Anyone Notch Their Rifle For Each Animal Killed?

Hey Y'all,

Just curious if anyone puts notches on their rifle. I am considering doing it if/when I take some deer this season. I bought a new Henry 30-30 and I think it would look pretty awesome with some notches in it. At the same time, I am sure it hurts the value of it.

Just a thought, let me know if y'all do this or have any other cool traditions after taking wild game.

Why would you purposely degrade a weapon, not to mention the animal, in that way? If all the animal is to you is another notch on your gun, I would suggest getting a different hobby. Perhaps table tennis.

No way, I have rifles that I bought that are 50 plus years old. I want them to look as good today as they were when I got them.

FWIW, he didn't say anything about the animal only being "another notch".

If anything, it could also be seen as a memorial and sign of respect to the animal. One more way of remembering the animal and the hunt.

My dad wanted to notch his 44 mag for each animal he shot with it. He didn't live long enough to even take a shot at a deer with it, so who knows if he would have carried through with it.

It is your gun, do with it what you want.

That said, I don't have any notches in any of mine.

Nope. Never have and never will. Not saying its wrong but not my thing. Wouldn't have much of a stock left on a few of my guns if I did!

I am not trying to degrade the animal but more like jdk1985 mentioned as remembering the animal. I thought of it as seeing the notch and looking back on the experience. If a picture says 1,000 words, I figured a notch could do the same.

However, I do play table tennis! Sorry if I offended you in anyway, I did not have any intention of doing that.

I wouldn't notch mine either, but there are other options. A leather wrap on the stock near the butt, with say some "trim" hanging down woold look neat and you could use a wood burning tool or even go so far and get yourself a customized mini "brand"

I see no disrespect doing this if its "your way". I bet nobody keeps photos, post on the net or facebook thingy either?? I dont see any difference.

X2

I knew a guy that did around is receiver. he lived in another state where its one deer a year. he had like 6 notches on his gun. it was pretty neat.

I own the same rifle and would have notches all the way from the receiver around the foreend and back down the other side.

Personally I think it is pretty cool and doesn't degrade the animal or the weapon one bit. IMO it would make a great gun to pass down. My Great Grandfather had a double barrel 12ga shot gun that he hunted the woods of East Texas with and it had notches on the stock from his deer kills. I wanted that thing so bad groing up and you are correct in the memories. He told me the stories of every one. He is passed on and the youngest boy of eight boys (my uncle) has that shotgun now and will pass it to one of his boys I'm sure. I say do it and give it to your son or daughter some day.

The thought never occurred to me to consider it but........ No I wouldn't

Like was said earlier though, it's your gun if you want to devalue it, go ahead. Not meaning that to sound demeaning or belittling but it would plummet the value of the weapon

I apologize for misreading your intentions. That being said, I would never intentionally deface one of my firearms. Not only for the destruction of the value, but because my weapons will be handed down and the memories/notches would not be their memories/notches.

Would not have much of a stock left if I did it to my rifle, the only thing that would be handed down is the action and barrel.

Same here.

No. Never.

It's your gun so do as you please but I would never do it myself.

I wouldn't ever consider it. x2 others' comment that it's your gun, do what pleases you.
Alternative if still available? I vaguely remember from many decades ago some outdoor sports place preceding BassPro/Cabelas/Etc (Herters?) sold little tacks you could buy to kind of memorialize the trophies you shot.

So, does notching your bed post degrade the value of your bed?

I don't think I'd notch my gun but we do write date, time, name, buck or doe and how many points in the deer blind.

I would never do that to any of my firearms, I have a rifle that passed down to me by my father,he had bought it when he was about 18 or 19. He told me once that he had thought about putting notches on the stock for every deer that he took, later he mentioned to me that he was glad he had not done so and ruin the beautiful stock on the rifle. I agree with what others have said, it's your rifle to do what you want, but just be sure that later on down the road your still ok with your choice to notch your rifle.

Yours? Probably not. Who would possibly want it when you were done with it anyhow?

I would take it as sign someone is trying to impress others with their hunting prowess, rather than commemoration. YMMV

I have thought about putting notches on my gun but haven't done it. Instead, I think I will start keeping a log of each animal harvested with a story of that hunting trip. Might even write stories of my unsuccessful hunts. I can hand that down with my gun. Maybe one day someone can show the writing of their great grand dad, grand dad, and dad's hunting experiences.

I kept my shell casings from all of my kills.

Now, I will have to figure something else out the day I stick one with an arrow.

I do the same thing.

I only notch my guns for law breakers and liberals, too much respect for the animals I shoot to mark up my guns.

Would be less damage to notch them for deer than libs, have you seen how many there are running around in the "burbs" these days

My dad would write information down on a 3x5 index card whenever he bought a gun. If he took it hunting and killed something, he would record the information on the back of the card. He had to add more index cards to some of his favorite guns. When he died I received several of these guns and cards. It was very cool to go through these cards and see what he killed, distance, location, etc. I'll try and post a picture of one of these cards tonight.
Here's a picture of the back of some of the cards.

