Not to say that it cannot be done, or has not been done, but .45 ACP is typically not a recommended hunting cartridge. At short distances, such as bow range, it certainly has enough energy to do the job with a well placed round. In this cartridge, your defense loads may be your best option for a “hunting” cartridge.
The only deer I’ve shot with a handgun was a doe at about 25 yards with a Ruger GP100 in .357 with a 6″ barrel, and that deer looked tiny through the sights. Mind you, I’ve seen some fellas who are really proficient with their hunting handguns that can split a watermelon at 75 yards; but that is not what I am capable of.
Know your range, and know your limits.
Set a max distance, practice, practice, practice, and enjoy!

That is ridiculous if its true, but IT IS New Jersey. I’ve not seen any sort of law like that before.

Some of the toughest gun laws in the country though.

I like Midwest laws

Also, if you read it on ESPN like I did, do not always take their stories to heart. ESPN, along with most other organizations, loves to pump out stories behind amateurs with little gun knowledge and embellish where they can.

Have you looked near the twin cities area?
I imagine that there is a market, and possibly an increase in value. I’ve always sold in the southeast MN area to Wiebke fur. I have a friend who sells on craigslist, but I don’t care to deal with unknowns on such a hot item.

How much would you like to spend? What will its purpose be?
Anytime I purchase a new firearm I first set a price limit and find an application for the gun.
The 1911 platform has been around forever and there are several “stock” options as well as custom guns.
The two mentioned prior, Kimber and Springfield are great options. Para- is another great option. The choices range from full size to carry size, grip laser sights, custom internals/barrels/triggers, etc. Some of these guns can costs thousands, although you should be able to acquire a really nice 1911 for under <$1200.

Kooty,
Do you mean like take my pack out in the woods for a couple days prior to my trip?
I took a 3 day extended weekend trip near my hometown in SE MN prior to my first trip out west to test my gear, and myself. Knowing I was just mere minutes from civilization made it a little tougher to compare the two situations, but I did manage to “survive” out of my hammock camp and a trout creek for food and water.
I do not have plans to do that this time around, mainly due to time constraints and also knowing that I am capable of being just fine for a “few days”. This extended time frame will be difficult to pack food for. Last year I managed to plan out 3 meals a day, plus snacks, for two guys for 9 days. I think if I pack almost as much for myself for 10-12 days, I should be okay. I would hate to have my trip cut short by a couple days due to food, especially if I am zoomed in on a herd of elk. Food supplies are the hardest thing to plan for, but I am okay with living on bare essentials for a few days. However, it is extremely important to refuel throughout the day as the country is really challenging and lots of calories and fluids are burned continuously. I sometimes use energy bars or gel packets for a quick refuel session, until I can set up camp and make a meal. Most of us consume way more calories daily than are needed for normal function, so sometimes it is mind over matter with that extra meal, snack, etc.
Last year my buddy bought a small game license and we shot 3 grouse with our archery gear and cooked them up, I may consider that as well. They are really abundant in our area, and can provide great protein.

At Jon Stevens,
I’ve looked at a couple drop camps, but it is outrageously spendy to have an outfitter pick you up in Denver and get you into Elk country. I am told that prices have apparently been dropping, with great outfitters offering reasonable prices due to a lack of booked hunters?
I know 3 areas reasonably well and should be able to get myself into decent elk country on foot, we’ll see.
Heavy rains and early snow scare me for the rental vehicle though, better get insurance this one time

I forgot to mention the three most important items, and the ones that I double and triple check to make sure I packed.
Maps. Compass. GPS.

Not to advertise, but there are a couple packs that I wish I would have checked on before I purchased mine. I do believe your pack is extremely important, the comfort, the size to fit your needs, etc.
KUIU company makes great gear, and a friend of mine purchased one, full price, and the materials used are of extremely high quality in an awesome design.

I am not a huge promoter of SITKA company, though some of their items are great, but their 30-day pack is a really nice item for this backpacking purpose. It did seem a little smaller than the advertised 3000cu. I think 3000cu would be the smallest I would go, and that is even pushing it.
I feel a little bit like I am talking to myself on here, but that only helps me pack and prepare

The satellite phone idea was mentioned to me by my father, who understands my desire to do something like this. Personally, I do not see this is as a “big deal”, and am certainly aware of the looming dangers, but I cannot be afraid. I am there to fulfill my plans and dreams.

