What is the smallest caliber you deer hunt with?

chambers270

Senior Member
Just wondering, I got a 22-250 in trade from a buddy who deerhunted with it. He has never lost a deer with it and I know of a few people who hunt this area (SE GA) with a 223.

So what is the smallest gun you use and/or have killed with?

By the way he used Hornady 60gr Soft Points, and I saw 3 of the deer he shot with it. Tore the vitals up
 

K80

Senior Member
100 grain 6mm.
 

Wide Earp

Senior Member
22-250, today was the first time I had a deer run after being hit with the 22-250 I hit her a little low and she went about 80yds all the others fell DRT [dead right there]
 

Greene728

Senior Member
Got a 223 that is a deer dropping machine!! Neck shots and its lights out. But I DO NOT take marginal or quick shots with it cause its not worth it. I generally only take it doe hunting also cause while im still buck hunting I just dont want to take any chances, altough I have killed a couple bucks with no problems. A 22-250 is a super flat shooting deer gun that is plenty of rifle it just needs to be in the hands of an experienced and patient hunter because marginal shots with it just like the 223 will yield marginal results. But that is the case with practically any cartridge its just magnified with the small caliber and small grain projectiles of these calibers.
 

chambers270

Senior Member
I am by no means a match shooter, but I have put a lot of time in behind a rifle. I have shot this gun many times, we used to set up cans, bottles, and other smaller targets at 100 yards and plink away. It is amazing how accurate it is.
 

JUSTIN37HUNT

Senior Member
Shot a .223 yesterday for the first time. Absolutely amazing the accuracy behind that gun..I was stacking shots at 150 yds in a 2" circle. If I got a chance I would hunt with it-plenty of gun if you put the bullet where it needs to be.
 

Rabbitslayer97

Senior Member
smallest i ever used was a .243shot at my first buck 3 times before it ran found a little hair but no deer
 

BBD 25

Senior Member
I know of quite a few people thats killed em with a 22 hornet. I havent; but i also dont own a hornet. I live in north GA and alot of people start there kids with one. And thats SMALL. And if that will kill a deer then........:bounce: (this is where im going to start a argument:banginghe:whip:.) NOT THAT I EVER WOULD; OR SEEN ANYBODY...... But a 204 could as well with a 40gr bullet screeming in at 1000fps more than the 45gr hornet. and TWICE The energy. (almost). I know I know its not legal and a 22 could do the trick if the shot was perfect but YOU JUST dont do it. I know. Just putting it out there. Now go ahead all you people that think it takes a cannon and :smash: me; i want to hear it...:cool:
 

dgr416

Senior Member
Whats the smallest caliber you killed a deer with?

On a squirrel hunt afout 30 years ago a few friends that hunted with us got attacked by a herd of deer that were in rut.No kidding they ran into the middle of them and tried to get them with their horns.They shot one buck with a pistol with 22 shorts and the other guy shot one with # 8 birdshot.They shot a buck also that had a arrowhead in its back and had been shot with a muzzle loader they also shot it.I shot the same deer with buckshot a month later and had to jump on it to kill it wioth my bare hands because I no more shells.I didnt hunt with buckshot again.
 

Ga-Bullet

Senior Member
I've Killed a Few With My 22Dasher{6MM Br Necked Down to a 22 Cal}. 50Gr B.T. at 4011Fps. Punch'm Behind The Shoulder, Looks Like a Bomb Went Off Inside Them.
 

boothy

Senior Member
the smallest i have ever used was a 30-30 when i was first starting to hunt. today i mostly bowhunt but when i do take a gun its the 30-06.
 

dchfm123

Senior Member
These small calibers that you guys speak of will kill a deer, but why risk it. Do the right thing and use a caliber that is more suited for large game animals. .243 is prob the smallest that I would consider shooting a deer with. If I am going to take an animals life, I want to give it the respect of a quick kill and not use a cartridge that even with the best placed shots will not dispatch the animal quickly.
 

jmfdakaniterider2

Senior Member
Saw a doe that had been shot in the head with a 17hmr ,it was not a pretty sight . I shoot a 243 and only have had to track 1 over 25 yds .
 

Jeff Phillips

Senior Member
IMO - The smallest ethical caliber is the .243. My son shoots a .260 and that is the smallest of my guns.

