Author Topic: .22 on deer (Read 3958 times)

Elijah Gunn · « **on:** March 24, 2009, 04:29:16 PM »

If all you had in a survival situation was a .22 LR and had a shot at a deer where would you aim , and what would the max range be for that shot?

Lurker · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2009, 04:37:53 PM »

Assuming that I need the meat, because I am in a SHTF survival situation.

I would aim at the butt of the ear, and I wouldn't shoot, if the deer were over fifty yards away from me...

Bill

briarpatch · « **Reply #2 on:** March 24, 2009, 05:09:03 PM »

I dropped a small doe in its tracks with a 22lr when I was in school many years ago. Shot her in the neck. I dont know the distance but thinking back I would say about 30 yards or around there. Would not do it again unless I had to but it can be done.
I know of two does that were taken with a high standard 22lr pistol and a ruger single six with 22 mag. Neither went over 50 yards with behind the front leg body shot.
If it is all you have and you need the meat, with careful bullet placement you will take more game than you will lose.
I would like to add my opinon is as small as that 22. use it for what it is worth.

flintlock · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2009, 12:56:27 AM »

Depending on the angle, the back of the head, between the eyes and behind the ear...Whatever angle gets the bullet into the brain...

I know it's not "proper" anymore to discuss .22s and deer, but I grew up in the country and we didn't have a centerfire rifle in the house in the 60s...We butchered 20 pigs a year and they were dispached with a .22 into the brain...

I've killed about 15 deer with a .22, mostly while squirrel hunting back in the 60s and 70s...Never lost one, all shots were within 50 yards...

Elijah Gunn · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2009, 08:08:41 AM »

Thanks for the replies. I figured a head shot at 50 yards or less was the way to do it. Hope I never need to.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2009, 01:18:29 PM »

I wouldn't do it unless I had dire need, But then a head or neck/spine shot at less than 50 I do believe will work.

myronman3 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 26, 2009, 08:58:01 AM »

if you were in a needed to situation, sportsmanship is out the window. i would shoot it where ever i had a killing shot.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #7 on:** March 26, 2009, 09:19:22 AM »

Yep, any kill shot I could get under fitty, but then again if it was 60 and I was hungry I take the shot !

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #8 on:** March 26, 2009, 10:50:43 AM »

Lot's of deer are jacked at night with a 22.
It was so bad in eastern NC they made it a law you can not shine a Spotight on any deer. once fell asleep deer hunting and woke long after dark. I was concerned about getting out into the field and walking back as could hear a truck in the field and I did not have a flash light with me. everytime they were sweeping the area with the Spot light I would jump on the ground and cove up. hoping nothing reflected.
But what they would do is shine the spot light out in the field and the eyes would glow and they would just aim for the eyes.
I guess If I was faced with feeding the family and only armed with a 22LR i would be using one of the 120 lumin flash lights from a blind in the field.

flintlock · « **Reply #9 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:41:19 PM »

Actually in eastern NC it's perfectly legal to spot light until 11:00pm...

And...When you look at a deer through the scope with a light on it, no need
to aim for the eyes, you can see the body just fine...

Ruskin · « **Reply #10 on:** March 31, 2009, 03:01:09 PM »

I had an older client come to me and ask if I would be interested in buying his deer rifle. I wasn't to excited but when he said two for around $100.00. I said sure.

He brought in two 22 rifles. One a bold, the other an 06 winchester pump gun, I call a gallery gun.

He threw in a case knife he had used as a child. He was a little over 80 then.

The pump and case hold a spot in my safe.

He had shot deer for meat when a kid.

Times change. We now rely on Publix and Cash and Trash stores. I would go back in a heart beat.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #11 on:** April 01, 2009, 06:26:45 AM »

Re read the rules for Pamlico county.
And I usually hunt in NC with open sights so all I can see are the eyes.

