Do ammo prices jump even higher when hunting season starts?

[rickysays]

Rounds like 30-06... and whatever else people tend to hunt with.

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[Akx39]

Not a hunter (yet) but from what I've seen in the past ammo doesn't usually jump in price around hunting season. It does however become harder to find. With how prices and availability are right now, if you can afford it and need it you should buy. If you don't need it might as well not contribute to the shortage.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

In my experience it goes on sale just before and during hunting season but....
As noted above can be hard to find in stock at times.

Another vote to buy it when you can afford it...and find it.
Andy

 

[Dinglenutz]

Hunters don't shoot that much when actually hunting. I know people who kill a decade worth of game with a box of ammo.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Something to consider with hunting ammo...
It is wise to zero your rifle and practice with the ammo you want to hunt with.
One style of ammo / brand / bullet weight / etc...may have a different point of impact than the ammo you wish to hunt with.
Andy

 

[rickysays]

I'm getting pretty accurate shots at about 200 yards with 150 grain 30-06, but that's with a bipod and stationary target and plenty of time to aim.

I'm sure it'd be an entirely different situation in the wild.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I'm getting pretty accurate shots at about 200 yards with 150 grain 30-06, but that's with a bipod and stationary target and plenty of time to aim.

I'm sure it'd be an entirely different situation in the wild.

In my experience it never is the same as when shooting at a range under a controlled environment.

If possible get some practice :

Where you plan to hunt...
In poor lighting...
In the worst weather...
When you are tired , hungry and have been out for a while...
Off hand or with a field expedient rest ...
Andy

 

[Mark W.]

Andy you forgot to mention when you have a quart of Adrenalin running through your heart every couple min's cause you just saw a 4 point.

 

[RVTECH]

In my experience it never is the same as when shooting at a range under a controlled environment.

If possible get some practice :

Ditto this.

Its a good idea to get out in the area you plan to hunt to familiarize yourself with the area, find some 'waypoints' to help navigate and of course have your rifle with you and practice at some off hand shooting at targets if varying distances. Try kneeling, prone and tree resting. I have shot deer from 10 yards to several hundred. Some I only had seconds to position and shoot and some I had more time with.

 

[rickysays]

One other thing I thought of while reading your replies, is the time it takes to even just locate the target in my scope. I had it zoomed in at 24x, which is an extremely narrow circle. I'd never for the life of me get lined up in time on a live target with that set up... so I need to practice lining up with my scope at probably half that zoom level.

agree?

 

[Dinglenutz]

One other thing I thought of while reading your replies, is the time it takes to even just locate the target in my scope. I had it zoomed in at 24x, which is an extremely narrow circle. I'd never for the life of me get lined up in time on a live target with that set up... so I need to practice lining up with my scope at probably half that zoom level.

IME something between 3-5 power is broadly applicable but it depends on the conditions. Using 1x is fine too.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

The price point on most hunting cartridges luckily is so high it rarely jumps in price. The key time to buy however is after hunting season as they (used to) run sales on those calibers as they (again due to price) dont fly off the shelves.
06, 7mm, 270..etc all seem to hold steady.

 

[Barefootdog]

I've had 2 or 3 boxes of 30-06 in the cabinet for 30 years or better.
I no longer shoot that caliber.

Maybe now's a good time to let them go.

Maybe 3 boxes will generate enough cash to pay off my daughters college loans.

I'm a good Dad.....yes I am.

 

[Hueco]

One other thing I thought of while reading your replies, is the time it takes to even just locate the target in my scope. I had it zoomed in at 24x, which is an extremely narrow circle. I'd never for the life of me get lined up in time on a live target with that set up... so I need to practice lining up with my scope at probably half that zoom level.

agree?

I don't hunt but I do shoot a good deal of photography including using a 400mm lens to photograph small birds as close as 5 yards away.

Can I point the lens and be on target? Yep. How many hours do I have logged behind that lens? Dunno - but I can tell you it'd be measured in weeks, possibly months.

So, do I think you could learn to point a 24x and be on target? Absolutely. But, it's not easy, will take some time, and at some point...you gotta wonder why you're trying. Feedback from most hunters I've read is that a 3-9x will be more than adequate.

In any case, you'll be kicking yourself if you miss a shot fiddling with gear (younger me knows all about that), so find a magnification that's you can point well and also shoot well with at the distance you expect to be shooting. Leave wiggle room for the game to be closer or further.

 

[po18guy]

Rounds like 30-06... and whatever else people tend to hunt with.

Think of hunting season as a mini-pandemic. The rising tide of demand for typical hunting rounds causes all boats (calibers) to float higher. I would suppose that 22LR increases during elk season - just because

 

[Xaevian]

I'm getting pretty accurate shots at about 200 yards with 150 grain 30-06, but that's with a bipod and stationary target and plenty of time to aim.

I'm sure it'd be an entirely different situation in the wild.

Base accuracy is a good gauge. The tighter, the better. That way, minor issues will be multiplied less. In the other hand, a hunting setup is more about putting rounds in a fairly large animal which may be moving and less about pinpoint accuracy. An f-class competition rifle may be great for competition, but not so much for hunting.

 

[RVTECH]

Feedback from most hunters I've read is that a 3-9x will be more than adequate.

Ditto this. Most hunters will typically sight in a particular round at one magnification level and leave it there, and it's usually at the lower power levels.

They might increase the power to use the scope to spot an area or item they see but return it to the power they sighted in at. I have done this myself as I hate carrying binos.

 

[Dinglenutz]

They might increase the power to use the scope to spot an area or item they see but return it to the power they sighted in at.

The most common use I've seen for 9 or 12 is to count the horns.

 

[rickysays]

Ok, gotta say... the answers and helpful advice from ya'll on this thread alone has made my membership worth every penny already. Many thanks.

Also, if any of you need any 30-06 come hunting season, just let me know and it's your's for what I paid for it ($40 a box). I have more than I'll ever need, probably in my entire lifetime.

 

[RVTECH]

I have more than I'll ever need, probably in my entire lifetime.

Well, that could be subjective depending on how much you plan shoot this rifle you might have more than enough - or maybe not.