Hi,
I was asked by a guy who is shooting fallow deer in a large fence about which bullet to use in his 6,5x55. He doesn't want an exit because of the safety of parkguests as the terrain is very flat. Ist a fence and only clean broadside shots will be taken. My first advice would be a 100 gr NBT loaded fast. The bullet is off course wanted to reach the vitals but and exit is not nessesary to find the deer as i is quite open and flat terrain.
Would the BT be a good advice?

Regards Martin

Martin

I have had complete penetration on fallow does using 100 gr BT at 3100 fps in my 6.5x55. 20 inch barrel. It was a hot load!

If the area is so small that safety depends on there being no exit then it is too dangerous to shoot IMHO. What size area are we taking about here?

What about shooting from a high seat, where the downwards angle will provide for a smaller danger area?

I know a chap who shoots park deer with a 22-250 loaded with a varmint bullet at very high velocity. He takes only headshots. But he is a professional, the deer are virtually tame and he is also an exceptional shot.

I agree with Deerdogs about the Nosler B.T. It has a solid base, and despite the "urban legends" surrounding it, will penetrate more deeply than most conventional bullets of similar weight.

Sierra makes, or used to make an 85 grain hollow point, which is probably the most explosive and shallowest penetrating bullet obtainable in a 6.5. But if you are depending on non-penetration as your primary safety system, I can't recommend any bullet.

Hi Richard,
the Area is about 2500 ha and is very close the the center of a major city and there is a lot of guest every day. Highseats is not an option as it is state owned and the primary opjective is public access, to give the city-folks a chance to get into nature. There is about 500 fallow deer there and though I wouldn't call them tame they are not completely wild. My friend who is culling the deer is also a pro, its not all he does but a big part of his job during the season. No exit is of course not the only safety parameter, where not talking herd shooting here or shooting deer in a crowd of people. The bullet staying within the deer would just be an ekstra safety as background can be difficult to obtain
regards Martin

[ 07-05-2002, 21:17: Message edited by: Martin BN ]

Martin

It sounds like a very similar situation to the deer management at Richmond Park in London. I understand they cull the deer very early in the morning. I imagine they use varmint cartridges and sound moderators.

Maybe your friend could contact the Park Rangers at Richmond Park?

http://www.deer-uk.com/richmond_park.htm

[ 07-04-2002, 20:00: Message edited by: Deerdogs ]

Martin: for the very specific purpose explained by you, one would use a .22 lr with subsonic loads and sound moderator. You do not take a "broadside shot" then, you go for the head or spine. And you get close. Remember that this is not "hunting" in the conventional sense.

Regards,
Carcano

[ 07-05-2002, 02:47: Message edited by: carcano91 ]

I would use a light Sierra bullet pushed pretty fast..that should do it...I also would rather use a 223 or 22-250 with a Bal. tip or whatever and shoot behind the shoulder....

85gr Sierra Hollow Point, 90gr TNT from Speer, or 95gr V-Max from Hornady are the softest 6,5mm I know of.
Driven at maximum speeds they should not fully penetrate a fallow deer, even on broadside shots. And if they do, the exiting missile would not have the mass left, nor the velocity, to proceed much further.
On the other hand, carefully picking up the shots, behind the shoulder, will drop the largest fallow like struck by lightning.
montero.

Will they let you spotlight shoot at night? Seems like shooting deer with sqeemish people around might cause a problem. The .223 loaded with 55 grain varmint bullets is good about not exiting and still putting deer down quick.

This one is a no brainer. Use a 95 grain Hornady V-Max. Slipped in behind the leg or into the neck and I'd bet you would have a very dead deer and no exit wound. Stay away from the shoulder.

Certainly not the 100gr BT which will only stay in the animal if shot exactly front on or right in the joint of the shoulder neither of which are conventional park shots.

I don't see why a light weight aluminium portable high seat couldn't be utilised. I have to do this in a number of areas where highseats can only be used whilst actualy stalking.

1894 - in Denmark high seat ain't aloved! Stupid but the fact! Besides its illigal to shoot fallow deer with bullets weighting less than 139 grains!

Regards

Mads

Mads is correct, To use bullets weighing less than 139 gr you need an ekstra permit, which shouldn't be a problem in this area.
There's no way that shooting at night will be alowed as the park is open for public access at night aswell, and two years ago a guy killed a little boy on a sleigh that he thought was a fox. One of the very few lethal hunting accidents in Denmark for a number of years.
I think I'll have a look around for 85 gr Sierra or the 95 gr V-max which I should be able to get in Denmark.
Regards Martin

[ 07-15-2002, 15:23: Message edited by: Martin BN ]

For over 10 years I am using the 85 grains Sierra in a reduced load for my 6,5x57. It chronos at 850 m/s and is pretty accurate (5 shot groups at 100 m < 1 MOA). I have shot lots of foxes, crows, feral cats and a couple of young roedeer with it.
I doubt that the bullet will exit on broadside ribcage shot at a fallow. Be sure to aim behind the shoulder and don't load them too hot as they break up very easily. Shot a small feral cat once, frontal shot at less than 10 m. Bullet did not exit and the cat felt like a plastic bag filled with gelly.

Martin

When culling park deer I use an accurate .22 rimfire and wait for a precise brain shot. A .22 Magnum is also good.

I shot these cull yearling deer on a racing horse stud where the horses cost many hundreds of thousand of dollars, so a richocet, a miss or a penetration is not an option!!!!

As this is NOT hunting, use bait such as apples to bring them close if they are tame enough. If they aren't used to shooting, if using a .22 it is possible to kill quite a few before they run away.

If using a 6.5mm I would use a 100 gr Hollow point and shoot them in the lungs/heart from the broadside. Make sure you don't hit the shoulder though. If accurate a brain shot as well. Mimimal meat damage and they won't run far with a heart/lung shot. If your friend misses, the HP will most likely fragment when it hits the ground.

Also a .222 with a soft bullet, but brain shots again.

Pick the shots carefully.If culling using a spotlight is the easiest way to kill a lot of animals quickly as most deer are fairly docile in the light, but definitely not sporting. Also less or no park guests.

Is your friend culling in Klampenbourg north of Copenhagen? Sounds similar in size and deer herd.

Good luck

[ 07-21-2002, 16:50: Message edited by: NitroExpress.com ]

Be mindful of the sectional density of heavier weight bullets in this caliber. The 140-160gr bullets are tremendous penetrators at normal velocities in the 6.5,55. What distances are the shots occurring at? If close range shots are the norm the heavier bullets can be slowed down enough to prevent exiting and would be extremely reliable stoppers. Otherwise I concur with the advice for a >100gr hollowpoint. It will occaisonally require a finishing shot, but it should anchor them well enough with adequate shot placement.