I will weigh the options between beacon and phone, and decide from there. I do see the advantages of having a way to translate your needs with a phone vs. a beacon that may only be able to send out an emergency signal.

For packing, you may PM me or call me, I can include the number in the PM if you want and we can bounce ideas off of each other.

I am not claiming to be some expert or know-it-all, just very knowledgeable, comfortable, and unafraid to explore. My medical experience is extensive when it comes to just about any emergency field medicine that I may have to administer to myself. You can bet your behind that the most meticulous part of my already selective pack is the first aid kit.

For a packing set up I use the Horn Hunter Full Curl combo, but I have the spike camp bag that replaces the standard size backpack. This will hold all of the items that I need for the duration of the trip, but also serves as my meat pack and travel pack in the airport. For an archery hunt, I fit all of my layers, heat and cold compression shirts/long johns, and socks into a medium sized waterproof compression sack. I never bring underwear, just a couple compression shorts and wash in the creek. Socks also, only 3 pairs. I usually put batteries and small camera in there as well. That leaves lots of room for 1 fleece vest, beanie, one long sleeve fleece, 1 pair of hunting pants, sleeping bag (down material for compressive abilities), hammock and canopy, and first aid kit. I attempt to wear one full “outfit” on the way in, such as clean socks, shirt, pants, etc. Sweating is inevitable and you will begin to stink, bring some cleansing camp cloths in those individual packs.

Whatever room is left gets filled with oatmeal, trail mix, peanut butter, tuna pouches, granola bars, and a couple mountain house dehydrated meals. I clean ALL of my water with a purification system. I use a small stove with a titanium cup to boil water for food prep or coffee. Aside from a medium sized camp axe and a hand saw, that is my entire pack. I will have to weigh it once complete, but I am guessing in the neighborhood of 35-40#, probably a little more in the early stages of a trip. I will have to find a way to bring less on a longer trip. I enjoy this challenge as I always find items to cut out and add smaller, lighter, and more useful ones in its place.

Leaving the water, tent, and sleeping pad behind really cuts down on weight and bulk.

Thanks to the both of ya.
You are both correct, I do need some form of “emergency” communication. Cell phones do not work where I am at, nor do I intend on turning it on for the duration of the hunt.
I have looked at a couple of different beacons, and will set one up before I head out. Giving someone my location before I head on my trip is useless unless they know how I am doing health wise, and especially so since it is not uncommon to cover several miles in one day.
I did not mention this, but I will likely pack in and keep moving rather than setting up a permanent camp. I do not even use a tent, just a canopy and hammock to get me off the ground. Lighter, and in my opinion, more comfortable.
There is one aspect that worries me with this trip..the rental vehicle. Aside from wrecking whatever it is they give me, I am afraid that it is not going to be suitable enough unless I am on a nice road. I have seen very few well maintained roads in Colorado that go into the area I intend on hunting.
For bears and others, there is a Glock 10mm for that.

I do believe there will be some return to equilibrium soon, although I am not sure that the “gun culture” will ever return to what it once was. So many on the fence, or undecided, folks have turned on us. Guns have also been leaving a sour taste in the mouth of many in recent times. America and guns have been synonymous for ages, and I am a very proud supporter of responsible ownership and use.
That being said, I’ve always kept a decent amount of “stock”, and have done my best to trim down the variety of caliber weapons that I own. Currently, I own only two handgun calibers, with a variety of platforms. .40SW and 10mm get the nod for my applications. Ammo is starting to come back to the shelves, Cabelas in Richfield, WI states that ammo comes daily on a truck, but they never know how much or what kind. I saw .40 and 9mm there, but only one brand type of cheap FMJ with an inflated price. No thanks.
Airsoft rifles and AMMO are abundant though, start a new trend?

Spotty weather throughout the area.
I was near the Wisconsin Dells last weekend processing venison and having some beverages with 5 friends.
3 of them had turkey tags, and they killed 3 birds on opening day between morning and afternoon hunts. This is pretty unusual even by their standards, but they mentioned high bird numbers. They said each bird came into decoy, but were not very vocal.
Sunny days are hopefully just around the corner, even though I feel like I’ve been telling myself that for a couple weeks.