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That might make my grand kids know that I really didn't kill hundreds of deer during my lifetime.

I take their scap and hang in the living room.

I never have notched my actual rifle, but I do put notches on my leather sling on my rifle. They are small and don't show up much, but they are there if you look. The sling isn't going to get much in resale, but I enjoy having a count of what I have taken with the rifle. I keep deer on one side and pigs on the other. Some of my slings are pretty unbalanced.

that ol boy on moonshiners notched his Winchester 94. Certain marks for bear, deer, hogs. That's the one time that I have seen it look good.

I modify heirloom guns for one reason, and that is to inter their owner in the gun.

Everyone in my family gets cremated, and then everyone left gets a part of the deceased to carry around with them.

With hunters of my family, I remove the butt-pad from THEIR rifle, hollow it out a little, then put a capsule of the owner's ashes in there and spray-foam it closed.

Keeps the owner with his/her gun for eternity.

I don't mark my gun, but I do make a mark on my hunting vest. I hunt in a one deer state, and it's more of a way to brag to the others in my deer camp that never kill anything.

I also make marks on the inside of my misses. That's more of a motivator.

I cut a mark into my arm... as my ancestors did

Not sure how old a guy you are but if I had stated notching my gun at 15 by now the stock would look like a piece of fire wood and be the size of a broom stick. I don't think so!

Me too. I would never put a notch in a firearm, though.

Thanks for all the feedback. I like the idea of getting a leather cartridge cuff for my 30-30 and possible notching into that, or maybe even a brand of some kind.



This is also a really cool idea, I might do this as well.

blood has more meaning

ta THF, never notched any of my guns, they all got some carictor marks, engraved their name in a few used ta have couple of claypigons was very proud of showimg some shooting skills, usedta.

I have partially changed my mind, if you want to notch one of those "plastic" Mattel stocks you can have at it. As ugly as they are a few notches might actually help their appearance. But never a nice wood stock.

Nope! Never have & never will......

Wear scratches yes, notches - never!

Nope, first it hit me a little wrong but after your explanation I get it. As for deer I tend to save the Antlers of the hunts that are really special. They are lined up on a wall in the man cave. So many times just standing in there and remembering the good times with each.

thats what we do also

Now when I used to be a hired gunfighter I would put a notch on the old six shooter for every gun fight I won but I am now retired.

One of my favorite stocks I have ever seen was a mcmillan return stock off of a m40a1 that had been notched. Sure wish I could have bought that sucker.

But as for notching one, yea dont see anything wrong with it. I have done it

No.

I should post a pic of my Remington 700 BDL .243 with original wood stock.....it looks like it has been dropped, punted, passed and thrashed.......my guns are for hunting, not collecting. Guns are physical possessions, remembrance is in your heart/soul. So, I now have mostly synthetic stocks. I see nothing wrong with notching your stock to remember each hunt. Don't think it would work well on my synthetics though.

For the record, I clean and take the utmost care of my guns, I just hunt hard and they show it on the outside.

I only buy guns, I NEVER SELL. When I buy, they are going to be handed down to my kids and grandkids. If you feel the same way, then do with them what you wish. If my dad had marked his and told me the story, it would take an army to take it from my me......

But if you are a buyer and seller of your firearms then do not mark them up. What's a thousand bucks over a lifetime? Not much.

I notch my banjo.

We would do this on a shotgun that we used to kill snakes, that is until it got stolen!

I notched my bb gun as a kid, but never any deer rifles.

Just say you didn't start keeping count until after 100.

I notched my .22 that has a wooden stock.

Instead of notching your rifle why not do what we do and save the case from the round that killed the animal and display them in a case.

This is what we have been doing. I wished we would have put the date and the name of the hunter on the case.

And well you should.

X2

I wouldnt have a stock left...keep the casing, write date on it, the head, the arrow....Keep a log, notch the stand its shot from with date....

Historically I have kept the empty shell along with an index card containing details... date, animal, location, gun (since I have multiple guns of the same caliber), who I was with, weather, blah, blah... in modern times I now keep the info in a spreadsheet and simply stuff a piece of paper in the shell that has a number corresponding to the spreadsheet info.

-Mickey

I like this idea a lot, thanks for all the ideas everyone.



This shelf is awesome by the way!

When I was growing up my dad, uncle, and I had a bench made of 2x6's at our camp we used to sit around the fire. The bench was divided into 3 sections (one for each of us) which we notched with our kills. I also notched the edges of my first skinning knife, but have never notched a rifle. I have had a few guns handed down which were notched, and it just gives a little character to an old heirloom IMHO. Usually makes for good conversation.

I keep and mark shell casings and mark certain rifles with a sharpie. I do it as a sign of respect and remembrance, same as pictures.

