Long but interesting SCDNR article on caliber, ammunition choice, distance, etc for deer harvesting

11B CIB

11B CIB

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http://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/deer/articlegad.html


Too long to paste the whole thing but it looks at successful distances (over 150yds and success dropped significantly), and this was interesting to me:

The final question that we addressed in this study dealt with differences in the performance of different bullet types. With the popularity of hand loading and super accurate shooting sportsmen often debate the merits of different bullet types. For the purposes of this study and because there are so many different bullet types, we placed bullets into 2 categories. Group 1 consisted of softer type bullets. In other words, bullets that are designed to rapidly expand on impact. Bullets falling into that group included ballistic tips, bronze points or any other soft point bullet that is of the appropriate weight for the caliber, for southeastern sized deer. For example, a 150 grain ballistic tip bullet in a .30 caliber rather than a 200 grain bullet in the same caliber. Group 2 bullets were just the opposite and included some of the premium types of ammunition loaded with controlled expansion bullets including Partitions, Grand Slams, Barnes X, and various types of solids. Also, bullets that are generally accepted as being too heavy for southeastern sized deer were placed in this group. For example, a 200 grain bullet in a .30 caliber weapon is generally considered too much for southeastern deer. Overall, Group I bullets could be characterized as being explosive on impact, where as Group 2 bullets were controlled in the manner they expand.

Firearms and ammunition - Bullet types

  • Group 1 – Rapidly expanding bullets such as Ballistic Tips, bronze points, etc. Any soft point bullet of appropriate weight for a particular caliber for southeastern deer.
  • Group 2 – Harder or more controlled expansion bullets such as Partitions, Grand Slams, Barnes X, etc. Any bullet that is heavier for a particular caliber than is generally recommended for southeastern deer.
Again, using the distance that deer traveled as a measure of performance we found that deer struck with the more explosive type bullets traveled a mean distance of about 27 yards while those struck with hard or heavy bullets traveled an average of approximately 43 yards. This represents a significant difference with deer struck by hard bullets traveling further. The second method of monitoring bullet performance dealt with the percentage of deer that were dropped in their tracks by the respective bullet groups. Again, explosive type bullets significantly outperformed the hard/heavy bullets with 58 percent knock downs compared to 40 percent. Finally, and more subjectively, we looked at the percentage of deer that ran and left poor sign. Again we found a significant difference between the two groups indicating that deer struck with more expanding type bullets left poor sign only about 12 percent of the time compared to over 21 percent for the hard/heavy group.

Firearms and ammunition - Bullet type results

Type # Deer Yards traveled % Dropped % Poor sign
Soft 360 27 58% 12%
Hard 84 43 49% 21%


Conclusions

  • Shooting percentages about 82%.
  • The farther the shot, the lower the chance of getting the deer.
  • Deer ran about 62 yards on average.
  • Shot placement is determining factor. All things considered, broadside shoulder shot worked best compared to others.
  • About 50:50, deer run vs. deer don’t run.
  • Trained dog expedited recovery of all deer that ran.
  • Dog very important in recovering 61 deer that left poor/no sign, 24 deer judged unrecoverable, and 19 live/wounded deer.
  • Dog accounted for approximately 15 – 20% of total harvest on hunting area, i.e. 75 – 100 deer.
  • No difference in effectiveness of various calibers.
  • No difference between factory vs. custom firearms.
  • Significant difference between bullet types. This study indicates that rapidly expanding bullets lead to deer running less often and less distance and when they run they leave better sign.
 
And that is where I depart from their teachings.
Shoulder shots are for trophy hunters. The guy that kills one deer a year and the only thing they can think of is “kill it right here because I have no tracking skills”.
I gun hunt like I bow hunt, stay off the shoulder and put a hole thru the lungs or heart. So the deer might move from the point at which you shot it. So, who cares?
The meat wasted from losing the shoulder is unacceptable to me.
Also, their comments on explosive type bullets, again the meat lost is not a good thing. Hard lead bullets thru the lungs kill just as dead and waste no meat.

I also like heavy for caliber bullets. Two holes, no explosions, no blood shot or destroyed shoulders and you’ll have a dead deer.
 
There were no significant differences in the efficiency of weapons when grouped by caliber. However, deer ran significantly less frequently (42%), less distance (27 yds.) and left sign more often (88%) when struck with soft type bullets than when struck with hard style bullets (60%,43 yds., and 81%).
Click to expand...

interesting about the efficient of caliber.
 
