What's your favorite Deer Caliber?

[Red Cloud]

Whitetail, mule deer, pronghorn and most exotics: .25-06. The .270 Winchester is an exceptionally good caliber for all of the above and then some. I used and still use on occasion a .270 Weatherby Magnum for years and it was hard to beat but now I have moved that gun to second place.

 

[Strelok]

7.62 X 39

 

[TexasRoadDawg]

So my question here is, if you had to pick between the two, would you rather have a .308 or 7mm-08 for south/central Texas whitetail?

I use a 7mm-08 and I love it. It shoot flat and true and delivers plenty of power on target. Its my all-time favorite deer caliber.

 

[mw1158]

.270 or .308 nice calibers for TX

 

[mightyp]

243,7-08,270,308

 

[chubbyzook]

the only deer ive ever killed were with my 7.62x39 sks.. so i would say its my favorite lol

 

[txgolfer45]

.270 or 30-06 work for me.

 

[TexasFats]

It depends on where I am hunting. In thick brush, I like the .30-30, .35 Remington, or even the .45-70. For more open country, I like the .257 Roberts, .270 WCF, .30-06, or .308. Also, don't sell the old .300 Savage short.

I see guys go into McBride's and buy .300 Winchester Magnums for Hill Country brush hunting where the won't even see a deer if it is over 60 yards away because of the undergrowth, and I have to laugh.

 

[AusTex]

I have shot deer with .223 and .308. I handload and use 55. grn amax for .223 and 125 - 165 grn nosler with the .308

I usually take a neck shot with the .223. My friend used my rifle and put down a 180 lb 8lb buck in south texas last year with the 55grn vmax. Entry hole was the size a pencil and no exit wound. He shoot the deer right above the heart. When we get inside of it the heart, lungs, and other vitals were liquified. The deer dropped where it stood.

I have tracked a deer another friend of mine shot with a 300 win mag winchester silver ballistic tip 600 yards two weeks ago. He hit the deer low and more in the chest.

I think the moral of the story here is use a good hunting round, DOUBLE check your zero! Walk off the distance from your blind to your feeder and if you are way up high think about the angle you are shooting at, but just make a good shot.

I am not an experienced deer hunter by any means. I have just seen alot of deer taken over the past few seasons and Ive just noticed that big or small rifles, hits or misses, it has come down to shooters that know their equipment, know their range, and can make good hits.

 

[sean_bart1]

+1 more for the 30-06.

 

[Big country]

I don't laugh at them right away it's when they say "I'm going up north with this rifle" then when asked where up north is they say something like Lampasas or something that I tell them they're still in the hill country and that aint north. They tend to argue and when you ask where they're from they say something like Oklahoma or Arkan sas or one of those other lesser states. (J/K Arkansas aint so bad)

 

[Big country]

The 30-06 is good but I still want a 25-06. LOL!

 

[Nestromo]

My favorite deer caliber would have to be the only one that I have taken a deer with, the formidable 97 Chrysler.

 

[Big country]

My favorite deer caliber would have to be the only one that I have taken a deer with, the formidable 97 Chrysler.

To bad it wasn't the Dodge Caliber!

 

[Nestromo]

To bad it wasn't the Dodge Caliber!

Funny... I was just thinking the same thing.

 

[junkyguns]

my vote 30-06 , it will take anything from a coyote to an elk and you can still target shoot with it and get ammo at just about any place that sells ammo .
i still have that special place in my heart for my 300 wsm and 300 wby mag both super nice rifles

 

[wallhawk]

I have always been a fan of the .270. I also have a .270WSM that I am quite fond of. Last year a bought a 25-06 in a browning xbolt. Let me tell you, after using it for all of my hunting this season I'm sold on it for Texas deer. I'll still use my .270's, but I really do like the 25-06!

 

[Oldarmy12]

I shoot a 257 Roberts..... The bottem line is it doesn't matter what you shoot it's all about where you put the bullet. I don't care if you shoot a 300 win at hill country deer if your scared to pull the trigger cuz of the kick and you gut shoot them every time then that's not the right cal for you. 204 ruger to the neck works alot better than a 30-06 to the butt!

 

[Big country]

I shoot a 257 Roberts..... The bottem line is it doesn't matter what you shoot it's all about where you put the bullet. I don't care if you shoot a 300 win at hill country deer if your scared to pull the trigger cuz of the kick and you gut shoot them every time then that's not the right cal for you. 204 ruger to the neck works alot better than a 30-06 to the butt!

LOL I think that's the funniest thing I've heard all day. And so true!

 

[txshunter]

close range=.30-.30,,.
medium=7mm,.270,
long 500 + yards .300 win mag and .338 win mag and the good old 30-06....