First deer with 22-250

Spurred Hunter

Spurred Hunter

Member
Went out for a little walk about yesterday after noon after watching football and was mainly looking for coyotes out hunting around cause it was really cold. But since it was the last day of doe season here in Mo and I have some friends who are needing some meat cause the husband wrecked a 4wheeler and broke his collar bone and shoulder blade, I had it in the back of my mind that I might shoot a doe if the opportunity presented itself. The thing was I really didnt figure on seeing any because I had only seen 1 doe the entire regular rifle season. I had walked about an hr and made a loop down to the river and was following the levee around when I saw some movement about 400 yds in front of me, I looked thru my scope and saw that there were several deer crossing over the levee, and maybe 50 yds closer was a big flock of turkeys. i started making my way closer and got to 250 yds or so from where I had seen the deer and the turkeys all flushed and flew, there had to be between 40-50 of em. After the turkeys spooked I made my way out from the brush and topped over the levee, I stood there and looked for a few minutes over the corn field and didn't see anything right off and then I noticed what looked like a fat corn stalk on a terrace somewhere around 300yds away. Turned out to be a doe looking straight in my direction, and as I looked some more i was able to pick out the heads of 4-5 other deer along the same terrace. Now I've never felt that a 22-250 was adequate for deer, and I've past up shots on does before cause that was the gun I was carrying and I didn't feel right shooting a deer with one. But I figured there was a need to help out some friends, and I know a lot of deer have been killed with small caliber, so I laid out prone on the terrace got steady and squeezed one off. I was trying for a neck shot and may have pulled off, or may have hit some switchgrass in front of me, I'm not sure. Either way, none of the deer got too alarmed and the whole group starting trotting my direction. There turned out to be 10 does and fawns in the group and they stopped again at about 70-80yds. This time I settled the crosshair infront of the ear of what appeared to be the largest doe and let er rip again. She just dropped, no kicking, no nothing. Always wanted to head shoot one, just always felt safer putting it behind or thru the shoulders with the 270. The 52gr Speer hpbt hit right half way between her eye and her ear and basically seperated the skullplate from the rest of the skull. So now I have a doe to help some friends out thru some hard times, and I got to enjoy some more time out hunting.
 
I've always seen LOTS of kicking (but the never go anywhere) with headshots. Even with 7mag. Guess it's like when you shoot a bird in the head; lots of flopping... The 22-250 is plenty for deer. Shoot just behind the shoulder (bowstyle shot) & you will see very simular results too the .270.
 
Congrats. I too killed myself one yesterday with my .223 This season has been pretty crappy and I seen a total of 8 deer all season. Saw a small buck opening morning that I couldnt tell whether it was legal or not and then saw a couple does on other occasions but never on our property. Then finally yesterday morning I had a little spike come trotting through the timber to within 60 yards of me. He turned broadside and I wasnt sure if the .223 would get the job done putting one in its heart like my .270 does so I centered the crosshairs on the back of its neck and squeezed the trigger. The deer dropped dead in its tracks and thats all she wrote. Dont figure ill doubt the ability of the .223 to kill deer again.
 
I really don't know why I've been so hesitant to shoot one with the 250, several years ago I loaned my 223 to a friend to let his son kill his first deer. He shot a 6 pt broadside at 186 yds,and the 55gr softpoint stopped under the skin on the opposite shoulder. That deer never took a step after the shot either.
 
Spurred Hunter said:
I saw some movement about 400 yds in front of me, I looked thru my scope and saw that there were several deer crossing over the levee,


How would you have felt if you had seen people instead of deer in your scope?
Please get some binoculars. Scopes are for aiming your gun at something you want to shoot.
Click to expand...
 
Isnt there a a 24 cal minimum law for rifle on deer in Missouri? My mothers side of the family and step bro and sis are all missouri residents and informed me it was illegal to shoot a deer with anything smaller than a .243. Is that hearsay or did the law change?
 
As per page 11 of the Mo hunting regulations, legal methods,"any centerfire pistol, revolver or rifle shooting expanding-type bullets...", so yes a 22-250, .223, nd even a .17Rem are legal means to take deer in the state of Mo.So long as you are not shooting FMJ type bullets. I do believe at one time the min. was .22 cal centefire, not sure when it changed. About the looking thru the scope comment I knew someone would have to point it out, and the fact that I was on Private Property that we own, and I entered thru the only access gate thru the only road access, which put me close to 2 miles from the nearest public road. How would I have felt seeing people in the scope? Rather peeved is how I would have felt.
 
wow thats awesum! I was thinking of heading down to my grandpas in Dent county next year to hunt some deer with a rifle. Looks like I can take my .223 after all! Thanks for the info spurred!
 
