.223 enough to go hunting for a deer?

[firstimer]

Is a .223 enough to go hunting for a deer or should I be taking along something with a little more oomph? I'm just not sure how common it is to use 'em. Thanks!

- P

[deepfried]

to small read the regulations !

[mac_xi@hotmail.com]

Must be above .23 cal

[diamonddave]

ummmm

[Okotokian]

You are the same fella who mistakenly bought a mule deer tag and then realized you couldn't use it anywhere around where you live. I'd suggest you slow down, take a deep breath, re-read your hunting course materials, read the regulations carefully, and then take it from there. We absolutely understand the excitement you feel, and it's great. But read up on what you need to know before jumping in anywhere else. DO you know anyone who hunts? If you do, hook up with them. It will shorten your learning curve dramatically.

Good luck!

[BigChevy]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

You are the same fella who mistakenly bought a mule deer tag and then realized you couldn't use it anywhere around where you live. I'd suggest you slow down, take a deep breath, re-read your hunting course materials, read the regulations carefully, and then take it from there. We absolutely understand the excitement you feel, and it's great. But read up on what you need to know before jumping in anywhere else. DO you know anyone who hunts? If you do, hook up with them. It will shorten your learning curve dramatically.

Good luck!

X2... great advice.
Its good to ask questions, especially before you find that you've done something thats against the law, like shooting any big game species with too small of caliber or shooting a species in the wrong zone or out of season. Lots to understand for a first timer but like Okotokian said, if you know someone with some hunting background thats your simplest and quikest way to learn!

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by BigChevy

but like Okotokian said, if you know someone with some hunting background thats your simplest and quikest way to learn!

I know from experience because I DIDN'T have that, so had to learn the slow hard way. Would have loved to have had a mentor. I"m still learning from the yo-yo's here.

[Straightgun]

Originally Posted by mac_xi@hotmail.com

Must be above .23 cal

So much for my red ryder!

[V_1]

Technically, yes. Legally (in Alberta) - NO. But may be legal in some other jurisdictions like ON, as far as I heard.

[xtreme hunter10]

wow... I dont mean to sound rude but did you take hunter ed? the smallest caliber to hunt with is .23. like someone else said. i dont know of many rifles chambered for .23. so 243 is probably your best bet. wow....

[Arn?Narn.]

Originally Posted by xtreme hunter10

wow... I dont mean to sound rude but did you take hunter ed? the smallest caliber to hunt with is .23. like someone else said. i dont know of many rifles chambered for .23. so 243 is probably your best bet. wow....

has nothing to do with it....

[xtreme hunter10]

Originally Posted by Arn?Narn.

has nothing to do with it....

really? when u were taught to hunt didnt someone tell you what was appropriate to hunt with? I know i was. maybe thats the difference in being taught in the classroom vs online.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by xtreme hunter10

really? when u were taught to hunt didnt someone tell you what was appropriate to hunt with? I know i was. maybe thats the difference in being taught in the classroom vs online.

Online??!!
I don't think he learned to hunt "online".
But if you read his posts you would realize that he said the .223 is good enough for deer,in many provinces and States it is in fact LEGAL to hunt with it, BUT is it ILLEGAL to hunt with it in Alberta.
And yes, people at times shoot deer in the head - with all sorts of different cartridges.
As far as your comments go on the .303 versus 30'06, I think you are wrong simply because there were/are far more .303's in Canada than '06's, and if you go around the World, it is even more apparent !
The .303 was and still is one of the most popular cartridges of all time, and in Canada you can still find many people huntign and killing things with it.
Cat

[Arn?Narn.]

Originally Posted by xtreme hunter10

really? when u were taught to hunt didnt someone tell you what was appropriate to hunt with? I know i was. maybe thats the difference in being taught in the classroom vs online.

you got a bit of learnin' to do yet,...but you're a feisty one full of enthusiasm..
hurry on and get the green off yer ears before the reality eats you for dinner.

There is an entire world beyond your back door,...

[demolition101]

you could kill a deer with a .223 but legally no...

[eastcoast]

I know most of my uncle's have old enfields in 303 obviously, I bet they have taken 30-40 moose over the years with them and still going, the 06 is probably more popular in the states but in canada and anywhere of empire the 303 is the most popular, alot of our men came back from france with a lee enfield and alot of them guns are still around today.

[pickrel pat]

at one time, many years ago, almost every household held a .303.....

[KegRiver]

I wouldn't want to guess which one of the three killed the most game.
But I have no doubt that either the .303 or the 30-30 have accounted for far more game then the 30-06 in this provance.

If I were to guess, based on my experiance, I would put the 30-30 at the head of the pack.
No doubt there were a ton of .303 in use 40 or more years ago. But almost everyone I know did at one time own a model 94 30-30 more then half still do. Less then half of those folks owned a .303, ever.

I own one 30-30 four .303 and a 30-06. I still use the 30-30 more then the others by a considerable margin.

One other thing I have noted over the years. Every place that sold ammunition always had a good stock of 30-30 food. Most used to also have at least a box or two of .303 fodder, 30-06 ammo was also generaly available but often not in the service stations where we bought most of our ammo.

Today the 30-30 ammo is still as available while the .303 ammo is getting harder to find and the 30-06 ammo seems to be close to as popular as the 30-30.

Mind you I have no tried to keep track of the actual numbers involved.
I could be wrong, but I don't think so.

[rarebreed]

I learnt about hunting from my Dad, my teenage friends, Sports Afield, Jack O'Connor, and my Dad's buddies. I guess I was lucky.
I suggest you join a Fish and Game Club. Go to all the meetings, volunteer on work bees, give the guys a chance to get to know you. Let them see how you handle firearms. Maybe after a while you might get invited on a day trip fishing or even hunting.

[outdoors forever]

Originally Posted by dyingbreed

I learnt about hunting from my Dad, my teenage friends, Sports Afield, Jack O'Connor, and my Dad's buddies. I guess I was lucky.
I suggest you join a Fish and Game Club. Go to all the meetings, volunteer on work bees, give the guys a chance to get to know you. Let them see how you handle firearms. Maybe after a while you might get invited on a day trip fishing or even hunting.

Jack O'Conner? My dad had an old hunting book featuring him and his big game hunting expoits - I POURED over that book many times as a kid!

As for the OP - get a .243 if you want a smaller, lighter deer gun. My wife has one and its 5 for 5 on whitetails so far!

[rarebreed]

Hey O.F. : What do you think of Jack's opinion of the .220 Swift?