Thread: .222 turning back the clock

Originally Posted by Mooseman

I remember back when we were culling the Rangitoto Range inland from Otrohonga, at the time there was a fencer working on the farm we had our base camp at. Any deer we shot that we didn't use were traded for Veges. I can still hear him saying What canon did you use to shoot these deer, when we showed him the 222 round he didn't believe us as he said most of the deer he processed he lost the front shoulders from blood shoot meat. I don't really know why they kill so well as when you look at the energy figures and compare them with other deer calibers most people wouldnt consider even trying to use one. Back then the little trebly was carried 7 days a week and you got to know how to shoot it and it just plan worked.

@Mooseman if you don’t mind me asking, which station up Rangitoto were you based at? I hunt up there occasionally and it’s a magic spot with an interesting history. There were some hard yards put in when that land was broken in from bush!

A small entry whole can be seen on shoulder in the first pic and the mess it causes when the small pill hits bone,second pic.
This was a favourite angle shot I and others used on deer etc while they were moving down hill as such.

Originally Posted by 7.62

@Mooseman if you don’t mind me asking, which station up Rangitoto were you based at? I hunt up there occasionally and it’s a magic spot with an interesting history. There were some hard yards put in when that land was broken in from bush!

The property we were based on was John Oliver's , forget the name of the road but we went in on the south side of Otrohonga under the rail bridge and headed up there to the edge of the native bush. You are right it's a neat spot, back then we had numerous old logging roads to get access way back, these had lots of skid sites which were grass covered and a magnet for the animals. When we shifted there these grass areas were cropped right down by the goats and deer , when we left there was grass up to your knees in most places, these became great spots for an easy deer. What are goat and deer numbers like nowadays for interests sake?

Originally Posted by doinit

Attachment 161515Attachment 161516

A small entry whole can be seen on shoulder in the first pic and the mess it causes when the small pill hits bone,second pic.
This was a favourite angle shot I and others used on deer etc while they were moving down hill as such.

Looks awfully familiar to the damage I can remember.

Good stuff Nathan. I think you have clicked on to the fact that in many cases more people are realising that using more gear and more tech takes something out of the hunt. Tahr hit that nail too when he talked about the pleasure of hunting simply with a calibre that requires you to do your bit. I have shot a lot of deer but these days I often use a 223 by choice. Just because. I don't over think things and generally use factory loaded Hornady training ammo with the 55gn SP or the Federal blue packet 55gn. Both work well on deer. I would however add some experience based learnings I have made through just being 'out there doing it'.

1. I shoot in the shoulder a lot. Just because. A lot of deer will dash and die. But they are well dead. Fact is though that a shoulder hit 223'd deer will often leave next to no blood trail. I have a good wee dog who makes things a lot simpler. A recent track on a stag running dead was 80m and the buggar sidled on a steep face when he should have been going down hill. If you don't have a dog then shoulder hit deer can sometime take some finding. Just keep it in mind before you pull the trigger and you will be fine. Think about the surrounding country etc. Sometimes I will head shoot just because I need it to drop where it stands.
2. Stay away from varmint bullets for deer. They will often slip between ribs and be spectacular killers, then hit some bone on a deer and let you down badly. Any basic controlled expanding bullet will be fine. Speer, Hornady, Remington and if you are rich Barnes 50gn.
3. As Phillip Holden said years ago. Range pulls the calibre up. I keep to within 200m and am fine. Inch high at a hundy and smack on near two hundy. Job done. Head shots are great if you know drop but then one day you will jaw shoot an animal and regret it forever. A hit in the crease equals dead deer.
4. Big stags in the roar are harder to put down.
5. I find if the animal is on to you then it often goes further when hit with smaller calibres. Adrenaline?
6. There is something about using a smaller calibre well and within its limits and minimal noise that greatly increases your satisfaction in a job well done. But be prepared to walk away from some deer and go find another more suitable. Nothing wrong with that either. Enjoy mate. You will love it. It can change the way you hunt too as your aware that you need to be sneakier etc. It can make you a better hunter. I think using a 224 is half way to realising what bow hunters have figured out. Harder to achieve equals greater satisfaction. We all have our own take on the line that suits us individually on that. Enjoy and report back.

.222 Brno circa 1968 meat hunting. 50 grn Sako and Hirtenberg (sp?) ammo. 4 x Tasco 'scope (Jap, they were ok). Deadly rifle and caliber. Wish I had taken more pics.

