Deer Hunting Calibers (And Doing My Part)

[herrwalther]

Yup. Many folks here in SC use AR-15s, and many freezers are being filled with .223/5.56. 20 years ago many people would have lost their heads if someone told them they hunted deer with a .223, in fact many still do.

I am in a weird boat with this. I know the numbers. And know I can take down a deer with 5.56 because I am dead accurate with my ARs. I just don't personally see them as a deer caliber, for me. But I won't stop or dissuade anyone that wants to use it for deer.

 

[ClaymoreAKM]

I am in a weird boat with this. I know the numbers. And know I can take down a deer with 5.56 because I am dead accurate with my ARs. I just don't personally see them as a deer caliber, for me. But I won't stop or dissuade anyone that wants to use it for deer.

I hear you, I use .308 myself. I know I could pick up one of my ARs and fill the freezer, but I'm still using traditional rounds

 

[KsSkaEnthusiast]

Even within the same state/regions a hunter could encounter drastically different conditions that make "X" preferable over "Y" choice. I choose what works for me based on the conditions, which is how I ended up with a rack full of big game rifles. Eastern KS (the mountainous part ), is generally not the same conditions as western KS. Although I can set up on a row crop field and expect to see long shots, just as I can work draws in western KS and jump bedded deer.

I hear ya. Rolling through the flint hills I may have a shot up to about 600 if I so chose to take it but in south central where I do a bit more hunting I’m usually capped out at about half that. That’ll be my determine factor as to where I’m hunting with a .243 I just acquired as opposed to my 270s or 30-06.

 

[md7]

Doing your part means hitting the right spot, with the right caliber, at the right range to maximize the chance of a clean, ethical shot on live game.

Depending on your specific circumstances, any number of calibers would fit the bill.. and alternatively would not fit the bill.

 

[Bcwitt]

I could not

I agree, what's almost always lacking from these threads is the context or conditions for use. Everyone should go through their own METT-C analysis (Army's way of thinking).

Mission: Kill deer (or whatever)
Enemy: Game considerations; size etc.
Terrain and Weather: Conditions for the hunt
Troops available: You could turn this into experience, marksmanship abilities etc.

Time Available: This one would could justify a bigger round as you don't have the days to hunt in pursuit of the perfect shot
Civilian Considerations: I guess could be a good category IF you wanted to work your way into a suppressor, or maybe justifying a shoulder DRT shot so the animal doesn't wander into the neighbors to die.

Even within the same state/regions a hunter could encounter drastically different conditions that make "X" preferable over "Y" choice. I choose what works for me based on the conditions, which is how I ended up with a rack full of big game rifles. Eastern KS (the mountainous part ), is generally not the same conditions as western KS. Although I can set up on a row crop field and expect to see long shots, just as I can work draws in western KS and jump bedded deer.

As I've posted before, big game rifles are sort of like golf clubs, you can get by with one or just a couple, but why would you want to?

I could not have said it better.