PCP for Deer, your thoughts?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Brain, not head. Please!!!!!

ive shot two deer in the head.. right between the eyes. Then I got to watch them twitch and kick and die. I.e die slowly. A wonderful thing to watch? NO.. when you place the projectile in the brain it kills them fast with little or no “twitch.” Do your home work and find the brain... 

blowing a hole in their nasal passage then hoping the projectile severs their spine is not a well placed shot.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bedrock Bob
Upvote 0
V

Brain, not head. Please!!!!!

ive shot two deer in the head.. right between the eyes. Then I got to watch them twitch and kick and die. I.e die slowly. A wonderful thing to watch? NO.. when you place the projectile in the brain it kills them fast with little or no “twitch.” Do your home work and find the brain... 

blowing a hole in their nasal passage then hoping the projectile severs their spine is not a well placed shot.
Click to expand...

Very informative from all of you.
I am trying to learn before i delve in more. While i am by not means a liberal, rather a libertarian. I do not want to cause the animal undue suffering when i take its life. And i fully understand as i have learned from being a doctor. Book / reading knowledge doesnt translate to 100% field knowledge. But i feel this will at least help not make a mistake.

I think we will focus on getting our land ready. Hunting for bird and small game, practice at the property shooting. When i feel we are getting better at shot placement then consider what bore. But it sounds like .357 should be the minimum. Not .30.

Thank you everyone.


 
Upvote 0
I watched a video a few years ago of a guy shooting a deer with a .25 cal Impact from a fairly short range I would estimate 40-50 yards. He was stalking them (3) from some brush, shot one in the heart just behind the front leg. It was so quiet the other deer didn't run and the one he shot jumped like it was stung by a bee, staggered around then fell feet up DRT
 
Upvote 0
Just my .02...

I've hunted deer for over 40 years. Taken a bunch of them - with a centerfire and bow. While it's legal to use a Rem .223 there is absolutely NO WAY I'd ever shoot a buck with that round. I use .308, .303 Brit or better. I've shot too many bucks, hit their heart and upon gutting them, their heart is basically gone. But they still ran a hundred yards or more. Seems does just mostly lay down and die as soon as they're hit (I used a .223 on a doe - ONCE - but never again).

It's not that you can't kill a deer (which kind - little whitetail from Louisiana/Florida or bigger whitetails from KS/Iowa, or a muley out west? Thing with a centerfire, it's not just placement - it's the shock that puts them down, breaks shoulders/legs, etc. And the bigger they are, the harder they are to kill, even when dead on their feet. Friend of mine years ago got tired of chasing elk from one mountainside to another and developed a honkin big load for .30-06 to hit the elk in the shoulder and the shock would either kill it, or incapacitate it so you didn't spend hours wandering up one mountain and down another to retrieve it. Wanted to kill and lay it down where it stood.

I just wouldn't use an airgun to hunt big game. Not that it won't die, but it won't die immediately and you're likely to lose it and the meat goes to waste.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bedrock Bob and MongooseV8
Upvote 0
And an excellent .02 it is. A deer is a deer is a deer? Uhh no, just here in Wa. state we have Columbian Whitetail deer that weigh much less than 100 Lbs. More large dog size, out on the Eastern side of the state we have mule deer that are 3-4 times the size of the aforementioned Whitetail. Wa. state outlaws .22 caliber for deer, tho it would work fine on those little whitetails. Not that you can shoot them anyway, protected species. An ethical hunter always uses enough gun. That is a highly variable thing with deer, There are several deer species that qualify as itty bitty deer around the USA.
 
Upvote 0
I agree with the "use enough gun" argument but defining what is enough is the issue from my point of view. We need to cause the deers brain to shut down either by hitting it directly or removing blood flow. Brain shots require a smaller hole but much more precise placement and would not be my choice. A big enough deep enough hole will cause enough blood loss. Most PBS get to the necessary diameter with bullet expansion. Airguns need larger diameter rounds to get enough penetration and at least arguably do not need as much fpe. Hardly any get to the 1000 fpe typically recommended for PBS. But larger diameter slower moving projectiles have been getting it done for decades from black powder guns and pistols. So clearly it can work. But using a pcp for deer needs to respect the trajectory and power limitations of the pcp. Not everybody would use a pistol or black powder gun for deer either but it isn't in my opinion unethical at all. I like that states are trying to impose some limits so guns better suited to small to medium game aren't used on deer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DevilsLuck
Upvote 0
A 357 with under 200 fpe, for instance, would be better used on a coyote or raccoon than a deer. Doesn't mean it can't or hasn't been done but I think you need some margin for less than ideal placement. If all you hit is a rib on your way through the chest it would probably work out fine. But if you hit the shoulder and it doesn't make it through you just messed up a deer that might die in a few days or a week but who wants that?
 
