What is the minimum rifle you would use?

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A 223 with softpoint ammo will kill any deer in Georgia. I don't use one because where I hunt there is the possibility of bear or hogs. Not my 1st choice either, but I've seen too many dead deer to argue with someone. In other places where deer may be larger I would agree that a 243 is about minimum.
 
Talking about the typical White Tail... I would prefer .243 Win, or larger.

However, I spent a few years in Florida. The Florida Coastal White Tail, native to the panhandle, produced 'big' bucks smaller many dog breeds. Not only was it a legal weapon, but I wouldn't have hesitated to use my .380 Auto to harvest an animal.

In Utah, any centerfire rifle cartridge is legal. You could technically use .10 Squirrel Popper; as long as it was fired from a rifle. (Think of a centerfire .22 Short, necked down to .10 caliber.) Most hunters chose to go with .308, .30-06, .270 Win, or various 7mms; since mule deer can be fairly tough.

Edit: I forgot to add... For the Florida Coastal White Tail, a .243 Win would be too much gun, in my opinion. I would actually prefer the .223 or a slow moving projectile from a larger bore; say, .38 Special, .45 Colt, low power .35 Rem, or .44 Special.
 
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I feel that the .223/5.56 round is adequate in the 200-300 yd. range for OUR deer which tend to be small and shot at much closer ranges.

The 5.65 round was developed to take out a man (about the same size as your average deer) @ 200 yds. during a firefight where accuracy is secondary.

It kinda ticks me off that one of the leases that I hunt just made the.243 a min. when I've killed plenty of deer/hogs with a .22LR.

I guess that you have to take it up for the newbies and morons.
 
Ohio Hunter

Unfortunately we aren't allowed cemterfired rifles in Ohio to hunt deer. We can use a bow, a muzzle loader, center fire or flintlock, and shot gun. I use a Savage Slug Rifle. it shoots 300 gr. Hornady in a shot group at 3/4" at 100 yds. Therefore, I don't even need a rifle. This round puts them down right now! "Cemetary Dead"!
 
Some good answers

Crankylove, I grew up on a cattle ranch. My stepdad/hunter I learned to hunt deer with used a Hornet, and he took many large Blacktails with it 150lbs+ however the most frustrated I have ever seen him is when we lost a large 5 pt. he "lung shot" at 150+ yards, and this is a man who could literally "track a swarm of bees in a snowstorm". Too many times I have seen deer get away from well placed shots with poor bullets. You don't want my opinion on hunting Elk with that rifle at any load. However sitting in a tree stand performing head shots under 100 yards would work. Most hunters don't think of every possible senario before the shot and get caught unprepared, eg. running broadside, 3 at once lined up. I would agree with prior posts that bullet selection is key, I used Nosler partitions and remington bronze points for years. I now use Barnes TTSX 180's and I have one load and one gun I use only for deer and elk. It goes back in the cabinet for the rest of the year. Confidence in the gun and knowing it's limits are to me most important.

So I guess to take a poll,any deer under 100lbs. anything goes..
 
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Years ago in the 1960's, we knew a man who lived in the mountains above Whitewood, South Dakta. He was what you'd call a "violator". That is, he took big game out of season. Dad told us kids that we didn't need to turn him; he'd get himself caught eventually. It was not our business if this older guy violated or not. I'll call him Karl for this post.

Karl hunted whitetails, mulies, and even occasional elk with his 38-40 carbine. How do I know this to be true? We found his empty cases often.

Karl placed his under-powered bullets in the right spot and fed his extended family. Yet 38-40 is a pip squeak on modern ballistic charts. In contrast, young men from the east show up with magnum rifles for antelope. A trophy antelope buck rarely weighs in more than 130 lbs. So it goes.

My 22 magnum rifle will shoot clover leafs at 75 yards. Will it topple a big muley with a brain shot at this distance? Truthfully, I don't know. But in theory, it would get the job done.

Jack
 
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I have taken deer with an assortment of firearms from .22 up to 12 guage. Knock on wood, I have never lost one. I have taken some with my .223 and they either dropped right there or made it about 50 yards. Same as with a 270 etc. Here in the South it is plenty and I will believe that until I prove myself wrong. I have seen more deer lost or had to be tracked a long way due to being shot with Buckshot than anything else. IMHO the .223 is far superior to buckshot.
 
i believe anything will kill a deer as long as you hit it in the right spot. I know a guy who hunts deer with and 22 magnum and they have all droped in there tracks. He is taking about 25 yard shots to 50 yard shot and he shoots them in the brain. He has taken at least 20 or more this way. He has said he has taken them even with a 22 winchester, but he has only taken like 2 and they were out squirell hunting. i personally like the .243 has not failed me yet.
 
A .22 short will kill a deer if you hit it right. I use a 30-06 or .54 Hawken. I've seen the results of too many bad hits with 243's, etc. Not saying you can't lose a deer with the bigger calibers but it's less likely.
 
Personally I use the 7.62x39fmj with an SKS. With a well placed shot as used by a bow hunter, I have harvested white tail deer, wild hogs (350lb+ range) and elk. Some just fall right down and some I have to follow a blood trail for a dozen yards or so.
I've used a 22mag once and it worked fine for a deer.
I have a .177 air gun (1390fps) that I have shot small pigs with and it works just fine.
The skill of the hunter is the most important item here. If a 324fps arrow will harvest most game in the US, then just about most calibers will work.
 
If a 324fps arrow will harvest most game in the US, then just about most calibers will work.
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While I don't disagree with your basic premise, the arrow works in a very different manner. Aside from mechanics, the skill of a bowhunter is usually more refined than the typical once a year deer hunter.

I wouldn't be comfortable with a newbie reading some of these posts that say a rimfire is adequate. Absolutely it can be done (quite easily), but shot selection is critical and timing of deer movement is paramount.
 
I wouldn't be comfortable with a newbie reading some of these posts that say a rimfire is adequate. Absolutely it can be done (quite easily), but shot selection is critical and timing of deer movement is paramount.
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...Aside from the fact that rimfires are illegal for most game animals, and almost all big game.

That's one theme that hasn't shown up much in this thread: the legality of many of the cartridges being discussed.


Would I feel comfortable using my Buckmark pistol, .22 WMR, or my brother's .22 Hornet for a brain shot on most big game? Yes. (Given the right range and bullet.)
Would it be legal in any of the states where I hunt? Absolutely not.
 
Just myself a .243 and up. I know you can kill deer with .223 if you are skilled, and wait for the correct shot placement like any rifle. You need to know the shoots to pass on, and be able to leave them walk if needed. It will work, but just myself it would be a .243 or up.
 
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