.45 Caliber: Deer?

[RiverRat]

Maryland sika deer, 40-45 yards , 60 grains ,.440prb . Deer ran about 10-15 yards with not hardly any blood. Good thing i watched her and could easily see her drop!

Nice rifle and bag! Looks like a good eating deer.

 

[Brokennock]

I shot a nice buck with my modern high dollar compound at 15 yards while eating acorns. After the shot the buck snapped his head up looked around and went back to eating acorns. I'm sitting there stunned like how the heck did I miss. I slowly reached for another arrow re-nock it and drew again and the buck stumbled and fell over dead. He never reacted in the slightest no jump, no running off, just a fast head rise. This was a perfect double lung behind the shoulder. Strange things happen with the best of equipment.

Strange?
Isn't this what is supposed to happen when our broadleaf are properly sharp and our bow and arrow set up as quiet as it should be?

 

[Brokennock]

Spined him. Best shot I ever made.

Best shot you've made?
So you're saying that at your, "extreme long range," that spine hit was intentional?

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Once made what could be called a 'perfect' shot while handgun hunting. From about 25-30 yards with a .45 Long Colt out of a S&W 25-5 with 8 3/8 in. barrel. Heart shot. At that I tracked a buck nearly 100 yards and over a fence. Bright red spots of blood lead me to where he went down. Unfortunately. he was gone by the time I got there. Heard a vehicle moving rapidly away. Some opportunistic bastard had profited from my shot and tracking through thick brush. I prayed fervently that whoever took it got food poisoning.

Well I been there while using my TN Mt 45 on opening day in Michigan on a Sunday where at time you could only hunt state land on Sunday. It is shotgun or ML'er only at time. I shot a nice 8 point with pure white antlers. I found blood and decided to back out as I had to meet my buddy and help him find his deer as he was a rookie. We quickly find his deer put it on deer cart and wheel it back to camp, and turn and head back to recover my buck. Followed blood all the way to a gut pile. There was zero other shots in area. So we start beating feet back to campsite where everyone has to park. Here are 2 idiots trying to put my buck on top of a jeep. Of course choice words are made with him swearing her killed it. All of a sudden bang here comes the game warden, he interjects. I tell him its simple I was only one to shoot back there I have a 45 ML he has a 12 gauge slug look at the hole size. GW calls guy a liar but says he can't do anything because he legally tagged the buck first. Very unethical.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Strange?
Isn't this what is supposed to happen when our broadleaf are properly sharp and our bow and arrow set up as quiet as it should be?

Yeah but never had it happen usually the kick and run off.

 

[mikesto44]

Johnny I had the same thing happen. But in my instance. The broad head zipped right between the ribs on both sides. Buck took a couple steps an fell over. I think not hitting rib bone made the difference. Who knows..

 

[45man]

I am from Ohio and have personally seen bucks that reached 400+ pounds. One was hit on the highway near Columbus
I saw one near Salt Fork that would go over 400, from my stand at over 250 yards away, I could feel the ground and my tree shake as he ran past another hunter that missed him. The store had a picture of him and he had 18 points. Yes Ohio has big deer.
I hunted PA every year and they were all small deer. Forest deer did not have good diets and only Green county had large deer. Plus Ohio has Michigan whitetails while most of PA has Virginia deer.
I have taken a pile of deer with my .45 and never felt under gunned.

 

[Big Tom 52]

Greene County still has big deer if you can find them of have enough land to grow em! I was a little concerned about using my 45 for deer but after reading the posts and knowing how the gun shoots, I have no worries about having enough gun now!

 

[ChuckJonesWagon]

I am from Ohio and have personally seen bucks that reached 400+ pounds. One was hit on the highway near Columbus
I saw one near Salt Fork that would go over 400, from my stand at over 250 yards away, I could feel the ground and my tree shake as he ran past another hunter that missed him. The store had a picture of him and he had 18 points. Yes Ohio has big deer.
I hunted PA every year and they were all small deer. Forest deer did not have good diets and only Green county had large deer. Plus Ohio has Michigan whitetails while most of PA has Virginia deer.
I have taken a pile of deer with my .45 and never felt under gunned.

Several years ago when I was archery hunting nearby, I saw the largest buck I've ever seen. He was a 14pt and when looking broadside at him, he looked like a cow. He was too far away for a shot, and when I chatted with a few other archery hunters, they were specifically targeting that buck.

Nobody got him. Two years later he was crossing the turnpike and killed. Well over 300 lbs. These size bucks are out there. But not as common as some of the above post lead you to believe.

 

[45man]

I have shot deer with arrows and had them go back to eating apples only to panic and drop dead. I found long ago that the stronger the bow and heavier the arrow, the faster they kill.

 

[mikesto44]

Biggest deer I ever shot was just over 245 pounds. Can't imagine dragging and loading a 300 + pound buck out..

 

[rchas]

There are some folks on this board who will scoff at you for using anything larger than a .40....

For myself, I think .45 is the minimum, and I would prefer .50 or even .54. Reasonable distance and proper shot placement is important.

 

[snakebit]

Several years ago when I was archery hunting nearby, I saw the largest buck I've ever seen. He was a 14pt and when looking broadside at him, he looked like a cow. He was too far away for a shot, and when I chatted with a few other archery hunters, they were specifically targeting that buck.

Nobody got him. Two years later he was crossing the turnpike and killed. Well over 300 lbs. These size bucks are out there. But not as common as some of the above post lead you to believe.

I go home to Illinois to hunt every year. I've killed several in the high 200's. My brother killed one over 300, that deer was so big it made his 10 pnt rack look small. Damn thing broke his deer cart. Had to call a neighbor to get it with the bucket of his tractor. Food and genetics. I've seen a few big bodied deer since living in PA, but not nearly the size of Midwestern white tail. For me, it's enjoy the hunt, hunt what you have, and be proud of what you kill. My ¢2.

 

[ChuckJonesWagon]

I go home to Illinois to hunt every year. I've killed several in the high 200's. My brother killed one over 300, that deer was so big it made his 10 pnt rack look small. Damn thing broke his deer cart. Had to call a neighbor to get it with the bucket of his tractor. Food and genetics. I've seen a few big bodied deer since living in PA, but not nearly the size of Midwestern white tail. For me, it's enjoy the hunt, hunt what you have, and be proud of what you kill. My ¢2.

I can certainly believe Illinois has many whitetail bucks of that size. But here in Pa? Not near the same ratio.