zrexpilot

Exactly just because you have a deer out there doesnt mean you automatically have let some lead fly.
Its called self controll. Lots of people have their own land or lease so letting a deer walk because it didnt present a good shot angle is no big deal and is the right thing to do. Now if I were to go on a payed hunt or something like that, then I would pack the heat. My .243 LOL.

speyrjb

I would take that 223 and place the cross hairs in the middle of the white patch on that deer's neck, squeeze the trigger and watch the buck of my dreams go belly up with a broken neck. There would be no hessitation because I know I'm a skilled enough marksman to make that shot 100% of the time.

A lot of people on this site claim this is unethical and that is unethical, but the fact is that the only deer I have EVER lost in my life was one I shot with a 270win with a 130gr ballistic tip because I made a poor shot. The gun had nothing to do with it. The only thing unethical, as I see it, is making a poor shot on an animal regardless of the caliber. I have seen more deer wounded and not recovered with a 30-06 than any other caliber in all my years of hunting and it was from 1 man because he was a horrible shot. In my opinion the only question of ethics was the fact that this bone head was hunting in the first place..didn't matter what caliber gun he was shooting.

zrexpilot

I know someone like that, he has wounded more deer than I care to count, with everything, .308, 22-250, crossbow. I heard from another friend he wounded 3 deer in one sitting and didnt recover one. Guys a slob and a poacher. I'm tempted to report him.

johnnybravoo77

Ethical calibers for deer are the ones that your state says are legal. Ethical shots, and or hunters should be the debate.

mikemac10

At 50 yards broadside just about anything will kill a deer if you hit it right. But for most hunting scenerios, larger caliberswill have their advantages. I personally wont use anything less than a .270 for deer, using a small caliber is like handicapping yourself in a sense. There is more room for error with larger calibers, I'm not saying to take marginal shots but if you happen to hit where you didnt intend chances are better you'll find your deer dead if you wereshootingabigger bullet with more energy.

HEAD0001

The location and type of hunting you do should dictate what you hunt with.

We do a lot of deer drives here in WV. We put different hunter's in different scenario's based upon their ability. If someone showed up with a 22 Hornet to drive deer with us-we probably would send them home. But if I was sitting over a corn pile and the distance was less than 100 yards, then yes the 22 Hornet is more than adequate to kill an unalarmed deer with his face on the ground like a vacuum cleaner sucking up corn.

IMO a hunter should use the largest most powerful cartridge that he feels 100% competent with.

I own and have owned a half dozen different 22 Hornet's. And yes they are a great and quite little cartridge, but I do not consider it an every day in and out deer cartridge. But yes it will do the job.

I agree with Skeeter about the head and neck shots. I rarely take that shot. Is that shot effective?? Yes it is very effective. I have just been hunting for 38 years and I know that things can go wrong-especially when you do not want them to. I would rather have the larger aiming area, rather than the limited aiming area.

I have read ZRex's post about his use of the 22 Hornet. And I am sure in his style of hunting what he is doing is just fine. I just do not think that type of hunting would work well here in WV. Just my opinion. Tom.

BigTiny

Since I went on the record saying I hunt deer with a .223, I'll also go on the record saying I would only take a broadside shot. I would take that shot out to 150 with my setup, but no further. That has more to do with accuracy than energy.

zrexpilot

Did everyone notice my .22 hornet thread got deleted. moderators felt becuase it was illegal to use in some states it shouldnt be on the board.
sigh....... Who's the moderator, Jim Zumbo ?

little-d

what do you think this deer was shot with, the shot was about 280 yards give or take some. this is all bullet damage nothing else, the exit hole is at the top right at the edge of the wound coverd by skin. the main hole is about the size of a quarter, the bullet a winchester power point hit the 100# doe in the leg bone on the other side. it didn't run off.

Paul L Mohr

Are you sure that was the only reason? High powered rifles period are not legal in a lot of states does that mean we can't post about rifle hunting anymore? By the way that is a legal cartridge in upper MI, where as in lower Michigan no centerfire rifles are allowed at all for deer hunting.

I can't believe that would be their only basis for deleting a post.

Paul