Frustrated with lost deer

[Rich M]

My daughter killed her first deer the other day. She was shooting a .243 with an 80 grain Barnes Vortx (TTSX bullet). She broke the right shoulder and the bullet exited behind the left shoulder (on a 150 lb. deer). The exit wound was tiny and it was hard finding any blood. Fortunately the lack of a blood trail didn't matter because I heard him crash as soon as he went out of sight and finding him without a blood trail was a simple task.

This has me a little apprehensive about this bullet. I like a bigger exit hole and a good blood trail.

243 isn't known for good exit holes without a pure rib cage shot. Seen 6 deer shot with 100 gr soft points in the past 2 weeks - no exit holes period. Just sayin. I don't have the faith in the 243 like I once did.

She'll kill plenty of deer with it. The 85 gr Sierra HP is supposed to be a 1 step bullet - hit 'em and they take one step. I have no idea.

Nosler Partitions work great - Nick's wife uses those and hase some pretty nasty exit wound photos...

 

[spurrs and racks]

shot placement

not tomahawk! it's Injun!

 

[Offroadtek]

Go back to the corelokts! You will find the answer to the problem.

Welcome to the site!

+1 for corelokts, if'n it ain't broke...
+.5 Shot placement. I aim to forward alot and have to conscientiously think, move back a few inches. So it's possible.
Proper shot placement is a funny thing. If you hit the heart you broke the pump, with nothing to pump the blood the deer don't bleed, but it don't run far either.