Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .243 Winchester

EXACTLY, that is what is great about the internet, one day you can bust somebodys balls for losing a deer when you can track a deer through anything, then the next day admit you could not track your own deer. Since he was not found who knows, maybe he only went 250'? I had a real hard time tracking my sons bull this year with no blood, with no blood and the right ground conditions it can be almost impossible to track an animal, I don't care how good you THINK you are.

If you don't find a blood trail, and you hit the animal...keep looking 'til you find the animal. Strip and grid search, concentric circles, whatever it takes. It ain't gonna be pleasant or easy, but you owe it to the animal to recover it. I know it's easer to type this than to do it, but it's what should be done. Sometimes you still may not find 'em, but I think a lot of folks give up too soon. I have no idea how long or hard the gentleman who's catching flak spent looking, so I'm not going to pass any judgement. My opinion is it ain't the caliber that lost the deer in this case, though, as it was dead within 100 yards.

Harder doesn't mean impossible.

Agree, but would add check even if unsure of a hit. On the bull I mentioned above he had no reaction to being hit and we did not find any blood for a long ways.

Not everyone, most especially some of our forums members in GA. Finding a deer within 300 feet is far from legendary--though you're closer to the call than you'd expect. It's something I have/will again entrust to a couple of seven year old boys; accepting nothing less than success on their part. To suggest this is difficult or legendary is priceless. Keep 'em coming.

MarkinGA said he lost two deer shot with a .243 with one traveling 45-50 yards the other 100. He found them later with the help of vultures and such. He stated this as a fact. My rub with him is that not finding these deer reflect on his woodsmanship to such a degree as to entirely discount his opinion on any and all points contributing to hunting. Some guys can't hunt, some can't shoot, some can't read and others cannot do any of these things. Finding a deer in 300 feet is not an Olympic event. How many boobs are going to defend this kind of incompetence? How many are going to listen to his expertise? I will say that those agree that in some places you can't recover a deer that succumbs to death within 300 feet are proving their own prowess...

What's with all this "tracking" talk? You guys using bullets or arrows?

I've read that the .243 'burns barrels' faster than many other cartridges. Not sure why, or the extent to which that is true, however, I did find it a bit off putting.

And where in my post did I defend him/it? You are correct, some can not read.

Original topic seems to have gotten lost. Here is what he was asking.

270

What does your statement "one day you can bust somebodys balls for losing a deer when you can track a deer through anything" mean? Losing a deer in 300 feet only comes from an idiot, an incompetent idiot at that. No ball busting, just reiterating the obvious to any and all in the know. There are too few "in the know"...

In that case, again I say Kimber Classic or Win Featherweight.

I didn't say he was a poor hunter. but if you can't find a deer after 50 yards then another after 100.... He dug his own hole.

When you think about it, how fast can a human run 100 yds? 10-11 seconds? I'd say a deer will cover that in 1/2 the time.

Running 'dead' for 4-5 seconds is about it....assuming they are properly ventilated

Now if your good enough and have the shot, and not long range, a neck/shoulder juncture shot is a great one, any caliber, and drilling both shoulders w/a copper bullet i.e. Barnes, will not leave one worrying about eating lead. Just a thought.

I know George of GA Precision shoots the 243 in his match tactical guns.

His opinion matters to me.

Oh,

and anyone wanting to sell your 243 Montana because the 243 sux and the Montanas are all "junk" PM me with your needs. I think I can help.

Actually for the sake of accuracy, my post said one made it 75-80 yards and the other around 100. When the shots were fired they were around 50 yds away.


Mark in GA

Thanks for the clarification. I misquoted you in one of my posts on the actual distances.

10-4.

Wow, those pics are fantastic, especially the moose! I have a dream of a retirement hunting cabin. Maybe I'll think about MN or Maine. Is Maine warmer?;-)