Pick The Right Rifle Option For Your Whitetail Hunting

Every year, millions of hunters enter the hunting ground with their rifles in the hope of bagging a hefty whitetail trophy. While you have decided to go with the rifle for your upcoming whitetail hunting season in Texas. Ensure that you are heading with the right rifle as there are vast options available in the market for deer hunting. Prior to setting out for purchasing firearms and ammunition, get thorough with the state laws. 

Right Rifle For Your Whitetail Hunting

First, let’s explore the types of rifles –

If you’re looking to hunt whitetail deer in your near by hunting ranch, the type of rifle that you choose can make a big difference. There are three different types of rifles: bolt action, lever action, and semi-automatic. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Bolt actions are the oldest design of rifles, dating back to the 1700s. The bolt latches into place when it’s cocked and locked by turning a knob on top of the gun. The advantage is that it’s one of the most accurate types of guns for hunting whitetail deer because it’s designed for long shots and doesn’t have many moving parts as a semi-automatic does. Bolt action rifles are designed to handle stronger cartridges. However, they’re also heavy and hard to carry on long excursions through rough terrain, so they don’t always meet the ideal criteria for hunting whitetail deer where there isn’t much space between you and your target.

Levers are similar to bolts, but they don’t lock into place automatically as bolts do; instead, they need a lever handle that must be pulled back before firing as well as cocking (pulling back again). It makes them easier to use in confined spaces because there aren’t as many moving parts involved

Semi-automatic rifles offer the best compromise between weight, range, accuracy, and ease of use. It is the ideal choice for short cartridges. They are popular among hunters who want to hunt whitetails in areas with extended distances over which they must cover ground before finding a shot opportunity on game animals such as whitetails or mule deer bucks!

What Should Be The Barrel Length For Hunting Whitetails?

Right Rifle For Your Whitetail

Right Rifle For Your Whitetail

 

Another factor that affects how well your rifle performs is barrel length. The longer the barrel length, the more accurate your shot will be since it allows more time for the bullet to travel down range before impact with your target. However, longer barrels tend to produce higher pressures which can damage your rifle by causing excessive wear on internal parts such as springs and rifling due to repeated firing. This can lead to rifles breaking from use or simply not functioning properly anymore after so much abuse! The preferred barrel length for whitetail hunting is 6 inches or more.

What Should Be The Minimum Shooting Distance For Whitetail Hunting?

Keep your target distance in mind. The shooting distance shouldn’t be more than 100 – 200 yards. Because less distance can alert the animal and by maintaining more distance you are risking the target.

What Should Be The Caliber For Deer Hunting?

The main difference between these calibers is the weight of the bullet the cartridge can hold. A larger caliber bullet will hit harder and move further down range than one with a smaller diameter but less energy behind it. The larger the caliber number, the heavier the bullet and therefore more energy it can deliver when fired from a rifle. Energy is important for big game hunters because it determines how far and fast an animal can be hit by one shot only. With enough energy, you can easily kill deer up to 300 yards away, but with less than adequate energy, you may not be able to hit a moving target at 100 yards or less.

When choosing a caliber for your hunting rifle, it’s important to choose one that fits within your hunting area’s restrictions on calibers (if any). If you’re hunting in an area that allows only .30-06 caliber ammunition, then you should stick with that caliber because it will be safer for your gun and won’t cause damage if there is any misfire or jamming during shooting practice. The most popular calibers for hunting whitetail deer are .30-06 Springfield, .270 Winchester, and .308 Winchester. These are all suitable calibers for deer hunting because they provide adequate power without overloading your firearm. You should also make sure that you know how far your bullet travels at various ranges so Consider your shooting skills, then choose a rifle caliber accordingly. 

Safety Features Of The Rifle 

The rifle is going to be your best man on the hunting ground. The first thing you should do before you buy a rifle is to take a look at the safety features that it has. You need to make sure that your rifle has a safety mechanism that will make sure that it’s not accidentally fired. The safety mechanisms can be found on the trigger and the hammer. You will want to make sure that both these mechanisms are protected by a lock or a trigger guard so that they are not accidentally pulled while you are shooting.

So you need to keep it in shape to avoid any complications. 

  • Regular clean-up and maintenance sessions
  • Clean the barrel and apply firearm lubricant
  • Reassemble and check the functionality

Your First Rifle Need Not Be An Expensive One

Once you have decided on all of these things, next comes finding out how much money you want to spend on your new rifle. This will depend on how much money you have available and what type of hunting trips you plan on taking during the year. Trust us, the market is flooded with a range of rifle options. When hunting whitetail, your choice of the rifle is just as important as the location you decide to hunt and what gear you pack. Choosing the right rifle could improve your accuracy and kill rate on whitetail hunting trips. But to achieve this, you need not hurt your pocket and get an expensive rifle. Explore the rifle dealers around you to get the best deals on your purchase.

By choosing the right rifle for your whitetail hunting, you can ensure you’ll have plenty of game once the whitetail season rolls around. Remember, the wrong caliber can lead to missed shots, while the wrong type of ammunition can result in wasted trips.

If you are planning for a whitetail hunt in Texas, then don’t forget to book your hunting slots at Cotton Mesa Whitetail Ranch. 

Get In Touch



Cotton Mesa Trophy Whitetail
9066 FM 3194 Richland, TX 76693

Phone: (903) 654-3416
Fax: (903) 874-4399