A lot of the real enthusiasts I have met use the 30-06 or 30-30 that's been in the rack longer than many people posting here have been shooting. There's no need for a bigger gun than even a .22 to kill deer if you're going to shoot them in the right spot. Hunt with the rifle that kills the most game. That's probably the gun you're most comfortable shooting accurately after a day carrying it in the field. If that's a 505 Gibbs, than so be it, but nothing wrong with a tirdy-tirdy either. It's about whatever you can shoot well.
.338 win mag for deer
- Thread starter freezer filler
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I argee for the most part.
It about what you can shoot well in the field, and that is more about the individual than the equipment used.
Buck Fever
Once the adrenaline rush hits alot of things can go wonky.In some it only lasts for a little while. For others it can last thier whole life.I have seen hunters that can cloverleaf bullets all day long at the range, but can't shoot worth chit in the field because of buck fever. I had it bad when I first started hunting. It lasted for about three years for me.During that time I did some pretty wild stuff, that I can't explain to this day.
I know hunters that can pile deer up like cordwood with old 30-30s. I have seen first hand my uncle(standing beside him at 12yrs old) who shot 7 deer chased out to him by dogs.He dropped all 7 with an old 351 Win firing a total of nine shots
.These fellas sure know/knew how to contole the adreneline rush.I know others who can't hit a standing deer at 30yds because they get so worked up(I was one of them).Some of these guys are well in thier 50s who just never could overcome the fever. Not once has any of these guys blamed thier equipment for misses or a bad hit.Both the guys who can pile them up, and the ones who the fever gets them.
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A little bit of devils advocate here, but I'm not talking about high risk "hail mary" (idiot shots) and I don't think its off topic.
My point is that odd stuff happens when you are shooting game...At any range.
I have a buddy that had never bobbled a shot in his 30 years of hunting. We practice together often and let me assure you he can shoot.
Just a few years ago (much to his horror) he had 2 gut shots in one year.
It can and does happen.
If he was using a center fire .22 or a 243 we would have likely lost the animals.
No, a 30-06 or 338 is not required for deer.
On the other hand, planning for Murphy to show up is not necessarily a bad thing.
I shoot more than at least 95% of all hunters.
To say I am confident with a rifle is an understatement.
I spend more on reloading components than some guys have into their truck and I do that every year.
Could I still bobble a shot?
Absolutely!
Food for thought.
Your mileage may vary.
That is an interesting observation to say the least.
So becaue I am an enthusiast you say I need a larger gun??How is it that guys that are at the range lots are using the biggest calibers? I am not tryin to be a pest here but that is like saying all women drive red cars.
The only thing I strive for is smaller groups.If my velocty drops, so be it.A 6mm bullet @2600ft/sec in the heart stops deer, an 8mm @3200ft/sec in the guts won't.
Bigger and faster doesn't make your shooting skills improve. It just costs more. Like i have said before a miss is a miss. If you use a pointy stick or an M1 tank.
Maybe we need to take this discussion to the rifle range with some $100.00 bills posted down range, first miss gives up his $100.00
To many assumptions being made here.
Shoot whatever you can shoot well, that is the bottom line!!!
What caliber will you be bringing?
- Location
- Eastern Edge of the Foothills
How many gophers did your buddy nail that year? I'm sure he is a good shot, but some years we get more practice than other years. Like any skill, when you don't get as much practice, you can get rusty. Just because you're a terrific shot one season, that does not automatically make you just as good the next season. Your buddy had two gut shots. I'm glad he recovered the deer. Did he have as much trigger time in the off season that year as other years? Just sayin'...
- Location
- Eastern Edge of the Foothills
Obviously buck fever can make anyone become a poorer shot. It's hard to practice how to control that. Gopher hunting all summer really helps me during deer season, and I notice the difference during seasons that I didn't do much gopher hunting.
With the gophers I usually walk through the field with my .22 in hand. When I see one I have to get into a field shooting position quicly and efficiently, acquire the target, and shoot with good fundamentals all within a time limit, 'cause the gophers don't stick around long where I shoot.
That's why I asked about gopher hunting first in that last post.
But still, a big gopher doesn't produce the same adrenaline that a big buck does!
With the gophers I usually walk through the field with my .22 in hand. When I see one I have to get into a field shooting position quicly and efficiently, acquire the target, and shoot with good fundamentals all within a time limit, 'cause the gophers don't stick around long where I shoot.
That's why I asked about gopher hunting first in that last post.
But still, a big gopher doesn't produce the same adrenaline that a big buck does!
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
Well, you think i will divulge my secret weapon that easy??
All I can say is there is a "7" in the name.
All I can say is there is a "7" in the name.
What caliber will you be bringing?
First one was because his foot slid down a wet log as he shot.
Second animal (a moose) he was tracking in his scope as it walked through some brush...The shot came and he accidentally stopped moving the rifle....Oops.
