what is you're minimum deer cartridge?

[Mobuck]

We shoot a lot of deer here. The 'minimum caliber' for one may be overkill or ineffective for another. It's often stated that the 'minimum' energy for 'big game' is 1000 foot pounds at the distance of the hit.
I often use a 10.5" AR ,223 'pistol' and it works fine--FOR ME. Probably not so fine for others. Several factors involved with such a choice such as weather conditions (snow/no snow), hunting location (heavy cover/wide open area), and even hunter's capabilities to follow up the shot.
I've seen hunters(?) shoot at deer and if the animal didn't fall dead on the spot, assume a miss and move on. When asked if they were going to check for blood, the 'dude' said "Ah, I probably missed, maybe I'll kill the next one". o_O

 

[thinckley]

I've seen hunters(?) shoot at deer and if the animal didn't fall dead on the spot, assume a miss and move on. When asked if they were going to check for blood, the 'dude' said "Ah, I probably missed, maybe I'll kill the next one".

IMHO they shouldn't be allowed to hunt ever again.

 

[coachk64]

I've always felt for myself that I needed to stay at 30 caliber or higher for deer, but I got both of my sons a .243 for their 13th birthday. The oldest is 40 now and still uses that same rifle with quite a lot of success. So use what you are comfortable with, as long as it has enough energy for a quick kill with the proper bullet.

 

[krw]

IMHO they shouldn't be allowed to hunt ever again.

Remember, if Deer didnt have horns they would be treated like Prairie dogs and Groundhogs. A nuisance animal

 

[GRAMPS 51]

Hear is my thoughts yes many deer have been killed with a 22 but many have been lost deer in the northern states are normally bigger than in the south most hunters will not talk about the bad hits with any cal most guys cant shoot as good as the gun they carry some deer all adrenalined up will take you on a long tracking adventure I once saw a 140 lb doe take a 62 cal round ball in the heart complete pass thru run 400 yds in a wide open pasture before dropping so the right bullet in the right place will kill a deer but i believe in something i read a long time ago is a bad hit with a big bullet is always better than a bad hit with a small bullet for me i use anything from 6.5 x55 to anything up to 35 these are all just my oppinions so dont take any offence to any of it
Gramps

 

[thinckley]

Remember, if Deer didnt have horns they would be treated like Prairie dogs and Groundhogs. A nuisance animal

Maybe the whitetail out east, but not the muleys of the west.

 

[oliver507]

257 Roberts is my personal minimum. I have taken many with the 270 Winchester, 308 Winchester, 300 Win Mag, and 50 Caliber and above Flintlocks. Shot placement is king no matter what the caliber!

 

[Gator89]

Maybe the whitetail out east, but not the muleys of the west.

View attachment 85422

How many pictures of muley does do you save and share?

 

[thinckley]

How many pictures of muley does do you save and share?

Save them all, share the fun ones....

Without does, you don't get bucks. Nowhere out here are they treated the same as a prairie dog.

 

[Gator89]

Save them all, share the fun ones....

View attachment 85436

Without does, you don't get bucks. Nowhere out here are they treated the same as a prairie dog.

KRW said IF there were no antlers deer would be treated the same as groundhogs and prairie dogs.

Without antlers would we need taxidermists? Would folks drive 1000+ miles to shoot a mule deer with no antlers?

 

[thor's daddy]

The 357 Magnum is the least powerful round I've used personally. With open sights out of a 6-inch Colt Python, around 65 yards is my limit. The 160-grain Speer Half-Jacket over a dose of H110 has been quite effective. Last season's buck, taken with said gun and load, weighed an estimated 220-230lbs. He's in the freezer now.

Being from a conservative state, our game laws simply read, "any centerfire cartridge", leaving full responsibility up to the hunter to know the ability of his arm and of himself. As a handgun hunter, I don't pay any attention to energy numbers or any of that mumbo-jumbo. It strikes me that more hunters should worry about their ability to effectively hit game, at distance, from field positions, than worry about what cartridge their gun is chambered in.

Marksmanship first. All else is a distant second...

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

Remember there is legal and ethical hunting and there is just killing.
Hunting deer I have used .243 on mule deer. Could use .223 but haven't yet.
In Oregon many poachers kill deer with .22lr or .22 mag. due to noise and distance their shooting.

I am not a "sport" hunter, and almost no one is here as well. I have killed to eat in emergency situations. Hiding in a blind and killing from 300 yards away is cowardice. You want to hunt for SPORT? A spear and good legs. Including for a full grown elk, moose, or bear. Gives both of you a chance to win. THAT is SPORT. Anyway, going back to survival hunting. I will happily use my .22/250 for deer. One hits- if they can shoot at all- what one aims at. Quick, merciful kill.

 

[dobegrant.45]

Rifle caliber is .243, pistol caliber is .41 magnum, have had great success with both.

 

[JiminMaine]

Since the only rifles I use for deer hunting now are all chambered in 35 Remington I guess that is my minimum.

Over the last 63 years of deer hunting I have used numerous calibers, but the smallest was a 6mm Remington.