Mangahao Tararuas. 30 yards


Ruahines coming off the tops. 150 odd yard shot during the roar. He was one of 2 fighting. Mate got the other.


Tararuas. easy shot at 100 yards and missed with the first shot


The last deer I shot and sold with that .222 - neck shot at what I thought at the time was was 275 yards. Probably closer. Up above the Waipakahi. Kaimanawas.

Originally Posted by doinit

Attachment 161515Attachment 161516

A small entry whole can be seen on shoulder in the first pic and the mess it causes when the small pill hits bone,second pic.
This was a favourite angle shot I and others used on deer etc while they were moving down hill as such.

Have you still got that BSA?

Is it just me Tahr or is it strange that your black hair as per last photo looks blond in the others in black and white? You haven't been dying your hair or surfing have you? Cool pics thanks. Love seeing older hunting photos. Reminds me of the time when life appeared simpler (at least in the rear view mirror) and reminds me why the original post is about recapturing that. Cheers

Originally Posted by Mooseman

The property we were based on was John Oliver's , forget the name of the road but we went in on the south side of Otrohonga under the rail bridge and headed up there to the edge of the native bush. You are right it's a neat spot, back then we had numerous old logging roads to get access way back, these had lots of skid sites which were grass covered and a magnet for the animals. When we shifted there these grass areas were cropped right down by the goats and deer , when we left there was grass up to your knees in most places, these became great spots for an easy deer. What are goat and deer numbers like nowadays for interests sake?

Owenga..(sp) ..?? Was overlooking that country on Saturday arvo...


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Originally Posted by Hiawatha

Is it just me Tahr or is it strange that your black hair as per last photo looks blond in the others in black and white? You haven't been dying your hair or surfing have you? Cool pics thanks. Love seeing older hunting photos. Reminds me of the time when life appeared simpler (at least in the rear view mirror) and reminds me why the original post is about recapturing that. Cheers

It got darker as I got older. Then in my 50's went completely white. The white seemed to coincide with my lads being teenagers.

Originally Posted by tiroahunta

Owenga..(sp) ..?? Was overlooking that country on Saturday arvo...
Sounds familiar, the road forked further up but we were on the farm next to main bush, when hunting we had a Forest Service caravan which was parked closer to the areas we were hunting, Wesmecotts and a few other farms were up the other road which we also worked at the time.

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,

Don't know how my reply got in with the quote, strange.

Originally Posted by Tahr

.222 Brno circa 1968 meat hunting. 50 grn Sako and Hirtenberg (sp?) ammo. 4 x Tasco 'scope (Jap, they were ok). Deadly rifle and caliber. Wish I had taken more pics.

Mangahao Tararuas. 30 yards


Ruahines coming off the tops. 150 odd yard shot during the roar. He was one of 2 fighting. Mate got the other.


Tararuas. easy shot at 100 yards and missed with the first shot


The last deer I shot and sold with that .222 - neck shot at what I thought at the time was was 275 yards. Probably closer. Up above the Waipakahi. Kaimanawas.

Great old pictures which bring back good memories , during my days culling and meat hunting the old instamatic camera I had just didn't cut it, I have very few pictures from throughout the 70s , wasn't till the early 80's when I got an Olympus camera that I got good photos

Originally Posted by Mooseman

Great old pictures which bring back good memories , during my days culling and meat hunting the old instamatic camera I had just didn't cut it, I have very few pictures from throughout the 70s , wasn't till the early 80's when I got an Olympus camera that I got good photos

Those pics were taken with a Russian 35mm film camera that was a copy of the early Leicas.

Another 222 oldie from the roar. Both shot roaring at under 30 yards.



Another from the Tiritea Water Reserve. .222 20 yards

@Nathan F will need one of these packs.


Hunting mate coming off the tops in shit weather with a mate to the one I shot with the .222 when they were fighting (in the first lot of pics).


In the Pouranaki with a .222 and stag neck shot at about 50 odd yards. We had come over from the Rangi side so it was a big carry back up and down to the car. By then I was using hand loaded 52 grn Sierra hollow point match (forerunners to Barnes )and BLC2 powder. A powder measuring spoon and nut cracker hand press.


That will do. I got a bit carried away there. Someone might enjoy the history.