bullet

[Thomas]

Whats your favorite round for deer? I have a 30-06, but I'm thinking of getting another rifle? I need the deer to drop quickly as I'm color blind red/green - can't see blood vs leaves.

[kpj5br]

When you say round I'm thinking the specific load.

I like Winchester Fail Safe in 140 grain .270 caliber.

[Mark Christianson]

A different cartridge isn't going to necessarily drop deer quicker.
A 30-06 has plenty of punch to drop em.
Its all about placement.

If you are worried about dropping deer in their tracks, do what sharpshooters do.
Sharpshooters aim right at the base of the skull/neck to dispatch deer quickly.
Its obviously not a long range type of shot, but if you are worried about tracking your deer, that method drops them in their tracks.

[PerchJerker]

I hunt with a .30-06 and I think it's as good a caliber as you'll find for Minnesota deer. There's lots of other good choices too, but you're splitting hairs and they should all have one thing in common: 1 shot = 1 dead deer.

For a long time my favorite deer bullet was a 150 grain Winchester Premium Ballistic Tips. They fly great out of my gun, and most of the deer I've shot with this bullet have gone less than 30 yards. Some have gone significantly less than 30 yards.

But a year or two ago I switched away from the ballistic tip bullets, and now I use Federal Boattail Soft Points in 165 grains. They also fly good out of my gun, and personally I like the heavier, more solid bullet with better weight retention. It probably won't give me as many super-quick, super-impressive, drop-them-in-their-tracks kills I've gotten on deer with ballistic tips, but I think it's a more solid, more reliable bullet -- in other words, it gives me more margin for error for when I don't make a perfect heart/lung shot.

If you think you'll only make perfect heart or lungs shots, a ballistic tip bullet is a good bet to limit your tracking. But overall I think soft tip expanding style bullets are better bets in case you hit one in the shoulder or something like that. More tracking, but less chance of a lost/wounded deer.

The most important thing, regardless of caliber or bullet, is to practice your shooting. And not just off the bench at the range, but in a hunting situation where you don't have a perfect rest at the perfect height. The next most important thing is to wait for the perfect heart/lung shot, so you put the deer down quickly.

Good luck, I hope this helps.

[Gissert]

Once I started hunting elk, I moved from a -06 semi auto to a .338 win mag bolt.

I liked the rifle so much, that I use it on whitetails also.

I shoot handloads, with 210 grain Barnes X-Bullets.

My wife shoots the same bullet, except in a .338/06, which is simply a 30-06 case necked open to .338.

We have recovered two bullets from deer. Both still weighed 210 grains, but are opened with four perfect petals to about 50 caliber. One of these bullets went through both shoulder blades, yet still stayed together. Both of thes bullets looks just like the ones you see in magazine ads.

I know that the .338 is way overkill for deer, but I have great confidence in the rifle to put the bullet where I want, and there in no more damage to meat than with my old -06.

[WaveWacker]

Your 06 has more then enough ooommff to drop a deer in it's tracks. I personally shoot a .308 with Federal Premium 165gr bullets and can honestly say that 75% of deer that I shot either drop in their tracks or at least drop within seeing distance. This is given that the majority of my shots are taken in wooded areas (not much field hunting) with 100yds being about the max. shot length.

My uncle shoots a 06 with a 180gr bullet and drops them as well. I guess when I want to put the deer down and don't care about wasting some "shoulder meat" (i.e. nice sized bucks), I'll aim right in the middle of the shoulder. On does where I may not care if I do miss I've taken them in the neck or where the neck meets the shoulder. I've had numerous ones that go down like they instantly had their legs cut off at the knees.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

Shot placement is more important. If you want them to fold go for neck or shoulder. I usually go for lung with my 06 and they run a little ways. Not a big deal on private land. I butcher my own deer so I try to avoid hitting main meat sections.

[Guest]

I like the 130gr sierra boat tail in 270win. I have shot 4 deer behind the shoulder and haven't found a heart in one of them. It just turns to jelly and gos out the other side. It's not good for the meat but the deer does't go far. It puts a hole around 6" in diameter 6" deep in the chest cavity. Like I said thou you lose most of the front end of the deer.

I too am R/G color blind.

