Thread: 223 on deer

Originally Posted by Jt89

I have wondered, while reading this thread and learning, what the most common .223 barrel lengths in use are. There is always the trend/desire for a compact bush gun, but seems a lot of you blokes are regularly making shots in the 180-300+ range. Longer is always better, (so they say) but a man does ponder these things.

I'm not really sure if this is a question but I'm happy with 18" and would be equally happy with 16" I suspect, for the inside 300m sort of operation


I had a dud lot of 2208 where my load was something like 150fps slower than it should be, and I went and shot things with it to use the rounds up, and things died. Would have been similar to a 14" maybe.

Originally Posted by gimp

I'm not really sure if this is a question but I'm happy with 18" and would be equally happy with 16" I suspect, for the inside 300m sort of operation


I had a dud lot of 2208 where my load was something like 150fps slower than it should be, and I went and shot things with it to use the rounds up, and things died. Would have been similar to a 14" maybe.

Talking about rifle lenghts not a Harold Robbins book. LOL.

228m, same 73gr eldm load. My youngest son's first stag, velvet ethics aside I didn't have the heart to tell him he couldn't shoot. One very happy lad, antlers off to get cured. First shot was a wee bit back but still caught some lung, Logan gave him another one to the chest to seal the deal.

Good on you, if he’s like most of us he’ll remember his first deer for the rest of his life. Velvet ethics? as long as the animal wasn’t wasted no problem.

Originally Posted by mawzer308

My youngest son's first stag.

Can't wait to hear the story next time I catch up with him.

Good effort by all!

Good shooting Logan,keep the familly feed.Your mum n dad will be pround of you.

Congrats to your son on a magnificent first stag. I'm sure he will never forget that, especially when hunted with his dad.
In my heart I hope you might someday explain to your son that he has a choice of what to do should he ever encounter such a velvet stag again. Not preaching here, and I'm not suggesting for a moment anything wrong has been done, because it hasn't, but believe it or not if I had come across this stag I would let it walk, and been happy to do that. That's simply my personal ethics talking. In hard antler though I would definitely shoot.
But actually I'm glad you didn't stop your son from taking the shot. I remember my early trials many moon ago trying like hell to just shoot my first deer. It was such a life changing moment when it finally all came together.
A few years ago when hunting with my hunting son we came across a velvet Sika 8 pointer but nowhere as nice as your boy's stag. My son already had a few deer under his belt by then. We debated whether to shoot or not. I told him it was his decision. He declined the shot so we sat and watched the stag until he fed out of view. It remains in my treasured memories of special times we shared.
Sorry about the rant. Congrats agian to your son. I'm glad you're getting the velvet preserved. It's a beautiful trophy.

Well done Logan you will never forget that beauty. Nice valley too

Originally Posted by 30.06king

Congrats to your son on a magnificent first stag. I'm sure he will never forget that, especially when hunted with his dad.
In my heart I hope you might someday explain to your son that he has a choice of what to do should he ever encounter such a velvet stag again. Not preaching here, and I'm not suggesting for a moment anything wrong has been done, because it hasn't, but believe it or not if I had come across this stag I would let it walk, and been happy to do that. That's simply my personal ethics talking. In hard antler though I would definitely shoot.
But actually I'm glad you didn't stop your son from taking the shot. I remember my early trials many moon ago trying like hell to just shoot my first deer. It was such a life changing moment when it finally all came together.
A few years ago when hunting with my hunting son we came across a velvet Sika 8 pointer but nowhere as nice as your boy's stag. My son already had a few deer under his belt by then. We debated whether to shoot or not. I told him it was his decision. He declined the shot so we sat and watched the stag until he fed out of view. It remains in my treasured memories of special times we shared.
Sorry about the rant. Congrats agian to your son. I'm glad you're getting the velvet preserved. It's a beautiful trophy.

In days gone by I might have shared the sentiment.

But these days you need to shoot everything you see on sight. Young hunter / first stag aside, the only way I would’ve let this deer walk would have been if there were hinds nearby. The over population of deer of all species across the central North Island is unreal and we cannot afford to be fussy. That includes shooting to waste if you have already got a full backpack.

Recreational hunters need to do their bit in trying to control the numbers. Even if everybody did, it probably wouldn’t be enough such is the out-of-control breeding rate.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

In days gone by I might have shared the sentiment.

But these days you need to shoot everything you see on sight. Young hunter / first stag aside, the only way I would’ve let this deer walk would have been if there were hinds nearby. The over population of deer of all species across the central North Island is unreal and we cannot afford to be fussy. That includes shooting to waste if you have already got a full backpack.

Recreational hunters need to do their bit in trying to control the numbers. Even if everybody did, it probably wouldn’t be enough such is the out-of-control breeding rate.

I certainly agree on deer numbers af their present levels. These days we hunters simply need to shoot more of them, for their sake and that of habitat. And yes
, it would be very difficult to head off the present breeding rate. In some situations I realise the high road of "ethics" is not the right approach.
Not a reference to your ethics by the way, but a comment on mine.

Just an observation. If the stag was in the company of hinds or not is irrelevant, it was in velvet so he's done his job already probably. Yes, it mey have been a great head when hard antler but it's still a great head. If hard antler your boy's hunting life might be all downhill from the moment of taking this animal. Be fken proud of what he achieved and hope that he achieves greater things. That head may be better than what most hunters achieve in a life-time of hunting, but fuck it thats how the dice roll. Be poud of yourself and your boy, don't second guess yourself !

Yep hopefully that is the moment that hooks him for life. Hell he will have plenty of time to think about ethics !!

Good on ya young fella

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Any one complaining can also get off the proverbial and hunt as well. It is a ripper trophy. That lad is on the podium. Core values will last him a lifetime. Real hunting.

@TeRai. This.. 'Core values will last him a lifetime'. So many people don't grasp this concept or aren't taught them these days.

What a wonderful experience for the lad. Go you Dad!

That stag has had a few years of shagging. Just because he has been shot doesn't mean his genetics have been extinguished.
Nothing has been lost and a lot of pleasure has been gained.