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Bolt Action vs. Semi-Auto Hunting Rifles: Do the Bromides Apply?

I like my .308 Saint Victor for stand hunting where I dont have to walk in for Tx hunts. Deer or pack of hogs, and I have a good tool to take either.

Tree stand hunting, I like the bolt action .270 for weight like the author suggests. Long hike in and sit elevated for hours, and a lighter rifle is necessity.
 
I like bolts and semi-autos and hunt with both, but my favorite is still a lever gun. Hard to beat a good .30-30 for all around hunting rifle in North America and I'm pretty fond of my Marlin 336Y takedown.


Marlin 336Y Takedown (37).jpg
 
Faulkner said:
I like bolts and semi-autos and hunt with both, but my favorite is still a lever gun. Hard to beat a good .30-30 for all around hunting rifle in North America and I'm pretty fond of my Marlin 336Y takedown.


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I love my Marlin Lever Action in 44 Magnum. I have taken at least two squirrels for every deer I have harvested with it. I sit on the ground during deer season and it never fails to attract barking squirrels.
 
I made the jump from a Model 700 .308 to a Browning Safari II in 7mm magnum for hunting more than 10 years ago. It shoots sub moa and plants deer in their tracks. I night hunt feral hogs with my Sig 516 with a green kill light mounted. My most recent rifle purchase is a M1A Precision in 6.5 Creedmoor and will probably try a hunt with it this year. I like heavy semi auto rifles for still hunting but don't want to carry one around in the field all day.
 
Semi-autos are not an option in PA for hunting so .308 bolt and .30-30 lever are my 2. Thinking about a .357 revolver for next year's hunt. My new hunting spot has the whitetail coming in close to <40 yards most of the time.
 
A deer's survival in the woods depends on its hearing, eye sight, and sense of smell. A semi-auto will allow for follow-up shots without having to manually eject and reload another round. Unless the shooter is really concealed often deer can see the movement required to work the bolt or the lever action as well as hear the additional sound of metal or metal when feeding another round. I've had deer react to the click the safety mades so I always try to muffle that sound with my glove. Unless a round stikes something close to a deer and it is alerted to that noise it may not react to the sound of the actual shot for a moment or two, but if it sees your arm move or hear's the action slamming shut it will be gone in a flash making the second shot much more challenging.
 
Recusant said:
A deer's survival in the woods depends on its hearing, eye sight, and sense of smell. A semi-auto will allow for follow-up shots without having to manually eject and reload another round. Unless the shooter is really concealed often deer can see the movement required to work the bolt or the lever action as well as hear the additional sound of metal or metal when feeding another round. I've had deer react to the click the safety mades so I always try to muffle that sound with my glove. Unless a round stikes something close to a deer and it is alerted to that noise it may not react to the sound of the actual shot for a moment or two, but if it sees your arm move or hear's the action slamming shut it will be gone in a flash making the second shot much more challenging.
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I've had the deer react more to my big orange head sticking up ... both before and after a shot, mostly before ugh. Once they start running like a Jack rabbit I won't shoot any more. I don't like just slinging lead through the woods in the hopes I'll hit the fast moving deer when my odds are slim. I'm not sure how to practice hitting moving targets with my scoped .308, haven't had any deer volunteer for the job. Lol ...
 
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