100 years..................

[basstracker89]

I use to hunt with a .223 in a rifle that'd cloverleaf every time at 100 yards. I used Cor Bons HP ammo that fragmented like you wouldn't believe. I was up in a tree stand about 150 yards from 3 does. Took aim at the first one fired and thought I'd missed. Took aim at the second one and same result. Then I finally shot the 3rd one and it was DRT dead right there. So I went to get my 1 deer and got to the spot and found all three deer dead within 15 yards of the only one I thought I'd hit. I gutted them and there was nothing left of their hearts.

You got lucky

 

[GeauxLSU]

I agree. Too many things can go wrong. I'd probably take my 375 H&H for elk myself. I have a 257WBY that would do the job

I took a 7mag and a .30-06 (always bring a backup). .300 win mag would have made more sense but have never shot it and didn't feel under gunned with what I had.

 

[Bypass]

You got lucky

Hey man better lucky than good.

 

[basstracker89]

Hey man better lucky than good.

I just don't like injuring animals. Like a guaranteed clean kill. In your case, you did make a good kill

 

[basstracker89]

I took a 7mag and a .30-06 (always bring a backup). .300 win mag would have made more sense but have never shot it and didn't feel under gunned with what I had.

All are good choices. In my case I have 257WBY, 308 then 375 H&H

 

[Edog537]

I've never had the pleasure of elk hunting but those with a lot more experience than me say as a general rule of thumb a bullet needs to hit them with 1500ft/lb of energy to cleanly and ethically kill them.

243 is under that threshold before 200yards

270 is above that threshold well beyond 400yards.

If you plan on hunting them at the same distance the sharp sticks guys hunt I guess 243 is a viable option.

But it'll never be a 270win. It's like 270 for children.

Gail Root who designed the Ballistic Tip Bullet for Nosler was an avid Elk Hunter. He hunted with a .243 and the 95gr Ballistic Tip bullet. So I don’t know if “those with more experience” you refer to are the same dumbasses that tell everyone you have to have some minimum amount of energy to kill this or that when it is internal soft tissue damage that kills. Again how many foot pounds does an arrow have when it hits? Not much. But it still destroys enough soft tissue to kill the animal. How is that so? You’re not dumb. Think about it. All of that foot lbs required information is grade A bull****.

 

[Edog537]

You got lucky

I have shot through both shoulders and DRTed a 4.5 year old buck with a 62gr .223 Federal Fusion shot out of a Handi-rifle. It wasn’t luck.

Let me type this slowly.

Internal soft tissue damage kills, not internet opinions.

 

[Bypass]

I just don't like injuring animals. Like a guaranteed clean kill. In your case, you did make a good kill

I quit bow hunting because I lost a buck ONCE. I shot 7th in the state of Georgia in 3d archery in the 90s so I was a decent shot. I just didn't like the fact that I lost a kill when the deer shot with an arrow just walked away.

Me and captdave77 searched all night and the next day for that deer. We finally found it the next year during a stalk hunt. About 100 yards from where I shot it. So, I only gun hunt now where deer drop DRT or very close to it.

 

[basstracker89]

I quit bow hunting because I lost a buck ONCE. I shot 7th in the state of Georgia in 3d archery in the 90s so I was a decent shot. I just didn't like the fact that I lost a kill when the deer shot with an arrow just walked away.

Me and captdave77 searched all night and the next day for that deer. We finally found it the next year during a stalk hunt. About 100 yards from where I shot it. So, I only gun hunt now where deer drop DRT or very close to it.

I've done that too. Had an incredible blood trail then lost it. My minimum is black powder. Took my first deer with a 50 cal. Hawken. Used to go every BP season. Always got one too. Minimum rifle would be 30 Carbine and 257. Never lost a deer with either. The 30 requires a quick double tap

 

[basstracker89]

I have shot through both shoulders and DRTed a 4.5 year old buck with a 62gr .223 Federal Fusion shot out of a Handi-rifle. It wasn’t luck.

Let me type this slowly.

Internal soft tissue damage kills, not internet opinions.

Understood. Our mileage varies, that's all. I hit what I'm aiming at. I go with what works for me as we all do