Thread: 16 pointer + 243 = FAIL!

Just heard from a guy, they've been trying to find the 16 pointer they whacked two days ago.
He smacked it first and it went down so moved onto the hinds, looked back and heres the stag up and moving so he whacked it again. Down it went for a second time. By the time he got there it was gone.......

Who in their right mind would take a 243 out in the roar? That is unless they only wanted spikers......

Shit I'd hate to no what you think of the two stags I neck shoot with me 223

Originally Posted by Wirehunt

Just heard from a guy, they've been trying to find the 16 pointer they whacked two days ago.
He smacked it first and it went down so moved onto the hinds, looked back and heres the stag up and moving so he whacked it again. Down it went for a second time. By the time he got there it was gone.......

Who in their right mind would take a 243 out in the roar? That is unless they only wanted spikers......

Who in their right mind wouldn't?

Ther are so many variables in the scenario you have described that the calibre could well be the last thing to blame. Not the first.

My friend just nailed a 16 pointer with his 243, using 80gr Barnes. Shot it in the neck at about 50-75 yds. He recovered the projectile under the skin at the back of the neck.

I've seen roaring stags soak up lead from calibres much bigger than a 243. There's so much more to it than just the calibre.

Bugger though, not nice losing animals. Stug, whats your friends 16 like?

Done plenty with that myself Brads. But I wouldn't fuck around with one on big roaring reds.

If you have time to count to sixteen then you have time to place your shot better.

This guy can shoot, and does a lot of it.

I know its not what you meant WH and that you are a careful shot, but there is so much more to dispatching an animal than "whacking it". I encouraged my boys to aim at a spot on the deer, rather than a less specific "erea". I do this my self, visualising an x on the deer exactly where I want the bullet to go. Its not always possible, but if you set high standards then your average standard will be higher. If you just aim at the front bit, anything can happen and often does.

Reading back over this it sounds a bit like puritanical bull shit, but its what I do and what I encourage.

I've used one myself of course, that's how you tend to get an opinion on something. For me in Fiordland shooting stuff close it didn't cut the mustard on roaring stags. I want them to drop on the spot, with rat gun they didn't and yes good shot placement was used.

"Aim small" eh Tahr. Thats what Dad taught me.

Originally Posted by Spook

If you have time to count to sixteen then you have time to place your shot better.

Now there is the voice of sound logic speaking.

I would be that happy to put down a big deer the last thing on my mind would be trying to kill the hinds carrying his genes. Almost karma for being a bit greedy.

Good shot placement and good ammunition will put a deer down whether you're using a 338 or a 222

He's like that BH, cleaned up 8 or 10 in one hit a couple of weeks ago.

Whats he doing with all the meat?