Unless you have some sort of handicap, I just do not see any reason to use marginal weapons:huh:
 

Georgiadawgs78

Senior Member
Well i have only shot three does so far this year all with a Browning 223 WSM with the ballistic tips and have dropped all three of them in their tracks. Two in the head and one in the neck. This is the first year I have hunted with anything besides my 270 and have to say that the 223 IMHO is plenty of gun for a deer with the right placement. But i wouldnt hunt with a 17 for the mere fact that if a buck came out I would be afraid to try and shoot it in the vitals
 

Wide Earp

Senior Member
These small calibers that you guys speak of will kill a deer, but why risk it. Do the right thing and use a caliber that is more suited for large game animals. .243 is prob the smallest that I would consider shooting a deer with. If I am going to take an animals life, I want to give it the respect of a quick kill and not use a cartridge that even with the best placed shots will not dispatch the animal quickly.


learning to shoot, being patient an knowing your equipment is more respectful of the animal than blasting a 100 pound deer with something having the energy to kill moose and destroying meat and still having to track it 200 yds, a little more ethical than some of the "sniper wannabes" shooting moose and elk cartridges at deer at 500-600 yds when they couldn't hit a bull in the butt with a bass fiddle don't you think?
 

Wide Earp

Senior Member
Got a 223 that is a deer dropping machine!! Neck shots and its lights out. But I DO NOT take marginal or quick shots with it cause its not worth it. I generally only take it doe hunting also cause while im still buck hunting I just dont want to take any chances, altough I have killed a couple bucks with no problems. A 22-250 is a super flat shooting deer gun that is plenty of rifle it just needs to be in the hands of an experienced and patient hunter because marginal shots with it just like the 223 will yield marginal results. But that is the case with practically any cartridge its just magnified with the small caliber and small grain projectiles of these calibers.

+ 100 well said my friend :banana:
 

christianhunter

Senior Member
I know of quite a few people thats killed em with a 22 hornet. I havent; but i also dont own a hornet. I live in north GA and alot of people start there kids with one. And thats SMALL. And if that will kill a deer then........:bounce: (this is where im going to start a argument:banginghe:whip:.) NOT THAT I EVER WOULD; OR SEEN ANYBODY...... But a 204 could as well with a 40gr bullet screeming in at 1000fps more than the 45gr hornet. and TWICE The energy. (almost). I know I know its not legal and a 22 could do the trick if the shot was perfect but YOU JUST dont do it. I know. Just putting it out there. Now go ahead all you people that think it takes a cannon and :smash: me; i want to hear it...:cool:

I agree,everyone who used a smaller caliber,said things,like "be patient","marginal",doe gun,etc;.Be ethical.
You can kill a deer,with a .22 rimfire,if you shoot it in the head.All of the calibers mentioned,will kill a deer eventually,but will you find it?Some bullets offer ballistic tips,that makes it worse,explosive(usually no exit),small entry wound,no exit,NO BLOOD TRAIL!
The smallest calibers,that I've ever heard the experts agree on are the .243,and 6mm,almost the same gun.Shot placement is crucial with any gun.My best friend lost a small doe,with a .300 WSM.Using anything less than a .243,and you are risking killing,or maming a deer,and not finding it.All of the guns mentioned are legal(center fires),agree with me or not,you are setting yourself up for losing more deer,that is not opinion,that is fact.Just trying to help out,and I know tail feathers will be ruffled,and there,are going to be plenty,who will post "I've used a .222,.223,22-250,etc;,etc;,all my life and never lost one.I shot a 216 pound 9 pointer,in 2003.With a 165 gr.bullet,from a
.30/06.He ran over 100 yds,shot through the shoulders,both lungs,and heart,that looked like mush.He only left tiny little droplets.of blood every 10 yds or so,and then stopped bleeding.I found him by circling,in 50 yd.circles,with my brother and nephews help.I've killed one 150 class+ when I was 16,a 100 class 8 pointer,and the 110 class 9 pointer mentioned above,all with .30 caliber guns,they ran,all three double lung,shoulder shots.I'm no expert,don't claim to be,I have been hunting 37 years though,and with time comes experience.
 
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