Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting .223 Deer Question

In my experience the 'city slickers' or others that are uninitiated and inexperienced believe all the garbage they hear from Uncle Charlie or see on Bubbavision that they 'need' a 7 em em or '06 or new whiz bang magnum of some sort. And they have also been told by what they consider figures of authority that .22 centerfires dont work on deer. I can honestly say Ive never seen any sort of newbie try it with a .22 centerfire.....they are usually in the hands of rifle loonies, and more often than not they are shooting a proper bullet because they've done their homework. The newbies can wound them and loose them with any gun in their hands...

agree

+-1

I tend to agree with that statement. Most of the ppl I know who use 22 centerfires are good hunters and good shots. They have the time to pick and chose their shots and do so. The big problem I am having is so many ppl want to let Jr. use a .22 centerfire because he can't handle anything bigger! Well I was Jr. once and I stepped up to the plate and learned to handle a rifle. I also know even though I lived in the country and shot alot those first few deer were shot under the stress of balled up nerves. Not something good when using a light caliber. JMHO

They are [bleep] deer. If you can't kill one with a 223 a 338 ain't gonna help any.

Sweet.. A Texan recommending a better cartridge to shoot deer in the guts.

I'm sure his fellow residents of the lone star state appreciate his reinforcement of the stereotype.

Killing ain't the question. Recovering is, and a marginal shot with a larger caliber will most often leave a better blood trail to follow. I am not the enemy here when it comes to small calibers but I will argue that they are not for everyone and that marginal hits happen in the real world and a larger bore with a heavier bullet helps track. I also believe you need a caliber and bullet combination adequate for the game you are after and the conditions and terrain you are hunting.

Agreed. And as Steelhead said, they're deer.....they dont require as much as most folks think. Literally 99% of the deer Ive killed could have been done just as easily with a .223 as the myriad of cartridges I did use.When a variety of premium bullets became available for the .22s 99% of my deer have been shot with them...again, literally....

SO what y'all are sayin'is,

STICK<STONE<SPEAR<ATLATL<BOW/REVOLVER<22CF<STEALHEAD/INGWE LOVECHILD ARMED WITH 270WIN

I'm trying one of my wife's angry looks on 'em this season..

That's right, that's why I use a .458 WM

If they're anything like most wife's angry looks I suspect you'll need a walk in cooler before season is over...

My 2 cents on 22CF for deer... I don't have a problem with people that can take the time and use a good rest at standing broadside deer at less than 250 yds but still consider 22CF's for deer to be stunt shooting outside of those parameters.

All that being said I'm going to give a 243 I picked up this year a try on some whitetails next year and the 85gr Partition is my first bullet I'll try because I've had tremendous luck with every Partition I ever launched at game. Most of my hunting these days is from elevated shooting houses with a good rest and if the hogs quit being so nocturnal I may get a shot at one of them too...

$bob$

Laughable

Scott, we need an updated pic of the new pup....

Gangsta Roux

Lookin a little more pit X Mal......and BAD-AZZED!

I sure never wanted anything pit, but to date he is a loveable dog and very bright. Got him to not [bleep] in the yard either (same as the other dog), they always go into the woods to do it.

He'll be 14 weeks old this week and a shade shorter than the terrier but I'm guessing the same weight, about 16 pounds. Guessing he still will not be overly huge when full grown.

Imagine how smart he would have been if he was full pit. jk. He is a good lookin pup.

I tried that already. It busts them up too bad. Going back to shooting a rifle next year.