The auhor, Ed Noonan, poses with his high racked Sika buck he took with his Henry rifle
The lever action gun may be the firearm that won the west, but it is better known here in the east for its fabled deer hunting history.
From the original go-to Winchester to the Browning, Marlin, Savage and later the modern age Henry, the lever gun has been responsible for putting more venison on hunting camp tables here than any other rifle.
The light weight of the lever action rifle together with its short length and maneuverability in dense brush and blow down made it a legendary favorite among those who relish chasing big deer and bear in the rugged Adirondack backcountry.
Even today with so many firearm choices offered to whitetail hunting enthusiasts, many crews still chose to pull the trusty lever action from the gun cabinet over fancy, and often pricey, alternatives.
Some even like the tradition of carrying these guns with no modern optics on top.
One such group is the Iron Sight Gang.
The Iron Sight Gang with a big Adirondack buck
THE GANG
Longtime member of the Iron Sight Gang and avid Adirondack deer hunter Dan Ladd shared a bit of history with me about his crew and their tradition of hunting with only lever action guns.
Dan, who is an author, outdoor writer and creator of the popular website adkhunter.com, said his uncle Duff Stevenson, an excellent Adirondack deer hunter, carried a Winchester Model 1894 — a lever action repeating rifle that became one of the most popular hunting rifles in the North Country. Duff, Dan said, killed an 18 pointer in the 1960s with the gun.
His son, Joe has since killed many bucks with the same gun. Dan’s uncle Jim Ladd also carried a 30-30 lever gun and later a .44 magnum. Dan’s dad bought a Model 94 in .44 magnum and killed his first Adirondack buck with it on Dan’s 4th birthday.
The Gang are drive hunters which is one of the reasons a light handling gun and open sights are preferred for those quick shots at running deer at close range. It is a tradition they still follow today. Check out Dan’s website to see some classic photos of the Gang and the deer they’ve caught up to using lever action guns.
As a kid I never missed the cowboy television shows. But it was the Rifleman western series and the saddle ring loop lever action used by actors Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford that I liked best. And when the Nichols Model 94 Chuck Connors Rifleman cap gun was introduced I found one under the tree on Christmas.
I would receive my first real lever gun during my early hunting days from an old man who told me: “Now you are a real Adirondack deer hunter.”
I used that gun for about 3 or 4 years and shot several bucks with it. But it was not until 2009 when I saw an ad in a hunting magazine for Henry Repeating Arms that my interest in lever guns would really be peaked.
Shortly thereafter, I visited my local gun shop and as soon as I shouldered the Henry I was hooked. I was particularly impressed with the smoothness of the action.
Since that time I have been a Henry rifle owner and it has traveled with me not only to our Adirondack deer woods but also on big game hunts in other states and countries. And it has never let me down.
My first Adirondack hunt was in Hamilton Country where we crossed Long Lake in the dark in a row boat, beached it on the shore and at daylight headed up Owl’s Head Mountain. Half way up I left the trail and my friend continued on up. I sighted several doe early and around noon had a spike horn in my open sights but decided to wait. Later in the afternoon I headed down to the boat and sat just in the edge of the woods watching the trail. It was about a half hour before sunset that I saw something moving down the trail toward me and I assumed it was my friend. My “friend” turned out to have 6 points on its head and at 92 steps (I will never forget this one) I dropped my first Henry buck. This was the beginning of my Henry rifle hunting career.
Since that time I have had a number of successful hunts with the Henry, not just for Adirondack and Catskill whitetail but also some other species hunts. One of my most memorable was a Sika deer in Delaware County at the Davenport Game Preserve which had been closed for a number of years.
However the owner had several Sika bucks that remained there and he wanted them harvested before they got out of the preserve. Having never hunted Sika, I was anxious and Henry and I accepted the invitation. It was a hunt that I thought would be quick and easy because we had four drivers, but I soon learned these were the most evasive deer that I ever have hunted.
On this hunt I had added a Leupold scope to the Henry which turned out to be a great help in the dense woods. My friend, Jerry Wilson, who had set up the hunt, volunteered to be my cameraman and at sunup we entered the woods. At noon we had covered the entire area and only had one quick glimpse of the two Sika and after a short lunch we decided to reverse the drives hoping to get them within range.
It was about 5:30 p.m. and time for only one more drive. Jerry and I set up in a thick woodlot and the light was getting dim. It is then that I was glad I had added a scope to my Henry.
We saw movement off in the distance and shouldering the gun I could see the horns; two deer were coming toward us. They were very close together and seemed on edge and at about 80 yards they stopped and appeared as if they were going to bolt away from us. It was now or never. I placed the crosshairs on the lead deer and saw the puff of fur on the shoulder when I squeezed the trigger, ending the hunt.
Since that time I have taken several wild boar, two Texas bucks, a boar at the Easton View Outfitters in Washington County, NY and also one in Florida, all with my Henry 30-30.
Come this fall, however, when the early bear season and the regular deer season opens, I will not be carrying a Henry 30-30. But I will be carrying their new .308 Long Ranger! Trust me, this is not your grandfather’s lever gun but instead one that will definitely give you longer distance. Here are just of few of the many features of this gun.
The new Henry Long Ranger lever action
THE HENRY LONG RANGER
This Long Ranger still retains the traditional lever action operation with an exposed hammer and forged steel lever but it has been updated with a geared action that drives a machined and chromed steel bolt with a six-lug rotary head into a rear extension of the barrel for a stronger and consistent lock-up shot after shot.
Other features include a lightweight aerospace alloy receiver with side ejection and it is drilled and taped for scoping. The detachable steel magazine fit flush and there is an easy to reach button mag release. The blued barrels measure 20 inches and are free-floated for accuracy.
The stock is made of a very good-looking straight grip checkered American Walnut and comfortable butt pad. The safety is an in-hammer sliding transfer bar; it is 40.5 inches in length and weighs just 7 pounds.
Henry offers the Long Ranger in .223, .243 and .308 calibers. And what I also like about all Henry firearms is they are MADE IN AMERICA. MSRP is $1,014.95. Visit www.henryrifles.com for more information.
Now as you will notice in the photo of the Iron Sight Gang none of their rifles have scopes. However, due to my age, Dan has given me permission to use my Leupold VX-Hog 1-4x20mm Pig Plex on the Long Ranger. He also promised that he will find a spot for me to sit on watch that I can reach without having to climb up too many hills. In addition to my Adirondack hunts the Long Ranger will also be with me this year on a New Brunswick bear hunt and Florida boar hunt. Henry and I are looking forward to them all.
Henry repeating arms has released the 2016 Henry Long ranger. The Long Ranger is a rifle that is configured for .223, .243, and .308 cartridges. The Lone Ranger is the rifle to give you the longer distance impacts that you may be seeking in a lever action rifle. The maximum length for the other Henry big boys, usually drop off at about 300 yards. This new rifle will extend to you the ballistics of .308 cartridges.
The Long Ranger will definitely be accurate because you don’t have any moving parts that can cause you to have to adjust your follow-through technique. Most people use bolt action guns because they feel that both actions are more accurate at longer distances. For the most part this is true, however you don’t always have another cartridge readily available inside the chamber of a bolt action rifle. With the Long Ranger, you have a box magazine to assist in feeding fresh ammo.
The Henry long ranger is a great hunting rifle because it incorporates your skills that you have mastered in the Henry lever action big boy series, and allows you to apply those same shooting techniques at what longer distances.
