Meat Damage on Deer

[truck driver]

I found out a long time ago that too light a bullet and too high velocity is what causes meat damage. It also causes flesh wounds and lost animals.
I prefer a medium to heavy weight bullet for deer. If your pushing a bullet over 3000fps you can expect meat damage unless it is a solid bullet or full metal jacket.
I prefer to keep my deer loads around 2900fps or less with a 165gr bullet out of my 30-06 and found 150gr bullets to be too explosive at 3000fps and I shoot for the shoulder when I can. I did kill one with a nose shot once with my 257 Roberts but that was all the buck gave me to aim at for a clean kill. The 257 was custom built and will drive tacks. The deer was half hidden behind a large poplar tree with just his head and hind quarters visible looking right at me at around 125yds and has been the only head shot I have ever taken since I prefer body shots which are easier to make. The bullet used for that shot was 115gr Hornady round nose the heaviest bullet the 1-12" twist would stabilize.

 

[Thankful Otter]

I have had lung shot deer run and be found by bigger animals before I've gotten there. So lung shooting is a no no in my book. I'd rather loose a front shoulder than all four shoulders. Perhaps each environment has a say in where shot placement should be based on specific challenges of the area?

this has been my experience as well, excellent point and post

April, I saw your last post and was wondering if you and Dr Mike even remember what bullets you were using in the 1920's ?

To my distractors, I am openly telling you to get a life, I was not being disrespectful to fortyonesix. His point above is exactly what I see in the field, and is a good post and point. We may not hunt or keep meat in our camps the same way but that doesn't make either of us wrong. Since I know April and heard she also had some folks who did not like her post. She merely stated her point in a humorous way. A statement I have heard men say a thousand times. She is sailing around the Greek Isles and I am sure she has already forgotten her post as well as those who didn't like it

 

[DrMike]

Now, Cheyenne, we were still using round balls and pointy sticks in 1920 (I think). I appreciate your contribution. I suspect you've shot a few more head of game than I have, and in a shorter time. April has some great insight. Pity that anyone might think ill of the contributions from people with the experience.

 

[AFG270]

I appreciate your contribution. I suspect you've shot a few more head of game than I have, and in a shorter time. April has some great insight. Pity that anyone might think ill of the contributions from people with the experience.

I agree with DrMike, April and your contributions are always welcome to this great forum.

 

[truck driver]

I appreciate your contribution. I suspect you've shot a few more head of game than I have, and in a shorter time. April has some great insight. Pity that anyone might think ill of the contributions from people with the experience.

I agree with DrMike, April and your contributions are always welcome to this great forum.

I'm also appreciate both yours and Aprils contributions and find the distractors who are not man enough to comment on open forum to be less of a man than they think they are.

 

[alaska100]

Mr Miner, we have less meat loss on all animals by using slower larger bullets. I even use 200 gr in the 300 H & H

Fortyonesix and cheyenne, we have had the same experience as you in regards to bears challenging us for our kills, especially if they are not recovered immediately

fortyonesix, do you know louis and ruth cusack ?

Brooke

 

[BretN]

I shoot standard calibers, 280, 30-06, 308, and 243. I can't say I've ever worried much about meat loss. We've always hunted public land or small private parcels, so putting the animal down fast was usually more important, especially if the stand is near a property line. A shoulder shot, or sometimes a second shot ensures they don't cross the boundary.

Once I started processing my own deer, it didn't bother me to trim away that meat before grinding it. Most of our deer harvested are a year and a half old. They are not large animals, so I don't do anything with the front half but grind it anyway. Loss of part of a shoulder or even the whole shoulder is minimal. Now loss of a hind quarter or back straps, that would upset me a bit. But I really don't like to take those going away shots. Too much can go wrong and what a mess to clean up field dressing. Had to do it once trailing a deer I hit poorly initially. Really wish I had shot him twice to start with and I wouldn't have had to trail him or make a mess. That deer years ago lead to the above policy. Shoot them well the first time, then repeat as needed.

 

[Anonymous]

Really wish I had shot him twice to start with and I wouldn't have had to trail him or make a mess. That deer years ago lead to the above policy. Shoot them well the first time, then repeat as needed.

I agree- I think the mystique of the "one shot kill" is overrated. Shoot them and shoot them again if they need it- there's no bonus for bringing home ammo! The only exception for me is moose- a good, solid lung shot and they'll often stand there confused while they bleed out and tip over. A second shot will send them running for a pond or marsh or some awful tangled hell you'll have to pull them out of. I'd be hard pressed to thump them again if I knew for certain the first one was on the money.

 

[RaySendero]

Been hunting deer for what seems forever - LOL.
I'll take the double lung, heart or quartering thru/out chest w/1 lung
UNTIL about 1/2 hr before dark, Where I switch to double shoulder at that time.

I'm not going to track and take a chance to loose a deer after dark any more!
Been there and done that.

Expect to lose about 1/2 of off shoulder with the double shoulder shot.
My cartridges don't seem the make must difference.
270W, 308W, 7.5 Swiss, 30-06, 7.7x58, 303B, 8mm Mauser or 9.3x62.

Front shoulders are about 1/3 size of rear quarters. So loosing 1/2 of 1/3 of a front shoulder is a small price to pay to get a deer DRT.

PS: Have never had either back strap bloodied from my DS shots.

 

[Fourtyonesix]

I have met Louis once but am familiar with him via outdoor forums.

 

[Thankful Otter]

Really wish I had shot him twice to start with and I wouldn't have had to trail him or make a mess. That deer years ago lead to the above policy. Shoot them well the first time, then repeat as needed.

