.22mag for big game?
- Thread starter T-Walk
- Start date
AFAIK, 'Skimo's pump a magazine-full of LR's into whatever, then follow it until it drops - not exactly sporting, and why most states (not all) bar RF's from big game hunting.
That said, I've been immediately present when a hunting pard dropped a whitetail doe that pass by while we were sitting in a squill grove, with a .22LR.
He gave her a serious earache, the ONLY way I can recommend ANY rimfire cartridge be used against larger game.
(BTW - The deer was taken legally, since both small game & deer seasons were "open", and he being smarter than me had a deer tag on his person.)
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That said, I've been immediately present when a hunting pard dropped a whitetail doe that pass by while we were sitting in a squill grove, with a .22LR.
He gave her a serious earache, the ONLY way I can recommend ANY rimfire cartridge be used against larger game.
(BTW - The deer was taken legally, since both small game & deer seasons were "open", and he being smarter than me had a deer tag on his person.)
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I would hunt with most 22 CF cartridges, but draw the line with the 22 RF's. I know they are used quite often by poachers who shoot at night and want a quieter gun. If I were in a survival situation and had to take game to survive, then I'd do what had to do. But I cannot think of a situation where I'd use one by choice.
Edward429451
Moderator
I've heard from a man I trust not to be lieing that a 22 mag will drop an elk right now with a head shot. We're talking DRT. The man is an exceptional shot and knows the anatomy well. He did say 20 yds max so good luck with that.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
When it comes to fair-chase killing, I figure that ethics and "Oops!" don't go well together. With the pipsqueaks, "Oops!" is too easily come by.
tahunua001
New member
many states outlaw rimfire ammo for hunting. some have the good sense to simply outlaw rimfire but many take it a step farther and outlaw anything under 23 caliber. in states like montana that still allow everything under the sun 22LR and 22mag are quite popular. one of the first gray wolves legally harvested in montana after they were removed from the protected species list was taken with a 22. if you ever watch the show swamp people, they regularly use 22mag and 22lr to kill alligators but that is point blank base of the skull shots.
you need to check the game laws in your state before using one but I would say that assuming you have a fair level of competence with a rifle and know your limits and know your weapons limits there should no reason why you couldn't kill a deer with a 22mag.
you need to check the game laws in your state before using one but I would say that assuming you have a fair level of competence with a rifle and know your limits and know your weapons limits there should no reason why you couldn't kill a deer with a 22mag.
Double Naught Spy
New member
You can kill most big game with a typical kitchen icepick, not that you would want to, but you can and it can be done with a singular puncture.
As a general rule of thumb consideration, the bigger the animal, the fewer the areas you can shoot it and expect it to be humanely killed or killed while you stalk it unless you have a lot of time, maybe several days. The San or !Kung bushmen will stick a giraffe with a fairly small pointed spear tipped it in poison and then trail the giraffe for several days waiting for it to die. Some people have a lot of time. The Inuit have been documented shooting a polar bear with a bow and arrow (early 1900s) and tracking the wounded animal until it died which could take several days. So that they might do that with a .22 lr or .22 mag does not surprise me, but most would rather have larger, better gear, but that is quite expensive.
If not a CNS shot, I would not want to track the game over a long distance and period of time. Art indicated there being some ethics issues an as most of us aren't subsistence hunters, the idea of a quick kill is much preferred.
It certainly can and has been done all over the world. Current in several southern states, the taking of aligator with .22 lr is legal and guys will take 1200 gaters that way. It is big game, but the preferred shot is a brain shot at very close range.
Various poachers will take big game with .22s. They aren't concerned with a wounded animal running away. If the animal drops, then they have gotten their illegal animal without much noise.
As a general rule of thumb consideration, the bigger the animal, the fewer the areas you can shoot it and expect it to be humanely killed or killed while you stalk it unless you have a lot of time, maybe several days. The San or !Kung bushmen will stick a giraffe with a fairly small pointed spear tipped it in poison and then trail the giraffe for several days waiting for it to die. Some people have a lot of time. The Inuit have been documented shooting a polar bear with a bow and arrow (early 1900s) and tracking the wounded animal until it died which could take several days. So that they might do that with a .22 lr or .22 mag does not surprise me, but most would rather have larger, better gear, but that is quite expensive.
If not a CNS shot, I would not want to track the game over a long distance and period of time. Art indicated there being some ethics issues an as most of us aren't subsistence hunters, the idea of a quick kill is much preferred.
It certainly can and has been done all over the world. Current in several southern states, the taking of aligator with .22 lr is legal and guys will take 1200 gaters that way. It is big game, but the preferred shot is a brain shot at very close range.
Various poachers will take big game with .22s. They aren't concerned with a wounded animal running away. If the animal drops, then they have gotten their illegal animal without much noise.
Kreyzhorse
New member
Yes, but was using a rim fire legal? It isn't legal to hunt deer with in Kentucky.
With the right shot, a .22 can drop any thing but you don't have a huge margin of error using rim fire.
Jack O'Conner
New member
I've killed several coyotes with my 22MAG and chest shots. Distances 50-75 yards.
Jack
Jack
phil mcwilliam
New member
I was over in Zimbabwe last year & was told of an elephant ivory poacher that had just been arrested. This particular poacher used a .22lr & would walk up close to an elephant & shoot it between the ribs, into the lungs, then wait some hours for the elephant to die & then remove the ivory. A .22 was used because it was quiet.
An ethical sporting shooter should always try to kill an animal humanely & quickly preferable with one shot & for this task the .22lr or .22mag are unsuitable for big game.
An ethical sporting shooter should always try to kill an animal humanely & quickly preferable with one shot & for this task the .22lr or .22mag are unsuitable for big game.
I know a guy who did it regularly here in MT back in the 70s & 80s. He had an accurate, scoped rifle, and never shot over 100 yards or so. He wasn't afraid to hang his "either sex" A-tag on a doe (but big bucks were killed as well), and he took what he could get. He took a few heart shots, but they were so-so for effectiveness. Even he later went to a .22-250.
Note: I am not endorsing the practice, just relaying the facts.
Note: I am not endorsing the practice, just relaying the facts.
Eskimos don't even need that big a gun to kill their game. When I was a kid up in Nome Alaska, one of our eskimo friends used one of our pellet guns loaded with several pellets and BB's like a mini shotgun to shoot a goose in flight. 
.22 magnum for big game, not a consideration for an ethical kill in most folks hands.
.22 magnum for big game, not a consideration for an ethical kill in most folks hands.