tough deer

[Anonymous]

On the reloading forum I noticed Oldtrader mentioned that Canadian Whitetail are tough. I'm thinking resiliant, hard to kill. I haven't killed a deer that gave me any trouble expiring. What makes these critters any different. I hope this years hunt is a little more challanging. Care to share some examples of these tough deer?

 

[super-7]

Well they are not kevlar plated by anymeans!!! Tough could be a relative question though, the hunt for them may be tough. With the weather beiing the major factor. They are size wise maybe bigger body/mass then deer farther south but I am not sure there will to live after a shot is any different. Basically any good ethical shot should result in a dead animal. We've dropped several with the 243 win and 6mm rem. Whatever your favorite rifle is down home will work up North here just fine.

 

[JD338]

Deer are not hard to kill but you have to hit them right. They have a strong will to live.

JD338

 

[Oldtrader3]

DrMike and I were joking around. Canadian whitetail can be large. The Deer In Manitoba and Alberta are huge sometimes. I would bet that they die the same as other whitetail though.

 

[Anonymous]

oh ok... just curious. LOL

 

[DrMike]

Just playing with you. I've never had a whitetail require more than one shot here in BC. They are, indeed, hearty animals. However, they are deer, and they die just like deer in the lower forty-eight. I've taken most of my deer with my .280, though a few were shot with a cartridge developing higher velocities or pushing more mass, such as a 30-06 or 7WSM, etc.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have killed 80% of my deer with the .270 Winchester, with one shot, in almost all cases and they all die DRT. This includes 350 pound muledeer and 240 pound whitetail.

 

[FOTIS]

I always thought whitetails are tougher than mulies.

I do know for sure that the WT are dominant.

 

[Polaris]

Our WT in Northern MN are similar. They have more fur and fat than southern deer and often more muscle and bone mass as well.

I had a big buck several years ago take 3 154gr SSts in the body cavity and stay standing until the 4th caught him between the lookers. Massive internal damage, he wasn't going far but none of the bullets exited. With a single marginal hit in the vitals would have been a very long, hard blood trail.

I favor heavy for caliber cup and core or Partition bullets up here in 7mm and smaller calibers, 150 gr Speer hot cors in .308, 165 in 30-06. I like exit holes, all of the above are condusive to that end.

 

[Anonymous]

Polaris...

what kind of a shot did you take that it took 4th to drop him and the other ones didn't?

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I read somewhere, not long ago, that Mule Deer are a relatively new species...only evolving in the last 50,000 years or so, well after the last ice age.

Thats tidbit likely isn't real helpful to the discussion, just thought I'd throw it out there...

 

[Polaris]

Polaris...

what kind of a shot did you take that it took 4th to drop him and the other ones didn't?

first 3 were quartering away into the back of lungs, angling towards the far side shoulder at 75 yards. I was amazed with that placement he didn't drop on the first one, assumed I hit a twig and got a deflection hence the 2 follow up shots. The 3 bullets shredded the vitals but failed to damage the far shoulder enough to drop him in place. Shot it full of lead fragments though. Shot between the eyes on the 4th shot worked though. I lacked some clarity in the first post. That one did exit.

This was a buck on high alert. He came from a neighbors property after a few rifleshots and had a fresh grazing wound across his belly.

 

[cloverleaf]

I Believe it..... I hate shooting slugs in Southern Mn. All I can say is MOST of them have needed more than 1 to stay down and Ive heard of deer going 3/4 of a mile or more with a hole in both lungs. Operater error and poor terminal balistics at 75+ yds are to blame but it still seems like they should be DRT some times and they are not. CL

 

[Oldtrader3]

I read somewhere, not long ago, that Mule Deer are a relatively new species...only evolving in the last 50,000 years or so, well after the last ice age.

Thats tidbit likely isn't real helpful to the discussion, just thought I'd throw it out there...

This is an issue because white tail tend to be dominant and are more aggressive. Muledeer are being displaced in several parts of the country by white tails now that they have been allowed to breed so freely. Evan places where white atil never had as habiltat before.

 

[sask boy]

OT3, you forgot to mention Saskatchewan which some say is the Whitetail capital of the world :mrgreen: . I believe WT are more difficult to hunt because they are not as inquisitive as the Mulie but as far as the kill shot they die the same as any other animal with proper shot placement.
PS. Minus -30 with a 50 K wind can take some to overcome as well :lol:
OT3 just kidding about you not mentioning Saskatchewan :wink:

Blessings,
Dan

 

[DrMike]

Saskatchewan, where the deer don't run, they just sort of slide by as the wind pushes them. You don't have to stalk deer; just sit still and another will blow by momentarily. :mrgreen: Hey, Dan, I will give you that they can be big. :grin:

 

[Oldtrader3]

You are right Dan, Saskathewan has some very large whitetail deer. It was insensitive of me to leave out your province. It will not happen again. Years ago I worked wth a mining engineer from there. I should know better.
Charlie

 

[sask boy]

Charlie, you are not insensitive it is our age Bud I again took the ribbing this weekend as I still don't have my Moose. Season is now over but there is a late one that starts Nov.1st I will be taking cows as well as now it is a meat thing.
Oh well for years I dished it out so now it is my turn to take some back.
Again Charlie there is no problem not mentioning Saskatchewan as most people do know how to pronounce it anyway :mrgreen:

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Oldtrader3]

Dan, they do have big whitetail there which is what is important. Good luck on you cow hunt Dan, like you said, it is the meat now! Since I as in the hospital my typing and spelling has creeped out on me also.
Blessings,
Charlie