Island Deer, what gun & caliber?

Can't go wrong with the 308. If you need an 18" barrel a rufer American ranch or ruger scout are short carbines. I would be looking for a model 7 carbine or maybe even an old model 600. Or you could take any other rifle in that cal and bob the barrel to 18".
 
Johnn Peterson said:
Admitted, while the Columbia Blacktail isn't the size of an Alberta Mulie, there are a few decent sized ones around. I took one locally in Copper Canyon at the old water tower a number of years back, that is still the biggest I've ever shot on the Island. 175 lb two point.
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I agree, some mountain bucks aren't that small. I hunt with my 284 win or my 270 win. Some slashes are large so you can get some long shots.
 
medvedqc said:
or die of starving because of the broken jaws ...
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And dying from a gut shot because you missed is better... ?I dont like wasting meat on a 60lbs deer so I shoot it in the dome.

A miss is a miss doesn't matter where you shoot. Heck my longest Island deer kill was 75 yards...lol... If you cant hit something that close you might as well take up knitting.
 
I started out with a 303 when I was a kid then used a 6.5x55 swede...you don't need that much gun , my old hunting partner shot feral goats on one of the gulf islands with a 22 magnum but there are 10,000 black bears on the island.I think a 7.62x39 would be fine.In some areas (gulf islands)shotguns with shot is all you can use,but I really don't like it,the chance of putting a pellet in the guts and it dying next week is not something I want to think about,but I think shots limited to 30 or 40 yards would be ok. My farthest shot on a island deer was under 175 yards across a clear cut but the average shot is about 50 yards or less.
 
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Mr. Friendly said:
well then...I guess it's back to the trusty .308, LOL!

I've not followed rifles for a little bit...so what's available in an 18" carbine? action is unimportant. :)
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Ruger No.1 International comes with a 20" barrel but is still 1.5" shorter than an 18" bolt action.
 
DILLIGAF said:
And dying from a gut shot because you missed is better... ?I dont like wasting meat on a 60lbs deer so I shoot it in the dome.

A miss is a miss doesn't matter where you shoot. Heck my longest Island deer kill was 75 yards...lol... If you cant hit something that close you might as well take up knitting.
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you are my hero.
 
Build a short barrel 6.5X47 and shoot 130 Berger or 130 AccuBonds. I have two X47's and hunted Texas and a island in Mississippi this past January. Shots were from very close to 300 yds. Both bullets performed WAY better than I thought they would.
 
A...HUGE GASP...223 and 223AI with...HUGE GASP...75 grain A-max bullets has been used exclusively for Island Deer. It's also been used...HUGE GASP...on Island Black Bear as well. No issues, ever. Some shots have been longer than others, but most as stated, have been shorter. It's been a few years since the last trip, so unless something has changed, can't really see why it wouldn't work on the next trip?
Shooting Island Deer with a 308 is kind of like catching high altitude cutthroat with a 9 weight rod?

R.
 
308 is my go to, the 6.5 cm in a light weight package has seen some action with good results as well.
As has been said here already, you have to be prepared for point blank out to 300yds.
For that reason I don't bother with the 7.62x39.
 
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