AlleninAlaska
New member
Hey Whackum, how many years ago did MI go from a 6mm as the minnimum caliber for deer. When I was living there in the 60's and early 70's, you could not use anything smaller than 24 caliber for deer.
The Ultimate Deer Cartridge
- Thread starter udarrell
- Start date
whackum
New member
I am not sure when it changed, or if it has.
This is the current wording from the game guide, and as far as I can recall, its always said something simular.
In the rifle zone, deer may be taken with handguns, rifles, bows and
arrows, shotguns and muzzleloading firearms including black powder
handguns. It is illegal to hunt deer with a .22 caliber rimfire or 5mm
rimfire firearm (rifle or handgun).
A friend of mine had the same question, and contacted his buddy, who works for the DNR, and he confirmed that you are allowed to use a 22 centerfire rifle. The officer could not confirm when or if it changed.
I've been using the 22-250 since around 1974.
This is the current wording from the game guide, and as far as I can recall, its always said something simular.
In the rifle zone, deer may be taken with handguns, rifles, bows and
arrows, shotguns and muzzleloading firearms including black powder
handguns. It is illegal to hunt deer with a .22 caliber rimfire or 5mm
rimfire firearm (rifle or handgun).
A friend of mine had the same question, and contacted his buddy, who works for the DNR, and he confirmed that you are allowed to use a 22 centerfire rifle. The officer could not confirm when or if it changed.
I've been using the 22-250 since around 1974.
steven ILLsLey
New member
HI ILove To Deer Hunt In NH I Use A Win88 In
A 284cal.150gr. It Works Great. I Coyote Hunt
To And Use A 243/12ga. 00 Buck Shot. Good Luck Hunters IN 2002. Steven.
A 284cal.150gr. It Works Great. I Coyote Hunt
To And Use A 243/12ga. 00 Buck Shot. Good Luck Hunters IN 2002. Steven.
Ridge Runner
New member
the 6mm is .243 diameter, nothing changed except the wording.
RR
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Born to hunt, Forced to work
RR
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Born to hunt, Forced to work
I shoot a customized ruger in .280 cal. I've shot a few big deer out here, and it has the knock down power. Doesn't cause flinching,shoot as far as you can hit. Anybody can get used to the recoil, muzzle blast etc. Can be used on elk, in a pinch, and will handle moose no problem. Everyone has their favourite rifle, I wouldn't part with mine!
i think range is the biggest factor. here in northeastern okla where i hunt, it is pretty thick with lots of underbrush.i still hunt exclusivly, so i want a light rifle and a short one. so a long time ago i fell in love with a ruger rsi.243. it has the full stock,pretty sexy i think! anyway i handload sierra 85 gr bthp with imr 3031. all my shots have been under 50 yds. nothing walked away> i used to go for heart,lung shots to lesson meat damage, but now i try for neck shots. they waste very little meat, and its not near so messy as a quartering away lung shot, ugh!!!! its quite impressive to see a 125lb 6 point get flipped completely over backwards when it gets hit by that .243 in the white spot under his chin!!!!
Brian Bentley
New member
beartaker,
I shot some extremely long ranges during my time in the service, so I do not dispute that it can be done. But 600 yards is a very very long distance to shoot with a sporter rifle. Did you realize that field conditions at 600 yards with a 10 MPH crosswind would have even the best .25-06 bullet drop OVER FOUR FEET, and the drift would be over TWO FEET. Again, I am not disputing your claim, I am merely suggesting that actual distances can sometimes be deceiving. There are many hunters who reside here who have a great deal of long distance shooting to their credit, you may be one of them, but making claims that;
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Brian K. Bentley
Hunting is not just our right, It's our HERITAGE.
I shot some extremely long ranges during my time in the service, so I do not dispute that it can be done. But 600 yards is a very very long distance to shoot with a sporter rifle. Did you realize that field conditions at 600 yards with a 10 MPH crosswind would have even the best .25-06 bullet drop OVER FOUR FEET, and the drift would be over TWO FEET. Again, I am not disputing your claim, I am merely suggesting that actual distances can sometimes be deceiving. There are many hunters who reside here who have a great deal of long distance shooting to their credit, you may be one of them, but making claims that;
does not set well with most experienced hunters. Please don't take offense at my question. I would just hate to see you erode your credibility before you actually were able to build any.
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Brian K. Bentley
Hunting is not just our right, It's our HERITAGE.
