What is medium game?

[SwordRapier]

Everyone seems to know so no one bothers to explain; so, I ask what exactly is medium game as opposed to heavy game?

Basically cartridge manufacturers rate the cartridges as being capable of taking "Medium" or "heavy game". Is a mule dear Medium or is it heavy. How can you tell.

I specifically avoided telling you what caliber I'm talking about, I don't want to talk about caliber I would like to talk about animals. Is a mule deer medium? is an Elk Medium? Is a moose medium (I doubt that one) I just want to know where you draw the line.

 

[WardenWolf]

I'd classify mule dear as heavy, personally. It's definitely warranting a good rifle round. There's a huge range of "heavy" game, though. It's the whole upper gamut of wildlife. Whitetails are medium. They can be taken down with a .223. Not saying it's a good idea, but they can be. So I'd say mule dear is probably about the bottom of the "heavy" game class. Up from there you have elk, moose, and anything else in between or above.

 

[Picher]

I did a Google Search on medium game and this is what came up:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/first_big_game_rifle.htm

Basically, it says that medium game is generally non-dangerous, including deer-like animals weighing up to 350 lbs.

I won't make the cartridge connection, but would feel comfortable hunting most animals up to 250 lbs with some short-action calibers over .240", but more comfortable with something like the .270 Win or greater if ranges encountered might be over 200 yards.

Shot placement is always more important than caliber and to a great extent...energy. The smaller and less powerful cartridge, the greater the need for restraint in shooting and accurate placement, due to the realistically smaller kill zones and better shot angles necessary for quick kills.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

My opinion, anything larger than a coyote but smaller than an elk.

 

[WardenWolf]

Wikipedia indicates mule deer bucks can occasionally get up to 500 pounds, although they average 150-300. So yes, that'd be in the realm of heavy game by that definition. You always want more gun than you think you'll need, just for that kind of situation. Though you, of course, don't want to go too overkill or there won't be much left to eat.

 

[BikerRN]

Medium Game is that which is cooked fully on the outside yet still moist and tender on the inside with pinkness still showing and a modest amount of juices.

Biker

 

[brnmuenchow]

Elk can get pretty big to, however I would classify White-tailed on up to elk size game as medium.

 

[Offfhand]

Ask experienced North American hunters and African hunters this question and you will get entirely different answers. Both however will be correct.

 

[45Fan]

It sounds more like a classification inside of the big game category. Medium size game lending to the thought that it doesnt take heavy magnums or special bullets to put them down. Heavy game would seem to be the requirement for exceptional bullet penetration to reach the vitals and put the animal down. You could eaven go one further and throw deangerous game into the mix, ie, the things that will try to eat you if you dont put it down fast.

 

[WardenWolf]

Well, it's also reasonable to look like at it like this: would it be appropriate for a .223 or a .30-30 (or 7.62x39, for that matter)? If so, it's still in the small to medium game category. If not, and it's something you'll want a full rifle round for, it's heavy.

Note that "big game" is a term that really has no bearing on size. It's more of a legal term. All it actually denotes, in practice, is an animal that requires a tag, stamp, or permit for on top of your basic hunting license. It's simply a regulated animal. In Arizona, "big game" includes javelina (40-pound piglike animals) and turkey, in addition to the more traditional big game species.

 

[brnmuenchow]

I have alway's claimed that if it takes more than the traditional .30-06Spfld. your in big game territory! ex.--If I see a bear coming at me and I'm wishing instead of having a .30-06 I had a .300Win.Mag.(It's just that little bit of extra mental comfort.)
And yes, I know the .30-06 can take some big game, it is just a personal comfort thing.

 

[Tirod]

Do we really need to take more gun than we need? I hear this one repeated everywhere, and yet if someone is hunting smaller game and much larger stuff ambles by, the ethics police will always appear in doublebold point.

Using a smaller caliber means not exceeding the capability of it and you in combination in the field. Do you take a .458 to hunt rabbit because we might need more gun? No, it's really a matter of just backing off and not taking the shot. The decision was made at the same time the caliber was chosen, X.XX has an effective amount of force for a range of game from smaller to larger, good shooters know their limits and stay in them.

Taking more gun than you need means humping the extra weight, ammo, and expense when it's more likely it won't be necessary. It's choosing a 15% solution for the 85% of shooting you had planned to do.

How much more gun do you need to take? Where's the limit? Easy to say, Well, duh, use common sense, that's my point. Why take the extra when it's NOT likely you will need it? I took more gun than I needed for 30 years, all it did was wear me out quicker, beat me with higher recoil, interrupt a followup shot, and cost me more for the firearm and ammo.

Choose your tool carefully, Take more gun than you need is like putting up trim with a framing hammer, or commuting to work in a 3/4 ton dually diesel. No thanks.

In figuring out which caliber to use, don't fall into the trap of thinking that one chosen by the military to incapacitate and stop a fighting response is adequate to stop a game animal in the same weight. We're trying to do something else, minimize suffering and the ability to flee and be unrecoverable. It takes enough gun to do that, but more than you need?

10ga on quail? .308 on rabbit? No, just take enough gun, that's all you need.

 

[brnmuenchow]

It is also relative to the area you are in as well. Here in Texas if I am hunting whitetail deer I take my .270Win.(only). There isn't anything in central Texas that really requires more. However if I am in big game country I would most likley take a pistol like a .44Mag. as a back-up just in case that way i'm not forced into shooting a deer with a .375H&Hmag., it is a common sense thing certainly.

 

[Art Eatman]

The legal terminology for "big game" generally is for deer and larger critters. Small game means bunny rabbits and suchlike. Some states put varmints into a game category; some don't.

But Texas includes javelina in its regulations for "big game", and a javelina will rarely break 40 pounds on the hoof. Go figure...

If you're talking size, I'd generally call deer as "medium". Even a 300-pound mulie is a good bit smaller than an elk or a moose. Black bear, mostly, are more medium than heavy, from what I read about the average weights of those killed.

 

[FLAvalanche]

Medium game?

I would consider that javelina, bobcat, coyotes, small hogs, most Florida swamp area whitetails, maybe even panther/mountain lion.

 

[SwordRapier]

Medium Game is that which is cooked fully on the outside yet still moist and tender on the inside with pinkness still showing and a modest amount of juices.

Biker

I must say this is my favorite answer. Thanks for the opinions.