An open space in the brush has always worked well for me.
Caliber/bullet weight just don't matter that much. You hit brush, it will deflect, regardless. You put a decent bullet into the right spot, it still doesn't matter that much... Beyond that, there are so many variables here that there is no good predicting. It's like pissing into the wind and trying to predict the blow-back drops that will hit you.
The closer to the animal that the deflection occurs, the better for you, as the extent of the deflection whatever the situation/caliber/bullet weight will likely be less. Probably. Maybe.
I don't shoot through screening brush with .22's or .338 250 grains, or anything else I might use..
Now, what caliber/bullet weight to thread that hole in the brush- that is a legitimately debatable question...
