Using smaller grain the answer?
 

So I shot my doe a few days ago and I am actually shocked how much damage I did to the meat. The entrance hole was fairly big and the exit was bigger than my fists. I try to take neck shots but should I be using a smaller grain?

I have a 30-06 that I have paired with Remington Core-Lokt 165 grain bullets. Or a smaller caliber perhaps? Maybe a .223 or a 25-06?

Perhaps better shot placements are the best thing to do with the 30-06 and 165 grain bullets...

Please state facts, not opinions :happy0180:

Fact: you can't use .223 on big game in AB.

We'll you cannot use a 223 for hunting big game, and for me it's bullet construction that has to do with damage, not so much grain. Also if you worry about damage I would rather shoot at the lungs, a you only ruin a couple strips of meat between the ribs.

No kidding.:)

Sorry I never looked at the details of a .223. Just know a lot of guys use them for coyotes. I know you can't use less than .23, thought .233 is bigger...

Shoot Barnes Bullets. You will not have the large exit hole issue.
These bullets do not grenade and remain intact creating a very effective wound channel with very minimal meat damage with a well placed shot.
My son shot a bull moose a couple of weeks ago using a Barnes .338/210 gr.TTSX bullet. Recovered the bullet under the hide on the far side and it weighed 209 gr. The bullet created a perfect 2-3 inch wound channel dropping the moose within seconds after being hit.

Shoot them through the ribs and it's not an issue.

I did, shot through the front leg and pierced one lung and ran 300 yard deep into some thorns.... Terrible haha. I will try to post a picture

I'd go heavier, slower and larger caliber; not the other way around. TSX monometal bullets wouldn't hurt, especially if you are worried about lead fragments in your food, but TTSX would still cause lots of damage if they were going too fast.

In both cases, you have to know how fast the bullet you've chosen is going for proper performance. That means, what the muzzle velocity is out of your rifle, and what the bullet velocity will be at the distance you expect to hit the target. And go for chest shots.

A 6.5x284 or 6.5 Swede might be usable deer cartridges at 200 meters, but at 25 meters with a hot load and frangible bullet it would just make a mess. A 30-30 at 50 yards on the other hand wouldn't do too much damage, but would probably cause irresponsible wounding at 200 meters.

So if you're using the '06 w/ 165 bullet and expecting to contact at 200-300 yards, damage should not be that excessive. At 10 paces, all bets are off.

On top of it all, if a vindictive deer comes straight at you because he's put 2 and 2 together and figured out you're the cause of his pain, you'll need some bone-crushing mass in that bullet to prevent getting hurt.

Neck
 

Neck shots are a low percentage kill shot. The only thing vital are two arteries and a spinal cord, one is 1/4" in diameter the other 2" in diameter.
You gotta be a heck of a shot. Chest is a vessel that when perforated most places results in at least a collapsed lung or two, one lung etc.
The reason damaged meat was the result was hitting the shoulder, but I'm guessing this wasn't your intended impact point and that happens. I'm guessing that if you missed the chest by this much, your preferred neck shot probably would have resulted in a wounded doe missing the front of her muzzle.
Also, Chronic Wasting Disease runs through the spinal cord, so I'd avoid damaging that sheath and making contact with your meat. Your bullets are not great either, but I'm not a fan of Barnes.

90 Grains from a 240 WBY is devastating. Velocity matters.

LC

Truth be told it was about an 80 yard shot. That may be the reason it did so much damage.

If you are hitting leg bones or scapula you are going to do a lot of damage
BEHIND the front leg in the lungs is where you want to hit
Cat

What you talkin' about Willis?

.233" is larger than .23 caliber, but a 223rem shoots a .224" bullet, and .224" is smaller than .23 caliber.

I guess I will just stick to my 06. If I decide to down grade, I may just go down to a .270.

Thanks for the help and insight :D

Last 3 deer I've shot with a 243 95gr nosler partition have been thru the lungs and i tell you im thinking of going back to the 7mm with 160s with the amount of blood rittled meat that's showing up with the 243

It's about shot placement, and bullet construction . Weights and measures get all messed up when construction of the bullet is upped.

Typically lighter for caliber bullets are more frangible. So your thinking is inverted.

Core Loct's are good bullets, and 165's in the 30-06 is a match made in heaven. It sucks you plugged your deer in the wrong part of its body. But really could it have been any deader?
For the sake of 3-5 pounds of meat, don't worry about it.

This bullet was only 90gr from a 240WBY

https://i.imgur.com/CFf3PIs.jpg

LC

I’ve seen 150 grand slam in my 7mm rem have 1” hole in and out and seen it where it’s 3” in 4” out I now shoot tsx and man next to no wasted meat

Caliber won't change much in that department. Bullet design and placement are way more important. If you want to change caliber for saving meat go bigger. The best meat saving caliber I have seen was a 375 h&h shooting Barnes tsx.
You mentioned a shoulder shot. If you plan on hitting shoulders get a monometal bullet like a Barnes tsx or Hornady gmx.

No I don't plan to hit shoulders haha. It looks that I shot it at an angle because it went in through the rip and broke the front leg exiting and leaving a big hole.

Fair enough. I only say so cause that's how my hunting partner shoots. Shoots a tsx and breaks both shoulders going through lungs in the process. Anchors the deer and makes sure it don't get into the thick bush.

There IS no perfect bullet:angry3:
Best scenario is..... Put most ny bullet through the ribcage and you'll have meat!

Really?? Can't think of much meat a lung shot would ruin:thinking-006:

You will gain/ lose NOTHING!

You sir are denser than lead and mercury. I am stating facts. I am sick and tired of you and your mental sickness that comes up once in a while.

Get new glasses while you are at it. How do you see any resemblance here:
https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...d7&oe=5A63E3BB
https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...f7&oe=5A9762B7

Move on and go hunting or find a lady to take your aggression out on.

Next time I'll take pics unless I use the 7mm

Did you just tell him to commit domestic abuse?

Youre straight tripping kid and need a fix.

Have you ever used Alberta Advantage Outfitters? Looks a lot like you on the profile picture of their facebook page, with the bear

https://www.facebook.com/AlbertaAdva...type=1&theater