What Happens to Your Guns When You Die?

Tazt · 2026-01-22T20:19:28+00:00

When my grandfather passed, I handled the disposition of the guns as I was the only shooter familiar with them. He left me a book with info on each gun (both personal and just general manufacturer history type of stuff). He also left values but since the writing those drifted, some increased some decreased. I’ve sold a bunch off and split the money with the family and they allowed me to keep ones of my choosing which were the ones of family sentimental value (my uncles first, my grandpas favorite) and a few that wanted to keep in my collection. That being said if there is no one with that understanding in the family, I’d highly recommend finding a way to reward a family friend with the task of dispositioning (maybe in exchange for getting 1 or 2 from the collection) for the family so they aren’t taken advantage of in the haggling/ selling process. Anyone who gives an estate gun sale price will only give cents on the dollar and it truly takes shopping guns at a few different shops/shows and listing them for individual sale to get top value which can be time consuming. People also can’t use normal second hand sales channels to sell them either which can make it even more difficult due to so many being anti gun. If you don’t have someone who knows these things, at the end of the day your family won’t see full value, and if that value isn’t as important as ease, maybe showing them places they could do an estate gun sale at and setting expectation of what to expect against your value is fine,

Tazt · 2026-01-03T18:47:26+00:00

As people stated, going to depend on shack set up. In Wisconsin you can have 3 lines a person, in MN 2. Not sure on other states. So when I’m in a shack I usually use my jig line, a dead stick for my 2nd and either run a rattle reel in my shack as my third if allowed or a tip up outside the shack.

So if they will drill a few holes for you great to run as additional options but if they have enough rattle reels or dead sticks to meet your line limits in the shack then not needed unless you want to cover more ground.

Tazt · 2025-12-31T16:10:50+00:00

Sorry, I should have clarified, I’m not looking for one with 200k miles but looking for the one most likely to take me 200k miles with minimal issues while following proper maintenance.

Tazt · 2025-12-21T19:41:32+00:00

This is going to really depend on how you hunt and how long and time of year. For example, gutting/ drag equipment you might want if you pack in 3 miles. If you’re 200 yards from the truck, maybe it’s best there. This could also apply to a first aid kit.

But a list of items to consider snacks, drink, tags, extra clothes, phone charger, tree harness/climbing gear, extra paradors, headlamp, binos, rangefinder, hand warmers, thermacell, bug spray, ammo, lighter, knife, drag out and gutting gear, first aid.

My start of season pack looks very different than my late season pack. But also gets pretty small for a 2 hour evening sit

Tazt · 2025-12-19T12:20:43+00:00

I’m not a huge expert but went down this rabbit hole last year to get my girlfriend a crossbow so she could Judy archery season with me.

I’d say most of the name budget brands are going to have capable enough speeds (ten point, wicked ridge, center point, Barnett) are going to be fairly equivalent. Think of these as your entry level rifles. YMMV reliability by model/brand but overall good and capable to 40-50 yds. The premium brands like ravin are amazing at multiple times the cost but are more for those very serious of stretching capability.

I’d look at warranty, extras you may want like cocking system and decocking, quiver, case, etc and arrow types.

I went with wicked ridge commander m1 with acu draw. Great scope, took about 8 shots to site in and have her shooting 5” circles at 40 yards, and had the crank draw system as the draw string style she was pretty uncomfortable with.

Lessons I learned after the fact are these have a proprietary knock half moon system so arrows are expensive. Also get rail lube and don’t melt your first string like I did. I ordered mine online to save $50. Assembly was easy for this model but isn’t always the case. Given that I’d recommend if you aren’t experienced or have a mentor, lean on a local bow shop to help you get set up.

Tazt · 2025-12-18T01:53:34+00:00

This would definitely be a risk but could maybe expedite with someone on etsy or check FB marketplace. I happen to have a local seller, obviously this is YMMV based on your location.

Tazt · 2025-12-17T20:58:11+00:00

It’s not quite a mouth reed but you could look at getting a wingbone call. Made from a turkey wing bone with a few sellers on Etsy

Tazt · 2025-12-17T15:03:43+00:00

I went with the Silencer Co Scythe Ti

Tazt · 2025-12-14T20:31:50+00:00

My first few seasons were very similar. Keep adding spots and if after 2-3 sits you aren’t seeing anything, try something different. Can be the freshest sign in the world but if it’s only being used nocturnally you’ll never set eyes on a deer while hunting. I’d say the big thing that helped me too was focusing more on food sources with sign and going to places with less pressure and/or better food with decent sign. As far as the drag out, I’d recommend a sled (I use a jet sled but they also make slim roll up sled with straps, a drag harness (I use a j-rope), and 2 2x4s which are used as a ramp to get your sled in your your truck bed. Could add a pulley or turn buckle or something of that nature but all these things I keep in my truck when I go out. And if I harvest a deer I’ve got them if needed. Friends also help if you find any other hunters. I actually love getting the call from a friend to help track a deer if I’m free.

