SmoothboreMurph
40 Cal
Welcome to the Forum, I live down in Price, Maryland on the Eastern Shore. I've hunted up your way before with another user on here up in Tunnel Hill which is very close to you. It depends on where you hunt. If you are hunting by the long runs of high tension wires or near the old canal locks and 15 mile creek then the Long Rifle is the way to go. If you are hunting the thick woods near the border with West Virginia than I suggest going with a shorter rifle maybe even a Jaeger or a European weapon. The forum member I hunted with was Greasy_Jesus and he was carrying an 1817 Common Rifle in .54 cal I think it had a 38" barrel and it looked quite handy. I hunted some thick woods with him and we were stalking no tree stand stuff. My Bess which is 59.25" long OAL was too long I was constantly getting hung up in the thicket. It all depends on your hunting grounds. I would suggest bumping up the caliber though to a .54 or .58 caliber. You can get a lot more out it in your neck of the woods and the mountain deer seem to be a bit tougher than the drowned rats we have down here.