Average/preferred whitetail rifle weight for blind/stand hunting

[USAF Ret]

This may have been done before. What is the average weight, and/or your preferred weight, for a whitetail rifle hunting (scope included) in blinds and tree stands? Why?

 

[SloppyJ]

The length is more of the concern for me and it drastically depends on what kind of hunting you're doing. Are we talking private land walking to established stands/blinds or something more like a public hunt walking in a mile or two?

I average anywhere from 8 to 10lbs and have no issues with any of them. I hunted with a 24" model 70 for the majority of my life and lugged it around everywhere on a leather sling. Even with a stand strapped to my back. Now I pretty much only hunt with my son where we walk just a little ways. He carries a small pack with clothes and snacks and I carry my large pack with all of the gear to established blinds. An extra pound or three isn't making or breaking it. The nicest part about it is having a 16 or 18" barrel that makes it easy to slip in and out.

 

[BigMiss]

By blind or stand hunting, I am assuming all you're bringing to the woods is yourself, gun, and maybe a backpack with food/drinks. Maybe a 1/4 mile walk tops, or possibly even an ATV/UTV ride to the stand. In that case, I'd say weight is zero concern, and I'd rather have a shootable 10-11lb platform. If you're hauling in a climber or saddle, or scouting your way in, or going deep into public, then it would change. Also, it is caliber-specific.

 

[Mjay6k]

If I am hunting from a stand with a sub 1/2 mile walk in I would definitely lean towards a 8-10lb rifle. Probably chambered somewhere in the 308/creed class. Shootable and compact as others have voiced already. It is much easier to whip a <20 inch barrel around in the blind/stand, especially if you’re running a can.

 

[North of 60]

Ditto the above for a short rifle and can for most whitetail scenarios for ease of use...that corresponds to a 16" barrel and 7-8 lbs for me. To me the primary need for a longer barrel is if you have a very long shot.

 

[jesco88]

For me- It depends on the cartridge. But for 6.5CM I like 9+ pounds to try and spot impacts, I've dropped deer so fast I couldnt see that they flopped and spent way too long looking for a deer that was DRT. For 243, or even 6ARC/6.5Grendel 8-9pounds seems adequate, but my theory is why not have as heavy as a gun as you can have, if you don't have to carry it far.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Depends on the stand...I hunt out of some stands with a max of 30yd shots and some with 600yd shots...rifle depends on the stand.

 

[RME]

Depends on the stand...I hunt out of some stands with a max of 30yd shots and some with 600yd shots...rifle depends on the stand.

Yup! I hunt from a saddle or climber with sub-50 yard shots and a short break action single shot is my rifle of choice, especially from the saddle.

When I used to hunt on a lease I mostly just hunted with whatever I felt like. Hikes are short, minimal gear, and bigger stands with more room to move around so it didn’t really matter what I carried.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Yup! I hunt from a saddle or climber with sub-50 yard shots and a short break action single shot is my rifle of choice, especially from the saddle.

I like a 44mag lever gun for sub 50 yd work...I dont trust myself on follow up shot with single shot...lol

 

[Boarmaster]

I like right around 8.5 lbs. No more than 22 inch barrel. Straight comb stock. I hunt out of a climber mostly and sometimes shots are not exactly straight off the rail.

 

[RME]

I like a 44mag lever gun for sub 50 yd work...I dont trust myself on follow up shot with single shot...lol

I get it. On public I can only hunt with a repeater a few days a year. The rest of the season is with a bow or single shot for primitive weapons anyway so I don't think anything of it.

 

[Wolfshead]

My 38” 6.4 lbs. Winchester model 94, or my 39” 8 lbs Tikka T3X 308.
Pretty much all I hunt with.

 

[MallardSX2]

I never even put a rifle on a scale and actually checked the weight of it until I was 40 years old. Lol


It was always:


“that’s heavy”

Or

“That’s light”

 

[brancher147]

Not something I have ever thought about but I carry short and light rifles for whitetail and most my shots are inside 100 yds

 

[FLS]

8-9 pounds. 20” suppressed bolt gun in .308 has become my do everything rifle. From a climber to a shooting house, it’s my EZ button.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Most of my rifles are 9-10 pounds, but I have killed most of my deer with a 10.8# rifle.

 

[mthayr]

Depends on caliber, and your personal aversion to recoil (see: https://chuckhawks.com/rifle_recoil.htm). 8-9 pounds minimum just to be able to hold fairly steady... though you're not shooting vast distances from a tree stand.

 

[USAF Ret]

Depends on caliber, and your personal aversion to recoil (see: https://chuckhawks.com/rifle_recoil.htm). 8-9 pounds minimum just to be able to hold fairly steady... though you're not shooting vast distances from a tree stand.

This is one of the reasons I shoot 9 lb rifles. Recoil. I have a rod in my neck and shoulder injuries. Much easier to shoot a 9lb 308 than a 7lb rifle.

 

[USAF Ret]

8-9 pounds. 20” suppressed bolt gun in .308 has become my do everything rifle. From a climber to a shooting house, it’s my EZ button.

My EZ button as well, along with a 7mm-08.

 

[USAF Ret]

I like right around 8.5 lbs. No more than 22 inch barrel. Straight comb stock. I hunt out of a climber mostly and sometimes shots are not exactly straight off the rail.

I am similar, but do not use a climber anymore. I am not as steady as I was in my 30s. Last time using a climber, I had to shimmy down the tree about 10 ft when the bottom slipped on me.