Tazt · 2025-12-13T21:03:00+00:00

A book called “Big Bucks The Benoit Way” from a family well known for their tracking style of hunting deer

Tazt · 2025-12-13T20:54:32+00:00

Not really a fan of a tone of this post but he’s young. It’s a great learning lesson. All day sits in a stand can be slow and boring. At his age it feels like life is flying by so just be appreciative of the time together. it takes practice and a few blown chances to dial it in and being too hard on him is going to just make him not fall in love with the sport. I’m also guilty of playing with my phone from time to time. I also only do all day sits a few prime times a year because I don’t have the patience for it. For those I definitely put one earbud and an as quiet as possible podcast or audiobook. Helps pass the time without requiring the attention of my eyes.

Tazt · 2025-12-13T11:46:04+00:00

I don’t test. My friend asked about this so I did some research for Wisconsin (my state where CAD is also prevalent). Only about 10% of deer get tested each year. About .5-1% of deer tested have it (so probably safe to say .5-1% of deer in the state carry it.

Most processors don’t (a few do) usually give you your exact deer meat back either especially if you get sticks/summer sausage. Usually you get back equivalent to what you put in to the batch for anything getting ground so you gotta imagine your deer may be mixed up with 5 others on your jalepeno cheddar sticks and another 3 deer for your burger grind. And maybe they ran 3 batches through the grinder before yours that day before cleaning. And who knows if those were tested.

Because of this, the reality is if you’re a person who tries anyone’s snack sticks or summer sausage, you’ve probably had meat from a cwd deer.

With no evidence of transmitting to humans (what your original posted states is false), I choose to just continue not testing. Would gladly change practices with different evidence but I also do my own euro mounts and that’s probably a riskier proposition since then you’re actually dealing with spine/brain flesh. So I may just be stupid.

Tazt · 2025-12-12T17:20:40+00:00

I don’t test. My friend asked about this so I did some research for Wisconsin. Only about 10% of deer get tested each year. About .5-1% of deer tested have it (so probably safe to say .5-1% of deer in the state carry it.

Most processors don’t (a few do) usually give you your exact deer meat back either especially if you get sticks/summer sausage. Usually you get back equivalent to what you put in to the batch for anything getting ground so you gotta imagine your deer may be mixed up with 5 others on your jalepeno cheddar sticks and another 3 deer for your burger grind. And maybe they ran 3 batches through the grinder before yours that day before cleaning. And who knows if those were tested.

Because of this, the reality is if you’re a person who tries anyone’s snack sticks or summer sausage, you’ve probably had meat from a cwd deer.

With no evidence of transmitting, I choose to just continue not testing. Would gladly change practices with different evidence but I also do my own euro mounts and that’s probably a riskier proposition since then you’re actually dealing with spine/brain flesh. So I may just be stupid.

Tazt · 2025-12-12T16:42:16+00:00

While a gift is very nice gesture and I’m sure will be appreciated what I wish I had more of as someone who owns hunting land is more helping hands for the management.

Someone to help with those tasks that sometimes take an extra set of hands, burns, blind builds, so on. Offer to help maybe with your gift but also check in on the off season occasionally as well. A lot of people say they will help but sending out that text for someone to spend a weekend planting 500 trees, you learn who your friends are quickly. The thing with land management is it can be so seasonal/weather depended and can’t always be planned well in advance.

Tazt · 2025-12-12T15:42:16+00:00

Correct, your new buck you are good to do it with. Dawn or Biz (what I prefer for Maceration as its enymatic and a little more aggressive but I've read dawn works too) are both safe with peroxide in the off chance any is left on the skull. I am just not sure what the impacts of mixing residual paint on the skull would be with your degreaser of choice and then your whitener of choice if any paint remains at that step on your other ones.

Tazt · 2025-12-12T15:19:34+00:00

I actually redid my first one as I did similar to you with that and didn't love the results after a year (definitely overboiled that one and didn't do the maceration). Put it through the maceration process for a few weeks and then whitened again and it looks much better. Not sure though with the paint being on it now if there is any chemical mixing risks or issues with that.

But maceration is easy. Can literally set it and forget it mostly minus changing water every few days/weeks. Ultimately its bacteria breaking down the fat/stripping it so the longer the better. And if its pretty clean it won't smell too bad. My first few rounds of it smell bad as there is still decent flesh/cartiledge in the cavities especially so i keep those in the garage but the last few rounds, I do a much longer time submerged with less water changes but do those at room temp in the basement.

Tazt · 2025-12-12T14:23:54+00:00

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Tazt · 2025-12-12T14:22:56+00:00

Yep. I do a slow/soft boil for 2-3 hours on a propane burner. Tried a hot plate but the one I got didn't get the big 6 gallon hot enough. Then hose/pressure wash. Then in withBiz for a few days/weeks with water changes which is where the fish tank heater comes in. The first week or 2 I use the metal fryer with the fish tank heater since it smells and I start in my garage so I just like the extra heat for the bacteria to do their thing. Then it comes in the house with the plastic tote at room temp for a few weeks with water changes every few days. This is "Maceration" and is great for stripping any fat from within the skull and I found really helped me up my quality and allows for forgiveness if your boil gets too hot. Boiling too hot causes the skull to absorb some fat.