Greets,
Hmmm very interesting debate, I have to agree with the person who said there isnt a "best" cartridge for deer, it all depends on ranges and situations. I have used a 30-06 and a Moisin Nagant 7.62x54R. I Currently carry the '06 for most deer hunting, bu only because it has a scope and the Nagant doesn't. Both are devastating to any deer shot within the ranges of the weapon, and if presented with a close range shot ( under 100yds ) I hope I am carrying the Nagant, as it is easier to get on target than my other rifle.
However, I have seen my partner take deer at 400+ yards with his scoped .270win. He uses Winchester ballistic silvertips exclusisively. The round is more than adequate at any range, I saw it drop a deer with a bad hit ( rear hip shot stopped the deer and kept it down enuoght to close on it and finish it, he was extremely embarrased by that shot he got buck fever ) At the same time, he got his doe at less than 40 yds this year, bullet went right through her, but opened up enough to stiop her in less than 10 paces. Shot through the chest cavity she staggard and went down.
I would hunt with any generally excepted deer caliber at reasonable ranges for me, so long as that was the bullet I fired.
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Just my uneducated opinion.
Terry
Hmmm very interesting debate, I have to agree with the person who said there isnt a "best" cartridge for deer, it all depends on ranges and situations. I have used a 30-06 and a Moisin Nagant 7.62x54R. I Currently carry the '06 for most deer hunting, bu only because it has a scope and the Nagant doesn't. Both are devastating to any deer shot within the ranges of the weapon, and if presented with a close range shot ( under 100yds ) I hope I am carrying the Nagant, as it is easier to get on target than my other rifle.
However, I have seen my partner take deer at 400+ yards with his scoped .270win. He uses Winchester ballistic silvertips exclusisively. The round is more than adequate at any range, I saw it drop a deer with a bad hit ( rear hip shot stopped the deer and kept it down enuoght to close on it and finish it, he was extremely embarrased by that shot he got buck fever ) At the same time, he got his doe at less than 40 yds this year, bullet went right through her, but opened up enough to stiop her in less than 10 paces. Shot through the chest cavity she staggard and went down.
I would hunt with any generally excepted deer caliber at reasonable ranges for me, so long as that was the bullet I fired.
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Just my uneducated opinion.
Terry
coyotebuster
New member
its all depends where your shot placement is. i have killed 1 deer with my 243 and it did damage. too many people think that bigger is better. sure your 300 mags have a lot of power but that does you no good if the recoil is so bad that you cant shoot it good. if you can handle that much power great but i can tell you what if i was gonna go moose hunting i would take a gun i could shoot well not one that has tremendus amounts of power but is inaccurate. i would much rather use a 30 06 and shoot it good rather that a gun with too much recoil to detour a good shot. all that power does you no good if you gut shoot it or hit it in the hindquarters. just my $.02
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have fun and shoot straight
brad
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have fun and shoot straight
brad
Predator Ambusher
New member
Ok im in Eastern Oregon, with deep canyon's, with Elk , Bear, Deer ( Muley's and White Tails). I pack a 300Rum with 180 partion's, for the above Game Hunting, and a 6mm for anything Down too Coyote's and a 22-250 for less and Coyote's.
I used a 270 Win for deer and a 7mm rem mag For Elk before the 300 Ultra mag cal came out, and I gave my 270 Win to my son to hunt with, but I believe we owe it too the Big Game Animals we are hunting to dispatch them quickly and Humanly as possible.
It is true that 22-250 can kill and fast at time's at resonable ranges, but it is for Varmints, And is truely a great round for that.
I dont tend to agree with game dept's saying that a 22cal is ok for deer. They dont list in the Game manual's that to use the 22cal under a certain range only??? Then are they saying it is good for what ever range you want to use it at? No, they are hopeing( If They Even care that) you will Make the right choice on the range you use it at. There are alot of guy's who havn't had the opportunity to learn Hunting shot's on Big Game Like some of you who could and do shoot well enough to Make those shot's with smaller caliber's.
To Make a claim of The Ultimate Deer Cartridge and say it is the 22-250 Or the 243 just isnt so when you say that you are including all Deer which is up to Moose!!!To be the Ultimate deer Cartridge it would have to take all of them and i hope i wouldnt see you all hunting Moose with them. Keep in mind that there are some looking at this who really doesn't know how too shoot big Game with small caliber's.
So i would say it would have too be able to kill all of the DEER fast and with some sort of ease.... here's my choice: 300 Ultra Mag, 180 gr Partion.
It isnt too wicked on deer and works well on Elk and recoil isnt any worse than a 7mm Rem Mag to me.
Ok let me have that 22-250 Lobotomy..lol
I used a 270 Win for deer and a 7mm rem mag For Elk before the 300 Ultra mag cal came out, and I gave my 270 Win to my son to hunt with, but I believe we owe it too the Big Game Animals we are hunting to dispatch them quickly and Humanly as possible.