I have to attest to this, seemingly, the situation is improving. Please, avoid shopping online as much as possible and attempt to support your local stores at this time. Prices online are absolutely outrageous, at least so at the places that I occasionally frequent.
I just started reloading 10mm about 6 months ago, and it was a blessing to start at that time because supplies dried up rather quickly in the last 2 months.
I don’t sit on a lot of ammo either, but I do not like being <500 rounds for any caliber.
Hopefully this is the start of some sort of neutral and civilized ownership and sales of guns, ammo, components, etc…for now.

I will admit I actually watched each individual slide, and went in with a pretty neutral viewpoint. I will state that I support the recent rule changes.
I also really appreciate the possibility of combining the A and B southeastern gun season, along with the possibility of moving the gun season back, such as WI, or IA. I am not sure that these will go through, but I think MN would really benefit from one, combined, late gun season. Being an avid bowhunter this may sound biased, but it would turn MN into a trophy state in a hurry. Yes this may attract out of state hunters, but when your DNR finally begins to do something positive people will notice. The genetics are definitely here, we just need to support them.
Don’t get me wrong, I shoot more does than anyone I know, but I like where MN may be heading in the near future as a big buck state.

I am glad that this is being held in Winona, that area is full of die-hard deer hunters. Not to say that other parts of the state don’t have pockets of dedicated hunters, but SE MN counties boast large populations, and some slob bucks. I want to see APR continue, as do a lot of the hunters that I associate myself with personally, but I also want it to spread to the rest of the state. Clearly, this is just my single opinion, but we have positive visual proof of our 4 farms that are smack dab in the APR zone and the sheer number of total bucks that have been seen recently. Although they are not always an increased number of large bucks, it is certainly a nice change from watching half of the up and comers get massacred during our gun season. Through stories, and personal experience, I am noticing hunters who have become much more patient and reluctant to shoot the first buck that comes by. On the flip side, I saw guys shooting a lot of doe on or near our farms. If there was a way to accurately identify the number of deer prior to APR implement, I would be really curious to know what the deer population is currently and into the future.

Thanks for the responses, it just gives me that much more insight.
The reason for this gun would be a backup to my bow, since I mostly bowhunt for bear, deer, and elk. I’ve been out west with a rifle, and haven’t thought twice about “backup” to my rifle. There is just something about being in big country with stick and string, and not having a backup in case SHTF.
As someone suggested, the .480 Ruger is certainly a viable option, but I’ve found very few locally, and the ammo prices are twice as scary as that of a .44 or .454.
I think that I really need to find a way to get my hands on one of these guns at the range and see how they feel.
I still dig having twice the capacity with the Glock, but if I need 15 rounds to take care of business (which certainly could happen) then I need to get my eyes checked!

Hardly a surprise to me at this point, and is a wise move. I am a hunter, but I am also a firm believer in caring for the animals and maintaining a stable population that is able to successfully reproduce. MN Moose are doing neither and according to research, we have lost almost 5,000 animals in the last 6 years. MN has actually spent a great deal of time, and money, on monitoring the moose situation in the north as evidenced here:

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/reports/legislative/moose_mgmt_research.pdf

There has also been a new research project that was just released, and is geared towards collaring about 30 moose, which is the largest study of its kind.
I’ve applied for Moose hunting since I turned 18 and had never gotten drawn. I stopped applying about 3 years ago when I realized that this was becoming pretty serious. I actually majored in Biology in college, along with another related degree, and the MN moose issue came up in a couple of the classes in the last decade.
I’ve given up on hunting moose in our state, and from the looks of it no one else will have that opportunity for years to come..if ever.

