| Are you planning your first deer hunting trip | | | | 30-30. The 30-06 or it's cousin the 308 with |
| in Texas or are you a seasoned veteran? The | | | | 150 and 180 grain bullets tend to bring a |
| Texas white tailed deer is not overly large | | | | hunting situation to a quick closeure. I like |
| as deer go. Deer up in the northern parts of | | | | the lever action calibers that use blunt nose |
| the country and Canada tend to get larger. | | | | bullets.The blunt nose bullets have a more |
| The hunters in Texas are blessed with a | | | | dramatic effect on game than their sharper |
| prolific deer herd that covers a good part of | | | | nosed counterparts. You don't need specialty |
| the state. Though the deer are not overly | | | | bullets for deer except for use in the big |
| large they do require certain caliber | | | | magnums. You need tough bullets at the speed |
| requirements. Anything 22 caliber or below | | | | some of these calibers are attaining.I own a |
| is considered verbotten and illegal in the | | | | 30-378 Weatherby magnum in which I only use |
| state. The bigger caliber rifles tend to have | | | | Barnes x and Nosler bullets in hunting |
| harder bullets that will not expand as | | | | situations I have shot deer with this |
| readily as the smaller calibers. I would not | | | | caliber at extreme ranges. The rifle and |
| suggest the 416 Remington Magnum that I used | | | | caliber combination works well along with |
| on a buffalo hunt several years ago as a good | | | | it's component 6x20 scope. You have to match |
| choice for deer sized game.Calibers from the | | | | the conditions to your choice of caliber. A |
| 243 Remington up to the 30 caliber magnums | | | | rifle that works wonderfully at long range |
| are widely used here in the state. The | | | | would not necessarily be the right choice for |
| magnums tend to be used more in open country | | | | the deep woods.Hand guns for hunting have |
| where long shots are considered the norm. | | | | become very popular in recent years. Most of |
| The 30-06 is a very versatile choice for any | | | | the single shots like the Contender and |
| type of hunting The 243 Remington is | | | | Encore in correct calibers will do the job |
| adequate but should only be used with 100 | | | | nicely. The 44 magnum,45 colt,454 casull and |
| grain bullets. Any caliber that will bring | | | | the new Smith and Wesson handguns are right |
| about a quick and humane kill is just about | | | | on target. The 460 Smith and Wesson with |
| right for white tail hunting. Shorter | | | | it's great engineering and radical bullets |
| barrels are better suited to confined | | | | will shoot as true as a rifle up to about 200 |
| spaces,tree stands,hunting blinds and the | | | | yards.Pair the right caliber to your style of |
| deep woods where vegetation might become a | | | | hunting. Resist the temptation to get too |
| problem with longer barrels. In the deep | | | | large of a boomer. You will not be able to |
| woods where shots are not overly long,the | | | | shoot it as acurately as a smaller caliber |
| lever action with its' associated calibers | | | | and it might lead you into a habit of |
| will fill the bill quite nicely. The 30-30 | | | | flinching with every shot. This habit does |
| Winchester with a 170 grain bullet works like | | | | nothing at all to enhance your accuracy. |
| lightening on deer. My personal favorite is | | | | African hunters long ago realized that a |
| a 45-70 that I handload up to about 2,000 | | | | heavy bullet travelling about 2400 f.p.s. was |
| f.p.s. I use a hollow point which has given | | | | about the best medicine for their tasks at |
| me nothing but complete satisfaction. I | | | | hand. A light and fast bullet at close |
| usually find the spent bullet up against the | | | | ranges tended to blow up and disentergrate on |
| hide of the deer. It uses all of it's stored | | | | the hide with little internal harm to the |
| energy inside of the deer where it will do | | | | animal. Enjoy your sport and be safe with |
| the most good. The innards of a deer are | | | | your firearms. Following these guidelines |
| usually reduced to confetti size material | | | | will enable a growing number of hunters to |
| with this round.I have used the 243 to blow | | | | participate in this ritual year after |
| fist sized holes in deer. This limits their | | | | year.Stephen Graham- Avid hunter and |
| activities and stops a tracking job that | | | | outdoorsman has hunted in Texas and other |
| might have to be done at night. The 35 | | | | states. |
| Remington is more dramatic on deer than the | | | | |