Never said it couldn't be done. Hell the biggest deer I've killed was taken with a singe .243 round to the neck. 10 points and well over 250lbs. The 8 point was shot head on @ 80 yards with a 95grn Winchester ballistic silvertip. I was prone and using a bipod, to make sure I was still zero'd I touched off a round at a "T" fence post and drilled it dead center at the same range from the same position. I even put one through the boiler room after he kicked and turned, no dice.

.223 for deer is just plain stupid IMNSHO Generally speaking .243 is the smallest round you can use for deer in most states.

 

I hunt with a 30 06 Browning BAR. I am a firm believer in the 30 06. All I was saying if you are hunting in brush then the 223 is not a bad choice. I'm not talking about a 22. either. There is a HUGE difference between rim fire vs. centre fire. If any one hunts deer with a 22. your an idiot period.

The 243 is the perfect brush gun along with the 30 30.

 

A good ole .30 .30 with the new hornady ammo will do the trick every time. Its a true and tested rifle and if you want a lever action you will love this one.
It will drop a deer at 200 yards no problem and be dead on using the neew ammo, check it out..

 

I wasnt knocking you dude I agree 100% with everything you said. I was just saying its not often a deer takes one in the neck and dosent go down.

 

I am currently using a Savage 7mm. I love the power and shooting a 165 grain Nosler Ballistic tip I have never had a deer take a single step after shooting it. Not saying I am perfect, but with the Rem Mag and the weight of the bullet, it puts quite a bit of thump into whatever you shoot. a 30.06 is a good rifle for deer hunting as well.

 

I was as surprised as anyone. I wasn't knocking you either, but I am not big on hunting the bambi's with a .243 anymore. I also lost a doe to the same gun and load. I know I hit her, had witnesses, never found a drop of blood. I could go with a different bullet, but I subscribe to the bigger is better theory.

 

Yea I usually shoot my .308 with the 150 grain silver ballistic tips. I still use the .243 in a couple of tree stands where you cant shoot over about 60- yards though.

 

308 or 30-06 you can't go wrong! Although there are more cartridges to choose from with the 30-06. 100 grain to 220 grain.

 

I kilt a bare with my Leatherman which was no easy feet.

The Leatherman wouldn't be my first choice but, you got to use what's available and in my situation it was either that or a tennis racket.

 

Oh ya! The tennis racket! The hunters best friend.

 

How wussy of you. A hard core Yorktown(ian) [area] would have chosen the tennis racket and whoop some bare azz.

 

Just to clarify... The 25-06 (which I'm leaning towards) is plenty enough gun for taking deer. Although I too subsribe to the bigger is better theory, hence my 300 WSM with handload 150 grain ballistic silvertips. Here in ND we have some of the biggest bodied deer in the US. When I go buck hunting this will be the weapon I take. I have no desire to track a 300 lb mule deer through the badlands, much less attempt to bring it back to a road or my vehicle.

Thanks to the lottery system I only have a doe tag. It will take me longer to drive out to my hunting area (30 min) than it will to fill my tag. There is just that many deer. I'm doing my part to control the population and also to fill my freezer. Since the 300 will blow a hole the size of a softball through a 150-200 pound doe, I'm choosing to use a smaller caliber. Additionally, 25-06 will be a good coyote and antelope gun as well.

 

Most states that I've hunted in state that for deer a 22 caliber center fire or larger is required, i.e. .223, .220 swift, 22-250, .222 remington, .222 remington mag, .225 winchester, and the list goes on and on. While I wouln't recommend using any of these rounds unless you are an excellent shot and confident that you will make a good hit, they are all more than adequate to kill a deer.

One of the best shots I know uses a 22-250 for shooting does, and he's killed more deer than anybody I know of.

 

Yes a .22 will drop a deer no problem...

Legally here it has to be a center fire of any kind, anything other than a rim fire or air powered.

.22 LR and .177 = Illegal
.22 Mag and up = legal
12 ga, 16 ga, 20 ga, .410 ga w/ slugs smooth or rifled = legal

I know many deer has been taken and tagged with .22 mag.

I also know of many deer that has been taken with a .22 LR.......

 

What type of .22 Mag are you using? A .22 Mag is a rimfire.

Joe