FWIW he went on a 5 day game management safari where he shot 26 animals with 26 bullets.
After the hunt the PH shook his hand and congratulated him on his good shooting.
He mentioned the shooting was difficult with a split second to get on the animal then get the shot off.
Gophers are great, but they don't make your heart beat like a jackhammer...Least not the ones I've seen.
Well, you think i will divulge my secret weapon that easy??
All I can say is there is a "7" in the name.
There are plenty of decent choices with 7 in the name. Oh, my range is dead center between PA and Saskatoon. I like my 100's crispy, but volume is more important.
- Location
- Eastern Edge of the Foothills
There are plenty of decent choices with 7 in the name. Oh, my range is dead center between PA and Saskatoon. I like my 100's crispy, but volume is more important.
Please, let us all know how the competiton turns out!
I'm not even sure what the competition is. Something about guys not being able to shoot big guns? Easy money.
- Location
- Eastern Edge of the Foothills
Yeah, I think you're supposed to bring something .338 Magnum or larger,
and Kelly was going to bring a standard cartridge [apprently with a 7 in the name]. Then the accuracy contest begins, and the bet is $100.
Might I suggest going at 200 or 300 yards, only using field positions [since the original discussion was about hunting and hitting game animals, not accuracy off the bench] and gradually getting smaller and smaller targets. First one to miss loses.
Of course, the two of you would have to agree to the details before proceeding, but maybe start with a target the size of a playing card, and work your way to a dime?
Let us know how it goes!
Shooting targets proves absolutely nothing about shooting deer.Adrenaline rush can turn the top paper punchers into puddin.
There are people who can do this all day.
But have a hard time doing this.Standing or running.
And end up seeing alot of this.
Then there are others who can flop them with ease when they come out like this.
There are people who can do this all day.
But have a hard time doing this.Standing or running.
And end up seeing alot of this.
Then there are others who can flop them with ease when they come out like this.
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Yeah, I think you're supposed to bring something .338 Magnum or larger,
and Kelly was going to bring a standard cartridge [apprently with a 7 in the name]. Then the accuracy contest begins, and the bet is $100.
Might I suggest going at 200 or 300 yards, only using field positions [since the original discussion was about hunting and hitting game animals, not accuracy off the bench] and gradually getting smaller and smaller targets. First one to miss loses.
Of course, the two of you would have to agree to the details before proceeding, but maybe start with a target the size of a playing card, and work your way to a dime?
Let us know how it goes!
Big game are bigger than dimes, and 300 yards is for beginners.
I'll wait for Kelly to chime in, but it would seem the discussion has got to be about long range, or it doesn't make sense. I'm OK with showing up with a .338 WM or bigger, and providing the range.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
Ok.......................fine, lets shoot at deer then. Who supplies the deer ???
Maybe I can get one for the freezer this way, I only have 4 more days left anyways and one tag to go!!
Yeah someone needs to figure out a scenario for this. Never know you could invent a new class of competition shooting!
Looks like someone has the same time coffee break too!!
Maybe I can get one for the freezer this way, I only have 4 more days left anyways and one tag to go!!
Yeah someone needs to figure out a scenario for this. Never know you could invent a new class of competition shooting!
Looks like someone has the same time coffee break too!!
Ok.......................fine, lets shoot at deer then. Who supplies the deer ???
Running deer target at our local range.........Anytime. Hard enough but still not reality.
Add running through this at just 40yds. Sound easy enough???????
Why is it everybody wants to shoot small targets at long long range. what happened to stalking as close as you can and killing the deer on the spot shooting it at 50 yards with a 30-30 or at 600 with a .338 isn't much different ballistically speaking but it's a lot tougher for the hunter and takes out a lot of the guesswork. much easier to find the spot and less chance of missing it
just my two cents
just my two cents
Ok.......................fine, lets shoot at deer then. Who supplies the deer ???
Maybe I can get one for the freezer this way, I only have 4 more days left anyways and one tag to go!!
Yeah someone needs to figure out a scenario for this. Never know you could invent a new class of competition shooting!
Looks like someone has the same time coffee break too!!
How about life size deer targets, marked for kill zone? They taste lousy, but are easy to drag out.
Since it's just us we can do whatever scenario we want. I would submit that holes in paper do not indicate killing power so we can't settle that. Short range bullets holes close together don't make a big game caliber more effective, and don't really even give a reliable indicator of what it will do farther out.
That leaves long range shooting, first round kill zone hits and whatever variable conditions Sask wants to throw at us. Since I already know the ranges, its only fair that you do too. Wind is wind, same for both of us.
In the context of the post ".338 for Deer" all I have to do is demonstrate is that a big gun is every bit the deer hunting rifle as a smaller one. After that, well, nobody ever wanted to shoot against me for money before.
My day is one enormous coffee break.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
