Stilllhunters--what rifle do you use?
 

Just curious about what gun you use. I do some of this and have used my scoped bolt action, but am considering adding a 30-30 lever action or a pump action rifle. I do have a Mosin Nagant 91/30 in reserve. Open sights and very long (29 inch barrel), but it's more of a fun gun.

Just wondering if a faster handling gun would be worth my while. I could invest in better binoculars instead.

By stillhunting, I mean the old fashioned creeping through the woods a step or two at a time, lots of pauses, trying to pick out a deer in the cover.

Don't do this much these days, but what I do I use a Marlin lever .... 444 Marlin "Guide". 1.5-4x30 mm Leupold Vari-X III compact, set on 2X. As for advice about binos ... they help me a lot. I am 66. My spotting slight movement or examining something that looks out of place benefits from the use of binos. The highest quality compact binos you can afford will be the ticket.

Thanks, mojotex. If you were in my spot, with a good bolt action hunting rifle and a pair of binos that function but aren't incredible (Simmons that would probably retail around $100), would you upgrade with a gun or binos?

Although you never need a reason to buy another rifle, there is noting wrong with your bolt action. I'd opt for a nice pair of binos. You don't have to break your wallet either. A pair of Nikon 10x42 or 10x25 would be perfect. I use the 10x25s for archery hunting. And when combined with a Crooked River or similar harness they are easy to tote around.
The scoped bolt action would allow you to take those occasional long shots you may encounter or slip a bullet through a hole in the brush much more accurately than an open sighted lever action. If you're still hunting slowly enough with the wind in your face you will have a shot at an unalert animal.
That being said, I have 4 lever guns that I occasionally grab for the deer woods. But these are, like you stated, fun guns.

Depends on the conditions. If it is fairly open I'll carry my old Rem Model 700 in 7mm Mag. If it is "kind of thick" I'll carry a Mannlicher Schoenaur Model 1903 in 6.5x54MS. If it is really thick and I want to be sure the game goes down right there I carry a Marlin Model 1895G in 450 Marlin.

If I expect longer shots I'll carry my Sako A7 Stainless in 7MM RM.

If I am always going to be in the hardwoods, I'll carry my Marlin 336C in .35 Rem with iron sights.

Buy the binoculars!! :)

I've done it with a .45 flintlock with a 42 inch barrel, with my .54 flintlock with a 38 inch barrel, with my 1100 deer shotgun and a 20 inch barrel and with my Ruger bolt action in
.243 wearing a 3x9x40 Leupold...

The gun doesn't matter, it's the hunter...

Nothing wrong with an open sighted lever action for back up and for brush hunting. If your like me though you will never use it. I buy firearms for the game size and the trajectory, not for applications like sitting, stand hunting, or stalking. A mountain rifle weight rifle with the right scope should handle fast enough and also be capable of longer shots.

I use a Remington 742 3006 with a 1x4 scope for the woods in the open the bolt comes out.

Just some thoughts, if you are stalking there is a larger chance you have to take an unsupported shot. So a follow up shot may be more important. An auto loader is going to give the guicker follow up shot, mainly because you can usually pick up another good sight picture faster. They tend to have a milder felt recoil.

I tend to use a heavier bullet 200 grn., less chance of large deflection on a twig. Shots are likely to be close, less than two hundred yards, depending on the lay of the land. So exceptional accuracy is less important.

I have an old Remington model 8 (that is older than I am) in 35 Remington. About the same FPS as a 30 30. I kind of love this old rifle.

I'm thinking about buying a BAR or maybe a Bushmaster. I'm trying to decide if the larger bullet weight often available for the 30 06 is worth possible feed problems in the longer action or if the .308 is the better choice? I have an extra scope in 6x42 I'm planning on mounting on it with see through mounts. I have the feeling my old Model 8 may be on its last legs. I kind of have the .308 and 30 06 ballistics imprinted on my brain, so it is likely to be one or the other.

I'd check out the local pawn shops for binoculars.