What is the smallest cartridge YOU would hunt whitetail deer with?

Now that I live amongst whitetails, I can see how guys could use a 22CF effectively. Hell some mornings I could take a couple cleanly with a 22 mag or 17 HMR, they're only 20 mtrs out feeding on my lawn!!! So I can certainly see stand hunting with a 22CF now, which I could not in the past. Also my experience with my 23 this past Nov was eye opening..........or should I say deer opening.............



 
bluedcanoed said:
.25-35 Win at reasonable distances.

Bob
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I would place the same rifle cartridge as my smallest in a centrefire round choice. (And I suspect a 243/250 Savage would both be better choices)

I would like to say 41 caliber, as Sgt Alvin York often used one for hunting/target shooting well before he joined the US Army. ;)

Of course I certainly am referring to traditional style muzzle loading rifles here now. I am no Alvin York, so a 45 PRB would be my own lowest powered smoke pole and about 70 gr of FFG.

Cheers!
 
c-fbmi said:
Now that I live amongst whitetails, I can see how guys could use a 22CF effectively. Hell some mornings I could take a couple cleanly with a 22 mag or 17 HMR, they're only 20 mtrs out feeding on my lawn!!! So I can certainly see stand hunting with a 22CF now, which I could not in the past. Also my experience with my 23 this past Nov was eye opening..........or should I say deer opening.............



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You're shooting them in the wrong place.......;)
 
Smallest caliber would be .25
That could be a 25-06 or a .257 Wby or a .257 Roberts

I have shot lots of deer with a .270 but just recently decided to go .308 win and let go my .270 stuff, but the ,270 drops 'em dead no question
Have also shot deer with a .44 and they don't go anywhere when you poke that big hole in them....lol

Some guys around here use .222 and 22-250 but personally I would not unless that was all I had available.
 
.243 Win. Is very good choice in small calibres.
Can be handy for coyote and deer,anything around southern Ontario where nothing bigger than .275 is allowed for small game.
 
Is .22 caliber allowed to hunt deer or no?
Before in ON. Hunt.regulations there was section about .22 rimfires not being allowed to use where there is open season for deer unless person have tag to hunt deer but contrary they are not allowed for big game hunting,so why not would they be allowed to use unless you have game seal when they are not allowed anyhow?
 
daka said:
Is .22 caliber allowed to hunt deer or no?
Before in ON. Hunt.regulations there was section about .22 rimfires not being allowed to use where there is open season for deer unless person have tag to hunt deer but contrary they are not allowed for big game hunting,so why not would they be allowed to use unless you have game seal when they are not allowed anyhow?
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yes it is you know there plenty of centerfire .22 calibers like .22 hornet or .223 or .22-250
 
I am giving serious thought to using 223 55gn Hornady Superformance GMX ammo on a deer in central Ontario. The longest shot I cold take in my hunting area would be 180M. Most shots would be under 100M. The reviews I have read on the expansion and weight retention GMX are excellent. Before the arguments start up, there are no center fire caliber restrictions in my area.
 
I'm learning lots and lots from all of your experience. Keep that discussion informative and Woodchopper won't have to ban anyone! :)

Oh yeah, I've always carried a .308 into the woods (Started with an FNC1A1, so I just kept on going with the M14 fun, LRB now...) That's my sit on the chair/stand rifle. For walking/still hunting/pushing bush, it's a .260 Rem. :cool:


Cheers and keep helping them noobs :wave:

Barney
 
Target-Hunter-Reloader said:
Hey all, first time posting a new thread, I'm not looking for an argument on what works and what doesn't and who should get their peepee slapped for using what, I'm just curious as to what range of cartridges the general community would use as a minimum for whitetail deer. Also what the general community would use for their go-to whitetail round. Any info for bullet selection on said cartridges is also appreciated.
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I'm currently a 150 grain TSX Barnes in 308 Win fan... For deer or moose...

But, I would go as small as 64 grain Winchester PowerPoints in 223 Rem out of my Tavor or T97 if I had to on deer...

Cheers
Jay
 
6mm/.243. Worked good for me when I first started. Now my boys have started with .243's on whitetails and they drop dead every time. Got the bride started with a 6mm and work for her too.
 
Just something I was thinking about as I was reading through this thread. What is the OP's definition of smaller?? Is it smallest bore, smallest speed, smallest foot pounds of energy at the terminal distance, is it the shortest cartridge or the thinnest?? Or is there some other qualification in mind??
 
If it were legal here I would have no issues hunting with my deuce with the proper bullets in it.
The majority of my deer are taken within 100 yards.
However , it's not so I use my other rifles in various calibres.
Cat
 
I always liked 87gr JHP out of a 243 win on white tail deer. I personally think the 100gr bullets are excessive. Plus my rifle always shot the lighter ones better. I do think these calibre laws are kind of foolish. I can legally hunt deer with a 9mm parabellum but I can't hunt with a 223 rem.
 
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