Overkill ???????
- Thread starter 303carbine
- Start date
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Unless you're getting rid of varmints, one of the main goals of hunting is to efficiently and humanely kill an animal without ruining a lot of meat ( or fur in the case of furbearers). Anybody who gets his "kicks" blowing great big holes in food animals is off base IMHO. I don't care if you've flown to the hunting destination and you can't take much of the meat home with you. Someone else can use it. You have a legal and ethical responsibility to take care of the meat to the best of your ability. Deliberately blowing away both shoulders of a deer with a "super magnum" ( insert latest wonder cartridge here) is over kill - both shot placement and cartridge are inappropriate. It's a simple matter of respect for the game.
Overkill is a word for people who don't appreciate the finer things in life... like the 375H&H
Truly....and the .338WM and .444 Marlin. Haven't taken anything with the .444 yet, but I'll soon be working on it.
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
Everybody has differing opinions ... for me, the 10 gauge is a little heavy for hummingbirds, the 410 a little light for geese. The .25-20 is a little light for deer and the .416's/458's a little heavy for moose. But all of them, and many more will work, Whatever floats your boat ...
Overkill from a practical standpoint is just more caliber/bullet weight/velocity than is needed for the task at hand. If there can be underkill (like a 243 for moose), there can be overkill too.
Sure dead is dead, but a 375 is overkill for deer hunting compared to a 270......... and yes, I have hunted deer with a 375Magnum and a 35 Whelen so save your breath.
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Sure dead is dead, but a 375 is overkill for deer hunting compared to a 270......... and yes, I have hunted deer with a 375Magnum and a 35 Whelen so save your breath.
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I tend to agree - it all depends on your definition. I think of it as 'more gun than is reasonably necessary', but I also think that's not necessarily a bad thing per se. If your 'overkill' is leading to excessive meat damage, then it's a bad thing. But my dad once shot a little sitka deer with a 300 wthby with 200 grain TBBC's loaded up because that's all he had handy. It just left a little loonie sized hole in it, no meat damage - but it was definitely more gun than was really needed
That's 'overkill' - but not a bad thing.
There are many kinds of "wounded". There's only one kind of "dead".
Some people say "use enough gun". I'd say "use enough bullet" and make sure you can consistently place it where it matters.
I don't think the idea of "overkill" means very much, as long as you can hit your target consistently.
Some people say "use enough gun". I'd say "use enough bullet" and make sure you can consistently place it where it matters.
I don't think the idea of "overkill" means very much, as long as you can hit your target consistently.
Overkill
Sure, dead is dead, but the problem I'm seeing is new shooters buying magnums that beat them up, then they develop a flinch and can't shoot worth a darn. If you can't shoot a rifle well the game isn't "dead" its either wounded or gone.
This time of year in particular, I'm just disgusted with the "great wihite hunters" I see at the range who are clearly overgunned for their skills and can't even shoot well enough from a bench to figure out which direction to correct the scope to.
In my opinion, new shooters especially should be shooting something of moderate energy until they learn how to shoot well, then, if they really feel they need more power, fine, buy a magnum. But a hunter with a magnum who can't shoot is a much worse situation than a hunter with a 30-30 who can shoot.
Sure, dead is dead, but the problem I'm seeing is new shooters buying magnums that beat them up, then they develop a flinch and can't shoot worth a darn. If you can't shoot a rifle well the game isn't "dead" its either wounded or gone.
This time of year in particular, I'm just disgusted with the "great wihite hunters" I see at the range who are clearly overgunned for their skills and can't even shoot well enough from a bench to figure out which direction to correct the scope to.
In my opinion, new shooters especially should be shooting something of moderate energy until they learn how to shoot well, then, if they really feel they need more power, fine, buy a magnum. But a hunter with a magnum who can't shoot is a much worse situation than a hunter with a 30-30 who can shoot.
For deer, moose, bear or any other edible game I dont think there is "over-kill", Though the ribs is thorugh the ribs and likely little meat damage from any cartridge or velocity.
....but saving meat is easier than saving fur. Shooting a fox with a .243 is going to be over-kill as is shooting a coyote with a 30-06.
....but saving meat is easier than saving fur. Shooting a fox with a .243 is going to be over-kill as is shooting a coyote with a 30-06.
ON HEART & LUNG SHOT ANIMALS THERE RELLY IS NO SUCH THING AS OVERKILL YOU PROBABLY LOSE LESS MEAT WITH A LARGER CAL THAN A SMALLER ONE IF THERE IS ANY PRACTICAL DIFFERENCE EVER SHOOT A WHITETAIL WITH A 12GAUGE SLUG TAKES OUT 2 RIBS GOING IN 3 RIBS GOING OUT BIG DEAL!! i DO HOWEVER BELIEVE THAT SOMETIMES FAST SMALLER CALS GIVE QUICKER RESULTS ON DEER SIZED ANIMALS WITH THIS SHOT . ELK & MOOSE ARE A DIFFERENT CATAGORY ESPECIALLY ELK KEEP SHOOTING TILL STOP MOVING JUST MY OWN THOUGHTS & EXPERIENCES ON THE SUBJECT
TONY
TONY
Going up a cup size or two or maybe even three is ok
THIS IS OVERKILL
Oh no it ain't, baby!
Cap locks is overkill tony
Seriously tho - it depends on how you're definint it - if it's 'too much gun to the point of waste', then i agree you're probably right in most cases. If its "more gun than you need to get the job done by a fair amount", then i think it does exist. If someone said "what do you think of the 338 mag on small deer", i'd probably say "it's overkill (as in, it's more than you need by a fair bit) but it'll work just fine".
Seriously tho - it depends on how you're definint it - if it's 'too much gun to the point of waste', then i agree you're probably right in most cases. If its "more gun than you need to get the job done by a fair amount", then i think it does exist. If someone said "what do you think of the 338 mag on small deer", i'd probably say "it's overkill (as in, it's more than you need by a fair bit) but it'll work just fine".
Rebel Till Death
CGN Regular
- Location
- Burlington, Ontario
overkill- when the caliber/firearm you use does to much damage to the meat. more meat is destroyed than is useable. (ie .223 vs bunny) but it doesnt really exist with larger sized game.
Shot placement is all important when it comes to meat damage versus quick kill. Even in .223 versus bunny shot placement is important
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Put me down for a yes.
I think there is overkill, especially when it comes to edible game. Yes shot placement counts for a lot of what's wasted but shooting a deer with a 50clbr is a little much.
Example. We were hunting whitetail last year... my friend used a 7mm and blew the front sholder off the animal. That's a lot of meat gone.
I would have to add though, bullet type and weight make a difference. I have a .243, and can load it with a 57gr for gophers an 80 for coyote or a 105 for deer.
My 2 cents.
I think there is overkill, especially when it comes to edible game. Yes shot placement counts for a lot of what's wasted but shooting a deer with a 50clbr is a little much.
Example. We were hunting whitetail last year... my friend used a 7mm and blew the front sholder off the animal. That's a lot of meat gone.
I would have to add though, bullet type and weight make a difference. I have a .243, and can load it with a 57gr for gophers an 80 for coyote or a 105 for deer.
My 2 cents.
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Yes, meat waste is not very ethical. Simple solution, I'f you want to hunt mid size animals with "overkill" calibers put your shot in the head/neck, no wasted meat. If you want to hunt dangerous game, moose/bear/elk, don't go out undergunned.
.02