PartsMan · « **Reply #12 on:** April 01, 2009, 06:38:01 AM »

Quote from: mcwoodduck on March 26, 2009, 10:50:43 AM

Lot's of deer are jacked at night with a 22.
It was so bad in eastern NC they made it a law you can not shine a Spotight on any deer.

Same way here in northern OK.
It's common knowledge that you can drop one with a 22 to the head.
They also claim the pickup is the easiest way to get close enough.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 01, 2009, 06:42:06 AM »

Head shot!

Many years ago I used to shoot camp meat regularly with a .22 lr. They ate very very well.

flintlock · « **Reply #14 on:** April 01, 2009, 11:27:25 AM »

Quote from: mcwoodduck on April 01, 2009, 06:26:45 AM

Re read the rules for Pamlico county.
And I usually hunt in NC with open sights so all I can see are the eyes.

Page 69 of the 2008-2009 Regulations Digest has no mention of it...
Page 49 shows Pamlico in the Shining Lights In Deer Areas, legal until
11 PM and 1/2 hour before sunrise...

backstrap · « **Reply #15 on:** April 01, 2009, 03:20:02 PM »

It dont have to be head shots, a good 40,50 yard heart and lung shot will take a deer out i have seen it done he ran about 50 yards and fell over dead

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #16 on:** April 02, 2009, 06:24:58 AM »

OK stand corrected.
flintlock,
where are you in NC?

flintlock · « **Reply #17 on:** April 02, 2009, 08:15:34 AM »

I live near Greensboro but grew up and own a few farms in Gates County...

cbl51 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 20, 2009, 04:10:08 AM »

When I read about the early life of Audie Murphy, I was impressed that he fedd his family with a .22 single shot rifle. His father had run out on the family when he was a little kid, and he grew up dirt poor. He used the .22 to shoot everything up to and including deer.

If a .22 is good enough for Audie Murphy, thats good enough for me.

bluntweapon · « **Reply #19 on:** April 20, 2009, 04:34:32 PM »

They kill both dear and moose with 22's in Maine. For moose They like a lung shot between the ribs. then stay quit and let them lay down and die. Not a legal cartridge but most police and wardens are on the take so they don't bother the ones doing it for money.

pab1 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 21, 2009, 11:58:38 AM »

Quote from: bluntweapon on April 20, 2009, 04:34:32 PM

Not a legal cartridge but most police and wardens are on the take so they don't bother the ones doing it for money.

............

Rex in OTZ · « **Reply #21 on:** April 27, 2009, 11:20:11 AM »

.22's been used on deer for ages, some the distances they are used are at times are un-ethical
Experewnce leads to well placed shots, experence and confidence and a adiquate reliable firearm at reasonable distances. the sound of the .22's report doesent carry all that far, the .22 is as effective at all Bow& Arrow distances go for the vitals zone anything else is playing round.
In the early 1980's my Brother & I had a just bought a couple bricks of Winchester WildCat hollow point's .36grainers I think. They were a very accurate round, we used them for hunting racoons ($25ea and up in them days) well long story short we were treeing coon and shooting them in the head, the rounds were knocking out the tree and we thought they were dead pitched them in the truck box, after a hour or so we had groggy coon trying to crawl out the truck box!! them .22's were just splattering on the skull and knocking them out!!
shoot for the lung & heart!! just like they teach you in archery, a 40 grain bullet "solid" may get them in the head if close enough but better to poke one in there boiler room and be shure to trail them out
Better yet use a .22mag or a .22hornet or .25-20 or a .32-20 or .218 Bee.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #22 on:** April 27, 2009, 11:40:12 AM »

we shot 400 to 600 lb hogs behind the ear or X the ears and eyes with a 22 short . they dropped dead on the spot . can't see a deer being any harder to drop with a similar shot. so as long as you can make the shot and the 22 still has the power go for it . But if you are hungry hurt etc keep the range close .
at night a deer lit up is easy to see in a scope the cross hairs are a different story in most scopes . I hunt fox and bobcat at night and the same holds true about most cross hairs .

