USMC PMI

Hey BigCountry ,well said and if it helps I'll be in your sewing circle if you start one! A lot of strong opinions in this entire forum, some can take it, some can't. If someone is offended stop reading the posts and taking part in them. If I may, I killed a little 4 point with a .17 two years ago, head shot at about 25 yards. Don't have a reason to do it again, and most likely never will. I did it just to see if I could and if that pisses someone off, tough. There is a little deer population problem in my area so many are slaughtered in mass hunts then buried in a big pit just to thin the numbers. I am sure as always someone will reply and call me names, go for it cheif, type until your fingers bleed. Only one way to find out if the .204 works on deer. . . . . .

zrexpilot

I have a friend who only uses a 22 Hornet for deer, and he's never lost one. The ethical police will tell you not to shoot with anything less than a 300-06 super ultramagnum magnum. But in reality deer are not that tough an animal to kill. They will also tell you not to neck or head shoot deer, which I do all the time, never wounded one that way either. Will a .204 kill a deer ? yep, deader than dead. Are they're better choices for deer ? yes they're are.

dead_eye

Ehh sure just make it super accurate and put it in one eye and out the other

Stump_MN_Hunter

I think that USMC PMI said it perfectly on the subject of when guys use small(varmint) calibers for deer hunting and WHY.......

It's sort of an ego builder to do it! Just so you can tell your buddies what you just did. OH JOY!! Maybe it makes you feel proud. Who knows. Whatever floats your boat I guess. The only major problem I have with it is....what if a monster bucks steps out 75-100yards from you?? Would you take a poke with that .17, 22-250, .204? Of course you guys would....cause it's a monster. Stupid people do stupid stuff when big bucks are walking around. **DISCLAIMER** I'm not calling those using those small calibers stupid. Just a general statement. Whew...had to put that one in there. Now if you were using a caliber that was designed to go deer hunting with, that type of shot isn't that difficult. Get what I'm saying? Of course all of this is MY opinion.

superman8791

I agree bigcountry, I think SOME people take it to seriously, I have posted similiar topics like the 9mm luger on deer thing a couple of weeks ago and people got all FIRED up![:@]

I believe that these boards should not be your basis for how you hunt, that should be something built into your ethics already. I mean seriously, how many of us are going to see a deer in the front yard and say hang on let me check the board to see if X caliber will kill it...it will ok now Ill shoot. I think that just like me Drhuner had a passing thought and he posted it. That is what this board and others are about, sharing opinions...and thoughts, doesnt mean you gotta JUMP down somebodies throat though. I know NOW Drhuner will think his questions through though, just like me.


Also, Drhuner just so you know only a 470 Nitro x-press or BIGGER will kill a whitetail, after all they are practically immortal creatures.

bigcountry

I think you got him wrong stump. I understand why you say that. But here in MD, there are alot of mass killing of does. You see litterly dozens some night. Where he lives, he might be part of that Aberdeen Proving grounds thing. You don't want to eat them in a biochemical enviroment. Also, lost of farmers that hate deer and just want to see them wiped off the face of the earth.

When I grew up in Ky and lived in WV, and NC, the deer population isn't near as bad. And a deer is a precious thing. For the freezer and for seeing.

USMC PMI

Well BC you are kinda right. Honestly I did do it just to see if I could, now that I have there is no interest in said named activities with the .17. I don't live too close to Aberdeen but have hunted on post there. Lots of deer but small for this area, not sure if that mustard gas has anything to do with it. I eat deer that I shoot in Northern Harford county from a few farms I have permission to hunt, and from WV where I do most of my whitetail hunting. I guess my point was that many deer, esp. does, are "culled" here every year and eating them is questionable, so yeah I do have fun playing around with them. Maybe not ethical but this is not a typical situation. As long as the deer is dead or going to die the farmers and really the government is happy. Sorry if this hurts anyone's feelings.

Stump_MN_Hunter

Even if you were in that area and needed to cull some deer out, I still don't understand why you'd prefer to use such a small caliber just to see if it could be done. But I guess that's just me.

USMC PMI

I don't own a 204 and would not use it on a regular basis for deer size game if I did. I am simply saying from experience that small calibers under the correct conditions and with proper shot placement will cleanly kill deer. I have no reason to continue said named activities with a .17. All that said there are a few state sponsored groups that kill deer on public golf courses and in populated areas using a .22 LR supressed rifle shooting 60 grain Sub-Sonic rounds. They have been doing this for quite a while and have found it to be effective. Again this is not something for your average Joe to try, these are well trained marksman.

jcb9901

Yes a 204 will kill a deer,That does not make it ethical or humane.If a 1000fps .177 pellet gun will kill a kid "which it did in cleveland ohio "then it would kill a deer but that dooes't make it a deer rifle.I also don't think those smaller caliber kill as quickly causing the animal undo suffering .