Deer Hunting in Missouri?

[Deanimator]

Barring unforeseen circumstances, I will be going to Missouri in November to hunt deer on a friend's parents' farm.

I've done a LOT of rifle shooting, but NO hunting apart from North Koreans in the DMS.

I will be taking two rifles with me, both heavy barreled Savages. One is a Savage 10FP in .308, the other a Savage 112BVSS in .30-06. They both have Savage laminated varmint stocks and Bausch & Lomb 6-24 Elite 6300(?) scopes. The 10FP has a Sharp Shooter target trigger. The 112BVSS has a Canjar single-set trigger. I have bipods and slings for both guns.

Since I do nothing but long range target shooting with these guns, I have no clue as to what a good commercial hunting load for the sort of deer one finds in the general vicinity of Pacific, Mo.

I've got twenty rounds of Samson 180gr. softpoint .30-06 for the 112BVSS. I traded a friend tweny rounds of American Eagle 150gr. FMJ to save him from bending the op-rod of his Garand with the Samson.

I don't have any hunting .308 for the 10FP.

What would be good commercial hunting loads in both of these calibers for typical Missouri deer at typical ranges?

I'm a better than average shot at 600 yards with target handloads on the NRA bullseye. I'm relatively recoil insensitive, favoring the 200gr. Sierra BTHP for the .30-06.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[HuntAndFish]

For .308 or 30-06, a soft point boat tail bullet with 140 to 165 grains is plenty for deer in MO. I have been using the Federal Premium "Vital-Shok" ammo with good results. Somewhat pricey though.

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

Any 150, 165 or 180 softpoint from Win, fed, rem etc... will do fine on Missouri whitetails. I personally prefer the 150 grain bullet.

 

[oneeyesnipe]

Pacific Missouri there are lots of deer that is close to Times Beach and the meramac river lots of dog size deer good luck go up to northern missouri for real big deer.

 

[Bartkowski]

For the 30-06 any soft pointed bullet that shoots accuratly out of your gun over 150gr will be fine, but if 180gr bullets shoot well out of your gun you may as well use them. Only because I have seen more deer drop with 180gr bullets than I have with lesser weights.

 

[Deanimator]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I will probably go with the 180gr. for the .30-06, even if I don't use the Samsons.

Does anybody have a particular load to recommend for the .308?

Thanks.

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

Winchester 150 grain power points work great in the .308 winchester.

 

[Deanimator]

Winchester 150 grain power points work great in the .308 winchester.

Thanks.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Do you reload by chance? If so, Sierra Gameking 165gr bullets over 57.0gr of IMR 4350 shoots super out of my Savage. I downed 2 big does in Fulton, Missouri last year and they both died where they stood 100yds away from me.

If you don't reload, give Remington 165gr Core-lokt a go. They should serve you well.

Enjoy the hunt.