2022 Deer season

[two70]

I found out today that I was drawn for a public deer hunt in Texas. In mid December I'll get to chase whitetail, javelina, feral hogs, and hopefully axis deer for a few days.

 

[BigRed]

I found out today that I was drawn for a public deer hunt in Texas. In mid December I'll get to chase whitetail, javelina, feral hogs, and hopefully axis deer for a few days.

Congrats and good luck on an axis deer.

 

[BigRed]

I found out today that I was drawn for a public deer hunt in Texas. In mid December I'll get to chase whitetail, javelina, feral hogs, and hopefully axis deer for a few days.

Friend's ranch in Texas.....axis in the background.

 

[gunrunner0]

Took my first deer of the year today during Michigan Early Antlerless. This is my third kill with a .350 Legend. It's a very effective round, but I'm not at all impressed with the lack of blood trail.

 

[two70]

Friend's ranch in Texas.....axis in the background.

View attachment 224624

I've seen an axis buck dead along a farm to market road in Texas but yet to have seen one alive. This will be my fourth public deer hunt where I could theoretically harvest an exotic during the hunt but the first where axis deer were a possibility. I've yet to see an exotic on any of those deer hunts and struck out on my lone exotic hunt despite seeing tons of nilgai.

 

[singlestacksig]

Took my first deer of the year today during Michigan Early Antlerless. This is my third kill with a .350 Legend. It's a very effective round, but I'm not at all impressed with the lack of blood trail. View attachment 224706

what bullet was it?

 

[dak109]

I was wondering the same thing. Plus shot placement, yardage, pass through?

 

[dlandersson]

Ron White on deer hunting

 

[cg21]

I only got one deer so far with the 350 quartering towards 30yds through one shoulder no pass through. Bullet was lodged just under skin behind offside shoulder did not hit second shoulder. Obviously terrible bloodtrail she went 50yds. Don’t recall the ammo off the top of my head …. I think 180 grain soft point

 

[gunrunner0]

what bullet was it?

Winchester Deer Season XP 150 grain. For all three.

Shot placement:
Deer 1: Trailing edge of shoulder, knicked the heart, pass through.
Deer 2: Double lung, pass through. Best blood trail of the three, but not great.
Deer 3: Leading edge of shoulder, quartering toward shot, no pass through, no extensive internal bleeding. Not surprised on the blood trail here specifically, I was surprised at no exit wound.

All three were shot within 75 yards and died within 50 yds of where they were shot. I'm happy with effectiveness of the round, but I'm suspicious of how much bullet expansion I'm getting. I've considered a heavier bullet to try and guarantee an exit wound, but I don't want to trade weight for range. I'm hunting primarily field edge, with the opportunity for longer shots.

 

[ws6duramax]

Looks like they have made some changes to anterless quotas in a few counties .

 

[teddy12b]

Winchester Deer Season XP 150 grain. For all three.

Shot placement:
Deer 1: Trailing edge of shoulder, knicked the heart, pass through.
Deer 2: Double lung, pass through. Best blood trail of the three, but not great.
Deer 3: Leading edge of shoulder, quartering toward shot, no pass through, no extensive internal bleeding. Not surprised on the blood trail here specifically, I was surprised at no exit wound.

All three were shot within 75 yards and died within 50 yds of where they were shot. I'm happy with effectiveness of the round, but I'm suspicious of how much bullet expansion I'm getting. I've considered a heavier bullet to try and guarantee an exit wound, but I don't want to trade weight for range. I'm hunting primarily field edge, with the opportunity for longer shots.

The farther you shoot, the heavier of a bullet you'll want. I know this isn't apples to apples, but years ago I switched from 168gr matchkings to 200gr matchkings in my 30-06 and the velocity stayed about the same. The heavier bullet bucked the wind better, and hit harder. This has carried over into my hunting bullets too and I generally go heavier for caliber in anything I do now.

All things considered, I think you got three good shots. The best blood trails I've had are from hitting a rib on the other side otherwise I never get much blood trail to speak of.