Spurred Hunter is exactly right. A few years ago there was limitations as to size of bullet but not anymore. Any centerfire rifle or handgun firing an expanding type bullet may be used.
 
i shot one with a ballistic tip and it knocked her off her feet like a body slam. i was amazed. it liquidfied her heart and blew her spine upward. it was a perfect broad side shot but was a little high
 
If someone is squirreling around on his property in the middle of the corn field or levee without blaze orange on they have their own issues. He said he scoped them first to see if he could find them, not just throw up the rifle for a snap shot at some corn cobs. He identified his target, got to a proper shooting position, reacquired then shot. Remember a gun has a safety and your own secondary safety, your trigger finger. It stays of the trigger till your ready to shoot. Learn the basics and you won't have an accident.

Good job Spurred for helping out a neighbor in need.

I wish I could use my 250 in VA but we have the 22 cal limitation.
 
Originally Posted By: NcWhitetail
Spurred Hunter said:
I saw some movement about 400 yds in front of me, I looked thru my scope and saw that there were several deer crossing over the levee,


How would you have felt if you had seen people instead of deer in your scope?
Please get some binoculars. Scopes are for aiming your gun at something you want to shoot.

I look at stuff all the time through my scope, just crack the bolt and have a peak.
Click to expand...
 
Besides if someone is on your property without your permission and they see you observing them thru a scope , my guess is they will vacate their bowels and then your property..
 
So.... Spurred Hunter you knew EXACTLY where EVERY member of your family, every ranch hand and any other person that may have permission or a legal right to be there was.

I am absolutely APPALLED so many of you are willing to use a scope mounted on a rifle for looking at or examining a previously unidentified object. It doesn't matter where you are,(except the rifle range) what you are doing, who is or isn't supposed to be around or weather or not you have "cracked" the bolt. A scope it a AIMING DEVICE. When you look at "something" through a scope you are willing to kill or destroy what you are looking at.

I really can't believe so many of you would admit to and condone such activity.


NRA Gun Safety Rules

The fundamental NRA rules for safe gun handling are:


1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
This is the primary rule of gun safety. A safe direction means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage. The key to this rule is to control where the muzzle or front end of the barrel is pointed at all times. Common sense dictates the safest direction, depending on different circumstances.
 
Ive had great success with my 223 an vmax bullets great penetration and shock got me thinking to leave the 7 mm wsm at home. Lighter and much cheaper to shoot. if you do you part and take clean shots the 22 cal centerfire will work fine for deer. Mabey not a 400 lb. Manitoba swamp donkey though.
 
Originally Posted By: NcWhitetailSo.... Spurred Hunter you knew EXACTLY where EVERY member of your family, every ranch hand and any other person that may have permission or a legal right to be there was.

I am absolutely APPALLED so many of you are willing to use a scope mounted on a rifle for looking at or examining a previously unidentified object. It doesn't matter where you are,(except the rifle range) what you are doing, who is or isn't supposed to be around or weather or not you have "cracked" the bolt. A scope it a AIMING DEVICE. When you look at "something" through a scope you are willing to kill or destroy what you are looking at.

I really can't believe so many of you would admit to and condone such activity.


NRA Gun Safety Rules

The fundamental NRA rules for safe gun handling are:


1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
This is the primary rule of gun safety. A safe direction means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage. The key to this rule is to control where the muzzle or front end of the barrel is pointed at all times. Common sense dictates the safest direction, depending on different circumstances.



x10000000000000000
 
I agree with some of the others about using your scope like binoculars. It's not safe no matter how comfortable you are on your side of the scope. In most states it's not even safe for you. Bolt open or not, pointing a weapon at a person is a deadly force action. They could legally put a bullet in you. No jury would ever convict them. Safety aside, it's not even designed for that purpose. That attitude is inexcusable in a forum of sportsman.

I read a great article a few years back, it might have been by Barsness. He talked about guys showing up when he outfitted with $800 glass on their rifle and cheap or, worse yet, no bino's. In the author's opinion if they were going to skimp they were far better off with a cheap scope and quality bino's.

With the advances in glass today a cheap pair is equal to a decent quality pair 20 years ago. Go out and get yourself some bino's. If you're too lazy to lug a set of bino's around you probably don't belong in the field anyway. JMO

Nate
 
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