why would you shoot a buck in the shoulder?

I am not advocating 22 caliber guns for deer, I just get tired of people saying they won't work, don't do it, etc..
Because they WILL cleanly kill any Texas deer with proper bullet choice and shot placement out to say 300 yards.


Now, I do believe most people are better off with something with a little more margin for error...

I shoot a buck in the shoulder because I want it to fall quickly.....


If you grew up in south texas, you must have spent more time at the jalisco than out in the field, because most old time south texas hunters shoot 7mm mags, and shoulder shots are the norm.

btw 90% of the deer shot by our "old timers" were killed outta a blind with the feeder 90-110 yards away.....the other 10% were shot outta the truck

Every deer (or hog) I have personally seen killed with a 22-250 has been head or neck shot. Our hunting involves longer shots and occassionally picking up deer moving through brush (or thick timber) and having to thread a needle to get a good shot on them. For those reasons about the smallest thing I will go sit on a stand with is a 257wby/25-06. Usually I have a 300wm with me. I know many will say that is overkill on a tx whitetail, but if someone can shoot it just as well others can shoot the smaller calibers, it just makes more since to never have to say, "The deer never would turn like I needed him to and I didn't have enough gun to make the shot".

there is a heck of a lot of difference between a .22-250 and a .25-06.....

its always better to have too much gun than not enough.

My .22-250 rides in my truck from october to febuary, I know the round very well, but its not a do-all deer gun like some folks here make it out to be. it has a very limited range of useage, within that range, its fantastic.

IMO to cover all your bases you need to shoot a mimimum of a .25-06

I keep smaller cal rifles in the truck, but their main purpose is to smack hogs out in pastures. I know I'm not going to make a perfect shot on all of them because after the first shot, it's all about how many more shots can you get off and connect somwhere with.

I guess we are going to have to agree to disagree

If I want to watch it drop in the scope, I go center neck, irregardless of caliber.

Heartshot,irregardless of caliber I expect it to run some.

I for the life of me can't see why anyone would need a 7mag for Texas deer...

I personally think a 25-06 is about the perfect Texas deer rifle even though at present I don't own one.

I'd venture to guess that more trophy deer have hit the ground in south texas from a 7mm mag than any other caliber.

it was the first magnum caliber that was introduced that the average hunter could shoot well, it was fast and shot a lighter (140 or 150 grain) bullet.

it is more than a deer hunter needs, but it was widely popular from the 70's until the late 90's. I think the .300 wsm has put a damper on its popularity.


btw the shoulder shot, 90% of the time, if you shooting any decent sized caliber, is a DRT shot. s

neck shot is great, but if it goes high, it will only stun the deer and it will get up.

You are probably right, more trophy deer have been dropped with a 7 mag. But more crippled lost deer have also been with the 7mag. Ask Roy Hindes, he even calls it the 7 crippling mag. He has tracked more deer lost to the 7mag with his dogs than any other caliber out there. And like he say's it has nothing to do with the caliber, but the people who use it. It's too much gun for some people to admit. I also think the 25-06 is awesome for Texas deer. That's my other go to gun here in Texas. And all my deer i have shot with my 22-250 have been through the lungs or neck, if thats all i can see through the brush.

lol.....funny you should say that. Nearly every deer I've killed in the last decade has been with a .300 WSM. If "ccoker" thinks a 7mm is overkill, then I'm sure he thinks I'm completely insane for using a .300 WSM. I personally only use a .30 caliber on whitetails now for one reason.....EXIT WOUND. I've trailed too many deer that were hit perfectly from a .270 or .243.....and nearly lost them due to lack of blood trail. Now, granted.....with the new advances in bullet design.....a .270 shooting a 140 or 150 gr. premium bullet is devastating on deer. I just like throwing that 180 gr. bullet because it will penetrate from end to end, if the need arises.

yukons95 is right. its not what you shoot its how well you shoot. the 7mm mag is popular because gun writers tell us how great it is. the average person who shoots only during deer season should carry a 25 to 30 cal. non-magmun. This should give them a blood trail they can follow and hopefully find what they probably just wounded. too many of you who shoot small calibers think all hunters are excellant shots. go to a shooting range the average person at the range is lucky to shoot a 4 inch group off a bench with a firm rest and in no rush.

the old saying:
shot placement trumps everything

I was brought up to not squeeze the trigger unless you are 100% confident you have a clean shot, to keep both eyes open and watch the hit in the scope.

I guess the real answer is more people need to learn how to shoot better, spend more time at the range and have an ethical approach to hunting.

