.45 Caliber: Deer?

[flconch53]

Actually people that arnt very good shots should practice to get good, building confidence for that all important shot. I’ve never seen an individual that was a “ bad” shot. Just people that needed coaching and practice.

I agree with that. I am just against discouraging people from hunting when we need more hunters

 

[hanshi]

Most, by far, of my hunting was done in Georgia. Long shots are rare unless one hunts in a field. My average distance likely didn't exceed 25 to 30yards. But shots from just a few feet to over 100 yards were successful. The last buck I killed in the Georgia woods was walking toward the front of my stand, coming from my right. It would have been a perfect broadside shot if he hadn't turned to walk straight away which would have left me with a Texas Heart Shot. So just as he started turning I quickly fired my .45 loaded with a .440" prb. He reacted instantly and "ran" (or tried to), & mostly staggered, out of sight. I heard him him when he fell, or rather crashed, seconds later. I walked to where he had been standing and followed the direction he had run. It was something of a shock when, after taking a couple of steps, I noticed the brush and trees on both sides were splashed with red up to about waist high. The leafy ground was so heavily splotched as well that I could clearly see the blood well ahead of my position. He hadn't gone far and would have been easily recovered even with no blood trail. But this one was, in a word, gruesome and like nothing I'd ever witnessed before. But never did I shoot one that didn't leave a visible blood trail.

 

[Horizontal Hunter]

I don't know about the areas you hunt but here in Idaho. If you hit a big game animal and it runs onto private land, you lost that animal. Even going to the Fish and Game will not get the animal back. Since many of our big game animals travel to farm lands to feed. Dealing with the possibility of your deer or elk getting back on private land is very real. Another very real possibility in the mountains is a wounded elk heading into an area that makes that animal much harder to pack out. I've seen that way too many times.

When faced with the possibility of an elk going to private land or getting into a bad spot, I always go for a shoulder. I have shot 23 head of elk. I would say more than half were shoulder shots. None ever stayed on their feet with a properly placed shoulder shot with a good bullet.

In these pictures I show my 458 grain paper patched Lee 500S&W bullet paper patched and sized to fit my barrels. This bullet is slightly hardened to between 6 and 7 BHN.

This bull was one of only two elk seen on this month long hunt. This bull was only a few yards of private land. A double lung shot would have most likely been a lost animal.
I set my sight for the shot and took a high shoulder shot. The elk was dropped in his tracks.The bullet plowed through the shoulder took out the spine and was found under the skin on the far side. The bullet still weighed 454 grains.

A person has to know their rifle and load combination. Knowing the animal being hunted and what might happen after the shot is important too.

This. Shooting a deer in the brachial plexus will drop it in its tracks and is my shot of choice when possible with a firearm.

Bob

Deer and Deer Hunting did a good article on this in 2017:

https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/content/blogs/drop-a-deer-in-its-tracks

 

[S.Kenton]

I agree with that. I am just against discouraging people from hunting when we need more hunters

I would never discourage anyone from hunting, however I would encourage them to practice. Honestly some people lack the patience, the instant gratification crowd are sometimes difficult to teach.

 

[Big Tom 52]

In my opinion, shot placement at a distance your confident shooting out to with your firearm is number one when hunting. I've done all my practicing with my .45 caliber at 50 yds so I'm confident that I can place a PRB in the lungs of a white tail at that distance provided the conditions are good. When I get a .50 caliber I'll move my targets farther out but for now, 50 yds will do.

 

[Sparkplug]

This. Shooting a deer in the brachial plexus will drop it in its tracks and is my shot of choice when possible with a firearm.

Bob

View attachment 298203



Deer and Deer Hunting did a good article on this in 2017:

https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/content/blogs/drop-a-deer-in-its-tracks

I agree! This is my shot of choice with any weapon at any range. My 1st deer this year was a small buck with an 1858 Remington at 25 yds. That shot dropped it where it stood. The bullet was recovered just under the hide on the opposite side. But, I took my time to learn the limitations of the gun and load. Then practiced to make sure I could take the shot. I have also done the same with my .45 Kentucky rifle at 50 yds.

 

[johnraleksa]

I hunt out of ground blinds and out of a tree stand at times, being an old bow hunter, I like two holes, one in and one out. more holes more blood trail. I hunt in the evenings and track deer in the dark more often than not, deer running off at dusk leak more blood with two holes.

You never know what to expect after a shot, I may hear them fall and I may not, I may have a blood trail right off or I may only see the blood start 50 yards down the trail. I double lunged a 6 point at 10 yards with my .54 last year, I blew a hole in and out, double lung. He ran off like nothing happened, I never heard him fall and only found one drop of blood between where I shot him and where I found him dead 50 yards away.

The double hole did what?

 

[johnraleksa]

This. Shooting a deer in the brachial plexus will drop it in its tracks and is my shot of choice when possible with a firearm.

Bob

View attachment 298203



Deer and Deer Hunting did a good article on this in 2017:

https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/content/blogs/drop-a-deer-in-its-tracks

That is true but I always have a quick back up kill shot




shot.

 

[Whiteoak15]

A heavily loaded conical in .45 approximates a .45-70 cartridge.
No one questions that a .45-70 will work on deer!