I absolutely had to reply to this, as I just went through a similar scenario myself.
A quick update, I just moved to Milwaukee for a new position about 4 weeks ago and have spent the last couple of weeks scouting different tracts of public land along with 1 small acreage that is owned by a co-worker on the edge of town.
Thats the good news, the bad news? I left all my rifles and shotguns with my dad for the time being. Being the bowhunter that I am, I brought my bow and a dozen arrows as well as a couple of pistols! So I trudged into the woods with a call and a decoy, and my bow.
I’ve had some funny results, and I don’t know if these coyotes are ten times more unpredictable than the average, or I am just getting another coyote hunting lesson. I’ve called them in on terrible set ups in poor weather conditions, and haven’t seen a thing on perfect days and set ups. After days spent driving around looking for something that resembled coyote grounds, and mind you, living near milwaukee has made that quite difficult.
I did finally get one within 25 yards, a young one, it was very cautious but did finally give me a quartering to shot.
I think Im a bit rusty as I overshot by about a half inch and brushed the top of the shoulder. I know I knicked it with the arrow, but had nothing except hair on the ground, and otherwise would be posting some pictures.
I’ve enjoyed chasing them around here, and especially so with a bow and arrow! If I get one with a bow, and I’ve gotten them in the past out of a stand, I think I’ll mount since the fur seems prime right now.
Good luck!

I think it ends somewhere around .500 S&W?

Grouse, I am in total agreement with your views on caliber size. But mostly I agree with using what weapon is available, and what you are comfortable with.

My knife that I carry on a daily basis is also “concealed”. Why do I feel that way? Because it’s always with me, and I am damn proficient with a blade in close quarters.

There are valid points on both sides of the caliber argument, but it goes without saying that its no different than cars, clothes, homes, archery equipment, etc.; there is a reason for variety. Your variety should equal your application, and it should adapt with varying situations. My variety consists mostly of the .40 S&W and 10mm kind as those are my two favorite calibers; so close, but yet so very different.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is not a one clear caliber that “does it all”. Well, unless you are shooting a 10mm.

I’ve heard of Bill, all positive. Definitely someone to look into.
Justin, have you kept either dog as an outside dog?
My dad is convinced that a good hunting dog is meant to be an outside kennel dog. His dogs were purely for hunting purposes, but I just do not see very many outdoor dogs anymore. I actually had intentions of making mine an outdoor dog, but I just do not have the heart to have one lone dog kenneled up outside year round; heated kennel or not. She has no body fat, and obviously has really short, uninsulated fur that has her shivering outside unless we’re hunting/hiking.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/ruger-blackhawk-177-cal-air-rifle-with-4×32-mm-scope.aspx?a=524681

Problem solved. Honestly the best $100 you will spend. I used to have a really hard time shooting feral cats, but my friends house/hobby farm was absolutely over run with them and trapping hardly worked. This is a pretty nice air rifle, and will do the trick at 20-30 yards in most circumstances. Beware: This is not your daddy’s Red Ryder!

Good choice on the breed!
My dad used to breed GSP’s back in the day, but has since given it up. A good friend of mine has bought several from a guy in Iowa, I could get you this info if you would like. They come out a bit on the smaller side, but are always phenomenal hunters and house dogs.
Mine? I pretty much rescued her. I bought her on a whim, an absolute split second decision. I found an ad in the paper one morning, with no intention of owning a dog at the end of that day, and bought her within 3 hours! The place was a dumpy kennel, but the parents have a phenomenal blood line.
If I did it all over again, my dad was furious with me, I would check kennels nearby (google it, there are quite a few around) and look at the operation, ask for papers, to see previous puppies, parents, etc.

I cannot believe how insane, and irrational, people have become! I love my guns as much as the next guy, but this is out of control…and we aren’t helping.

Look at it this way, the gun manufacturers are licking their chops because:

A) We are buying current stock at rates that are depleting near every gun store in the country. Guns are going out the door at unprecedented numbers, and demand is out of this world. You can thank the government for spreading this panic.

B) Manufacturers, to profit, adapt much more quickly than most people realize. The government imposes a change or modification? Easy enough, the manufacturer stays within the guidelines, but still tries to please their customer base. The gun business is no different.

Lets face it, AR15’s, SKS’, AK47s’, etc., are not going away anytime soon. I just cannot see that happening. I certainly would not want to be the guy that goes door to door collecting them!

I may be wrong, and if the government decides to take our guns away then may god be with us, but at least then I have an extra $1,000 in my pocket because I did not panic buy the first assault rifle that I came across!

