Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting .223 for whitetail - yes or no?

funny how now it is acceptable from most experienced hunters at least, that 223 and above is plenty good for deer. i am 65 now and have been killing deer all my life with the 22 high power rounds. a few years ago, it was considered foolish to use such a caliber on deer sized game. i think most of that came about from so called "expert" gun writers, who most never tried such a caliber or maybe never even got from behind a desk and in the field at all. i remember reading all the story's about how a deer shot with a 22-250 would only have a superficial wound and run off to die a lingering death! back in the early 60s-late 80s my dad used to kill deer with a 22 hornet with no problem, but he would keep shots around 80yds or less. not saying a hornet is a deer round but i can tell you this, an average sized SC deer, 120lb or so hit behind the shoulder with a hornet will die fast! i have skinned his deer and the bullet will penetrate to the offside skin or exit every time.