Tailhunter said:
And that is where I depart from their teachings.
Shoulder shots are for trophy hunters. The guy that kills one deer a year and the only thing they can think of is “kill it right here because I have no tracking skills”.
I gun hunt like I bow hunt, stay off the shoulder and put a hole thru the lungs or heart. So the deer might move from the point at which you shot it. So, who cares?
The meat wasted from losing the shoulder is unacceptable to me.
Also, their comments on explosive type bullets, again the meat lost is not a good thing. Hard lead bullets thru the lungs kill just as dead and waste no meat.

I also like heavy for caliber bullets. Two holes, no explosions, no blood shot or destroyed shoulders and you’ll have a dead deer.
Click to expand...

Their data was from literally five hundred kills. It wasn’t just by guessing. And they probably established the shoulder as a guaranteed point of aim that everyone in the data set could aim for rather than a variation in shot placement that would skew data.

And the article specifically talked about tracking deer. Lack of tracking skill had nothing to do with it.
 
I prefer to tuck it in right behind the shoulder and through the lungs. most deer hit that way with anything .223 or larger will run 40 - 80 yards and lay down.

I agree that shoulder shots are a waste of meat. shoulders aren't the best quality meat on a deer, but you won't know it after it goes through the grinder.

Only time i really have a use for shoulder shots would be for a new hunters 1st deer or something similar to that. With a sufficient cartridge, it gives them a little more room for error in shot placement.
 
I get the meat thing entirely, trust me. I have shot my last few freezer fillers in the head.

This experiment was trying to be as scientific as possible and to do so, they had to reduce as many variables as possible. The shoulder shot placement, I’d bet money on, was an attempt to do just that for the sake of the study
 
I used to love heart shots, with ballistic tips. Til I shot a doe around 150yds, the .30-06 BT (165gr Hornady SST Interlock custom ammo, not a cheapie) hit a rib, busted out the sternum and poke tiny little holes in the bottom of her lungs.

Doe lived for almost an hour until I could get to her down in a nasty poison-ivy and thorn infested gully (where they always run).

So yeah, no more BTs for me, and no more heart shots. One in the shoulder (or the neck if I'm close enough to see the neck fold into the chest) and the 3-wheeler deer does a spin and flops within the same 10 yard area I shot them.
 
I only know what works for me.
I might add that neck shots with a caliber that has lots of energy does the trick also.
I’ve hunted deer in 8 different states. Killed as many as 12 in one year. For the last 30 years I have fed my family off what I kill. So killing and optimizing the kill are extremely important to me.
I realize not everyone in the gun community see eye to eye but I guarantee my eyes have seen and I do my best to bring home the groceries.

Enjoy your day in the woods, at least it stopped raining.
 
Tailhunter said:
And that is where I depart from their teachings.
Shoulder shots are for trophy hunters. The guy that kills one deer a year and the only thing they can think of is “kill it right here because I have no tracking skills”.
I gun hunt like I bow hunt, stay off the shoulder and put a hole thru the lungs or heart. So the deer might move from the point at which you shot it. So, who cares?
The meat wasted from losing the shoulder is unacceptable to me.
Also, their comments on explosive type bullets, again the meat lost is not a good thing. Hard lead bullets thru the lungs kill just as dead and waste no meat.

I also like heavy for caliber bullets. Two holes, no explosions, no blood shot or destroyed shoulders and you’ll have a dead deer.
Click to expand...

If you hunt thick swamps/cutovers shoulder shots are lifesavers. Call me lazy but I would rather loose a shoulder than getting torn up by briars or having to get one out of the water. I have had to do both and try to avoid doing it.
 
Tailhunter said:
I only know what works for me.
I might add that neck shots with a caliber that has lots of energy does the trick also.
I’ve hunted deer in 8 different states. Killed as many as 12 in one year. For the last 30 years I have fed my family off what I kill. So killing and optimizing the kill are extremely important to me.
I realize not everyone in the gun community see eye to eye but I guarantee my eyes have seen and I do my best to bring home the groceries.

Enjoy your day in the woods, at least it stopped raining.
Click to expand...
Do you keep the neck roast? It is one of my favorite cuts from a deer. I was unaware of how good it is until a few years ago.
 
Take this with a grain of salt as I’ve been hunting for 4 years.

I’ve never taken a shoulder shot. The nice (for me) 170lbs buck I killed last year was with a 62gr SGK through both lungs. Buck ran no more than 40y through the woods and was easy to find.

135lbs doe I shot last year was with the 25-06. 100gr SGK through both lungs from about 100y and she was dead before she hit the ground.

Whatever works for you and puts them on the ground with minimal suffering is the best shot, IMO.
 
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