It is true that 22-250 can kill and fast at time's at resonable ranges, but it is for Varmints, And is truely a great round for that.
I dont tend to agree with game dept's saying that a 22cal is ok for deer. They dont list in the Game manual's that to use the 22cal under a certain range only??? Then are they saying it is good for what ever range you want to use it at? No, they are hopeing( If They Even care that) you will Make the right choice on the range you use it at. There are alot of guy's who havn't had the opportunity to learn Hunting shot's on Big Game Like some of you who could and do shoot well enough to Make those shot's with smaller caliber's.
To Make a claim of The Ultimate Deer Cartridge and say it is the 22-250 Or the 243 just isnt so when you say that you are including all Deer which is up to Moose!!!To be the Ultimate deer Cartridge it would have to take all of them and i hope i wouldnt see you all hunting Moose with them. Keep in mind that there are some looking at this who really doesn't know how too shoot big Game with small caliber's.
So i would say it would have too be able to kill all of the DEER fast and with some sort of ease.... here's my choice: 300 Ultra Mag, 180 gr Partion.
It isnt too wicked on deer and works well on Elk and recoil isnt any worse than a 7mm Rem Mag to me.
Ok let me have that 22-250 Lobotomy..lol
Not much different than the .243 but mine's a 25-06 and to date it is a "one-shot-wonder". It is accurate, grouping .39 from a Ruger 77, with reloads. That's part of it's magic. Shot placement says it all. I even use the .25 as my #1 choice for doing farm kills on buffalo. (I'm a butcher) One shot to the brain and it's all over. Never needed a follow-up yet!
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From Dirty Mike the coyote wrestler
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From Dirty Mike the coyote wrestler
sneeky_sniper
Member
Again, Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement....
If you cannot hitit, it doesn't matter what you shoot "at" it with.
I shoot a .308win, 7mm Rem.Mag, and a .243win
the .243 with handloaded 55gr. Vmax bullets is a very capable and destructive load with little to no recoil. I developed this load for my girlfriend, and found out that it was also a great all-around varmit,hog,deer,and anything else that will get within 350-400 yards load. But you must hit them good.
My girlfriend loves to shoot this rifle(model 7 Rem.) it is short light and does'nt kick. At first she said "it sure has a small bullet" compared to my 7mm Mag. It does. But when she shot her second deer, a 11pt. Whitetail, she realized the destructive capabilities. (at 150yds. she almost decapitated the buck) Later
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The good ones don't always get away....
If you cannot hitit, it doesn't matter what you shoot "at" it with.
I shoot a .308win, 7mm Rem.Mag, and a .243win
the .243 with handloaded 55gr. Vmax bullets is a very capable and destructive load with little to no recoil. I developed this load for my girlfriend, and found out that it was also a great all-around varmit,hog,deer,and anything else that will get within 350-400 yards load. But you must hit them good.
My girlfriend loves to shoot this rifle(model 7 Rem.) it is short light and does'nt kick. At first she said "it sure has a small bullet" compared to my 7mm Mag. It does. But when she shot her second deer, a 11pt. Whitetail, she realized the destructive capabilities. (at 150yds. she almost decapitated the buck) Later
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The good ones don't always get away....
chuckduster01
New member
The best deer cartridge is the one in your hands, while deer hunting my .280 rem is in my hands, its all personal preference, my wife prefers the .243, my dad prefers the 7mm/08. It is all up to the shooter. Shoot what ya like, let the ballisticians worry about the rest.
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"When you get em in the sights drop the hammer"
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"When you get em in the sights drop the hammer"
I would love to be able to hunt deer with a centerfire rifle. But I live in Ohio and you can't. So in my 25 yrs of chasing whitetails the best cartridge,round,caliber,rifle,gun, etc.... is the 12ga. in whatever action you can shoot proficiently. Trust me they don't go far. I will admit the farthest I have killed one is 75yds. mostly we jump shoot them like rabbits. But it is still alot of fun.
I live in wisconsin and I use a 30-06 and i have to say it is one of the best deer hunting rifles in the world. Now alot of you say a .243 is great it is not it lacks knockdown power my cousin has shot 3 deer with the .243 and not found one due to the lack of knockdown power. So i say that the .243 should be used only for coyote and other small game.
I have used just about everything from a 243 to a 416 Taylor and if you don't do your part than you can't expect the rifle/bullet selection to perform miracles. Thank God there is no ultimate deer cartridge. Think how boring it would be if everyone used the same thing. To me the best big game cartridge is the one you are capable of using accurately and is suited to the game being hunted.