My advice would be to hold off and see what kind of changes come about, and then make your purchase based off of that. If you have lived without an AR for this long, you should be okay without it for the next couple of months!

I’ve asked this question, and been asked the same..a lot, and more so recently. I also have friends with caches in the thousands. A close friend of mine shoots for Glock, and he told me once he stopped counting at 100,000 for 9mm !!
It really depends on use/purpose. I personally have (and I just counted) 450 rounds of 10mm, and in the neighborhood of 1500 for .40 cal. I only have one 10mm currently, so I can live with that especially with the price of that stuff. For the .40, I feel like I am about where I would like to be, considering I have 3 Glock.40s and a KelTec sub2000 which takes .40, and glock mags. For better or for worse, I’ve sold a lot of handguns off, or traded them in, to try to maintain just a couple of calibers rather than worry about having “plenty” of each in the ammo department.

It is unbelievable how many choices are thrown at us nowadays. There have been some great guns mentioned in this thread, but I am a handgun fan and this is how I look at each of my purchases.
1) Price. In my opinion, the number 1 factor. You need to set a price range and stick with it. This will rule out some guns, but thats good because it reduces choices.
2) Application. What will this gun be used for? Again, so many uses, that are dictated by caliber and frame size. I carry all of my guns, at some point or another, but always have a favorite “go to” gun as the seasons/locations change. For instance, for a daily carry I enjoy my Glock 27, which is the subcompact .40 cal. This is also the gun I practice with the most. When I hunt, camp, hike, or fish, I carry my Glock 20, in 10mm. Again, different applications = different gun.
3) Caliber. This goes with application, and price. I’ve owned a variety of platforms, calibers, and manufacturers. If I have one bit of advice, stick with one or two calibers, even if you switch platforms. This is difficult, and has been for me, but I can keep an accurate count of ammo/reloading supplies. If I had to pick one caliber for semi-auto it would be .40 cal. For revolvers? .357 for the win. They are adequate for my purposes, and have served well in their applications.
I apologize that this is so long-winded, but I’ve been in your shoes many times and this has helped me along the way. Oh, by the way, get a Glock

It seems that any time there is mention of a “Gun Ban” or a legislative change, everyone tends to spend their savings on ammo, mags, accessories, etc. The most interesting thing to me? All of the antis/pro ban are causing a huge increase in sales, which is the opposite of their intentions?!

This gun issue we have in our country could not bother me more..clearly there are holes in the system, but is it too late? With millions of guns in our homes already, this issue is not going away..ever. I’ve said this way too much, but our trouble is much worse than the number of guns and is more linked to the upbringing of the youth, the things they are exposed to, the meds that they are put on, etc.

That being said, I own several guns with some being for hunting purposes, and the rest for shooting hobbies. I also have plenty of ammo for each, so when times like this arise I feel like I have sufficient supplies rather than running from store to store.

Make friends with someone in demolition
OR, one of our food plots is about a 1/4 mile back in the woods and it is difficult to get large equipment in there. It is an old blow down turned into a food plot, so we had quite a few stumps. We ended up just marking them, and discing/plowing around them..that is always an alternative.

Not to advertise one place or the other, but this is the site Ive used in the past with great results.
And your ammo is in stock.
Of course, buying online will stiff you a bit in shipping, but its no different than driving a couple hours to cabelas, etc.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/3-0300255

I did a quick google search for ya, and the closest seems to be the Holmen Rod and Gun club..
Also, I know of two shooting ranges in the Winona, MN area which is close to you as well.
Hope that helps.

Pure ground venison is like eating saltine crackers!
I enjoy a mix of 70% venison, 20% pork back fat, and 10% bacon of your choice. So, if I do 10 lbs, I will do 7lbs venison, 2 lbs pork, and 1 lb of bacon! Hardly need any seasoning. I usually double ziploc with freezer bags and pack 1/2 or 1 lb per package. This has been a favorite in the summer, even amongst those who “don’t like venison”.

I would agree with your bidding price, unless of course its something you really want to go home with. Do I think it will sell for $325? Most likely not. They are like Jeep Wranglers, the dang things never seem to lose value. I picked up a used Glock 27 (subcompact .40 for carry) for $425 with a holster, and that was a great deal.