RE: Smallest Caliber For Deer Hunting
I currently use a .22 hornet for everything, got 19 kills with it, hogs and deer. All hit in the neck, hogs were hit in the head and neck. Everyone dropped right there. I havent body shot a deer with it but I know it would work too.
When I was about 17 we got broke into and all our guns were stolen, that year I deer hunted with a .22 mag, illegal but its all I had. I killed a spike and a doe with a shot to the body and he fell right there she went 40 yds and dropped, took a large doe with it to the neck and she dropped right there.
But whats the smallest I would use, whatever is legal in that state. A 22lr will do it everytime to the head, but I would step up a bit.
Ive a used a .222 on axis with no problems even body shot. My friend is a foreman on a game ranch and sometimes when I am visiting him he will get the urge and let me take an axis or two, I use his truck gun, a .222, havent had a problem with it.