I've hunted with a .270 since I was 11, i've never had to track a deer that was hit in the shoulder, and the lung shot ones have plenty of blood.

the .270 has been killing deer, sheep and elk since the 1930's.

I can see where a .243 is a little on the light side,but your either smoking crack or reading too many elmer kieth books if you think the .270 is underpowered. 130 grain hornady interlock effs-them up bad.

I've had more deer run further after being hit with 180 grain "premium" bullet from a .300, because it pokes a little bitty hole in and out, the 150 grain ballistic tips are alot better imo.

270 is underpowered. 130 grain hornady interlock effs-them up bad.

Yes sir.. I will 100% attest to that!
Rarely see a heartshot deer fall over but did 2 years ago with my 270 and the 130 interlock... shot 3 deer with that combo, like a bolt of lightening on all of them

I didn't shoot a buck last year, but BOTH of the doe I shot were with my 270 shooting 130gr Federal Fusion. Both were shoulder shots slightly over 100 yrds. Completley penetrated both shoulders and were dead before their belly hit the dirt.

I think you misunderstood my post. I agree the .270 is great at killing deer. It's probably the perfect whitetail caliber. I just said I've trailed too many deer that had been hit perfect with a .270. They were all dead within a reasonable distance, just didn't have much or any blood. Dad and I had to trail a deer for my mom that she shot at about 140 yards, perfect broadside shot. We looked for about an hour and never found a single drop of blood. We thought maybe she just missed. We decided to get the spotlight out and just make a few passes thru the brush and sure enough, we found the buck dead as a doornail. He was about 125 yards from where she shot him, with a perfect shot right behind the shoulder.....not a single drop of blood, not even on the deer. There was no exit wound. She was shooting 130 gr. corelokts (which are absolutely worthless in my opinion, unless you're varmint hunting with them). Now if she had been using something like a 140 gr. Barnes TSX, I'm sure there would have been an exit wound.....along with a blood trail.

My point is.....I just like a larger heavier gun (like the .300 WSM) so that I always get the exit wound. I'm not disputing the killing power of a .270 at all. The deer she shot was likely dead within 10 seconds of being shot.....but it was pure luck that we found it. I have several other stories just like that one from .270's and poor ammo choices.

Just my 2 cents.....not trying to ruffle any feathers.

Your right about the shooting range. Whenever i go i will see a bunch of people shooting their rifles and getting ready for deer season. I will take the spotting scope and look at how they are shooting. I know why there is alot of deers lost, i am amazed when i see the targets. They look like just clusters all over the target. And they will put away the rifles like they are ready and sighted in. I'm not saying i am a sniper, but i try to be right on target. And on the .270 it is awesome on deer, never ever under powered. My dad shoots fail safes in his pre 64 and i have seen that bullet travel through the whole body from the front all the way to the back and just destroy everthing going through and leaving a awesome blood trail and never even finding the bullet.

I shot a few animals with fail safes......there is no doubt, if i ever had to shoot thru an engine block, that would be my bullet of choice. I have about 10 of them left, i ever need to kill an aoudad or elk, i'm covered.

eland slayer, I would sum up your bad experiance to poor bullet choice and "just one of those things".

the corelockt is horrible, but i've had deer run dead on their feet and leave marginal blood trails from .308's and .300s with premium bullets like bear claws and barnes X, and I've seen trails that looked like they were made from a hose with 100 grain corelokts outta a .243.....but we all know wht the better caliber is.

I think people hear/see on tv/listen to too many forum stories about blood trails to think that every one should be able to be followed by a toddler, if anything less than that, either the caliber or bullet choice is bad.

I'd rather have little or no blood and find the deer either DRT or within 20 yards, than follow a good trail for 130 yards thru brush and briars

amen, I hate tracking!

Me Too! That's why I blow through the shoulders, instead of behind the shoulder. Usually DRT!!

X3!

shoulder meat is worthless anyway!

I shot this pig last, while he was on the run, with a .22-250 50 grain vmax

He ran about 30 yards.

wow, this is an old thread to resurface
nice pig

I decided this past year to try a high shoulder shot to anchor this buck.. I had just never tried it personally.

quartering towards me. dropped stoned cold dead

280 Ackley Improved with 140g Accubond

Haha.....dang Google

I guess I read his post better then some. This is for a kid to shot a deer with. You put a young kid that does not hunt behind a 22-250 and expect a good kill shot every time. I would go with a 243 it is a little more forgiving. Ok bash away for my opinion.