.223 for deer?

I often considered using my 223 for deer. It's by far the most accurate gun I own. With a controlled expansion bullet and shot placement being the biggest factor I would have all the confidence in the world to hit the mark. Understandably 100 yards would be around the range to draw the line but most deer I've shot are well within that range with the exception of a few. Yes I am a firm believer bigger is better, but accuracy is more important.
 
bisonhd said:
This should be a pasty: This same topic goes through the rounds about once a month. Can't believe it's being entertained yet again.
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I agree, some new hunter asks an innocent question and it degenerates into seven pages of back and forth. The .22 cal centerfires are legal for big game here in N.B. even for moose!! I personally am against it, not so much because they won't kill but because of illegal hunting. If you are an unethical person you can shoot a deer with say your .270 in deer season. Because varmint season is open in October and November here you can go home and get your .22 centerfire and go deer hunting again for a deer for someone else to tag.
That's why they call a varmint license a poaching license here. There are no varmint hunters here in the fall that I know of, they are game hogs. Personally I think .22 centerfires should be illegal during deer season here.That would solve the problem. Aside from the local situation the OP would be better suited with a little bigger rifle especially in view of a lack of experience. My 2 cents.
 
Mike Webb said:
That's why they call a varmint license a poaching license here. There are no varmint hunters here in the fall that I know of, they are game hogs. Personally I think .22 centerfires should be illegal during deer season here.That would solve the problem. Aside from the local situation the OP would be better suited with a little bigger rifle especially in view of a lack of experience. My 2 cents.
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Varmint liscence....so they are not included on a small game liscence ? Strange rules in NB.....Varmints are Varmints....should be open season year round .

Of course we too have plenty of stupid rules in Ontario....hopefully the provinces dont' get together to amalgamate them (rules) :p
 
Mike Webb said:
I agree, some new hunter asks an innocent question and it degenerates into seven pages of back and forth. The .22 cal centerfires are legal for big game here in N.B. even for moose!! I personally am against it, not so much because they won't kill but because of illegal hunting. If you are an unethical person you can shoot a deer with say your .270 in deer season. Because varmint season is open in October and November here you can go home and get your .22 centerfire and go deer hunting again for a deer for someone else to tag.
That's why they call a varmint license a poaching license here. There are no varmint hunters here in the fall that I know of, they are game hogs. Personally I think .22 centerfires should be illegal during deer season here.That would solve the problem. Aside from the local situation the OP would be better suited with a little bigger rifle especially in view of a lack of experience. My 2 cents.
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In BC, you can carry any gun you want in the bush all year round. We have poachers, of course. Restricting their choice of cartridge isn't going to stop them form poaching...
 
The smallest I'm hunting our local blacktails with this year is a 243 loaded with TSX. Or if I'm lucky to find some Federal Premium Vital-Shok 85-gr TSX. :)

If your new to hunting my advice is to keep it simple...don't gadget yourself out, and every ounce of time spent at the range with your hunting rifle practicing in field shooting positions will pay off in the long run.

Good luck. :)
 
I don't think that the people who take more then their share of deer here in New Brunswick would be deterred at all by .22 centerfires being banned during big game season. Most just use what ever they've got.
 
Mike Webb said:
That's why they call a varmint license a poaching license here. There are no varmint hunters here in the fall that I know of, they are game hogs.
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I don't understand what you mean by game hogs. I always get a varmint licence and use it a lot in March/April, between the end of rabbit and duck seasons and the start of bear season. I would never hunt varmints during the fall because you have to wear hunter orange. Good luck hiding from crows or coyotes in hunter orange.
 
Mike Webb said:
I agree, some new hunter asks an innocent question and it degenerates into seven pages of back and forth. The .22 cal centerfires are legal for big game here in N.B. even for moose!! I personally am against it, not so much because they won't kill but because of illegal hunting. If you are an unethical person you can shoot a deer with say your .270 in deer season. Because varmint season is open in October and November here you can go home and get your .22 centerfire and go deer hunting again for a deer for someone else to tag.
That's why they call a varmint license a poaching license here. There are no varmint hunters here in the fall that I know of, they are game hogs. Personally I think .22 centerfires should be illegal during deer season here.That would solve the problem. Aside from the local situation the OP would be better suited with a little bigger rifle especially in view of a lack of experience. My 2 cents.
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So you want even more restrictions put on us because of poaching? The small game licence is valid from the start of deer season, so you'd rather people not be able to hunt coyotes during deer season with a .22 centerfire because you're afraid they're going to poach deer? This kind of thinking is the reason for our stupid caliber restrictions outside of our "big" game seasons, and the reason why I can't go plinking in the backwoods without a valid hunting licence. There are already laws against poaching, so use those laws to prosecute them, don't go making more that punish the law abiding for the misdeeds of criminals.
 
