Just because question

[bullgator]

I’ve heard many times that some folks prefer bullets that stay in an animal and not pass through. Their reasoning is usually they want all the bullet‘s energy to be dumped inside the animal. I’ve also heard they didn’t like the meat damage of exiting bullets. Of course I’m speaking of game animals like deer, antelope, elk, etc.. I’m of the thinking that the best blood trails are from the exit wound and as long as we’re not talking about FMJs there was plenty of energy dumped to get that pass through.
There are to many questions with those that aren’t designed for exit depth penetration. How can you be sure there’s enough penetration to begin with on an ideal shot? Add to that the angles that require more travel to the vitals and the usually lacking blood trails.
Any comments either way?

 

[killerv]

Put it in the boiler room, climb down from stand, go get truck or atv/utv, drive up to deer, and load it up.

I'm not a huge blood trail guy unless its with a bow, I put the bullet where they only travel a couple feet, straight down. Some folks want to shoot a little further back to minimize meat loss, I'm good with that. As long as its a ethical shot and quick kill. I still get exits every now and then from my nbts, I will admit, very little blood if it doesn't hit any bone or mass and just zips through like with a lung shot, but most of the time, you can cut the bullet out from the hide on the other side. That's a perfect scenerio in my opinion.

I like nbts, accurate, deadly as all get out, and if for some reason you mess up and don't make the best shot in the world, they are more forgiving than other options in my opinion.

 

[rosewood]

I have seen deer run 100+ yards with no heart and a leg dangling. I quit shooting shoulders and heart and started going for double lung. If not DRT, usually 30-40 yards max when they have no air.

A bullet that stays in the animal does more meat damage than one that passes through because it does typically blow up into lots of pieces and you get blood shot meat everywhere.

Rosewood

 

[Dub]

^^^^^^And there it is….two schools of thought, both well stated.

I am fans of both.

 

[Jester896]

with the speeds of today, the entry will likely seal and the blood will come from the exit, if you need a blood trail. If it doesn't expand much or have enough velocity going through...lung matter could seal the other side too. I don't typically have shoulder roasts so 2# of burger won't make a difference either way.

 

[livinoutdoors]

Both have their place i think. Smash the shoulders and nobody is running anywhere. Punch both lungs and get a blood trail, no meat damage, and a dead deer after a short run.

 

[bighonkinjeep]

I like a more heavily constructed bullet because I'm gonna shoot em high through the shoulders. Take away the wheels and they drop straight down and dont go anywhere. Some deer have an incredible drive and haul tail a long ways and through some of the thickest stuff on earth while they're already dead and dont know it from anything behind the shoulders. That never happens when they dont have any wheels. Bang, flop, pick em up every time.
I too like bonded core or partition style bullets. Preferably in .30 cal because deer beg to be shot with a .308 diameter bullet.
I feel the same as Jester about a little pre ground shoulder. Not a problem and never gut shot.

 

[Darkhorse]

I want a bullet that expands to as large a diameter as possible and exits the animal. I've shot many deer that should have dropped on the spot and didn't, but they ran off out of sight. In those cases I want the best blood trail possible. I always, until recently, shot either a 7mm mag. or 300 mag. Both would drive the bullet completely through consistently.
I see no benefit in the bullet remaining in the animal. I have only had a couple drop from energy alone. The only consistant shot to drop one on the spot is a shot that disrupts the central nervous system, a hit in the spine or brain puts them down.
I now hunt deer with a .308 and Hornady Superformance ammunition. This is the only rifle I shoot factory ammo in to hunt but I like the extra 100-200 fps I get with the Superformance. So far the .308 has left nothing to be desired.
As for blood trails, I used to be a serious bowhunter since my teen years and learned how to follow blood trails both heavy and light, scuffed leaves etc. to find my animal. I also shoot flintlocks which often leaves a blood trail. Blood trails simply don't bother me and I always expect one.

 

[The Original Rooster]

Both have their place i think. Smash the shoulders and nobody is running anywhere. Punch both lungs and get a blood trail, no meat damage, and a dead deer after a short run.

And always remember that deer are weird. Sometimes they give up and die on the spot from a marginal shot. The next time they'll run 200 yards with 1/2 a heart shot out. It's just how much fight they have in them I guess?

 

[livinoutdoors]

And always remember that deer are weird. Sometimes they give up and die on the spot from a marginal shot. The next time they'll run 200 yards with 1/2 a heart shot out. It's just how much fight they have in them I guess?

Yup sometimes its just however they wanna die not how you want em to die!

 

[The Original Rooster]

Yup sometimes its just however they wanna die not how you want em to die!

Exactly! They just don't make sense sometimes!

 

[bullgator]

I want a bullet that expands to as large a diameter as possible and exits the animal. I've shot many deer that should have dropped on the spot and didn't, but they ran off out of sight. In those cases I want the best blood trail possible. I always, until recently, shot either a 7mm mag. or 300 mag. Both would drive the bullet completely through consistently.
I see no benefit in the bullet remaining in the animal. I have only had a couple drop from energy alone. The only consistant shot to drop one on the spot is a shot that disrupts the central nervous system, a hit in the spine or brain puts them down.
I now hunt deer with a .308 and Hornady Superformance ammunition. This is the only rifle I shoot factory ammo in to hunt but I like the extra 100-200 fps I get with the Superformance. So far the .308 has left nothing to be desired.
As for blood trails, I used to be a serious bowhunter since my teen years and learned how to follow blood trails both heavy and light, scuffed leaves etc. to find my animal. I also shoot flintlocks which often leaves a blood trail. Blood trails simply don't bother me and I always expect one.

That’s where I’m at! A bullet that is constructed with acceptable expansion and tough enough to drive through, leaving an exit wound is a win-win. Dumping all the energy into an animal with a bullet that stays inside seems to take away one of the benefits of a hunting bullet.

