A "Quiet" Deer Rifle and Shot Placement Question.

[Arisaka99]

This may sound strange, but I live in an area with land, but houses fairly close by. We also happen to have a very healthy deer population with 6-8 does in the backyard most evenings.

If one were to want to dispatch a deer (fairly) quietly within 50yds (say SHTF), what would be a good caliber to use? I've thought on maybe a .22 Hornet, but have zero experience with one.

To those that would say to use a bow, I'm 6'5" and 280# with a 33" draw, and have yet to find arrows long enough for the recurve I have.


Now for the second part of my question.

I always hear people talking about neck and head shots on deer. Where and how does one aim for a neck shot?

For head shots, are you aiming for the ear?

I've always been taught right behind the shoulder blade (or on the shoulder blade) for all big game.

Thanks!
Chris

[NSB]

Check your laws. Even on your own property you may be too close to another house. This could end up with you being fined, and losing your gun(s).

[M-Tecs]

Crossbow would be my first choice. Head shots are very effective but I seen lots with the lower jaw shot off. For tech shots go online an study the spine location.

[lucifers]

If it's legal, a Ruger American 450 Bushmaster with the brake off and a can on, shooting 300 gr lead at subsonic velocities would break a deer down (double shoulder shot) on the spot and be quiet.

The NOE 454-350-PB would be perfect, hard cast, powder coated, @1000 fps. (S.O.S is 1100 fps)

[Omega]

I'm with M-Tecs, study the anatomy of your target, and practice, practice, practice before attempting a head/neck shot. That said, I aim for the spine right below the head, if I miss the spine, I get something vital or a complete miss. Just this last Tuesday I shot a big doe in the neck, missed the spine but a good hit nonetheless, she ran about 150 yards before expiring. So if your neighbors are skittish about hunting, that is something else to consider.

[rondog]

Just my luck, the deer would run to the nearest neighbor's house and die in their front yard! Or under their kids' swingset.....

[lucifers]

IMHO spine and head shots are invitations to a lost animal. Somewhere I have a pic of an Elk with no lower jaw that starved to death thanks to a "head shooter".

Shoot game thru the shoulders and they don't run away.

The 450 BM combo will do that and not upset the neighbors.

[Arisaka99]

Both of my direct neighbors are okay with hunting, but people that are a few houses down are older and not too gun friendly, so I'm okay for about 100yds either way.

Our back yard drops into a holler that parallels our street. Nothing but trees for a long while from Google Maps, but I don't want to go traipsing onto other people's land with a gun...

As I'm a young, married, father living with my inlaws, a can is kind of out of the questions for me, at least right now anyways.

[lucifers]

Just my luck, the deer would run to the nearest neighbor's house and die in their front yard! Or under their kids' swingset.....

AND that neighbor would call the cops (who have zero understanding of G&F laws) and you would be in deep dodo.

The only thing to head shoot is some thug holding a hostage.

[lucifers]

Both of my direct neighbors are okay with hunting, but people that are a few houses down are older and not too gun friendly, so I'm okay for about 100yds either way.

Our back yard drops into a holler that parallels our street. Nothing but trees for a long while from Google Maps, but I don't want to go traipsing onto other people's land with a gun...

As I'm a young, married, father living with my inlaws, a can is kind of out of the questions for me, at least right now anyways.

Better to spend the money on a can that a lawyer after you are in jail.

Aside question: why do you want a shoot a deer in your in-laws back yard ? Even a Vet in a wheelchair can go hunting where it's legal.

[Arisaka99]

Better to spend the money on a can that a lawyer after you are in jail.

Good point.

Where I'm at, the closest State land is about an hour away, and almost no one around here will let you hunt private land unless you own your own land, or have family/friends with land.

I just checked state regs, and unless I'm mis-reading something, in my county, you only have to be 100ft. from a road, and can't carry a loaded long gun in your vehicle.

Overall, it was just something that was rolling around in the back of my head that I figured I'd ask about.

Thanks,
Chris

[Bulldogger]

Subsonic large caliber heavy projectile (200gr to me) will make a nice pop that can't be reliably tied to a gunshot, so nervous neighbors won't be sure. Large boolit throws some mass. As said by others shot placement is critical, no matter the caliber, but moreso if using reduced velocity loadings.

On the other side of the argument, a large bore muzzleloader filled with a small charge will throw a very heavy lead slug a reasonable distance, and makes a nice fat pop instead of a crack like a smokeless rifle cartridge or pistol cartridge. They can have good knock down from the low and slow projectile too. There is smoke, but if the immediate neighbors that might see the cloud are OK with shooting, then it doesn't matter. Loaded with a full charge a smoke pole will sound like a gunshot, but loaded with a reduced charge not so much. Watch YouTube of people shooting BP pistols, they sound like cap guns compared to cartridge weapons. An 1860 Colt replica will throw a .44 cal ball a reasonable distance, and it's easy to handle.

A crossbow is also a reasonable and quiet alternative, but you will need to practice if you've never used one before. I have a very good instinctive archery aim from years as a kid occupying myself with a recurve bow, but it didn't translate to my crossbow, which I had to completely relearn in terms of drop versus distance. A good red/green dot scope with vertically strung dots helps but you still have to estimate range carefully. I missed my shots, owing to the combination of a tree stand, shooting downward, and a crossbow I'd only sighted in at fixed distances.

Bulldogger

[tinhorn97062]

.22 LR...headshot. That 40gr lead bullet will go clean through deer skull well past 100yds, and sounds like a pellet gun- especially on a cold and foggy day.

[lucifers]

A deer's brain kill zone is 2x2". No too many of us could hit that with a 22Rf @100 yards. Of course if you just wound it and it runs off ---- well Coyotes will clean up your mess.

What has become of ethical hunting ?

[Arisaka99]

Well Lucifer, it looks like I’ve got some land to hunt on after all. My wife came home from class and informed me she has two separate friends with land that want me to come hunt there. Woohoo!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tinhorn97062]

A deer's brain kill zone is 2x2". No too many of us could hit that with a 22Rf @100 yards. Of course if you just wound it and it runs off ---- well Coyotes will clean up your mess.

What has become of ethical hunting ?

I can and have many times. 2” sq at 100yds is perfectly doable. But that sounds like a pretty extreme case. From what I gathered, the OP was looking at a “back yard solution”. For that case- a .22 fits the bill perfectly.

[MrWolf]

Try a crossbow. Got one for about $200 and never realized how hard they hit. Good luck

[mcdaniel.mac]

Crossbow. No recoil, but bolts are a chore, standard wooden arrows won't survive the thrust.

Suppressor and a .38 SPL or .45ACP/Long would do well. 1000fps is reasonably quiet.

Neck shots IME are tough enough without limiting your firepower. If you don't have a straight on spine shot and a very steady rest, it's a recipe for a wounded animal. Lots of power (supersonic, lighter bullets) help to break necks and whatnot, and I wouldn't try it on the quiet. Same with headshots, if you can hit a 1" circle every time freehand at a distance, when you're hungry and it's windy, then you could probably chance it.

[NoAngel]

Another one for the crossbow. Takes less training and practice than a bow. Can be VERY accurate for it's intended range. Use a quality broadhead. Few bullets can compete with the damage a good broadhead can do.

[NoZombies]

I also vote crossbow. It's the answer to your proposed situation. But finding land you can hunt on is even better, so congrats on that!