smallest caliber to kill deer

[clayg08]

this has me dying laughing

me too. i guess some dont' get sarcasm

[El General]

.22 hornet was my first deer rifle. I killed eight deer with it shooting behind the shoulder before I was 10 years old.

I wouldn't recommend it. .223, .22-250, and .243 are all good small caliber choices.

[mrc]

I just have to stir the pot today, everyone here kills or has killed a deer with a bow. It is proven a hole in the lungs will kill a deer. But yet most everyone here says it takes a large caliber to kill a deer. A 22 hornet is no good a 223 is too small it takes a 30-06 and such. Ive killed many a deer with a hard cast bullet at slow velocity. Put a hole thru the lungs and they wont go far. For smaller people of someone with shoulder issues a 223 is perfect. A shot in the lungs kills faster than a flinched shot in the guts.

[JW]

i just have to stir the pot today, everyone here kills or has killed a deer with a bow. It is proven a hole in the lungs will kill a deer. But yet most everyone here says it takes a large caliber to kill a deer. A 22 hornet is no good a 223 is too small it takes a 30-06 and such. Ive killed many a deer with a hard cast bullet at slow velocity. Put a hole thru the lungs and they wont go far. For smaller people of someone with shoulder issues a 223 is perfect. A shot in the lungs kills faster than a flinched shot in the guts.

6.8

[DBHIII]

Smallest I would use is .204. My fav is .220 swift. With small calibers it's all about shot placement. Neck shot only, no tracking required.

[muddyfuzzy]

.22-250

[CRT]

I just have to stir the pot today, everyone here kills or has killed a deer with a bow. It is proven a hole in the lungs will kill a deer. But yet most everyone here says it takes a large caliber to kill a deer. A 22 hornet is no good a 223 is too small it takes a 30-06 and such. Ive killed many a deer with a hard cast bullet at slow velocity. Put a hole thru the lungs and they wont go far. For smaller people of someone with shoulder issues a 223 is perfect. A shot in the lungs kills faster than a flinched shot in the guts.

Not everybody....just saying!

[zero-in]

Interesting thread. I shoot a 30-06 in 150/165. Never have lost an animal that I've hit, and admittedly have made a few less than desireable shots (ie a bit back... or a bit high.) I guess I am not as manly as Texastornado apparently, because I do develop a flinch with that gun. I'm constantly having to fight it, probably because I don't shoot it enough. I did some research and found some writeups from some experts that say it is impossible to not have to battle not developing a flinch with a certain ft-lb of recoil for which the 30-06 is well above. With a .22/.17 I am a good shot, so I know it's recoil management I have a problem with. That being said, I'm thinking about buying a .243 someday (no hurry) and leaving the 30-06 for those times I get invited to a caribou hunt in Alaska.

All I've shot is an '06 with the exception of my .50 cal muzzy which has a the recoil that is more or less of a "push". My overly-developed flinch over the years as a result of shooting the bigger calibers has been significant reduced since I started to shoot my '06 and mosin off a lead sled during range time to the point that flinch is significantly less. Then during a hunt, flinch is not there were it pulls a shot like it used to when I shoulder my rifle as a direct result of habituating out the flinch with use of the lead sled, but it has taken numerous range outings to develop a reduced reaction. Just my $.02.

[JW]

Smallest I would use is .204. My fav is .220 swift. With small calibers it's all about shot placement. Neck shot only, no tracking required.

Year anything will work there. I won't and don't do head n neck shots.

[Bowhuntamistad]

I've always laughed when somebody ask if my XX year old kid should shoot my .223 on a deer and somebody responds " your .223 could work but a 500 nitro express would be better" going from one end of the spectrum to the other

It's usually the caliber they shoot and are super fans of.

The gist of all this is, pick a good bullet and put it in the right place. Especially with younger shooters and in a controlled situation like a known distance under a feeder, I'd rather not scare them away by making them shoot a 338 or whatever. If I have to track the rest of the day, no biggie. We'll find it!

BTW, my wife hunts with her .223 out here in Nevada.

[txnduckhntr]

if a arrow outta a indian's bow will kill a buffalo, im sure a 22 hornet will.

some folks like to compensate with overkill for a lack of..well you know

[Limbwalker]

if a arrow outta a indian's bow will kill a buffalo, im sure a 22 hornet will.

some folks like to compensate with overkill for a lack of..well you know

I wouldn't be so sure of that. A good sharp obsidian head through the vitals is some strong medicine.

[PondPopper]

It's all about penetration. Varmint bullets are just wrong for deer.

[westtexducks]

It's all about penetration. Varmint bullets are just wrong for deer.

I know of at least 10 deer most being muley does and a handful of whitetail does that I watched die and a whole lot more that a buddy has shot with a varmint bullet out of .22-250 .223 and .204 that would argue with that statement.

[Dirtymike]

I know of at least 10 deer most being muley does and a handful of whitetail does that I watched die and a whole lot more that a buddy has shot with a varmint bullet out of .22-250 .223 and .204 that would argue with that statement.

and i am willing to bet none of those shot encountered bone. Why in the world would you shoot a deer with a bullet designed to explode on impact? There is a reason they are called varmint bullets. not varmint/deer boolits