[weekendjunkie]

fedrals nosler partition 165 grain will put them down in a hurry. havent seen one walk, crawl, or run away yet that has been smacked by this round

[Thomas]

Thanks for the reply so far, what do people think of:
I'm thinking of getting a WSM.
I wanted to get a smaller gun then 30-06.
I hunt in deep woods (shorter and lighter gun is better), but also occasionally have a 300 yard shot.
I need the deer to drop quickly, because of my color blindness.

I'm thinking of 6.5x55SE, 308 Win, 7mm-08 mag, and 270.

[Swamp Scooter]

Thomas,

Your 30-06 will continue to do the job for you but if you are going for a new gun I would go witht he .308. The 270 does not have very heavy bullet options and goes so fast you may have a problem with expansion if you do not hit a bone.

The .308 will not kick so much and you can use it for a variety of close and long range shooting. Just my .02

I am now shooting the cannon .7mm mag. I like it but you also need to know how to use the gun to get the results you are looking for.

Shot placement is the key.

[Eric Wettschreck]

First off, I am no where near a ballistics expert, and I am totally colorblind so I kind of know where you're coming from.

I absolutely love my Mauser 7.62. For me, it's a good all around gun. I can use it for a longer range shot, but it also whacks through brush and the thick stuff well.

I agree totally with the fellas that say shot placement is the key. Also, get to know your gun. This is especially true if you get a new one. I'm not too bad of a shot with my Mauser, when I grab my friends 06 I'm terrible. And vice versa.

[Mr Special]

I would also go with the 300WSM and the Nosler Partition 165 grain combo. That's one fast moving and hard hitting round. I used a 243Win with a 100 grain Nosler Partition and haven't had any trouble dropping a deer. Again shot placement is the most important.

Good luck this season everyone

[This message has been edited by Mr Special (edited 09-22-2004).]

[Cooter]

If ya ain't gonna shoot much past 100yrds go with the slug or sabot 12 ga and whatch em drop. Its all about the initial shock, which no deer rifle can do like a shotgun if you don't hit major bones.

[orchdork]

I switched from the "06" to 7MMRM when I went from woods to long range ridgetop shooting. I use the 160grain spbt and it definately does the job. I would switch back to the "06" if I moved back into the woods though. That mag is real heavy.

Practice is the key. Buy a bunch of bullets and set some targets out at your stand in the approximate places where you commonly see deer and then shoot the **** out of them. That way when the real thing comes along you will know exactly how your weapon will act. If you miss its your fault.

Stick with the "06" unless you have a specific reason for changing. Good rifle.

------------------
The symphony is on! Orchdork

[Philo]

I agree with Cooter. I hunt in southeastern MN where shotguns are mandatory for deer hunting. Get a rifled slug barrel for your shotgun. They are accurate out to 100+ yards and kill the deer immediately. No tracking needed. Obviously they are not adequate for any type of long range shooting, however.

[Cooter]

Dandy buck you got there, especially impressive out of the bed with a smoke pole!

[Guest]

I just picked up a Browning A-Bolt in 25wssm. I can't wait for Sunday to touch off a few rounds and find zero.

The Rem Model 7 has nothing on this.

If I didn't have to fish Lake Tetonka LETS, I would spend the weekend at the range.

Sweeeet!

[mdeiley]

After looking at photo agin you can actually see the scar on it. It appears the deer must have been down hill facing to the left and the slug went through the shoulder and exited in the pit area missing all vitals. Just a reminder slugs do not drop everything they come in contact with.

[mdeiley]

I took a deer last year from down south that was shot with a shotgun slug. It was hit in the front shoulder. I hunt in very steep terrain and do not know if the shooter was shooting up or down. but this deer would have made it through the winter. The bone was messed up but healed was all. Nothing more then a scab on his shoulder was the only sign of a wound. Placemnet looked very good. I did not see the deer walk as I shot him bed down with my muzzleloader. Here he is...

[bigbucks]

Slugs kill a lot of deer & I've shot 30 or so with them, but they definitely do not drop them all even with a perfect hit. I'd say the majority of deer I've shot with a slug have kept going or half anyway. Especially if you shoot them running, unless you hit spine, head, or neck, they often don't break stride.

I've seen a few get gut shot that had to be shot again 2 miles later. They weren't deer I'd shot, but either way, it's not a hammer by any means, but it makes a dang big hole.