 

[gunrunner0]

The farther you shoot, the heavier of a bullet you'll want. I know this isn't apples to apples, but years ago I switched from 168gr matchkings to 200gr matchkings in my 30-06 and the velocity stayed about the same. The heavier bullet bucked the wind better, and hit harder. This has carried over into my hunting bullets too and I generally go heavier for caliber in anything I do now.

All things considered, I think you got three good shots. The best blood trails I've had are from hitting a rib on the other side otherwise I never get much blood trail to speak of.

Yeah, I just don't know what to make of it. I hunt with a .270 in Indiana and have always gotten a great blood trail, even on a bad hit. Prior to that I hunted with a shotgun, which of course always netted great blood. I agree on the rib hit producing a better blood trail.

I believe Hornady makes a 170 gr and I may try to find some of that. Ultimately the pistol caliber restrictions are a real handicap to hunting rounds and we just have to work around it.

 

[teddy12b]

Yeah, I just don't know what to make of it. I hunt with a .270 in Indiana and have always gotten a great blood trail, even on a bad hit. Prior to that I hunted with a shotgun, which of course always netted great blood. I agree on the rib hit producing a better blood trail.

I believe Hornady makes a 170 gr and I may try to find some of that. Ultimately the pistol caliber restrictions are a real handicap to hunting rounds and we just have to work around it.

My first high power rifle deer in Indiana was with a 30-06 and it took more than one shot although every hit was a killer by itself the deer just didn't react to it that I could see. They're funny critters about how they die when shot. If I wanted a better blood trail I'd be looking for something 44 mag or wider like a 45-70 or 12ga slug, but then I'd got rainbow trajectory.

For a long time I was getting into black bear hunting and most of those guy go for a slower and wider bullet because so much fat on the animal helps seal up the bullet holes and you lose the blood trails.

All things considered, I look at blood trails as a "nice to have" thing, but if I don't get one I am usually finding the critter within 50 yards of where it was hit.

 

[gunrunner0]

My first high power rifle deer in Indiana was with a 30-06 and it took more than one shot although every hit was a killer by itself the deer just didn't react to it that I could see. They're funny critters about how they die when shot. If I wanted a better blood trail I'd be looking for something 44 mag or wider like a 45-70 or 12ga slug, but then I'd got rainbow trajectory.

For a long time I was getting into black bear hunting and most of those guy go for a slower and wider bullet because so much fat on the animal helps seal up the bullet holes and you lose the blood trails.

All things considered, I look at blood trails as a "nice to have" thing, but if I don't get one I am usually finding the critter within 50 yards of where it was hit.

I started with shotgun and then moved to .44 Mag rifle when those were legalized. I only ended up shooting one deer with the .44 and it dropped right there, but I've heard similar complaints regarding lack of blood. I moved to the .350 because I just don't care for the .44, I can't shoot it as well as I'd like and I don't trust it past about 125 yards.

 

[teddy12b]

I started with shotgun and then moved to .44 Mag rifle when those were legalized. I only ended up shooting one deer with the .44 and it dropped right there, but I've heard similar complaints regarding lack of blood. I moved to the .350 because I just don't care for the .44, I can't shoot it as well as I'd like and I don't trust it past about 125 yards.

I get that. My 44 lever gun is the one I've got my biggest bucks with and for whatever reason is my lucky gun in the thick woods. For distance though, it's not the rifle I grab. The last two years I've popped small/medium bucks about 250 yards out with my 6.5cm.

 

[two70]

Winchester Deer Season XP 150 grain. For all three.

Shot placement:
Deer 1: Trailing edge of shoulder, knicked the heart, pass through.
Deer 2: Double lung, pass through. Best blood trail of the three, but not great.
Deer 3: Leading edge of shoulder, quartering toward shot, no pass through, no extensive internal bleeding. Not surprised on the blood trail here specifically, I was surprised at no exit wound.

