What is your favorite cartridge for the white-tail woods?

[jwleeper]

Marlin .375 here. It will be along this year as well as my .358 grant in model 70. Depends on wind direction and stand location.
Have a great day.
Jim

 

[masterdekoy]

Is .300wsm legal for deer here in IN?

Haven hunted deer in many years not sure since laws changed what's legal

It’s legal on private land only. The laws changed a few years ago to allow rifle rounds to be used on private as long as case length is between 1.16” and 3” and bullet diameter is .243 and up. Public restrictions are much the same as they were.

I’ve been using 300 BLK the past couple years and it’s been doing well. Thinking about branching out to 6.5 Grendel. Other option is just breaking down and getting a 308 deer gun.

 

[BrockStrader22]

.270 over a field or opening and a 12 ga slug if in thick woods or on public land

 

[gglass]

I cannot say it is my favorite, but this year I will be venturing out with this customized and virgin Ruger GP-100... Wish me luck!

 

[Mark-DuCo]

6.5 grendel for me now that my AR is done and my suppressor is here, but before that my 7mm-08 put a lot of deer down.

 

[two70]

I've killed more critters with my .270 WSM and .300 WSM than anything else but consider both to be excessive at the ranges I'm most likely to shoot here. I killed my buck last year with a .260 Rem. and will use it again, though probably not this year. I've also killed deer with a .358 WSSM and a .41 mag on public ground, both worked but neither were ideal, IMO.

If I had to design the perfect cartridge for where I hunt, it would probably look a whole lot like the .250 Savage. It has a point blank range that extends well past most shots I'm likely to get and has plenty of energy to put a deer down quickly in a very soft recoiling package. It won't be my primary rifle this year but I hope to take a doe or two with my .250 chambered 99 once I fill my buck tag.

 

[Hookeye]

Didn't Ruger do a #1 in .250 Savage?

 

[bgcatty]

.30-30 Winchester in a Model 94 Winchester lever action, of course!!!

 

[two70]

Didn't Ruger do a #1 in .250 Savage?

Yes, an RSI model for sure maybe others as well. They've also produced M77s in .250 Savage.

 

[BigRed]

I cannot say it is my favorite, but this year I will be venturing out with this customized and virgin Ruger GP-100... Wish me luck!

View attachment 234170

Well, if that's what you used in the target you should do well!!!! NICE

 

[00Buck]

Started out using an old A5 sweet 16 then progressed into a TC Hawkin 50 cal muzzle loader, until knight in-line came out. Hunted with that until Indiana changed the law and allowed pistol cal carbines. I then changed to 44 mag lever action and haven’t used anything since.

I have always thought of taking my 30/06, 270, 6.5, 30-30 and or others to the woods but really found no need to. The 44 mag with 240g white box Win has dispatched several deer for me on numerous occasions. Although all my shots have been max 100 yards or less.

I guess if I lived up north, in the flat land. I would have probably switched to one of my high powered rifles by now. Now if I still had my marlin 336 in 35 Remington I’m confident I would be using it now.

 

[Brad69]

350 legend

 

[gregr]

Dunno if it is or not, never subscribed to the idea of hitting things between me and my target.
Have a .30-06 thats never been blooded......I always grab the .35 rem for around here LOL

Yeah, that "brush buster" moniker is a misnomer. Nothing dies well hitting things prior to getting to your intended target. And the deer deserve better.

 

[gregr]

Winchester `94 in .30-30, or, Tikka T3x Hunter in .30-06, or, an old Knight Disc Extreme in .50 cal.

 

[Hawkj]

I like the 6.5 Grendel with Hornady 123 gr sst or the 6.5 Creedmoor with Hornady 143 gr ELD. Can’t go wrong with either imo.

 

[nonobaddog]

The last deer I got was with a 3.5 Honda Accord at short range. It mushroomed just enough to be very effective.

 

[DadSmith]

The last deer I got was with a 3.5 Honda Accord at short range. It mushroomed just enough to be very effective.

These actually work. My son who works nights, and drives home between 0300-0500 had many run ins with deer literally.
Our insurance agent recommended these deer whistles, and they actually work.
He hasn't hit a deer since. He said they run away now, instead of running out on the road. He's been using them for 3 years now with great results.
I have put them on my parents mini van, and my car with great results as well. They work.

Edit:
Found the link

Deer Warning, Animal Alert, Accident Prevention - Living Products LLC

deerwhistle.com

 

[nonobaddog]

These actually work. My son who works nights, and drives home between 0300-0500 had many run ins with deer literally.
Our insurance agent recommended these deer whistles, and they actually work.
He hasn't hit a deer since. He said they run away now, instead of running out on the road. He's been using them for 3 years now with great results.
I have put them on my parents mini van, and my car with great results as well. They work.
View attachment 235105
Edit:
Found the link

Deer Warning, Animal Alert, Accident Prevention - Living Products LLC

deerwhistle.com

I have tried a few similar to that, just not sure if it was that particular brand. I think they work and help but they get plugged up with bugs frequently so you never know if they are working or plugged up at any particular time.
These look like they go straight through with very little restrictions so they might not plug up so fast. I will give them a try. Thanks.

 

[Creedmoor]

Didn't Ruger do a #1 in .250 Savage?

Yep,
250 Savage
250-3000
300 Savage
and geesh maybe a 100 others.

 

[Hookeye]

Unfortunately no .35 rem LOL
Think the ,250 Savage a fairly recent run, which would make it a Lipseys gun.
Which would be lesser number as a non "regular production offering" of the 70's/80's and maybe even 90's.