Did you shoot your first deer with open sights?

[Nameless Range]

I got together with my father last night to do some reloading, and we were discussing my oldest son (9), being able to hunt deer in the youth hunt next year. He’s a left-eyed shooter, so I was pondering investing in a rifle for him.

As I was voicing options, my dad kind of shook his head and stated his opinion that my son oughta shoot his first deer with a lever gun he owns that would fit him right now. I can buy him a rifle when he grows a bit. I kind of pushed back, wanting the boy to have more range on offer and something with a scope. But then as he does, dad gently pontificated that he, me, my brother, my mother, and my wife - all shot our first deer with open sights, which by way, is more virtuous.

I shot my first deer with an iron-sighted model 94 30-30 at about 70 yards. I don’t think the experience would’ve been any less or more glorious to me with a scoped gun. At the time to me it was just glorious.




TBD on what the boy shoots his first deer with, but it got me thinking. Does anyone start their kids out with open sights anymore?

Don’t take the age ranges personal. They are somewhat arbitrary and the demographic of HuntTalk members not being representative of the whole, this ain’t scientific. I also think this poll may not apply as much to adult-onset hunters, though I'd be interested in their answers too.

Feel free to mention what rifle you used (if it was a rifle) for your first deer.

 

[Kaitum]

Like so many before me in the PA deer woods, first deer was with my dad's Win model 94 30-30 with open sights.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Every muley with a scope, this year was the first year I shot a whitetail with a scope, other 4 had been open sights with a shotgun. Might also be geography.

Adult onset.

 

[Nameless Range]

Like so many before me in the PA deer woods, first deer was with my dad's Win model 94 30-30 with open sights.

There's all sorts of factors that would be interesting to document when it comes to the scoped/not-scoped answers. I chose age to include in the poll, but geography would probably be another interesting one.

 

[Southern Elk]

No, but my second was with a shotgun and buckshot. My son’s first was with a .243 with a scope.

 

[Neumie]

Whitetail spike buck 1994?
Win 30-30 with a side mount scope

 

[Redmt]

I don't remember the rifle but it was open sights. I shot a few more with a pre 64 model 94, open sights. I didn't move to scopes until eyesight got old.

 

[woods89]

I shot my first with open sights, a little over 20 years ago.

I'd not recommend it. I think the chance for poor outcomes is higher unless you keep ranges very short.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Mine started with a red dot on a single shot .22 which I believe was a recommendation from @Carl . It was perfect for very young shooters. By rifle hunting age mine were shooting a scoped rimfire for practice.

A huge number of newer hunters regardless of age, and even some "seasoned", have the absolute worst time finding an animal in the scope. IME it's largely three issues, the latter two being directly related:
--Lack of practice with a scoped rifle
--Unforging eye relief on cheap or otherwise inappropriate scopes (i.e. mag range too high) for a given setup
--Length of pull that's not close to correct

Other than nostalgia, which is worth something and occasionally a lot, I don't see a big benefit to starting kids on open sights if their primary rifle will eventually be scoped.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Personally, I hunted 2 years with open sights, missed an easy shot at a buck, and killed my first deer with a scoped rifle.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Open sight Ruger M77 .243 a 3 yards

 

[gouch]

I actually killed my first deer with a recurve bow. No sights. The next two were with a shotgun. Just a bead. Since then, I think I have killed maybe eight deer with a rifle with a 4-power scope. All the rest have been either a bow with no sights or a muzzleloader with iron sights, except one more with a shotgun.

Scoped rifles just seem like cheating.

 

[np307]

I've killed all my big game animals with scoped rifles. Plan on teaching my boy on a scoped setup too. I really don't see a reason not to.

 

[mtmuley]

Yep. Grandfathers 94. I'm almost 60 and I have the rifle. mtmuley

 

[Slm864]

Model 99 300 savage with a scope. I obviously didn’t put it on there and though it’d be better without it I don’t have the heart to alter the gun.

 

[Moserkr]

Inherited my grandpa's old semi-auto .30-06 Remington woodsmaster 742. I replaced its cheap scope with the factory iron sights it was missing. Had 3 bucks in the sights so far, but couldnt tell if they were legal bucks. By the time I got my binos on them to confirm, shooting window was gone.

First buck was with a scoped .30-06 at 25 yards. Longest kill on a deer was 32 yards with a compound bow. Closest deer was 4 yards with the '06 again. Its not a getting close problem, I actually prefer open sights and bow hunting.

 

[mtmuley]

Other than nostalgia, which is worth something and occasionally a lot, I don't see a big benefit to starting kids on open sights if their primary rifle will eventually be scoped.

How things have changed. I have a grandchild coming. First thing is a Daisy Red Ryder. Open sights. mtmuley

 

[texrope]

Winchester 27, single shot with punkin balls in 1958. No scope. Button buck.

 

[Threedognight]

12 ga. shotgun no rifling.

 

[FairWeather]

Well, I shot my first deer this year, with a scoped rifle, at 32. Been at it since I turned 30, so definitely an adult onset hunter.

My thoughts on it are that you can make a more precise shot with a scoped rifle, as that crosshair will be smaller than any bead. A more precise shot is a more humane kill, provided you know where to make it.

Insisting that someone use iron sights increases the risk of wounding, I’d think. If that were to happen, that’s not likely to be a great first experience.