Upvote 0
Put off reading this for a few days because it seems ridiculous to me.
First question is why. Are guns and bows not legal? Hunters loose a good number of deer with not perfect hit bow
shots which unless a gut hit can leave blood trails for well hundreds if not thousands of yards. I doubt a air rifle hit leaves
much evidence of a hit if not dropped immediately.
The only scum I know that shoot head shots are Poachers. The couple I know even have the mounts on the wall and show
them off with pride all the while we were bow hunting in a bow only zone.
Another point is what if the buck of your dreams approaches?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bedrock Bob
Upvote 0
JimD said:
I agree with the "use enough gun" argument but defining what is enough is the issue from my point of view. We need to cause the deers brain to shut down either by hitting it directly or removing blood flow. Brain shots require a smaller hole but much more precise placement and would not be my choice. A big enough deep enough hole will cause enough blood loss. Most PBS get to the necessary diameter with bullet expansion. Airguns need larger diameter rounds to get enough penetration and at least arguably do not need as much fpe. Hardly any get to the 1000 fpe typically recommended for PBS. But larger diameter slower moving projectiles have been getting it done for decades from black powder guns and pistols. So clearly it can work. But using a pcp for deer needs to respect the trajectory and power limitations of the pcp. Not everybody would use a pistol or black powder gun for deer either but it isn't in my opinion unethical at all. I like that states are trying to impose some limits so guns better suited to small to medium game aren't used on deer.
Click to expand...
I'm glad someone said it. I've been biting my tongue about the Black Powder thing, and how it's been in use for this task far longer than modern smokeless, self contained cartridges...
 
Upvote 0
The Blackpowder thing is generating some serious energy. Pushing modern bullets in a sabot makes ethical hits on deer simple. Head shots? Not at all normal for deer hunting, deer poaching perhaps. I hunted most of the day yesterday, did not have a single darn deer present himself for that oh so perfect head shot. Get real guys, we don't shoot deer in the head. Darned unlikely mr. or Ms. deer will present himself in such a way for that perfect head shot, what now skipper? When that head comes up from feeding it's exit stage left..
 
Upvote 0
Ricklin said:
The Blackpowder thing is generating some serious energy. Pushing modern bullets in a sabot makes ethical hits on deer simple. Head shots? Not at all normal for deer hunting, deer poaching perhaps. I hunted most of the day yesterday, did not have a single darn deer present himself for that oh so perfect head shot. Get real guys, we don't shoot deer in the head. Darned unlikely mr. or Ms. deer will present himself in such a way for that perfect head shot, what now skipper? When that head comes up from feeding it's exit stage left..
Click to expand...
I agree, headshots are problematic on deer. That's the one part of the body they move the most. And at seemingly unpredictable times. So the odds of pulling off a headsshot with an air rifle..? The deer is more likely to move it's head, at the sound of the shot; before the slug hits its initial point of aim...
 
  • Like
Reactions: RWC123
Upvote 0
DevilsLuck said:
I agree, headshots are problematic on deer. That's the one part of the body they move the most. And at seemingly unpredictable times. So the odds of pulling off a headsshot with an air rifle..? The deer is more likely to move it's head, at the sound of the shot; before the slug hits its initial point of aim...
Click to expand...
Not likely. Speed of sound is moving roughly at 1,130 fps. A good speed for a big slug is 850 fps. A deer isn’t going to be able to react to the sound before that slug gets there especially taking a 75 yard or closer shot.

I’m not condoning anyone to take brain shots. I won’t say a head shot as that is not specific enough; brain shot! This is only for those with the skill and knowledge to do so. These capable folks would be of the minority.

A nice accurate big bore airgun of .357 or larger and producing at least 250 FP, in my opinion, is capable of taking deer from 75 yards and in. One must be responsible to know the ballistics of their chosen projectile and POI at various ranges. I’d suggest that the hunter prove this knowledge and shooting prowess before hunting with the big bore.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Chard, Ricklin and Bedrock Bob
Upvote 0
Head shots are a myth.

If you go on a guided big game hunt and try a headshot they will take you back to the ranch and see you to the gate. No responsible hunter plans to harvest a game animal with a headshot.

The gun is big enough when it will pass through a front leg or shoulder and make it to the hide on the other side. A .223 is not enough gun for reliable kills on a whitetail unless the proper bullet is used. Even then its iffy.

A shot across both lungs is the shot a hunter plans for. In the process you might hit a leg bone or shoulder. So you have to use enough gun to do that and still go through the lungs.

A head shot fails as many times as it works for the average hunter. Every professional hunter and guide worth his oats will tell you that. No professional hunter or guide would consider taking a headshot in most circumstances. They certainly won't hunt with a weapon that's ONLY capable of killing with a headshot.

Get a big enough air cannon to shoot a hole in both lungs and limit your shot to 50-60 yards. That's perfect for stand hunting whitetails. You'll have plenty of gun for a kill shot.

Please don't try to shoot a deer in the "head" unless you just feel you must. It's just not huntsmanship. If your going to kill, do it the way it's supposed to be done with a gun big enough to do it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Ricklin and JimD
Upvote 0
I have taken 4 white tailed deer with PCP.

3 were taken with .357 and one with .30 Cal.

You can see the shots here:

Some hunting videos.

New platform allows to upload the videos. I will share my hunting videos. Do not expect perfection !!!
www.airgunnation.com www.airgunnation.com

Shot placement is really important and am quiet rifle too, in order the deer does not run away after the shot. You might not find it.

With a brain shot, noise Is not relevant. But with a chest shot it is.

Tomorrow I will go deer hunting and I'm taking with me my .357 and JSB Hades for first time. Last years I used JSB 81.02 pellets.

Themdeet Imtook with my Vulcan 3 700 mm .30,Cal was with JSB Hades and a chest shot. The deer walked 10 steps and lied down to die.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bedrock Bob
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu