Are either worth the trouble it takes to dig a hole to bury em in?

outdoor life addressed this very issue. The animals arent any harder to kill, we just have advanced the gun/ammunition offerings. This magnum craze is born in the minds of genius marketing folk. More is better, and more than the next guy is the best! This would be the chant of a firearms manufacturer. We willingly buy into it. EJ

I also agree. One thing that I base my "stuff" on is my personal comfort level. Just like the .22 caliber bullets for deer. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable with it, so I don't use it.

I just have a big deal with using the same size bullets for deer that I use for tree rats. Sorry.

WELL I'LL BE DURNED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can't argue with that! We'd probably all be a lot better off spending more of our money on some good 22LR's, and spending our money on the ammo for them, and on more time shooting.
I've trimmed my big game rifles down to three now, and not too sure what I need with the third one, but it's such a pretty rifle (Sako Mannlicher carbine in 308Win.).
We all had all we NEEDED many years ago for HUNTING in the lower 48 or even in Alaska (30/30, 45/70, 7x57, 270Win., 30-06, 35Whelen, 375H&H, and for those who must have short actions, the 308Win. and 358Win.).
But then, how would all those gun gurus/writers make a living, and where would the gun makers be. Those companies need profits, and they get them by selling the public on the "need" for the newest whizbang magnum, etc. (SAUM's, RUM's, WSM's, WSSM's, the 17cal. this or the 204 that, etc., etc.)
Maybe it's time I go out and get me another Marlin 30/30, and throw on a cheap Weaver 1-3x scope, sell the Sako, and forget all this nonsense. But then, what to do with my 270Win., and the 358Win. carbine?
The 30/30 would do it all if I just put theHUNT backinto the hunting.
The ammo would be more affordable too. Don't need no premium junk just for deer hunting. And, that'll leave me more money for gas! Or, for more of that good 'ol 22LR ammo.
Yep, think it's time for a new (old) rifle - a Marlin 30/30.

Gun people love to talk about guns, loads, optics etc. They love to try new things. This forum wouldn't be very interesting if it were populated by hunters who have only shot one rifle- a 30-30, 30-06, or 270 for the last 40 years.

I pretty much only use one rifle for hunting, but I have about 27 others. I like to target shoot, tinker, and collect, not to mention talk about them. I just bought a rifle this last week that I'll never use for hunting, I bought it mostly as an investment piece, and its worth more than my next 3 rifles combined.

Wounding or losing a deer is going to happen if you hunt. Nobody likes to talk about it, but the only people who haven't done it are probably those who don't hunt much. It sucks, I've felt the same type of remorse and second guessing before myself.

Republicans ARE better then democrats.

Not that I'm an expert, but shot placement is said to be most important. Your lost deer is a case in point.

If you take & make good shots....I'd go with that!

Ford/chevy...coke/pepsi... mine is better than yours. Like it's been said, most of the stuff is just maketing nonsense. There is no magic, most guns pretty much do the same thing.

Some people just get so caught up in the name & what it is suposed to do. Just a few years ago nearly everyone thought the .44 rem mag was the most powerfull thing on earth, however, If I wanted to kill a deer I'd just as soon have a 30/30 (the puniest thing on earth, right). I've shotmany deer with a variety of guns. One kills 'em just as dead as the other, in capable hands.

Thanks guys. Sometimes I think its important for some of us to come back down to reality. I have seen several of posters litterly upset over the mentality of young hunters and high powered rifles. Or even modern hunters.

Fact is, we are overgunned with just about anything over a 44magnum or 30-30. Even with your run of the mill corelok.