Smallest Caliber For Deer Hunting
01-20-2009, 08:55 AM
#41
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Mountain Home, Arkansas
Posts: 221
02-05-2009, 05:54 AM
#44
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: The Republic of Texas
Posts: 12,040
RE: Smallest Caliber For Deer Hunting
ORIGINAL: Dozen Arrows
243 bolt action is the smallest that I will go. That said, I used to shoot a 30-06 but sold it in favor of a 7mm Rem Mag based on what I've seen it do at 210 yards. I just wasn't really impressed with the 06 after that.It was a good clean shot but most likely only took out one lung due to the lack of blood trail that I witnessed. The doe ran a good 700 yards into the next property over before it gave up the ghost. The owners denied that they seen it although there was blood all over next to thier cabin and I did some scouting on my own after hours. Oh well, I can't prove anything and only come off as paranoid.
I hear that the 7 Mag really puts them down in thier tracks and with the extra terminal velocity I figured I could not go wrong.Yeah I know, I hear a lot of arm chair quarterbacks on the web say that a 30-06 will take them down fast at distances well past that but I don't really know about that.
I round that turns the lungs and heart into jelly and produces a soft ball sized exit wound is the round that I want to use! It puts the animal down as quickly as possible. Yeah, it's a mess but it's nothting this old survivalist Marine cannot handle.
243 bolt action is the smallest that I will go. That said, I used to shoot a 30-06 but sold it in favor of a 7mm Rem Mag based on what I've seen it do at 210 yards. I just wasn't really impressed with the 06 after that.It was a good clean shot but most likely only took out one lung due to the lack of blood trail that I witnessed. The doe ran a good 700 yards into the next property over before it gave up the ghost. The owners denied that they seen it although there was blood all over next to thier cabin and I did some scouting on my own after hours. Oh well, I can't prove anything and only come off as paranoid.
I hear that the 7 Mag really puts them down in thier tracks and with the extra terminal velocity I figured I could not go wrong.Yeah I know, I hear a lot of arm chair quarterbacks on the web say that a 30-06 will take them down fast at distances well past that but I don't really know about that.
I round that turns the lungs and heart into jelly and produces a soft ball sized exit wound is the round that I want to use! It puts the animal down as quickly as possible. Yeah, it's a mess but it's nothting this old survivalist Marine cannot handle.
In response to the original question, my personal minimum when hunting for bucks is .243. I've also used a .30-06, and 7mm Rem Mag.
Next fall, I plan to take a doe or two with a .223 AR15. I had planned to do it this year, but didn't get it scoped and sighted in before the season.
02-05-2009, 10:32 AM
#45
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Texas
Posts: 215
RE: Smallest Caliber For Deer Hunting
The smallest I personally hunt with is a .308. I would not have a problem using a .243. I did buy my son(7 year old) a 22-250 this past season and heused it just fine. I don't have a problem with using any gun that will get the job done. What I mean by that is not only the gun, but the shooter putting in the time to make sure he/she gets it done too.
02-06-2009, 11:21 AM
#46
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: orange co va
Posts: 45
RE: Smallest Caliber For Deer Hunting
this year i killed 2 does and 1 buck with a 50cal mzl ldr, 1 doe and 1 buck with a 100gr 243, 3 does with a 125 gr 30-06. all but 1 shot, were in fairly thick forested areas, longest shot was 130yds with the 50 cal in a field all the others were no further than 75 yards. the 243 deer were a dbl lung shot and a solid heart shot, both ran about 25 yrds. all the other deer died in thier tracks. all my guns will kill with a well placed round.
02-08-2009, 11:12 AM
#48
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Licking County, Ohio
Posts: 1,264
RE: Smallest Caliber For Deer Hunting
I killed them with a 222. Knocks them down for the count. Wouldn't be my caliber of choice, but I was removing them for a local farmer with nuisance permits, and it was his rifle. One shot to the front shoulder and they were dead in their tracks. I think the farthest I shot was about 125 yards.
02-08-2009, 12:35 PM
#49
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 576
RE: Smallest Caliber For Deer Hunting
I have heard alot of stories about people killing deer with .22's. I think most of the time it is a load of crap made up. I am not saying that it has'nt happened. I am big time against the use of under caliber weapons for big game. I myself came upon a yearling doe wich had darted and jumped into a wooven wire fence and had broke her neck, I figured I would just shoot her with the .22 and put her out. So i preceeded to shoot her point blank in the head in the temple with my .22 long rifle with high velocity ammo. I shot her 3 times in the head and she was still trying to get up, it din't do crap, I than precceded to shoot her twice in the heart before she finally expireded from them last two shots. Don't ever shoot a deer with a .22 it is not enough. After experiencing this myself firsthand I think most of these stories of shooting deer with .22's is a bunch of B.S. and stay away from it.
02-08-2009, 12:43 PM
#50
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: fort mcmurray alberta canada
Posts: 5,667
RE: Smallest Caliber For Deer Hunting
Hey guys, what is the smallest caliber you would use for deer hunting these are mine, .22 at 20 yards or less, .222, .223, .22-50, .243. I have not and will not use anything bigger than a .243,