How large, and how small a caliber cartridge have you taken deer with? also power?

[John Y Cannuck]

Caliber wise, the smallest I have used is 6.5X55.
Pulled off a phony shot at 300 yards with that rifle, (Military sights too) dropped the deer with the first shot. (I had been practicing at 400yds, and the range to the deer was known)

The largest 45-70 (except for BP 50 cal)
Excellent deer cartridge, that never failed me. Never took anything beyond a hundred yards, but it's capable far beyond that.


The weakest would be the 38-40
Only shot one with that, and it was at about twenty feet. Had trouble getting hunting bullets to shoot at the time I owned it, so I shot cast. The deer went about two hops.

The most powerful was the 338WM.
I note that using the early Nosler Balistic tip (200Gr) I think it was called the solid base, loaded to 3000fps was probably a mistake. Meat loss had it hit anything but the chest would have been devastating. As it was the exit was close to three inches.

 

[dutchhunter]

Most of my deer have been shotgun slugs .but the few times I hunted northern deer I took my 22 250 .it kills deer stone dead and does a lot of damage inside the chest but I didn't get a exit hole on any of the deer so tracking would not be easy on a bad shot .the ones I did shoot were heart and Lung shots and all fell within sight. Dutch

 

[alberta tactical rifle]

Smallest caliber I have used on deer is 6mm Rem, largest 50 BMG. Both worked very well, there is no such thing as varying degrees of dead.

 

[galamb]

In center fire 243 Win with largest being 30.06.

Blackpowder - 38 cal roundball (smallest) 54 cal roundball (largest).

In a pinch I would consider using my 223 for Deer - I hunt close (bow range) and hunt like a bowhunter even when I have a rifle in my hands (wait for the broadside shot at 35 yards or less).

 

[Divermike]

I saw an indian take down a deer with about half a dozen .22lr out of season in the dark with a flashlight in a no hunting area while I was walking my dog.

.308 and 30-06 for me though

 

[chappy]

smallest for me is rem 7 mag up to 338 06. will be trying out my 375H&H this year.

 

[the_tracker]

The smallest was a 50 gr 222 Rem high in the neck behind the ear at 20 yds. Dropped in his tracks. Largest a toss up between my 350 Rem Mag and my 35 Whelan.

 

[Eagleye]

Smallest: 220 Swift at about 110 yards....55 Hornady FBSP/43 grains of H380 in the ribs....DRT.

Largest: 38-55 at about 90 yards...255 grain Winchester bullet chased by 31.0 grains of H322.
My largest Whitetail buck, so pretty special to me.

Dave.

 

[Cleftwynd]

22LR to 416 Remington. Only one with the 416, I hated that thing

 

[Superbrad]

As much as I don't recommend this, I once took a deer with .22lr...... Anyone that has seen my posts knows I do not advocate this......

It was on my land and I was bunny hunting with my marlin model 60..... This was January, so no deer season.... He had a broken back leg and was bleeding from 2 of 4 hooves based on his ailment..... (Had to compensate for his dead limbs in hard crust snow).....

That being said, was not a one shot endeavour.... I fired 5 back to back at the vitals and he was dead quick..... The ministry was very good with me, as thy always have been when I called in and explained the situation.......

 

[Raton57]

One 22 short for one deer and 45-70 or a 375 HH for many other deer.

 

[keith mokry]

22 hornet to 4570. 243,260,7mm08, 30
Cal,338cals,35s,45cals

 

[umpherda]

One 22 magnum - deer had been hit by a car and had both front legs broken but could still run across a field - shot in head at 40 m. 33WCF or 30-06 biggest calibre - both proved fatal to the deer.

 

[Grock-co]

Smallest 22LR, some guy hit one in front of my house one time, the largest was my 6000lb truck speeding at 140 km/hr, that cost me deerly,

 

[9.3mauser]

Smallest was a .250 Savage, and that's about as small as I'd care to go. Surprisingly effective round that I wish I had back. Largest is a 9.3x62.

 

[FLHTCUI]

Shot a fallow deer on Sydney Island with a .243 and 100 grn psp Federal blue box.
Dirt at 30'yrds as I shot her in the neck.
Buddy shot a doe with OO Buck at 30 yards, drt as he too shot her in the neck.
Rob

 

[carverk]

Wen I was a kid we all hunted deer with 22lr but the guys with 243 and 30-06 had huge advantages and would take more deer !
As son as I was Old enough to buy 30-06 I got one and almost never use a 22lr

 

[Northern Amateur]

45-70 and 444 Marlin

 

[kennymo]

.257 Bee for smallest bullet. It certainly didn't leave the smallest hole though....

Never taken one with a pill bigger than .30 cal, the Win mag can take the biggest trophy until I manage to bag one with the 35 Whelen.

Least powerful is the .308 Win I suppose. Not all that lacking....I've put down more deer with 150 gr .308 Interlocks and the odd Federal Powershok than I can remember....all with the trusty K98 'fencepost'.

Afterthought: I did take my first deer with a 54 Hawken. I suppose that can claim biggest calibre. The 300 Win Mag can still hold the most powerful round.... There's a handful taken with a pair of 50 cal in lines as well, so the .30 cal statement is perhaps a tad misleading.

 

[medvedqc]

deer? will that include european deer family like roe and red deer.

on roe: smallest 222 and biggest 9.3x62, 7x64 with 160 grains NP was very good a little overkill but always worked ...

red deer smallest: 7x64 biggest 9.3x62 better result was with a 300 weatherby and 180 grains nosler partition.