Chappers · « **Reply #23 on:** April 27, 2009, 12:36:08 PM »

A mate of mine go’s pig hunting with nothing but a .22LR, he told me that its good for 5 to 40 meters head shot behind the ears or the flat of the head, out to 100 you aim for the eye apparently the eye socket guides the projectile straight to the brain . he only uses .22 to cut down the cost so there is more profit for himself but if you ask me he’s crazy for doing it (i like at least 100meaters and a higher calibre between me and a set of tusks)

Oldshooter · « **Reply #24 on:** April 27, 2009, 04:38:53 PM »

I think the .22 would work for the porkers, but i'd still have the big handgun there for the justins!

By the way pardner, I thought the government took all you aussie's guns away? What's up with that?

Chappers · « **Reply #25 on:** April 28, 2009, 04:15:24 AM »

Only 5.2 percent of Australians own a firearm. It’s a bit of work to have a firearm in Australia. First you need to have a two day safety course for category of firearm that you will be applying to obtain. Then you must submit for a firearms licence after that to get firearm that is in your category class (A, B, C, D, E, H, M and R) you must put in a permit to acquire when you get this then you can purchase that firearm and bla bla bla.... it’s a bureaucrats wet dream all the paper work you have to fill out. But for the short of it is your bolt, leaver, pump and brake actions for centre /rim fire are easy to get. Handguns you must be with a pistol club for six months and shoot your handgun more than four times a year in comps(per pistol) to keep the licence. Then harder ones a semi-auto rimfire rifles pump actions shotguns and after that your dreaming (eg. My soon to be uncle in-law has a category D licence (semi-auto centre fire rifle), less than 50 people in the town and surrounding area (est. pop: 74,530) have this type of licence.

I have been told that when the laws first came out it helped the sales of PVC pipes, wax and grease a little.

So how do you purchase a firearm in the states?

Oldshooter · « **Reply #26 on:** April 28, 2009, 05:25:37 AM »

Well I can only tell you about Texas and Louisiana, some states have a bit more restrictions.

You find the one you want (thats the hard part right now, pikins are slim, unless you have a bucket full of money). Then you fill out the federal(I'm not a drug addict nor felon) questionaire. Usually within a few minutes they can call your info in and get an approval. Then you pay! and its yours. Hand gun to semi auto rifle. Oh you have to be 21 for a handgun!

Maybe someone from another state like Kalifornia, or Illinois can come up and give additional info.

I forgot to say that if the lefties here in the states have a say it wont always be that easy. Seems your lefties have run amuck there, right?

Yankee1 · « **Reply #27 on:** May 01, 2009, 04:44:22 PM »

I would aim for the base of the back of the skull. I would try to keep the range under 30 yards. That may involve a blind of some sort. Perhaps a pit dug in the ground. Or hunt from an elevated area in the day time. Thermals bring scent up in warm weather and down as it cools down. I would always be aware of wind direction and hunt into the wind if still hunting. I would find out what the game are feeding on and concentrate on those areas. An example would be acorns attracting deer into their areas. In arid areas water will bring in game.
Habit also comes into play, deer like to drink before bedding down.
Before a snow storm in the mountains deer will migrate to wards the southern slopes. Putting yourself in a position to intercept them is to your advantage.
This is the the type of thinking I would be doing.
Yankee1

stubshaft · « **Reply #28 on:** May 01, 2009, 06:30:18 PM »

Head shot, any angle that I could penetrate into the brain cavity. Out to 50yds.

mechanic · « **Reply #29 on:** May 02, 2009, 04:00:40 AM »

Quote from: Chappers on April 28, 2009, 04:15:24 AM

I have been told that when the laws first came out it helped the sales of PVC pipes, wax and grease a little.

So how do you purchase a firearm in the states?

I walk in, show my concealed carry license, make payment, and go. And quite frankly, I'm still steamed about having to get a cc license.

Ben