Bullet selection is very critical. However, whatever nosier bullets those were killed that big buck. Then in heavy cover he lost one.
No mas for anyone using the 223 on our lease.

My brother used soft, light, soft point in that Hornet w a lot of less exposed. Yep, it worked on a head shot.

A large part of my antipathy for .22 CF on deer isn’t personal experience with me shooting… it’s personal experience as a landowner with other people’s shooting.

I find a dead deer, I want to know why and I do a pretty thorough exam of the dead animal.

Most numerous is “nothing obvious”

Next is bow and arrow wound.

Third is .22 CF- often with a bullet found.

Finally is other hunting firearms.

Both bow and .22 CF I have found animals that should have died quickly and been recovered.

Part of why I no longer will grant access to folks I don’t personally know well anymore.

I could shoot deer with a 223 but I don't. There is too much chance of a shot being imperfect. Mostly I use a 30/06 with 165 grain bullets. Even imperfectly placed bullets still are inside my acceptable margin of error with the 30/06. They might be outside it with a 223. On the other hand, I use Hornady 75 grain HPBT bullets in a 1/8 twist Ruger bolt gun on Coyotes. It's zeroed at 250 yd because that's the maximum range to the wood line. I just shot a big male at that range today. A heart/lung shot and he dropped right there. Wish I had shot the female that was with him instead.

quote:

Wish I had shot the female that was with him instead.

Correct one would have gotten rid of a lot more then one.