 

[Machino]

I say yes. Last year I shot 2 deer, 2 antelope, and a bear with my .45 cap with a PRB. They all came home with me and I never had problems in years previous as well. Shot placement is everything. The antelope were long shots at 75.

 

[BeardedGunsmith]

I built a 50 caliber airgun that launches 325 grain lead bullets at (1587fps was max so far), and ohio says I can't deer hunt with it

 

[Eterry]

My last Edition of Boone and Crockett (an old one),
shows the No. 1 Mule deer taken with 32-20, IIRC. My dad's good friend used a 25-20 rifle to kill deer in Texas his entire life. Btw, both calibers are STILL LEGAL in Texas.
It might be worth mentioning David Crockett preferred a 40 caliber flintlock rifle, and killed over 100 Black Bear in one year! I'm pretty sure most were treed or bayed up by hounds, but I still hope he double-balled.
Simply fact is deer are EASY to kill, not tough, nor hardy, and rarely attack.
But....PLACEMENT is EVERYTHING.
A great shot with a 22 LR beats a poor shot with a 458 WM.

 

[Mike in FL]

You want the exit hole if possible for blood trailing. When i bow hunt, a complete pass through can mean the difference between finding the animal and losing the animal. Deer are extremely strong animals and can run for quite a long time on an adrenalin rush before expiring. I hunt in extremely thick woodland, multi flora rose, tall weeds and cornfields.. as a hunter I want as much blood to follow as possible, even using a muzzle loader. One hole means less blood. Follow the blood, find the animal.

Yes, but a round ball or conical is not an arrow. Any through and through shot from any gun has wasted some of its energy on the far side. The very best shot does not exit but stops against the hide on that far side. A bullet kills by damage AND shock; a bow by damage only. (Blood loss.)I have but arrows through deer that continued to graze before falling over. No shock at all, just cutting.

 

[GregK]

I've carried my TC Seneca 45 in the deer woods but haven't had an opportunity on a deer yet, I replace the PRB target load with a 195 gr powerbelt bullet. I treat the Seneca as if I'm handgun hunting. I have taken quite a few deer with handguns from 357 Mag to 44 Mag.

 

[S.Kenton]

Yes, but a round ball or conical is not an arrow. Any through and through shot from any gun has wasted some of its energy on the far side. The very best shot does not exit but stops against the hide on that far side. A bullet kills by damage AND shock; a bow by damage only. (Blood loss.)I have but arrows through deer that continued to graze before falling over. No shock at all, just cutting.

That’s true, however I’ve shot deer before, with my 54 roundball, that have ran 100-150 yards before falling over. It was a text book double lung/ heart shot if I wouldn’t have watched that deer run I may have lost him. The blood trail was good enough I found him.

 

[S.Kenton]

I’d also ad that there isn’t any ONE particular hunting scenerio that’s exactly the same, maybe close, but not truly replicated. I’ve lost count of how many deer I’ve taken with bow and arrow in my life, I’ve had them jump up and run, I’ve had them drop in thier tracks, then I’ve also had them not even seem to notice they’ve been shot. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[LME]

I built a 50 caliber airgun that launches 325 grain lead bullets at (1587fps was max so far), and ohio says I can't deer hunt with it

The people that said you coudn't hunt with it probably never hunt and couldn't tell the difference between a raccoon and a oposum.

 

[flconch53]

Yes, but a round ball or conical is not an arrow. Any through and through shot from any gun has wasted some of its energy on the far side. The very best shot does not exit but stops against the hide on that far side. A bullet kills by damage AND shock; a bow by damage only. (Blood loss.)I have but arrows through deer that continued to graze before falling over. No shock at all, just cutting.

But do you want a bullet that runs out of energy before it goes thru. I am not saying either is better

 

[TCMonts]

I know there are a few here that have never hunted with a cartridge rifle, but I believe that most here have "Backed" into this sport because using a modern firearm was no longer challenging or perhaps moved up from archery gear because of physical challenges. I'm sure 90% or more are very good hunters. There are many newcomers that just don't know. All I would say is "If you have to ask then for you the answer is NO. The ability of any caliber or gage is dependent on the ability of the shooter. Their ability to get within adequate range and and place a shot where it needs to go and the patience and ability to pass on any shot they feel is the least bit marginal. If you truly have all the above you won't have to ask, and the answer for you would likely be YES. If you have any questions about how I really feel, read the line at the bottom of this post.

 

[TCMonts]

I know there are a few here that have never hunted with a cartridge rifle, but I believe that most here have "Backed" into this sport because using a modern firearm was no longer challenging or perhaps moved up from archery gear because of physical challenges. I'm sure 90% or more are very good hunters. There are many newcomers that just don't know. AllI would say is "If you have to ask then for you the answer is NO. The ability of any caliber or gage is dependent on the ability of the shooter. Their ability to get within adequate range and and place a shot where it needs to go and the patience and ability to pass on any shot they feel is the least bit marginal. If you truly have all the above you won't have to ask, and the answer would likely be YES. If you have any questions about how I realy feel, read the line at theb bottom of this post.