The sentiment is great, but it ruins the beauty and value of the gun, which may be needed if a family member has to sell the weapon in an emergency. This is of no consequence if the gun belonged to someone like Billy The Kid, Buffalo Bill, etc. with notches equaling men killed. At the end of the day, it's your gun, do with it as you will.
FWIW, my favorite gun is my old Marlin 39A that my dad gave me when I turned 10. I came as close to killing someone as I think I possibly could over a material possession, when I loaned it to a "friend" who then proceeded to pawn it, and then refinished it before I got it back. the only reason I even got it back was, his wife discovered the pawn ticket in her car a few days after he borrowed it.

In 1957 my grandpa gave me a iver Johnson model x safety 22. The stock had a dark walnut stain, I took the stock to shop class to sand down and refinish, I discovered 13 notches on the stock. I asked my grandpa what the were and he said he had killed 13 skunks, still have it today with a clear varnish and it will belong to my grand kids soon.
Ol' 22 $100 bucks --13 notches priceless

Yep

I notched my sling shot for awhile but had to quit, with as many birds and squirrels as I killed I was just whittling the sucker down

I would have had to buy several new stocks for all my rifles if I notched them for all the deer I killed with them.

Thats the way the deer stands look at my place. We glue them above the window and leave the casing then write a little desription under each one. On the 2x4 above the window.

I used to etch the brass with the date and the animal killed. They stayed in a junk box for years, and some how they got thrown away. When I realized what had happened I quit doing the etching.

I just take a picture and post it on the THF, it will be there forever.

I definitely wouldnt notch my gun. I would keep the casings or write it down with details of the momment. I love my guns to much to damage them on purpose.

I would make a beaver jealous.

No notches in gun or bed post. Just some things I see no reason to share.

Nope, I get rid of firearms that don't perform well and take really good care of my others. When it comes time to harvest your hunt is over, it should just be mechanics. Photo's work for memories

Don't disfigure your firearm. Just take a photo with your camera to archive the hunt.

Nope

NOPE (X2)

No, but I have close to 300 notches on my shooting sticks from all the coyotes I've killed off them.

I keep a small journal about my hunts and kills. It nice to look back and read how it went 10 or 15 years ago. I would never damage my gun intentionally.

No. Pictures go into my hunting photo album.

So far, I have only killed two doe and a few birds. I have 5x7 pictures of the two doe in my room and plan to add to it and eventually make a whole wall of em. Okay maybe a whole door. And I write when and where I took them on the pictures.

Wouldn't have a stock left... jk lol too pretty to cut into

When I was about 17 I took a spiral notebook and made a page for each deer I had taken up to that time. Date, time, weather, who with, and a brief story of each hunt. Think it had 8-10 stories in it. Then I stopped. Now the memories have faded/run together a bit. I would love to have that little notebook today but it has been lost somewhere along the way.

I don't and probably wouldn't BUT if it's a gun you plan to keep and pass down someday it might be kinda cool.
I know if I had inherited a gun that was notched, it would be cool to me and if I was buying an older gun, notches wouldn't bother me.

I see nothing wrong with notching your rifle. Like you said its not about disgracing the animal but its about awakening the memories while your sitting in the blind rubbing the stock and thinking about the animal that represents the notch. I bow hunt alot and on my back quiver I have leather shoe strings hanging of of it. Every time I kill a big game animal I put a knot in the string. Same as notching! I also retire the arrow with broadhead to a plack on the wall made of barnwood with the discription of the animal killed and discription of shot, where animal was killed etc. written on the arrow with a sharpy pen. Its fun to go read one from ten years ago and remmeber times that are forgotten until something triggers your soul!

wouldn't intentionally cut on
my firearm, but i had thought
about a brass inlay where i
could have a professional
engraver put a mark and date.
i forgot about it though, because
a memory like that wouldn't mean
anything to anyone else but me.

A friend of mine has a knife that he got in Germany years ago. He always uses that knife to field dress his deer. He puts a notch in the leather sheath for each one.

So true, So true gentlemen. I have enough memories from scars on me by getting scratched, poked, cut, stung & burnt & banged up in the field, I have living record of living with gun & bow in hand. Not at the same time of course.
js

No way. But we do keep every shell casing in the stand the deer was shot out of. after about 8 years it is kinda cool to see.

Save the shell with date/time/distance.

Cheap.

Before I was 10 years old I was given an old wood stock and worn marlin model 60 that would accompany me on treks thru the central Texas woods and creek bottoms in pursuit of squirrels, rabbits, and various birds. Not long after being gifted that old .22, I decided I would carve a small knotch, rounded divets about the size of a ball point pen tip, for any mammals I killed. This lasted awhile until interest and tradition waned in this practice, but I had successfully gnarled up that old stock from buttplate to pistol grip over time. Though quite foolish in practice, things like this are nostalgic of simpler times and a youthful amazement and appreciation for the wonders of the outdoors.

Texas Red had notches that numbered one and nineteen more, but the ranger with the big iron on his hip put an end to that.