Post-Harvey Hunting Rifle Strategy

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Why anyone would suggest poodle shooting bullets for anything other than rats and small dogs in the open is beyond understanding, but the current ill-informed fandom for the 223/5.56 is sadly widespread.

RPRNY,

I would be the last person to advise the use of varmint bullets on deer. The thing you mist consider regarding my recommendation of the .223 is this; The 62 grain boded core bullet was intended from the start, and was built to be, a deer bullet! It does not fragment, it does not blow up - what it does do is mushroom and penetrate! Federal's Fusion ammunition is awesome stuff!

[RPRNY]

RPRNY,

I would be the last person to advise the use of varmint bullets on deer. The thing you mist consider regarding my recommendation of the .223 is this; The 62 grain boded core bullet was intended from the start, and was built to be, a deer bullet! It does not fragment, it does not blow up - what it does do is mushroom and penetrate! Federal's Fusion ammunition is awesome stuff!

Apologies. I should have finished that sentence with this icon

While I oppose the 223/556 for use on deer as marginal at best, I understand that in the case of proper bullet choices and folks hunting 100lbs racing does, it can be effective. In your case, you make a reasoned decision. But when I see Tommy Tactikewl with his 16" AR and undoubtedly questionable bullets heading out to 200 + yards territory, I remain of the view that it is a very bad choice indeed.

[Rufus Krile]

...and a Safari Grade Model 70? In THIS brush? Stick with the guns that are already scratched... They won't care.

[TXGunNut]

Well, my Super Grade (with the dreaded J-words) put meat in the cooler and we had a great time so it's all good. I blew the shot and placed the bullet a couple of inches high for a lung shot so it was an extensive tracking job in the dreaded brush. A pair of sharp young eyes with a very good flashlight saved my hunt by recovering my nice & fat doe. Exit was about .75" and simply didn't bleed enough for an easy tracking job. If I'd held a little lower I wouldn't have gotten to watch my brother's nephew do an awesome tracking job in that heavy S TX brush. No pics, just knee-high grass & briars and visibility limited to about 6-8 feet by mesquite and other scrubby trees. Blood droplets on blades of grass and tree leaves well after sunset made for quite a challenge but this young gent was up for the it; his father is one of the best trackers I've met. Young man is a corporate employee of one of the big box sporting goods stores. He was a bit surprised to learn I not only load but generally cast my own boolits, he initially thought the J-word had failed but when he found the deer hit where I told him he changed his tune a bit. My shot placement was the main reason for his tracking job, nothing more.
And no, rifles are useless in a tracking job like this one. Mostly just go in with a big bore pistol or possibly an MSR when things aren't so thick. I felt sure the deer was dead before I left the stand so I left my beautiful rifle safe inside.