 

[Robert28]

When I shoot hogs I gut shot them on purpose so they’ll run off and die, unless it’s a size hog I want to process then I’ll move it up some. With Deer I aim for double lung shots and that usually drops them right there or within 30-40 yards. Doesn’t matter if it’s a 243 or a 308.

 

[Jester896]

I have had to do that with deer...it's against everything I have ever been taught or learned about fair chase and hunting. It seems to me to be more ethical to shot whatever it is...kill it right there and just leave it.

 

[bighonkinjeep]

And always remember that deer are weird. Sometimes they give up and die on the spot from a marginal shot. The next time they'll run 200 yards with 1/2 a heart shot out. It's just how much fight they have in them I guess?

But if you take out the wheels, you'll know where theyre gonna die every time. I did have a high shoulder shot big 10 go down then stand up on his back legs and try to get away. Must have missed the spine by a scooch. He hopped twice went less than 10 yards kicked the back legs a couple times and was dead within 30-60 seconds. I was shocked. First one I'd seen get up, Some just have more drive than others but none of em run without those front shoulders.

 

[rosewood]

I have seen deer run with 2 broken shoulders, unless u remove all 4 wheels no guarantee they are not going to run. Does decrease their odds though. Personally I rather save the meat. I don't eat lungs..

Adrenaline can carry a dead deer running a long way. Seems this is worse the closer you are to the deer when you shoot them. The louder the shot, the more adrenaline spike they have I believe. Seems most I have shot at distance tend to drop quicker.

rosewood

 

[ssramage]

Put it right through both shoulders and no blood trail is needed.

 

[ddgarcia]

I find this whole bigger, faster, harder whatever to be comical. Probably haven't killed as many as some of you, and probably more than others, but always a heart shot or double lung, never a shoulder(I want the meat, can't eat any of that bone they have on their heads) and shoot either a .243 with 80gr Core-Lokt or a .270 with 130 or 150gr soft point. The only deer I ever near lost, had to hire a tracking dog, was the one I THOUGHT I made the shot on and didn't. Took a shot I shouldn't have because of the bone on the head and nicked a tree trying for the heart and ended up hitting him high and back in the liver.

With the .243 I never get a pass through, bullet is just under the skin on the other side, and even with the .270 I don't worry about the blood trail. Just got to where I shot it, turn and walk in the direction it ran off, and there it is, dead within 80yds. Every time.

My buddy was just whining a coue days ago about one he shot last year. .308 in the shoulder. Was crying cause he lost all the shoulder meat. Asked him why he would do that. Said "Well, I was being lazy and didn't want to have to drag him. I wanted him DRT so I could ride the SxS up to him and toss him in".

Now I ain't calling anybody a liar, but I k ow folks is sometimes prone to exaggeration, like the fella that'll tell ya about the 10lb bass he tossed back when he has multiple 4 and 5lbers on his wall, but until I see it myself I am skeptical. I know the will to survive is strong, but just my personal experience, if you make the shot you think you did, that deer ain't far off.

 

[kmckinnie]

I find this whole bigger, faster, harder whatever to be comical. Probably haven't killed as many as some of you, and probably more than others, but always a heart shot or double lung, never a shoulder(I want the meat, can't eat any of that bone they have on their heads) and shoot either a .243 with 80gr Core-Lokt or a .270 with 130 or 150gr soft point. The only deer I ever near lost, had to hire a tracking dog, was the one I THOUGHT I made the shot on and didn't. Took a shot I shouldn't have because of the bone on the head and nicked a tree trying for the heart and ended up hitting him high and back in the liver.

With the .243 I never get a pass through, bullet is just under the skin on the other side, and even with the .270 I don't worry about the blood trail. Just got to where I shot it, turn and walk in the direction it ran off, and there it is, dead within 80yds. Every time.

My buddy was just whining a coue days ago about one he shot last year. .308 in the shoulder. Was crying cause he lost all the shoulder meat. Asked him why he would do that. Said "Well, I was being lazy and didn't want to have to drag him. I wanted him DRT so I could ride the SxS up to him and toss him in".

Now I ain't calling anybody a liar, but I k ow folks is sometimes prone to exaggeration, like the fella that'll tell ya about the 10lb bass he tossed back when he has multiple 4 and 5lbers on his wall, but until I see it myself I am skeptical. I know the will to survive is strong, but just my personal experience, if you make the shot you think you did, that deer ain't far off.

I like the lung shot behind the shoulder. Heart area. As u say even with the 243. Lung. He’s blowing it out his nose. They pile up. Can’t breathe. Lots fall right there. I line to stay away from the shoulder meat best I can and below the backstraps. even with my 5.56 they go down hit there quick. I use the 5.56 on hogs mostly but when a deer makes a easy shot if I want it. Think nothing if it. My 270 is my go to gun but I like my old 30 30

 

[FlipKing]

I shot a buck Wednesday at 170 yards, quartering to me probably 75% with a handloaf 6.5cm. I shot, buck ran into a wood line and I lost sight of him. Got down, no blood at the shot. No blood in the field. No blood at the tree line. After about 30 minutes of looking(and doubting myself), I found the buck dead. After some back tracking, we managed to find 1 single drop of blood. Bullet had gone in high shoulder on one side and lodged somewhere near the opposite hip, no exit wound. So the bullet devastated him inside but left no blood trail. I think pass through is better for people who aren't great trackers. I am a decent tracker and prefer a pass through but I can make it work most times.

Honestly it wasn't the best shot for me to take and I had some buck fever so that's on me. But that buck ate 143 grains traveling at 2800fps and still ran over 100 yards with most of his chest cavity made of jello. They are tough creatures.