 

[Gator89]

What happens to non-hunters opinions in a hunting forum:

https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y...ZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/UX1yBL9K7MHDX5Ap83/giphy.gif

 

[TheTexasRAT]

45 COLT is as low as I can go.

 

[kmoore]

I am not a "sport" hunter, and almost no one is here as well. I have killed to eat in emergency situations. Hiding in a blind and killing from 300 yards away is cowardice. You want to hunt for SPORT? A spear and good legs. Including for a full grown elk, moose, or bear. Gives both of you a chance to win. THAT is SPORT. Anyway, going back to survival hunting. I will happily use my .22/250 for deer. One hits- if they can shoot at all- what one aims at. Quick, merciful kill.

I have no idea on this site how many are sport hunter's vs not. If you have the numbers, please share.
My whole point was any caliber, or firearm can kill a deer. Some methods may not be legal. In the hunting regulations here, a spear is not a legal method. I could hunt deer with a .223 if I wanted too but don't.
Myself, I hunt waterfowl from a blind. Big game I stalk or sit hunt and shoot (kill) deer or other big game to eat. I don't want to give them any chance. I want to kill them in a quick and easiest method as possible. If someone sits in a blind to hunt deer, I don't call that cowardice. I wouldn't hunt that way, but it's legal. I have never killed to eat in an emergency. It's doubtful I will ever need to. The 22-250 does make a good deer killer and is legal here. If I was to want to hunt deer with a .22 caliber centerfire, I would build a bolt action rifle in .220 Swift.

 

[Strawdog]

Not a deer hunter but I know my uncle's annual deer was successfully taken with a .22 Hornet.

 

[06dilly]

I always used a 150 gr 30-06 as we were always after deer and elk in the same hunt. The big mule deer in Colorado go down well with the 30-06.

On one hunt near Craig Colorado I watched a kid try his 243 on a young elk. (Still never found out where his dad was.) Once he ran out of ammo I dropped the wounded animal with the 30-06. It’s kept me away from the 243.

My BIL loved to use his 300 win mag but I felt it was too much. You can waste a lot of meat fast if you don’t make a great shot. Plus the muzzle blast from his muzzle break probably damaged my hearing more than once.

TomD

 

[drone]

I live in the UK and 22 centrefires having more than 1000 ft.lbs at the muzzle with at least a 50grain bullet are only allowed on muntjac and chinese water deer, unusual to see them more than 40 pounds on the hoof. Muntjac is open season year round and regarded as pests.
All the other deer a 240 cal with a100 grain bullet with at least 1700 ft.lbs of muzzle energy are mandated except in Scotland where a minimum muzzle velocity of 2450 fps is also mandated, so many of the big bore dangerous game rifles are not legal for deer there. Scotland also allows 22 CF for use on Roe deer which are about twice the size of Muntjacs. Crazy jocks.
So our minds are made up for us. Wild Boar have a minimum recommendation of 270 Winchester not mandatory, is at the discretion of the permit issuing Officer.
I can't remember shooting a muntjac beyond 50 yards with my 223, I use Barnes varmint grenades of 50 grains and they work very well. Every thing else gets my 308 or 30/30, though I'm getting a 35 Whelen for some additional power for the big boars we get over here.

 

[RC44Mag]

My own personal minimum w rifle would be 30-30 and .44 mag for handgun. Would hate to lose one and it have an extended death.

 

[Sam Summey]

Many deer in the South have been taken with the .30 Carbine. Many have been poached with 22 WMR, 25-20, even the 22 LR has been tried.

 

[Jack Ryan]

WHY are people always wondering, looking for, asking about a "minimum" caliber?

IF YOU ARE WONDERING, then it is NOT ENOUGH. Get what you NEED to do the job. If you have kids or women who want to hunt, THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO USE "DEER HUNTING TOOLS". You don't give someone a pruning saw to cut lumber because they can't handle the SAW THEY NEED.

Same exact thing with HUNTING. If you don't want to use HUNTING TOOLS, you don't want to HUNT. Do everyone a favor and stay home.

 

[rugnelli]

When she was young, my daughter used a 77/357 with LeverEvolution ammo very effectively on whitetails. We hunted a farm grove out of a ladder stand where the shots were 50 yards max. I would not hesitate to use again it in that situation.

 

[Paul B]

"I am not a "sport" hunter, and almost no one is here as well. I have killed to eat in emergency situations. Hiding in a blind and killing from 300 yards away is cowardice."

I've never hunted for "sport." When I was physically able to hunt it was off my own two god legs but the goal was to fill the freezer. Since I was involved in a bad wreck in my truck, hunting through the hill is no longer and option. If I can find a place where I can take a stand or a blind I can use that's exactly what I will do. Cowardice? no way, it's just now the only way I can do a hunt. Wheter you approve or not doesn't cut any ice with me. It just is what it is.
Paul B.

 

[Jack Ryan]

If it weren't for SPORT hunting, there wouldn't be any deer to hunt and for the time and money spent on HUNTING a deer you could just buy a lot more beef. So pull your nose down out of the sky OH holy one.