Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Deer of a lifetime- which gun/load?

I am just now reading this thread and this IS WHAT I WAS GOING TO POST.

If I don't have confidence in a rifle/cartridge for where I'm hunting---I will NOT carry it. I have morin one capable of whatever - wherever I'm hunting.

From 6mm Rem, 270 W, 06, 7 RM, 300 WM, & 8 RM wherever is covered.

Mauser - I'm not being smart but there are more than one that qualify as bucks of a lifetime.

Just because I (might) kill a 180 class--I'M NOT quiting.

My two biggest have been with my least favorite weapon--primitive season muzzleloader.

If it had to be for any deer anywhere at any time--my 30-06 with 130 TTSX pushed as fast as feasible. I like what it does for penetration, and it leaves a big enough hole that lung shots are no problem.

For my home turf, my 243 has been getting it done just fine with most any bullet of 80 grains and up. Since I shoot it more accurately, it probably would actually be my best bet.

KMM and Scott:

Great Bucks guys congrats.


A .308W in my hands would please me as far as the original question. 150gr NBT.

Vanguard 30-06 loaded with Hornady interlocks.

MH: They don't all have to be monsters to be fun... so you keep hunting and shooting bucks and let the Big One's just fall into place.

My personal philosophy on killing big deer is ...don't dawdle,kill based on frame,and shoot a lot of them.

I can kill a huge one, I"ll mount it to pay it respect, but I always shoot does and culls since we love the meat.

In fact not counting culls and does, i often go years between shooting a buck, and its becoming harder and harder now too, since I typically try to shoot only 6.5 year old bucks and larger than the last.

At some point I"m sure I'll never kill a mature buck again in my life. Might be closer than I think.

But does and culls...every year since I eat...

It just so happens that the biggest whitetail that I ever killed was taken with a .30-06 and a 150-grain Partition, because that was the only big game rifle I had back then. The biggest mule deer was taken with a .243 Winchester and a 95-grain Ballistic Tip, because that was about all the recoil that I could stand at the time (broken hand). Like Bob, I just try to shoot the best one that I think that I am likely to see each year.

I've never been of the opinion, and this is OT, that I have to shoot the best deer I see each year. Contrary I assume I"ll shoot a mature buck about once every 5 years.

But then I have the extra bonus of does and culls for the meat.

But if I didn't, I"d probably shoot the youngest/smallest buck I could each year assuming I didn't see the "one"

Jeff I have been on hunts where I went hardcore and passed everything....this creates a big dilemma because I love the meat!

Nobody has mentioned my gun/load yet! My Beretta 390 with a rifled barrel and 2 3/4" Federal Premium Barnes Expander Slugs.

To answer the questions, just because you shoot what you may consider the buck of a lifetime, doesnt mean that you dont enjoy shooting other ones, small or large. I would really enjoy shooting a huge buck, that doesnt mean I dont enjoy shooting large bucks, or does or whatever. If the folks that are meat hunters can enjoy shooting all deer, so can the folks that enjoy shooting mature bucks. Also, the "Deer of a Lifetime" isnt always measured by inches. My current DOAL isnt the biggest I have shot, but was a really fun deer to shoot that was pretty big.

I believe DOAL is defined only by ourselves.

Hmmm...

I've killed two huge bodied deer. I have looked at one through the scope at about fifty yards that was smaller but had much bigger horns. I doubt I will ever shoot another "big" deer, whether it's a huge body or big horns. I like eating young deer too much. I won't even shoot a doe old enough to have twins anymore. It's a yearling doe, a two year old with a single fawn or a fawn for my table. I am fortunate enough to be able to pick and choose, and I have looked at deer for more than an hour before I decided they'd be good eating.

I shot a 200lb+ doe this year with a .223 and a couple weeks later I shot the biggest fawn I ever killed with the same .223 rifle but a different load.

I think I'd be as happy with whatever rifle I was carrying as I would given my choice of what's in the safe when a buck with big enough horns to tempt me into shooting one more big one showed up. Whatever I shoot is always enough to kill a deer at the maximum range I might have to shoot. I don't believe that bigger deer need more killing to be dead. I only shoot Barnes bullets at deer, so penetration at whatever angle I might need is not a question for me.

A 7-08 with 120 ttsx and varget took my best 198 7/8"

Bob thats what spikes, culls and does are for. I was always amazed while guiding, that folks thumbed their noses at them...

Well my chance came last season on what I suspect will be my deer of a lifetime. I got him on a after work 1 hr. quickie hunt. I had grabbed my 308 Stevens 200 equipped with a Nikon 4x UCC scope. Worked like a charm, one 150gr PowerPoint thru the boiler room and I had my deer of a lifetime.

Holy mackerel what a hog!!

beautiful buck,what a hog !!! ,what did he weigh ?

I'm certainly not a trophy hunter and shoot a lot of does and occasionally a small buck to eat. With that said, I do like looking for a nice buck. I was fortunate to kill the biggest buck I have ever seen this fall. Lots of people have told me I will never kill a bigger one. That would be fine, but I just can't bring myself to call it the "buck of a lifetime." I told one friend that it may be but the beautiful thing about deer hunting is that I don't have to retire. I'll just start looking for the next one.

However, this was about what I would shoot . . . as many have said, I'd be happy with whatever I had in my hands. For the buck I killed this year, however, I used a Ruger 77 in .30/06 with a Leupold 2.5-8x scope. I was shooting 150 grain Barnes TTSX ammo. That was my go to rifle for many years because it was all I had. I thought it was fitting I got my nicest buck with it. I suppose if I knew I was going to be presented with a shot at another big one I would probably take the same rifle simply because I have so much confidence in it.

Good God what a BEAST!

My biggest Buck. 270 Win. 58gr.H4831sc 140 gr. Accubond, 110 yds, never knew what hit him.