunting you never knew existed and have some experiences and learn skills you never thought possible.

Hi PLK, I really want to give stalking over iron sights a try. I really like the idea of closer shots at ranges less than 75 yards. I have a variation to use my .303 Brit rifles (See below) for Deer. I've only ever used them for target shooting but am very familiar with them and how to get the best out of there sights. I need to get some range time in with SP 150g loads as apposed to the 174g FMJ I normally shoot. I can nail clovers free standing at 50 yards all day long, so shooting off sticks at 75 yards is going to be my planned maximum range. Im going to work up to this slowly and see if I get to the point when I happy to stalk with them.

 

[East Coast Lifeboat]

 

[Klenchblaize]

I still want one:

The Incomparable Savage Model 99 | A Tale of Two Thirties

K

 

[User00033]

Does anyone hunt with a T3 Battue or similar?

 

[alberta boy]

I still want one:

The Incomparable Savage Model 99 | A Tale of Two Thirties

K

They are a great rifle . I have a 99A in 300 savage equipped with a Lyman receiver sight , a very functional and reliable hunting rifle . One in 300 Savage or 308 would be a good fit in the UK , you should get one , you won't regret it .
As to hunting with iron sights , I do . I started hunting with a Lee Enfield No4 Mrk1 using issue sights . It never occurred to me at the time that I was at a disadvantage . I just learned my limitations and worked within them . I still have a few iron sighted rifles that see regular use for hunting . My current favorite is a Winchester made Enfield P-14 with issue sights , it's my ugly weather rifle . Scopes are far more efficient , but sometimes I just enjoy going old school , including using Muzzle Loaders . Obviously , they give up a lot of ground to a modern scoped rifle , but that's pretty much the point . It's not everyone thing and that's OK too .

AB

 

[finnbear270]

Will be trying out my new Sako winmag over Irons @ Diggle today.

 

[Tim.243]

I think all the iron sight shooters should revert back to Dial-Up on the devices for some period of time which would be in keeping with the thread.....lol

(Do people still use dial up?
2) 2.1 million people use AOL's dial-up service to get on the internet. ... Rural Americans often have no access to high-speed internet, or it can be expensive and unreliable. Thankfully there are still phone lines and AOL dial-up. Yes, AOL is still selling dial-up Internet services to around 2.1 million people every year.8 Jan 2017)

Tim.243

 

[njc110381]

I don't do it so much now, but a few years ago when I was doing most of my roe and munty stalking with my Brno combi gun I used to use iron sights a lot. It will be a completely different experience to hunting with a scope because you have to get closer, which for me was very enjoyable. There's a great possibility that to date I have shot more deer with irons than with a scope, but unfortunately I didn't keep records so am unsure of my total shot count since I started. I would think several hundred deer have fallen to the irons on my old Brno, which now belongs to a friend of mine. I changed it for a Sauer drilling because although I wasn't a bad shot with the rifle, I more often than not need a second barrel with a shotgun!

 

[VIGILAIRE]

Does anyone hunt with a T3 Battue or similar?

I have a Tikka 695 battue 30.06 bought a while ago as a 'sleeper'. Has performed fine on driven boar and deer with the irons. It's also become a 'go to' for a stroll round the permission.

 

[User00033]

I have a Tikka 695 battue 30.06 bought a while ago as a 'sleeper'. Has performed fine on driven boar and deer with the irons. It's also become a 'go to' for a stroll round the permission.

Thanks. I'm quite keen on one of these rifles for a woods gun, in 9.3x62 for something different. Specifically for the enormous pigs we have in the bush up behind the one block.