All three were shot within 75 yards and died within 50 yds of where they were shot. I'm happy with effectiveness of the round, but I'm suspicious of how much bullet expansion I'm getting. I've considered a heavier bullet to try and guarantee an exit wound, but I don't want to trade weight for range. I'm hunting primarily field edge, with the opportunity for longer shots.

You might give the Winchester Copper Impact a try if you want to stay with the 150 grain load. By the reports I've seen, it expands and penetrates well. The new Barnes load would be a good option if you want to step up in weight, provided you can find it in stock.

 

[tcecil88]

Winchester Deer Season XP 150 grain. For all three.

Shot placement:
Deer 1: Trailing edge of shoulder, knicked the heart, pass through.
Deer 2: Double lung, pass through. Best blood trail of the three, but not great.
Deer 3: Leading edge of shoulder, quartering toward shot, no pass through, no extensive internal bleeding. Not surprised on the blood trail here specifically, I was surprised at no exit wound.

All three were shot within 75 yards and died within 50 yds of where they were shot. I'm happy with effectiveness of the round, but I'm suspicious of how much bullet expansion I'm getting. I've considered a heavier bullet to try and guarantee an exit wound, but I don't want to trade weight for range. I'm hunting primarily field edge, with the opportunity for longer shots.

I wonder if we are spoiled by the blood trails our shotguns gave us. The 12 gauge is hugely over kill on a whitetail, but that's predominantly what we had to hunt with. I shot a buck once with a 12 gauge Federal Barnes Expander Sabot and it looked like a 5 gallon bucket dumped on the ground for the 50ish yards he went. I shot a doe at 12 yards or so with a rifled slug and it literally blew her off her feet. It is amazing the amount of energy a 12 gauge dumps into a target.
So it makes sense that as we downsize the rounds we are using we are going to have smaller entry/exit wounds and a resulting smaller blood trail.
From my experience, I get the most consistent blood trails and shorter track jobs from archery equipment.

 

[cg21]

Getting excited for youth season this weekend just went and bought some safety orange caps for the ground blinds (wow they are expensive)

So youth only get two days to hunt. 1 weekend and hunters only get two weekends to put in stands / blinds on public. One of those weekends is on the single weekend of the youth hunt. I really wish they would change that either give youth a week to hunt…… or change when to put blinds and stands on public.

It’s my understanding youth season is around to give kids the best chance possible to harvest a deer to keep them interested and keep the traditions alive. Seems counter productive to have armies of squeaky deer carts hauling in stands during the same time….

 

[two70]

I wonder if we are spoiled by the blood trails our shotguns gave us. The 12 gauge is hugely over kill on a whitetail, but that's predominantly what we had to hunt with. I shot a buck once with a 12 gauge Copper Solid Sabot and it looked like a 5 gallon bucket dumped on the ground for the 50ish yards he went. I shot a doe at 12 yards or so with a rifled slug and it literally blew her off her feet. It is amazing the amount of energy a 12 gauge dumps into a target.
So it makes sense that as we downsize the rounds we are using we are going to have smaller entry/exit wounds and a resulting smaller blood trail.
From my experience, I get the most consistent blood trails and shorter track jobs from archery equipment.

Bullet selection and shot placement have much more to do with the quality of the blood trail than shotgun vs. rifle, IMO. I've lost deer due to non-existent blood trails from crappy sabots and have been lucky to find others despite the lack of a blood trail. The only poor blood trail I've had with a rifle was on my buck from last year and that was primarily because I had to aim above the weeds he was standing in and hit him high. Generally, the lower in the chest cavity and closer to the heart you hit the better the blood trail will be.

The best blood trails I've ever had were on a buck that I wouldn't have killed if the shot had hit a 1/4" lower and on my cow black wildebeest that was hit a touch low and at a steep downward angle. The buck ran 30 yards and stopped briefly before toppling over. When I walked up to him, everything within a 15' area around where he fell was coated in a fine mist of blood. The black wildebeest left a blood trail close to a foot wide on either side as it ran. With one shoulder shattered, the other hit as well and gushing blood it still made it almost 200 yards. Tough critter.