Get her a 223 with some premium 55gr bullets practice practice practice keep them shots within 150yd and you'll be eating tasty venison. I've killed 8 deer with a 223rem and havent lost any or for that matter even had one ever run, they've all just dropped with lung shots. Keep em broadside and hit em where it counts and the 223 WILL work. I've seen the evidence first hand.

This would be a pet peeve of mine....I killed 2 deer last weekend that had been wounded by someone else and would have probably died. I had to leave one of them due to the injury being so bad. We owe it to the game we hunt to use a BIG enough caliber to do the job easily....not some pop gun that may or may not get it done even with someone who is a good shot. With that caliber you would have to limit your choices to slow moving or stopped broadside shots.We also owe it to them to only take GOOD shots..none of this texas heart shot bs or running shots through the timber.

Theres almost no margin for error with that gun although Im sure I will get blasted by people who have killed loads of deer with it. This isnt directed at anyone personally so dont take it that way. Its just a rant from someone who is tired of seeing people feed the buzzards and not really caring.

For an experienced shooter I would say proceed with caution. But for an 8yr old girl I would say no way.

Tom

frizzellr
You missed it. Out here in the country, when we butcher a beef everyone gets too help clean the kill. Thats what a "practical anatomy lesson" is. My little girl is well on her way knowing how to use a knife.
"Pulling the trigger" is poor marksmanship skill, if this is your technique, I'd suggest you seak a range sesson with qualified instuctor. At our ranch we teach all aspects of marksmanship, including trigger control.

I guess there are two ways of looking at this. A youngster who is not yet a real marksman may well pull off a good shot with a gun that they are not afraid of. So too are they more likely to love to practice with a shoulder friendly cartridge. For adults I favor a Minimum of 25 caliber. For kids I would favor which ever legal gun that they can shoot best. I have taken deer with the old 222 without loosing any. Even one with the 22 Hornet which is no longer legal in our state. I don't recommend the 22 centerfires at perfect deer calibers but for some young shooters I can see a place for it. That said it is the responsibility of the hunter and parent to insure a quick clean kill.

LSWOODY, do you handload? I can see how this would be a fabulous excuse to get started. You've got time to work up a load for which ever caliber you choose. I would still favor loading a .243 or (or any .25) or 30-30 light...but would feel *okay loading a .22 "up" with some Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullets for a young deer gun. Even then, I'd opt for the 22-250 instead of the .223

I hope this thread doesn't discourage you from taking your daughter hunting. Even if you decide to just hold off on letting her shoot till she's older take her along...she'll have a blast and something to look forward to when she can finally do it herself.

You can get a .270 or a .308 and use Remingtons 50% less recoil
and the recoil is right around a .243. The good thing is your are
shooting a bigger bullet to and the .308 and the .270 has more
foot pounds than a .243

Thanks for all of the replies. As long as a child passes hunter ed class they can hunt in AL. I would not let her hunt in a stand or a blind by her self. I will be with her at all times. A guy I work with just got his step son a .243 H&R single shot and he said she could try it. I understand that a .223 is on the bare minimal side for deer, but which ever caliber I got with. I'll be sure she has plenty of practice and can make good shots at the ranges she can consistently hit. Broad side shots are all I take with my 30-06 and I'd have her do the same. I don't hand load and probably won't start, but might go with the .270 or .308 with the managed recoil bullets. Will have to check into that. Even if I decide to let her wait a few more years on getting a rifle, I will still take her hunting. She wouldn't be to happy if I didn't take her. Thanks again, Scott Woody

No I didn't miss anything. If your daughter helps clean the kill then thats great. Thats what I am talking about. Too many times the kid makes the kill then gets put down for a nap while the work gets done. As far as "out here in the country" I grew up in Fred, Texas so I know all about butchering hogs, beef and deer since I was old enough to hold a knife.

Get real. How many kids do you think know about trigger and breath control, much less have the maturity level to exercise it when a deer is in the sights? A few do yes, but for the most part they don't.

If you're set on taking her...which it seems you are...What about an in-line muzzleloader. The modern ones have almost no recoil and are deadly as hell past 100yds. You can even load it a little light and practice to make the perfect load. It's great fun, and she will begin to understand how the bullet actually gets the power to leave the barrel.

Just a thought.