I have a 22-250 and have killed a few deer with it. I have seen deer killed with 22 rimfire as well, but that dont make any one of them a deer gun.. The bullets are to lightly constructed to make reliable choices for deer hunting. I believe if someone consistantly uses on to deer hunt with, you will have some wounded and possible lost deer.

It cracks me up that Maine has some of the largest deer in the US...yet they allow a hunter to use a .22mag.

Can anyone from that direction shed some light on why that is???

I've killed a few deer with a .223...but I also passed on quite a few shots while carrying a .223 that I would have taken in a heartbeat if I had been carrying my .270.

My boys, ages 7 and 5, killed 7 deer last year. All of them were one shot kills and only one deer ran farther than 20 yds.

I do live in south Ark and the deer here average around 150 lbs.

I use the .223 for coyotes and woodchucks. I personally think it is to light for deer, but I am used to seeing Northern Midwest deer which have bigger bodies. Farther south, say texas, where the deer have smaller bodies, I could see it being sufficient. I just know my .270 has a little more dropping power and wouldn't want to risk wounding a deer witha lighter load.

there are people who hunt that will wound deer with whatever caliber you give them.
If I am taking a body shot I always wait for a complete broadside shot, no matter what caliber I am using.
If you take shots other than that, be prepared to lose some. No matter what caliber.

My Opinion. Everyone in my area feel they need to Own .300 Mags and 7mm mags and etc.

In South Carolina in the places I have hunted mag rds are over kill in essence too big for the average deer. I know some will say nothing is tooko big.. Well when the average shot taken is 100 yards yes that rd is overkill.

I am not hunting elk and they love to push those on you.. I think they feel if they hit a deer anywhere with a mag load it will drop.. Not true.. It just makes the cocky and will try shots they normaly would not have taken with a normal capable rifle... Such as a .223 or .243 or even a .30-.30

OK guys here it is the .22 cal. debate THIS YEAR.
Did this last year and didn't get very many responses so lets
try it AGAIN this year.
I would like to see large cal. (BULLET DAMAGE PICS)withmore damage than these WITHOUT hitting major bone.
shot 160 yards .22 hornet, 45 gr hornet bullet, 12.5 gr of win 296 for muzzle vel.of3000 fps.
This was a heart shot the bullet went between the ribs on entrance the
JACKET was just under the skin on the exit side.
Note. the massive bruising.
WARNING WARNING WARNING GRAPHIC PICS


exit

entrance pic

.22 Hornet 45 gr hollow points, neck shot,ya it hit bone and came out several times LOL












.243 federal 100 gr sierra gmekings, 190 yds, exit wound. dont remeber if it hit the leg bone.

You can kill Deer by shooting in the head with a .22LR..