TheCoachZed said:
I don't understand what you mean by game hogs. I always get a varmint licence and use it a lot in March/April, between the end of rabbit and duck seasons and the start of bear season. I would never hunt varmints during the fall because you have to wear hunter orange. Good luck hiding from crows or coyotes in hunter orange.
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I refer to people who take more deer than legal as game hogs, nothing to do with varmint hunting. In rural N.B. there are a lot of people who are in the woods in fall, after they've shot their legal deer, looking to kill another one with their "varmint gun". That's a fact. They aren't hunting varmints and have no interest in doing so. Like you said, you never hunt varmints in the fall. I don't see why .22 centerfires aren't disallowed in deer season, they always were in the past. If that were the case they would be forced to use a shotgun and if a CO finds slugs or buckshot on your person you can be charged with illegally hunting deer. I've got nothing against .22 centerfires, I own one myself and ambushing coyotes or crows is a lot of fun.
 
Mike Webb said:
That's why they call a varmint license a poaching license here. There are no varmint hunters here in the fall that I know of, they are game hogs. .
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When your opinion is really that one sided, You should keep it to yourself!!
You make it sound like all of us N.B.er's that carry a 22-250 or 223 in the fall of the year are poachers...Give Your Head a Shake!!

Did it ever occur to you, that in this province alot of hunters can only afford 1 rifle, And that rifle alot of the time is the varmit cals...Why? Cause they can carry it year round, best bang for the buck eh!
Yes there is poaching that goes on, But you name a place for me where there isnt.
 
There is no caliber restriction in Manitoba, provided the big game hunter uses a center fire rifle. In some circles .223s and .22-250s are thought highly of, but as a big game cartridge I think they should fall into the domain of the expert rather than the beginner. I don't even like the .243 for game much over 100 pounds and think that the choice of a moderate capacity 6.5 is a better entry level cartridge for the fledgeling big game hunter. If the hunter subscribes to the theory that his cartridge should have a reasonable expectation in killing a big game animal with a single shot from any angle within the practical range of that cartridge and within the marksmanship ability of the hunter, that is a better way to go than looking for the cheapest rig with the least amount of recoil. Learning to accept a moderate amount of recoil and shoot well enough for hunting purposes is not difficult for most people.

But until one gains some experience it is difficult to know which cartridges are appropriate under which circumstances. If we conclude that a .22 is on the small side and that a .375 is on the large side, and if we conclude that 2000 fps is about as low as our velocity should be and that there is little to be gained when velocity is in excess of 3000 fps, and if we accept that most people can learn to manage 17 ft/lbs of recoil, we have described a .270, .308, or a .30/06 as the ideal general purpose big game rifle.
 
Two guyz I know who used a .223 and were experienced hunters did it once and never went back to it. You are too limited in some scenarios. .223 will kill deer with a proper shot placement, but larger calibers will work more efficiently and with more success.
 
On the other hand I know a guy that hunted with nothing but a 22-250 for at least 10 years and he killed everything with it. He was also one of the best hunters you'd ever meet.
 
wonksy said:
When your opinion is really that one sided, You should keep it to yourself!!
You make it sound like all of us N.B.er's that carry a 22-250 or 223 in the fall of the year are poachers...Give Your Head a Shake!!

Did it ever occur to you, that in this province alot of hunters can only afford 1 rifle, And that rifle alot of the time is the varmit cals...Why? Cause they can carry it year round, best bang for the buck eh!
Yes there is poaching that goes on, But you name a place for me where there isnt.
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Lighten up.
I don't think all .22 centerfire users are poachers but a lot of them in my area never see the light of day outside of deer season. As far as economy goes, man I know people on welfare who own more than one rifle. Just because you don't agree doesn't mean I have to "keep it to myself".
 
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