The Ultimate North American Hunting Round?
- Thread starter Ardent
- Start date
This is not exactly earth shattering science. It has been tested time and again. I think the most famous of these Remington's 40x test data.
I guess it depends what you mean by smaller.
I agree that there is an NA attraction to smaller cartridges for hunting and I agree that you are not at a disadvantage with "more" power... if I may extrapolate and extend the logic, I will take exception with the notion that a sufficient cartridge is a "disadvantage" over a "greater" cartridge... A properly placed bullet with a "sufficient" cartridge will kill as cleanly as a "more than" sufficient cartridge... as always it is the hunters responsibility to stay within the limits of his/her cartridge choice and properly place the bullet... one is not being "foolish" in choosing a .270, 7X57, .308 or .30/06 (well maybe the .270
) to hunt moose, over say, a .300 WM, .338 WM, .375H&H etc...Challenging oneself is not "ego." I don't give a "ratz azz" how I am looked upon as a hunter... I do care how I feel as a hunter. As a newbie 15 year old deer hunter, I was placed in the sweet spot by our deer hunting party, and on opening morning of my first deer hunt, I shot five deer in under five minutes with my grandfathers tired old .32 Special... it was an exhilarating and highly charged moment, which I remember fondly... all the back slapping and retelling of the tale and the liver and onions that night... but in the days that followed, I began to feel a letdown, like I had missed out on something important in the experience... I had started bowhunting a number of years earlier for non-game species and decided to give bowhunting a "go..." the next fall I arrowed my first big game animal, a black bear, at under five FEET, stalked while feeding on acorns... this started a 40 year love affair with bowhunting, that continues with as much passion today as it did forty years ago... This was not "EGO," this was maximizing the experience, bowhunting forced me to slow down, become more in tune with my surroundings, more knowledgeable about my quarry and its habits and habitat... I learned to stalk within bow range of wild big game animals, to use their own vocalizations and feeding/movement patterns to my advantage, and in doing so, I found the elements that I had missed during that first adrenaline filled experience with grandpa's .32 Spl. If archery gear had not proven itself to be rapidly lethal in harvesting game, I would have abandoned it long ago... the truth is, as any studied bowhunter can attest to, archery gear is as EQUALLY lethal as any cartridge you might choose to hunt with... it just comes with a number of additional elements (handicaps) that must be observed... rather than a 400 yard shot on a bull moose with a .300 WM (or, or, or...) I take a 20 yard shot with a 70 pound bow and broadhead tipped arrow, rather than obliterating the shoulder on a quartering on bull with a .375 H&H, I must wait for a broadside or quartering away posture to open up the lung area to receive my arrow... these are restrictions that I gladly accept, and when circumstances are not right, I let the animal walk and admire the moment... I have been within touching distance of trophy big game animals and never loosed an arrow, such is the nature of the game, and the reason I love it so much... EGO has nothing to do with it...
5) Because it is unnecessary to get the job properly done... "Over"kill is not necessary, "kill" is necessary. Have enough cartridge/bow, practice to become profficient, stay within its limits, take an appropriate shot at and appropriate range, and perform well at the moment of truth... fire up the BBQ.
Hoyt I likely shoot more diminutive calibers for large game than most people on this board....I just don't feel the need to keep making my case why or criticizing those that choose the bigger stuff. I still don't understand over kill...dead is dead....it's not more dead with a large caliber....just dead. There are a percentage of small caliber shooters that feel the constant need to justify their choice and criticize the bigger caliber shooters and there are a certain percentage of big caliber shooters that don't believe a small caliber can do the job they are designed to do. I live happily in the middle somewhere but I'm not so naive as to believe that small calibers are ideal or even adequate for all game.....despite the fact that Bella Twin killed a grizzly with a .22. There are bigger calibers that are adequate for all game. Absolutely larger calibers have a more universal application......thankfully I'm not limited to choosing one but if I were, it would be at least a .338 in NA.
Last edited:
And this is a thread about the Ultimate chambering for ALL North American big game.......that is the job at hand. Sorry but a .30-06 ain't it. You need to think beyond your backyard in this thread.
And my answer has not changed... the .30/06 IS the "sufficient tool" in NA.
Big difference between possibly sufficient and ultimate. I hunt with my .338 maybe every couple years. If I had to empty out my safe save for one rifle and had to hunt ALL North American big game......it's the one I'd keep. Is it my favourite, most accurate or most used? Not at all but no question it's my most versatile if big bears and bison are part of the equation.....especially hunting solo or with no back up..
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I think peoples responses are based on their hunting, geography, and experiences...not on the ultimate caliber for all NA. There are a lot of places were 30-30 is adequate, 30-06 is large. My 338 or 375 Rum is overkill for Moose, but not in areas with predatory large bears.
I voted 300 WM, since its IMO the minimum for a large bear. If i was hunting bison or in a area with polar bears, given the choices i would choose my 338. Capable of handling the dangerous, and stomping the common.
I voted 300 WM, since its IMO the minimum for a large bear. If i was hunting bison or in a area with polar bears, given the choices i would choose my 338. Capable of handling the dangerous, and stomping the common.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
We're talking differences in hair widths at that point, and in F class chamberings as of late there has been an evolution to ever growing chamberings. It started with 6mm BR, grew to 6.5-284, and has grown to the straight .284 becoming very popular. And the only reason larger chamberings aren't chosen over the .284 is they are prohibited by the rules, specifying "non-magnum" chamberings as they are viewed as an advantage with their flatter trajectories and reduced drift. What does this have to do with hunting? About as much as soccer has to do with hockey.
All chamberings can be shot with identical accuracy in hunting situations by a shooter not bothered by recoil. One factor we've been ignoring and the reason I own a 7x57 is rifle weight. Lighter rifles is a good reason for lighter chamberings.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I'm with you. You can note pretty quickly there is a general correlation amongst the responses that the more travelled and varied the responder's experience, there is a generally higher selection of chambering made as an all-around for the continent. My selection is below that more more experienced hunters on the continent as well. Even myself on an expensive hunt far from home, I'll take insurance in chambering choice. This said I shot the heaviest moose I'm ever likely to, was hanging at 750lbs and bit on hooks in quarters, and I shot it with my 7x57. But different at home, and away.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
LOL....you could likely place that bet on any of the rifles we shoot! I can kick her butt with a super soaker though! Although in all fairness she's never shot an animal past 9 yards with the .338
