Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Opening Day: What caliber, What bullet, Why?

So I’m pondering and frankly curious about what others consider their go-to or most confidence inspiring combo (Caliber & Bullet) for deer hunting Mule, Whitetail, Blacktail, Coues etc) no Elk. No Moose, No predators.

Obviously we don’t all hunt the same but that doesn’t matter in this case - it’s personal. Chips are down, opening day in in 8 hours you have 2 spots picked out, who cares what your buddies say, what are you carrying?

Where do you hunt & Why?

What combo(s) are you 110% confident will do the job on your deer this year?

* Admittedly cabin fever has reached its max with a topic like this but warmer weather is on the way and hopefully sanity will follow.

Pints

308win 165gr federal fusion. It shoots nice groups on paper and kills wt deer pretty dead

Tikka t3 7mm mag, Berger 168 vlds

Ruger 77 Varmint 6mm Rem. w/ handloaded 90 gr. Accubonds

Weatherby Vanguard Accuguard in .257wby. 100TTSX. Super accurate and deer dont run.

Opening say of gun season is doe days and a lot of people in the woods. i have a couple of thickets I get in and 50 yards is a long shot. most people don't like thickets where I hunt so i'm alone. I will probably use one of my Marlin's with peep and post this season. I will be using 200 gr. Sierra round nose in 35 cal.

Whitetails for me here in GA, I use a 338 Fed with Hornady 200gr SPs. If I am going west for mulies or elk, then it is either that gun or a 7mm-08 with 139gr Hornady IBs.

7X57 with 140 grain Partitions and a 257 Rob.IMP.40 degree with a 100 grain Partition as a back up.

They have worked for years but sometimes i take the 45-70 and 41 mag.

270 pump and a 140 of any flavor.

30-30, 150g silver tips. in a 1926 savage 99 takedown. because it works.

Sako A7 300wsm 165 gr Grand slams 66 gr IMR 4350
Works great for pronghorn to bison.

Going Remington 81 in 300 Savage with 150g Core Lokt this year.

The new to me 6.5-300 Weatherby will be the WA opening day deer rifle for me loaded with a 127 gr TTSX factory load. For my Colorado hunt, the .300 Weatherby Mark V will be the opening day elk and deer rifle. After an elk is down, the 6.5-300 or 7x57 might finish the hunt. But things can change.....

35 whelen. 180ttsx

Winchester M70 fwt, .280 Rem, 150gr federal power point.

Because it makes tiny groups and big holes and dead deer.

If I go to my honey hole I may get shots out to 450 yards. I have shot deer at 403 yards so far there.
I trust several of my rifles out there. Remington 700 sps in 270 wsm loaded with 150 grain Nosler Bt's, 140 grain BT's or 130 grain Partitions.
Rifle 2 is my Savage Tactical in 6mm Creedmoor with 103 grain ELDx bullets. It is proven to 380 in that same spot.
Custom build .257 AI with 115 grain Partitions. I got the 403 yard one shot kill there with this rifle.
If I go to the mountains first day I will be in thick stuff. I will take the Ruger 77M Compact in .308 with 150 grain BT's.
I will probably take the 30-30 with open sights and 170 grain Winchester FP for if I have to drive.

Remington 700 30-06 and a 180 grain SST

My 257 wby. 100 TTSX.

284 145 Speer btsp

For Alabama whitetails a 700 xcr2 ,270 win ,Mcmillan edge stock ,VX3 3.5-10x40 in Warne bases and rings ,Timney trigger ,Remington corelokt 130 gn. Rifle fits me nice and it shoots good. Kills everything I hit. My ranges are 100-220 yards most under 150. Back up rifle is a MCR X2 7mm08 with an older swaro 2.5-10x42 in Talley LWs shoots Federal BT 140gn into tiny groups nice rifle but a touch heavy for my taste and stock is a bit thick in the forend for my hands like it but dont love it but it works. On a side note I carried a backup to camp since 1986 and laughed at myself a few years ago as I never used my backup but this year I dropped my 700 scope first onto the rocks and didnt have time to shoot it before the next day so it was great to just grab the backup and use it with confidence. Turns out I didnt really need it the 700 was still zero’d after the drop on the rocks.

For Ohio I will use my Marlin 444 with a Vx3 1.5-4x20 unless I can find a 350 Legend rifle to suit me. If I do I will likely mount a VX3i 2.5-8 I got collecting dust on the shelf. .444 is a fun rifle to shoot but Im not keen on lever guns and would prefer a bolt. Works pretty good on them deer.