I agree- I think the mystique of the "one shot kill" is overrated. Shoot them and shoot them again if they need it- there's no bonus for bringing home ammo! The only exception for me is moose- a good, solid lung shot and they'll often stand there confused while they bleed out and tip over. A second shot will send them running for a pond or marsh or some awful tangled hell you'll have to pull them out of. I'd be hard pressed to thump them again if I knew for certain the first one was on the money.

AMEN! on both points hodgeman. I agree 100%

Has anyone besides hodgeman and I ever had to fish a dead moose out of the water ?

 

[Fourtyonesix]

Haven't had moose end up in water, my second shot is always in the head on moose. Unless they are walking towards camp!! Had plenty of brown bears in the water though....

 

[sask boy]

Two years ago my oldest son (Mike) hit a large cow moose a little to high and she ended up in a large slough about 4 acres in size he then anchored her with a behind the ear shot while she was swimming away from us :wink:.
As I drove up with the truck and gear I was greeted with the white behind of my youngest son (Matty) stepping into the early November water. We gave him rope and he started to wade out too her at one point his voice changed to a higher octave :shock: but he eventually got the rope around her neck and we pulled her in :mrgreen:.
Sorry no photos :lol:!!

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Thebear_78]

I shot a fork horn bull a few years ago in what I though was a small swampy meadow, nope. Floating vegetation. Gutting a moose in thigh deep water makes a MESS.

Not to mention the airboat ride back to camp wearing nothing but my righty whities. Could have hung a coffee cup off my niples! Cold wet air being pulled by a giant fan, cools you off pretty quickly


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[IdahoCTD]

Has anyone besides hodgeman and I ever had to fish a dead moose out of the water ?

I have. A friend that went with us up the Yukon shot a 63" bull that ran right for a fairly deep pond. I was on my tippy toes in chest waders trying to grab one leg and pull it to shore. All we could do was drag it until it ran aground. That was still knee deep water. So that is where it go butchered.

 

[IdahoCTD]

375 HH and 416 rem are fantastic deer caliber! Any bullet constructed for thick skinned game is usually great for broadside shots on deer. More like shooting solids. I've shot numerous deer on kodiak island with big bore and have always had less meat damage than conventional "deer" rifles. Faster smaller bullet rifles.
Unless...you shoot that deer lengthwise...ugh then it's a mess.

They also make great elk and moose calibers. I've shot about 10 elk with a 375 Imp and 416. They don't go anywhere when they get thumped by them. Believe it or not I had a whitetail doe take off on a dead run for about 60yds after taking a 350gr Barnes X from a 416 through the lungs. You wouldn't believe the blood trail. Of all the elk, moose, and deer I've shot through the boiler room with those two calibers the whitetail doe went the furthest by far. Discounting her I think the next furthest was 7-8yds. I did shoot a bull elk in the ankle at over 600yds and had to chase him for 1/2 mile but that is to be expected for a ankle shot.

 

[nvbroncrider]

Really impressed by the 9.3 last fall lost maybe 2 sq inches of the shoulder from the entrance of the first bullet that got both shoulder blades and lungs. That tough SOB didn't go down. He came out of the mohagany and I put a second one in him for good measure.

My 338 took a bear with a 225 PT last spring quartering away and anchored him with the first shot completely destroying the offside shoulder and put a second one in him to put him out quickly. Guide said it looked like a bloodbath where I tipped I'm over.

After I fire my first one I alway crank the bolt and have a second ready just in case. I despise the idea of chasing one.

 

[Thebear_78]

That's been my experience with the 286 Partition in the 9.3x62. Very little meat damage and fast killer.


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[1100 Remington Man]

Well I would say I am a member of the high velocity crowd 6mm Remington and .264 Win Mag.
6mm Rem all I have used is 100gr bullets from Remington and Winchester factory loads and Sierra 85gr BTHP and Hornadys 100gr BTSP.
.264 Win Mag all I have used is Winchester Factory 140gr load on a couple times and what I have used most is Nosler 120gr SP then 120gr BT and while I have enjoyed great success with it.
I am a shoot behind the shoulder for a heart lung shot person if I can, the problem is there has been times I have hit off shoulder or front shoulder guy and yes the .264 Win Mag can has destroyed some meat. I have never really cared about that because of DRT effect.
I have also put a big hole in a. black bear with my 300 H&H with Winchester 180gr Silvertips on a small bear.
The problem is in the last couple years I have really destroyed some deer and had some not so great performance on Antelope & Mule Deer.
Now for what I am going change. In my rifles this year I have a trip to South Dakota for Whitetail Deer and I expect my shots to be closer so for my .264 Win Mag I will be shooting 140gr bullets, I will save my 120 BT Noslers for Antelope and Coyotes and I can tell you at close range I have almost cut a coyote in half with it, so yes it can and has been a bomb. I guess you could say I am moving to heaver bullets and going to tougher ones.

 

[mcseal2]

I shoot a 264 a lot and the 140gr AccuBond does a good job of not wasting meat with shots like you describe. I have went to the 140gr Berger just for its lesser wind drift in the places I use that gun. It doesn't waste much with a lung shot but I bet if you hit bone it might. Haven't had a bad hit with it yet on several antelope and whitetail.

My 264 isn't loaded real hot so that might make a difference. I'm getting great accuracy at 2914fps with the Berger and haven't tried to push it hard. It shoots great and my barrel will last longer this way.

I got a 25-06 that shoots the 100gr Barnes TTSX very well in their factory ammo also recently. I plan to make it my new antlerless season gun, should be great for not wasting meat when hunting strictly for meat.