Thread: 223 on deer

Originally Posted by 7mm Rem Mag

Thanks for that advice, I have shot deer with a .22 and it did the job well.
I just hunt for meat and it almost brought a tear to my eye when I saw all the waste from that deer last night using the 223.

I might have to go back to head shots

And shot of jaws.

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Originally Posted by andyanimal31

And shot of jaws.

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It happens. About 1 from the last couple hundred head shots for me. Gut shots happen on front shoulder shots, I wouldn't advise against them

Originally Posted by gimp

It happens. About 1 from the last couple hundred head shots for me. Gut shots happen on front shoulder shots, I wouldn't advise against them

At the end of the day there is only a very few on here capable of consistent head shots.
I don't condone it as I see what skill level of the average is like and also the capability of the weapon systems employed.
It doesn't have to be much of fuck up for it to end very badly for the deer.
I just call it ethical hunting.
100m with a well zeroed rifle, perhaps.

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Originally Posted by andyanimal31

And shot of jaws.

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So far it hasn't happened, I'm using a very fine tuned rig and am confident with it so I'm happy to take those shots if the conditions and rest is right

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

At the end of the day there is only a very few on here capable of consistent head shots.
I don't condone it as I see what skill level of the average is like and also the capability of the weapon systems employed.
It doesn't have to be much of fuck up for it to end very badly for the deer.
I just call it ethical hunting.
100m with a well zeroed rifle, perhaps.

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Funny how from the venison era the ground meat hunters had to head shoot preferably to maximise their return from a deer. The sound of the triple deuce must echoed around the NZ bush... and farm edges. It is not a question of confidence but having no recoil to worry about... 222/223 and suppressed. 2C.

Originally Posted by TeRei

Funny how from the venison era the ground meat hunters had to head shoot preferably to maximise their return from a deer. The sound of the triple deuce must echoed around the NZ bush... and farm edges. It is not a question of confidence but having no recoil to worry about... 222/223 and suppressed. 2C.

Yep very experienced hunters that could hunt shoot and knew their rifles and that a long shot was 200m.


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Originally Posted by andyanimal31

Yep very experienced hunters that could hunt shoot and knew their rifles and that a long shot was 200m.


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...

Yi got that right eh..although those barrels did quite often become stretched on many occasions..

As always...as much about when knowing NOT to shoot as knowing when to. Patience to wait for a sure killing shot or let animal walk,hoping to catch it up later/ further on.

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

Yep very experienced hunters that could hunt shoot and knew their rifles and that a long shot was 200m.


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Remember the context. The head/neck shooting only became really necessary when the whole deer and offal thing came in, and by then we were mainly shooting farm land and more accessible areas. The shooting was less challenging and with a good rest wasn't difficult. Prior to that I was whopping them in the lungs as often as I head or neck shot with my .222 in the Ruahines and Tararuas and other bitches of places and taking the hit for body shots or just selling the HQ's with BS attached for a premium. The whole meat hunting thing has been glorified by a couple of authors. It was mainly about ordinary people up to their elbows in blood and shit while wrecking their bodies and learning on the job. The good days were exaggerated in the pub and the bad days pushed to one side. Im a way better hunter and shooter now than I was then.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

As always...as much about when knowing NOT to shoot as knowing when to. Patience to wait for a sure killing shot or let animal walk,hoping to catch it up later/ further on.

Thats how it ought to be, the reality was that the dollars dictated when the trigger got squeezed.

Let this one walk once ,until tonight came in
on UE Boom with croaking going.Shot in neck with 55 gr Hornady Sp on 25 gr of 748

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Remember the context. The head/neck shooting only became really necessary when the whole deer and offal thing came in, and by then we were mainly shooting farm land and more accessible areas. The shooting was less challenging and with a good rest wasn't difficult. Prior to that I was whopping them in the lungs as often as I head or neck shot with my .222 in the Ruahines and Tararuas and other bitches of places and taking the hit for body shots or just selling the HQ's with BS attached for a premium. The whole meat hunting thing has been glorified by a couple of authors. It was mainly about ordinary people up to their elbows in blood and shit while wrecking their bodies and learning on the job. The good days were exaggerated in the pub and the bad days pushed to one side. Im a way better hunter and shooter now than I was then.

OOps..I thought the comment made was pointing towards the Government hunters not the all on board meat hunting types.
I'm glad you see yiself as a better hunter now than aways back....yi should have stuck with it aways back and who knows you may have even got ti killing for the Government eh..

Originally Posted by doinit

OOps..I thought the comment made was pointing towards the Government hunters not the all on board meat hunting types.
I'm glad you see yiself as a better hunter now than aways back....yi should have stuck with it aways back and who knows you may have even got ti killing for the Government eh..

@doinit I agree with you that the NZFS were in another league - I guess 'cos there was a selection process and the unsuccessful hunters went down the road. I was 27 when I finished with meat in '76 and had a family by then. Got a ballot farm.

Originally Posted by NRT

Let this one walk once ,until tonight came in
on UE Boom with croaking going.Shot in neck with 55 gr Hornady Sp on 25 gr of 748

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Sorted Photo

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We've been loving the 223 lately, proving itself to punch way above its weight. To be honest with the ease of shooting and ability to spot the impact it inspires confidence and accuracy.

I wrote a little bullet point summary from the last trip: https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....7/#post1680240

Here's a photo from the exit on the opposite ribs. This is after destroying the entry shoulder. Very fast and ethical takedown and lots of delicious venison for a few families while out camping for the weekend.