What gun for deer hunting?

[ben]

I never hunted, but I am writing a short story about a hunter and a taxidermist. I want to get the details right, so I'm posting here. What gun would a sportsman use for hunting deer? Also, how do you go about tying the carcass to the top of the car?

[swampmen]

Well a woods gun would be a 30-30 or 35 rem. 45-70 or 444 then 25-06 ,270,30-06 300,338,405 there a bunch .Then there the muzzleloaders 45,50,54,58, just a few Now you would put the deer untop of car tied the head and front legs togather ,then take the rope to front bumper. Now the same with back legs rope to back bumper

[ozark]

Something like this:
The old man's face was covered with hair that reminded me of Grizzley Adams. I slowed up to ask him if I could give him a lift. I was a bit uneasy since he carried a rifle under his arm. I rolled the window about half way down and stopped. "Do you need help sir?" I asked. "Nope, I just killed me a deer, biggest one I have ever seen in these parts. Maybe if you could help drag it to the road I would be much obliged." I decided to help the old man and asked him to get in my car. He gently layed his rifle in the back seat and sit down in the front next to me. I noticed blood on his overalls and wondered if it would stain my seat. He told me to drive about a mile up the road and that would put us close to his deer. I asked if he had killed a lot of deer and he said: No, I haven't but that old thurty thurty back there has killed a bunch. But never anything like your are going to see.
I was begining to wonder if I had not got myself in a mess. You are not planing on putting a bloody deer in my car are you? I asked. " Well, maybe that wouldn't be very neighborly of me, turn right up younder and I will borrow a rope and we can tie it on top of your car." I turned down a lane that led to a house that had seen better days. My passenger went to the door and a lady followed him to a shed and he came back smiling carrying a rope. He told me that was his ex-wife but that they were good friends. "I cut her wood and she does my washing. Sometimes we just visit. Much fewer quarrels than when we owned each other. Now, my friend you take it from there, end up helping him cape his deer and take it to a man who mounted animals for hunters. If you get a good mark for your story give credit to Doug's message board. Members go well beyond normal to help people. LOL

[rossman40]

I never get tired of reading your stories Ozark!

Ozark's story would fit in any age since the model T. You just have to remember some states no longer allow rifles for deer hunting. The 30-30 lever action has bagged a ton of deer since 1895. You will also have to remember the bolt action did not start selling until after WWI when a lot of people did not have a lot of cash. If you place your story at a certain time make sure the cartridge and rifle was available then. If you say he used a model 700 chambered in 300WM in the 50s then you would be wrong because both didn't come out till the 60s.

As far as tying a deer to the roof of a car I have only seen it once when my great uncle and his brother-in-law bagged a couple of deer. His BIL had this mid-50s Buick 4 door, they had 2 deer strapped on the top with rope going to the front and rear bumpers. Then they almost lost them and then they rolled down the windows and tied off to the "B" pillars also. They had to untie one side to get out. My uncle said they almost froze because they couldn't roll the windows all the way up and the BIL was driving like 90mph.

Good luck with the story, hope your teacher doesn't read the board.

[mountainam]

Ben, Rossman is right on. You have to have the equipment in the right time frame. I remember watching an episode of Happy Days years ago. Fonzie was working on a car in the mechanic's shop and told the customer it was a '55 Chevy--- but it was a '54 and they don't even look close. Needless to say, Fonzie wasn't my hero anymore. This year is my 40th year of doing Taxidermy so I'd be happy to field any questions that you may have.

[pposey]

Come on now it's a bolt action savage in 7mm-08,,,,,, and if he is a hunter/Tax. I bet he drives a truck!

[cfvickers]

Just say a Remington 30-06 (pronounced 30 ought 6) It works no matter where the hunter is hunting, it is in its element in any deer/elk/anything large hunting situation. One of the most common rifles out there. If you want to get technical and use the model either a model 700 or model 742 are classic deer rifles chambered in 30-06 and are still widely used today. I always wondered myself how you would go about even getting the deer on top of your car. I have witnessed many tied down to the hood but none on top, personally. but if it were you would likely have a standard luggage rack to tie your ropes too. Everything Rossman said is correct as well. I just say the 30-06 because it can be found in any setting. I was thinking like pposey on the truck as well. And for a rifle you could always say Steyr SBS 6.5x55 or if the Taxidermist really has an appreciation for rifles it and this is an older setting it is likely a Custom Mauser rifle in any of the aforementioned calibers except 30-30 and 45/70.