I understand where BH is coming from about deer in heavy cover. Smaller bullets deflect very easy when hitting an unseen twig, but its the patiently waiting ( as those old pharts and their 6mm Rem/Mod 742) did for the good shot, and they liked the easy recoil/fast follow up shots if he ran. Its not a bad method, not one I cherish, as I too have seen even a 175gr Clkt from my 7mm Rem Mag "turn into a puff of smoke" when it hit an unseen small twig that was between me and the close range crow I shot at! In fact, right after that, on a whim, I traded that heavy Browning BAR. I stopped at Oshman's in Beaumont, after a NG Drill in '75, and i swapped "even" for a Model 870 with vent rib, Modified choke in 3" 12ga. PLUS. a little Marlin 1894 44 Magnum. I know, I got out of there fast! That little Marlin was one of the very fastest Timber rifles I have ever had. It made big exit holes in deer and hogs both, big blood trails. Sometimes they dropped/kicked around, sometime they ran, but not far. Blood everywhere. I'm a believer of heavy calibers in the woods, but even they can deflect, sure, but usually a big chunk will hit, leaving blood to follow. The "biggest, most effective help for me" was later, in Fall of 1976 I started Bow Hunting for real. I would shoot one deer in Archery Season and one in Rifle/Shotgun Season, but I used my old 30-30 or my dad's jammomatic Mod 742 30-06 (both with irons) and used Bow Hunting Techniques. IOW I "learned how to hunt the Timber". I had sold the Marlin to a friend who couldnt live without it) I did that 5 yrs running. But my heart took me back to rifles...and I got an oddball rifle/caliber/3x9 scope that all the old pharts told me "would not work" in those woods! A "bolt action" Ruger 77 in .280 Remington. I had put 1" mounts on my .22 the summer before to get used to a scope in the woods. I was 24, my first scope, Montgomery Wards (made by Tasco) I guess the Old Pharts forgot us youngsters shot each others military surplus bolt guns a ton! ha B ut that Archery season (October) I still Bowhunted and shot squirrels, with the scoped .22, Then put the scope on the Ruger in (November-January 3 )rifle season. A 150gr Clkt at 15yds,scope on 3x, made a 12 pt run exactly another 15 steps and fell, 2 " exit hole blood everywhere! I was a happy boy. When I killed a 11 pt at 10 steps with my bow, I was accused of "sticking an arrow into the bullet hole", why? Those Old Pharts said you cant get that close to wild deer! yeah. So there is alot of Life that can either help a young person, stearing them right, or hurt them, stearing them away from the Sport. "We "Old Pharts should help anyone who will let us. Some don't want our advice, that's cool, I deal with that most every Altar Call I give, ha. Happy Thanksgiving Guys! (wrote while sitting here recovering "yet" from another surgery, whoopee!
