Your first deer rifle?

[Ringbill27]

Aa a broke 20 something I invested $130 on a Norinco SKS. I proceeded to turd it up with a folding Zytel stock and receiver mounted scope mount that cradled a pristine $39 Simmons. I could hit a milk jug at 100 yards sometimes with it. The first deer I killed with it I completely missed and the deer just looked at me. I figured "well, if you're just going to stand there ....". The second shot somehow found the vital zone that time and got some meat in the freezer.

My sister in law used a paratrooper SKS for years and most deer took 2-3 shoots. My current main deer rifle is a Ruger American in 7.62x39. Love it. It’s very accurate and I’ve taken many deer with it over the years.

 

[Willbev14]

.50 caliber traditions muzzleloader. Muzzleloader season in VA ran long before and after rifle season. My dad bought me a muzzleloader first, which I was able to hunt with through rifle season. I killed a lot of deer with a muzzleloader before I ever killed one with a rifle. I actually grew quite a fondness for muzzleloader hunting because of this.