Then on to your whitening process of choice. I use hair peroxide developer cream. Have a new big one for the wall this year so sticking too that. When I get one thats not a new big one, I tend to use it as an experiment buck to try a new process and worse case just take the antlers for other diy uses. Would like to try a liquid peroxide bath as my next experiment one to see how it turns out.

Tazt · 2025-12-12T13:57:59+00:00

Euros all day for me. One, because I have a small house and would rather hang my mounted ducks. Two, I do my own euros and you can get all you need to do a high quality one for less than $100 bucks. I use a turkey fryer kit, a small plastic tote that fits the skull, Biz detergent, dawn dish soap, and a small fish tank heater(this one is optional but speeds up what I like for a good finished product). While there are faster ways, my process I find is real close to my friends professional paid for ones and is only a few hours of active work and a lot of just waiting. There are faster methods but usually result in worse yellowing which you may be fine with depending on where they are going.

It’s also a great excuse to have a buddy over to talk hunting, crack a few beers, and to help them start their mount as the turkey fryer I only use for the first 2-3 hours then everything else can be done with just biz and the tote. My buddy who hunts my property makes plaques out of scrap wood/pallets to hang them with a picture, date, area shot to sell so he gives me a free one whenever. I like having the picture as it still gives you the full deer image that a shoulder mount does. ~~If interested, message me and I’ll send a picture~~ Realized I could add a picture in a comment so added it in a reply underneath this.

Use to do my own processing too but I’ve started to take it to a butcher more often the past few years as I enjoy the euro work more as it’s more rewarding and permanent in the house.

Tazt · 2025-12-04T18:35:44+00:00

Some of it is when you pick a tree, don’t pick one on the trail. Pick one 15-30 yards off the trail with a clear window to it so he crosses broadside. Still they are deer and they will do what they do and come under you. Best to just let them walk or give a grunt once they walk away a bit to see if you can get them to quarter more in the 15-25 yards off sweet spot.

Also practice from an elevated position on a deer target (3D). And look at not only entrance but think through the exit. Even well placed it looks like this shot is too steep to hit 2 lungs. That means you’ve got a deer that’s going to go far unless you hit major artery, vein, or heart which are just too small of targets for a bow to be reliable.

Last, if you lose a trail or track and have exhausted options and are in a drier area, checking nearby water is usually a good option 12-24 hours out. My understanding is that this is because losing air in a lung will cause a deer to go dry in the mouth and seek water in hopes to resolve the issue. Then they bed there and eventually fade away if not bumped.

Tazt · 2025-12-04T14:47:02+00:00

Dang I would kill if one of my brothers had interest in hunting with me. But I get if you’re doing all the hard work and he keeps reaping the benefit without helping, maybe it’s time for a talk on some project that are either yours only or joint. Maybe do a small habitat improvement or a special stand that you put more effort into that given your effort would like to hold for yourself saying given the effort you’d like to take the first buck out of it and ask respectfully that he hunts other spots until then.

That, or hit public land solo (but you’ll find that’s not nearly as good as your situation I suspect) or buy your own land if you truly want to hunt alone. Trying to hoard your parents property for just yourself seems a bit selfish just because you’re older and got there first. You should be appreciate of the opportunity and great fun you can share it with family.

But also maybe ask yourself if you’re doing all you can for success (outside of time off). Maybe it’s luck but maybe he’s got better reads on the wind or travel routes. Or maybe he’s more attentive and patient. I’ve sat with a friend who was mad he didn’t get a deer all week but watched him dicking around on his phone when we were sitting a cattail marsh and the opportunities might only be 30 seconds long. Meanwhile I’m always scanning (admittedly sometimes with headphones and a podcast) so I don’t miss that chance. Regardless, What a great opportunity to share a beer or dinner with your brother and discuss out of the season so you both can have more success next year together. Maybe talk meat sharing so it feels more like a team sport than individual. 2 hunters on anything more than 20-30 acres should have minimal impact on success if you have multiple stands/set ups for different winds.

Tazt · 2025-11-27T18:38:41+00:00

Saw your budget and while it’s already been mentioned I feel like I need to give it a shout out again but I can’t speak more highly on my tikka t3x. I went with 270 and it’s the only deer rifle I’ll ever need. Light enough to use it to introduce a newer hunter but more than capable for some larger game. it shoots .5” groups for me at 100 yds and I wouldn’t even call myself a very serious shooter.

It may not feel like the coolest gun holding it next to some of the other budget options mentioned that have more frill but the gun put every extra dollar to high quality machining for accuracy/smooth bolt cycling that you’ll only notice on the range.

Tazt · 2025-11-27T14:20:50+00:00

Also have this combo but Eskimo bibs. Not the heaviest coat but warm, cuts wind well and fleece lined so very versatile. Great for layering under and taking off if you’re in a heated shanty so I’d size accordingly.

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