Deer hunting with a .223

[marineimaging]

In Texas we could hunt deer and hogs with the .223. As with every aspect of hunting it is up to the hunter to bring a strong sense of ethics with him/her and in once sense that could mean NOT taking a shot you think will cause needless suffering of the animal. In Colorado where I now live it is illegal to hunt deer and larger with a .223. Small game is fine. Having discussions with other hunters we all have reason to believe there was no factual data behind Colorado's decision to declare that the .223 was not powerful enough for white tail or mule deer. What I have never heard is that a .223 failed to bring down a deer. Does anyone know for a fact that deer are not killed by the .223 in 200 yards or less?

[buffalobo]

Why the need to hunt deer with .223?

[Irving]

It all has to do with shot placement. Any caliber can fail to bring a deer down, at any range, with poor enough shot placement. I suspect you know all that. Wyoming recently made it legal to take big game with .223 and they might be a better example to refer to than Texas if you plan to approach a government entity about making a change.

[buffalobo]

I wouldn't use .223 for elk or bear and don't want to own hunting rifles in lots of calibers so .223 is not a viable big game round for me regardless of the reg.

[Irving]

I wouldn't use .223 for elk or bear and don't want to own hunting rifles in lots of calibers so .223 is not a viable big game round for me regardless of the reg.

Me either, but I'm not sure if I'd be against it. Would it bother you if the rule was changed?

There are more hunting calibers than any of us care to own, so that's kind of a moot point I think. We have members that have taken elk with 7.62x39 and .300 blk just to say they've done it. Not much different I think.

[Gman]

Deer in TX aren't that big. It's also possible to take deer with 22LR. The problem is "the public" and what's best for the management of the game population.

If it were me and I was trying to stick to a NATO caliber, 7.62x51/.308 is my pick.

[Irving]

Texas is a bit of an anomaly because they have any animal you want to hunt, and I'm not sure that the state regulation addresses which calibers can be used on exotic species. Ungulates definitely get smaller as you go more south though.

[SideShow Bob]

But... But... But... The crowd killing, ultimate assault gun AR-15 shoots such powerful round that it give PTSD to media types after firing just one self guided round. It is powerful enough to get a one shot kill on a blue whale even if it just nicks a dorsal fin . Maybe that is why some states outlaws the .223 round.

[Irving]

That is actually why Wyoming made it a legal round if I recall. The media was saying how ARs weren't sporting rifles, so Wyoming said, "Hold my 5-round mag" and made it a legal caliber for ungulates.

[ray1970]

If they allowed the 223 then next thing you know people would want to use the 5.56x45. That would just be too much for anyone to keep up with.