Tom from Minnesota

[toggy]

I came across this site while I was just learning about hunting in the UK. I was wondering if deer hunting even occurred there or if it had been extinguished...

I've also been using Norma ammunition quite a bit recently and it seems that I would get useful feedback on it from folks in Europe who have been using it and testing it for some time.

In Minnesota I mainly hunt deer and small game. I use bow and arrow and a muzzleloading rifle for the most part. But we also use regular bolt action rifles in the places where they're legal.

I've gotten my kids into hunting and they've done well themselves and I also mentor new hunters here in Minnesota. In the USA we actually have declining hunter participation and that's something that we're trying to improve.

I won't be using the classifieds at all I'll just be sharing information and looking to learn from other members here.

In particular, I just bought a pile of Evostrike from Norma and I am curious as heck to know how it's worked for people.

Tom

 

[HonestJohn]

Welcome Tom,

Nice to have more internationals here!

 

[sich1]

welcome from lincolnshire

 

[22ppc]

Welcome from Ireland

 

[Tim.243]

I came across this site while I was just learning about hunting in the UK. I was wondering if deer hunting even occurred there or if it had been extinguished...

I've also been using Norma ammunition quite a bit recently and it seems that I would get useful feedback on it from folks in Europe who have been using it and testing it for some time.

In Minnesota I mainly hunt deer and small game. I use bow and arrow and a muzzleloading rifle for the most part. But we also use regular bolt action rifles in the places where they're legal.

I've gotten my kids into hunting and they've done well themselves and I also mentor new hunters here in Minnesota. In the USA we actually have declining hunter participation and that's something that we're trying to improve.

I won't be using the classifieds at all I'll just be sharing information and looking to learn from other members here.

In particular, I just bought a pile of Evostrike from Norma and I am curious as heck to know how it's worked for people.

Tom

Welcome from Essex
We have a long History of hunting way before the Pilgrims landed on the East coast..

King Henry VIII appointed Sir William Denys (1470–1533) an Esquire of the Body at some date before 5 June 1511. It was perhaps at the very time of William's appointment to that position at court that the King promised him the honour of a licence to empark 500 acres of his manor of Dyrham in Gloucestershire, which is to say to enclose the land with a wall or hedgebank and to establish a captive herd of deer within, with exclusive hunting rights. This grant is witnessed by a charter on parchment, to which is affixed a rare example of a perfect great seal of Henry VIII, now hanging in a frame beneath the main staircase of Dyrham Park. It clearly was handed down with the deeds of the manor on the termination of the Denys era at Dyrham. The charter is of exceptional interest as it is signed as witnesses by men of the greatest importance in the state, who were at the King's side at that moment, at the Palace of Westminster. The text of the document, translated from Latin is as follows

 

[malmick]

Hi Tom,

Welcome from Yorkshire, UK. That's quite an interesting hierarchy of tools you use for hunting. Over here it would likely be the reverse for most folk, cartridge rifle first, muzzle loader next and maybe consider a bow for using outside the UK. Having said that a slingshot would be legal here for some quarry and there are folks who are adept at that.

Cheers,

Mick

 

[toggy]

Hi Tom,

Welcome from Yorkshire, UK. That's quite an interesting hierarchy of tools you use for hunting. Over here it would likely be the reverse for most folk, cartridge rifle first, muzzle loader next and maybe consider a bow for using outside the UK. Having said that a slingshot would be legal here for some quarry and there are folks who are adept at that.

Cheers,

Mick

Ha! To be clear I use a modern muzzleloader that shoots very accurately. It doesn't look like a gun from the 1800s...

 

[VSS]

I came across this site while I was just learning about hunting in the UK. I was wondering if deer hunting even occurred there or if it had been extinguished...

Welcome!
Deer hunting (stalking) is thriving here in the UK. In fact, we're very fortunate as we can shoot deer all year round, with no limit on numbers.

 

[Tim.243]

Ha! To be clear I use a modern muzzleloader that shoots very accurately. It doesn't look like a gun from the 1800s...

How quick can you reload as here we tend to chamber a fresh round as a matter of course even it it folded up...

I have a Neolithic hand axe on load to a local museum, I found it while out pigeon shooting a few years ago

Date....a long time ago.

 

[malmick]

Ha! To be clear I use a modern muzzleloader that shoots very accurately. It doesn't look like a gun from the 1800s...

Spot on

Seen those in use, very accurate and consistent in the right hands, as I am sure yours are.
Would be good to see some photos of the terrain and results of your hunting.

Cheers,

Mick

 

[toggy]

How quick can you reload as here we tend to chamber a fresh round as a matter of course even it it folded up...

I have a Neolithic hand axe on load to a local museum, I found it while out pigeon shooting a few years ago

Date....a long time ago.

Yeah even if I think I got a good hit I'll put another load in. I can do it in 60 seconds if all goes well. On average it would probably take me 90 seconds having to deal with the ramrod/jag. I might start carrying a ramrod with a jag on it at all times.

I've not had to take a second shot yet but my son did one time.

Tom

 

[User00043]

Welcome from Rutland UK

Paul

 

[toggy]

Would be good to see some photos of the terrain and results of your hunting.

I hunt over much of Minnesota Minnesota and the ecosystems can vary widely. Up north I hunt a lot of flat land so photos don't do it justice. It's similar to Canada, Finland and Norway boggy areas. Much fewer deer.

In the south we have deciduous forests mixed with farms. Many deer down there.

I don't hunt in the southwestern part of the state where we have mostly open prairie.


My son with a nice buck in farmland:

Northern Boreal forest:

My best archery deer. Farmland:

All whitetails.


In the southeastern part of the state we catch brown trout, which were brought over from Scotland and Germany.

Northern forest:

 

[toggy]

Welcome!
Deer hunting (stalking) is thriving here in the UK. In fact, we're very fortunate as we can shoot deer all year round, with no limit on numbers.

Do you still focus on the autumn for rutting behavior and maximum weight?

 

[VSS]

Do you still focus on the autumn for rutting behavior and maximum weight?

No, not particularly. Rutting males don't taste so good, and for population management you need to focus on culling females.

 

[T.eddie]

Welcome from Essex UK

 

[Bowland blades]

welcome , it seems lobby groups for firearms like to portray GB as a practically gun free zone . Its not by a long way

 

[toggy]

welcome , it seems lobby groups for firearms like to portray GB as a practically gun free zone . Its not by a long way

Yeah that was the sense I got by half-paying attention to news. And I've watched many hours of a UK air rifle hunting channel so I made assumptions. https://www.youtube.com/@HuntersVermin

 

[Bowland blades]

Yeah that was the sense I got by half-paying attention to news. And I've watched many hours of a UK air rifle hunting channel so I made assumptions. https://www.youtube.com/@HuntersVermin

it plays to the usa gun lobby when they wish to raise funds . GB and Europe are practically gun free zones ! Load of rubbish , we have less guns in the wrong hands and we cannot claim self defence if it involves a firearm being used to defend . Also we must have a background check and security assesment for the storage location.

 

[tarponhead]

Welcome! I’m envious of all the beautiful habitats you have just in your State, but I don’t envy you your extreme weather. To answer your question about Norma I have started using Evostrike 93g in 6.5x55 and it’s an interesting experience - bang-flops with chest and shoulder shots - a hold the size of a quarter at entry and a pencil sized exit. No blood trails but none needed so far - no runners. Hole on hole accuracy on paper gives me confidence on pulling the trigger out to 200m. Meat damage is catastrophic, if localised at the entry, but non-existent at the exit - looks like a 22lr hole!