[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Irregardless of your age, if you are just now thinking of starting to hunt, think again. The first thing you want to do is take a NRA certified hunter's safety course. The cost is minimal and the benefits are immence.

You will learn not only how to do it right, but you will be able to converse with instructors who are top notch hunters and able to help you select the right firearm for the game and hunting conditions you will be confronted with. When it comes to gun safety, there are no stupid questions.

And always remember, first, last, and foremost, there is never under any circumstance any such thing as a unloaded gun, "EVER".

[TC Rider]

If you can acquire a taste for Nutra, all you'll ever need in Louisiana is a .22 rifle and a good little 4x scope.

You'll never go hungry.

[Marauder]

My favorite hunting weapon is my old No.5 Mk1 British .303 Enfield, commonly called the "jungle carbine." It's dead-on accurate and easy to carry and clean.

Cheap to acquire, if you avoid the "collector" types. Mine is stamped "FTR" which stands for "Factory Through Refurbish" and as such is not a collectible, but a sweet shooter nonetheless. There are scope mounts available that don't require drilling or tapping, but the peep sight is on the money.

[Willie Green]

.308 Remington 700 ADL
3-9 x 40 variable scope

[niteowl77]

I'd consider a Marlin 1985SS in .45-70 if the ranges are moderate or a Marlin 1894SS in .44 Mag if the ranges are short. They are quick and handy, relatively cheap to feed, shun the elements a bit better than blued carbon steel guns, and are (to my mind) better choices than bolt rifles or single shots if there is a chance that you might be forced to take out some trash in this oh-so-imperfect world.

Having once disturbed some fine citizens of the American counterculture while on a hunt all by myself, I consider the last point a sad but germane one. OTOH, if you also pack a handgun, then what the heck- get any good, medium length/weight stainless bolt gun in .308 with a mid-low power Leupold or Burris variable scope.

[mamelukesabre]

THAT'S EASY!

GET WHAT I'VE BEEN WANTING AND CAN'T FIND...

GET YOURSELF A SAVAGE MODEL 99 IN .308 WINCHESTER (or maybe 30-30)

I would love to get one of these. They aren't made anymore, but they are SWEEET!!! I've found good ones chambered in the odd savage rounds, but those aren't common rounds. If you ever, EVER, find a model 99 in .308, you'd better buy it right freaking now! Then put a military style sling on it and one of those small scopes that mount far out on the barrel away from your eye, and you will have absolutely the very best all around rifle there is in the world, BAR NONE!

[SevenDaysInMay]

Savage.

Value.

Stainless steel.

Buy from someone's closet clearing. Lastly if you must, buy with yellow sheet registration.

What ever you do, pick a common caliber, .308 is very adequate, and get equipped to reload your own.

The FReeper standard is a minimum of 1,000 rounds cached for defense of our RATIFIED Constitutional Republic, against enemies foreign and domestic.

Always teach women and children to properly handle arms and to shoot accurately.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

[Tijeras_Slim]

First and foremost, congratulations on getting into the country.

I've done most of my rifle shooting, competitive and otherwise, with .22's. My high power experience is with a Remington 700 in 308. My most recent acquisition is a CZ 452 .22 bolt action. I wanted a blued, wood stock .22 that looked like a big game gun without having to cough up the $1000-1500 that Anschutz and Kimber want. The CZ was $325 and is a great shooter. I wouldn't think twice about getting one their centerfires. They make many in traditional patterns and calibers, and also have a nifty bolt action carbine with a 5 round detachable box magazine in either .223 (5.56mm) or 7.63x39 (the AK-47 round). This looks like a fast handling rifle for thick brush, plus either of these rounds is available in bulk for inexpensive practice. I'd hesitate to use the .223 on deer, but the other round with an appropriate bullet would do the job.

[blackie]

My personal favorite is a .30 06 Remington 700 BDL, I modified mine and it has detachable magazines.

[Mulder]

I would go with a Remington 700 in .308 with a Leupold Scope. All together, it will run you from $1000 to $1500, depending on the quality of the scope.

If you want something less pricey, a lot of folks seem to be quite satisfied with the Savage bolt action rifles. I think they cost around $400.

[Clean_Sweep]

Your going to get some many differing opinions here it's near impossible to sort it out.

Get a gun with a more or less modern round. 30-06 up to the new stuff.

Go to the gun store and look at the guns. Buy the one you think fits you and you like the features the best.

Shoot the crap out of it and have some fun.

[snooker]

A long range rifle is mostly useless in close cover. Been there, done that. Lived in the Miss/La. area for several years. I would get a 12 gauge (like a Rem 870) with a slug and 26" 'choke tube' barrel. You want short guns in heavy cover. Should do you fine for many a year.

If you have the money a 22lever is a good companion piece.

A pistol with birdshot makes a good snake gun.

[wardaddy]

For deer hunting.....

Mid range price....under 1000 bucks

Bolt action Sako in .243, .270, .308, .30-06 or 7mm mag depending on deer hunting environment.

Remember to spend more on Optics either for light or distance or both.

Tops....Swarovski or Khales or Zeiss or Leica

Then ...Leupold, Schmidt and Bender, Pentax, and some newer East German and Russkie acclaimed brands, Nikon

Then Simmons, Burris, Bushnell, Redfield

I am not well versed in Nightforce but I know some love them ...Trijicon too.

I would not hesitate to spend 3 times on my optics what I spent on the rifle...in fact I have...lol

I personally believe that Swarovski or their sibling scopes Khales are arguably the finest scopes ever made to this point in human history (flamesuit on)

Good luck and happy eating!

[wardaddy]

http://www.gunsamerica.com/fast.cgi?guncat=2340

[Louisiana]

30-30 is great for hunting in Louisiana - wait till you get out of L.A. and get to La. - go to a pawn shop and pick one up for under $150.

[Melas]

I'm not sure about South Carolina, but Louisanna is heavily wooded, so you can avoid the high-power, flat trajectory rifles, which tend to be more expensive anyway. 30-30 lever action is fine for those distances. The 243 is also a very popular rifle in East TX/Western LA. Still you can't go wtih a 30.06.

[vortigern]

These threads are funny. Ask a simple question and everyone in the universe who has an opinion about everything in the universe comes out of the woodwork.

The first question I would ask you is: Do you want to hunt deer or do you want to learn how to shoot a rifle? Those are two very different skills and two very different questions.

You want to hunt deer? This season? or next? If this season, frankly, you don't have enough time to get proficient with any of the recommended deer rifles, since deer season, in most states, is almost here.

The good news is: You don't need a rifle to hunt deer. Many states limit deer hunting to shotgun slugs only. A shotgun slug is a powerful and deadly deer hunting weapon. While I'm not familiar with regulations in Louisiana or South Carolina -- YOU need to be -- if you're going to be moving into those states and plan on hunting deer.

Good luck to you and happy hunting and shooting!

[Mean Daddy]

I'd recommend a muzzleloader for two reasons. It's cheap and not many people hunt the muzzleloader season. In Iowa where I just got back from deer hunting w/my muzzleloader, few people hunt the MZ season. Once shotgun comes around, you won't get within a mile of a deer.

[jws3sticks]

Here's Daniel Boone of Australia. What a hunter!

[Bigun]

This'n right heah will do ya JUST fine.

Mash Here

Get it in .270WSM caliber and you are set.