crop deer with .22 wmr?

[gremcat]

Need help have been contacted to kill crop deer in a small town setting at a b and b .I used to do it with a 7rm at the farm but this is on 30 acres and within earshot of a b and b .She wants it done at night and my .223 is at the smith til end of may so I need a reasonable priced rifle to hold me over I was thinking .22 wmr with a 40 gr jhp with head shots aat 20 yds with a light I know this is not the place for short range but am in a rush and don't know who else to ask.
I also thought of shoulder shot with a smaller centerfire like .243 with a partition but can't risk it running into the b and b.Please help

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Need help have been contacted to kill crop deer in a small town setting at a b and b .I used to do it with a 7rm at the farm but this is on 30 acres and within earshot of a b and b .She wants it done at night and my .223 is at the smith til end of may so I need a reasonable priced rifle to hold me over I was thinking .22 wmr with a 40 gr jhp with head shots aat 20 yds with a light I know this is not the place for short range but am in a rush and don't know who else to ask.
I also thought of shoulder shot with a smaller centerfire like .243 with a partition but can't risk it running into the b and b.Please help

IMO taking head shots at whitetails with a 22mag is very risky and having deer running around with hideous head wounds could do a great disservice to all sport hunters.

Personally, I wouldn't do it.

 

[Brain]

X2 on not doing it with the rimfire.

Last thing you want to be doing is dragging a wounded animal out of someone's yard.

Were it me, I'd wait a couple of weeks until the .223 is back from the 'smith and then load up some heavy projos at subsonic velocities.

 

[gremcat]

so you guys think that .223 or .243 with a partition or something threw the shoulder bone is the way to go?This is a very unique situation for me and am trying to enter it cautiously.I have seen deer head shot with a .22 mag drop but am sure that is not always the case .I prefer the 7rm or similar but can't in this situation.Do you think a .243 will break shoulder or should I try a different shot?I need them to stay inside 100 yds after shot .

 

[gremcat]

I also hear neck shots are good for quick drops but have always stayed with the tried and true broken shoulder under normal circumstances I would never do a head shot on an animal besides squirrel or something but this isn't a normal situation all shots will be kept in 20 yds.Maybe Dave King can comment I saw him mention on his cropdamage article about small calibers.I have the same mind set that he does that it won't disrupt the deer to much and doubles are possible remember this isn't a hunting situation it's more of a thinning of the herd.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

A heavy .243 Partition, TSX or similar sturdy bullet fired into the shoulder(s) of a whitetail should immobilize it on the spot.

By the way, I saw a farmer kill a 10 point buck with a single well placed bullet from his Ruger 10-22 rimfire. The buck took the little 40gr bullet in the back of the skull and dropped like a rock. However, even the farmer admitted that it was a very poor choice and that he wouldn't try it again. It was a crop-damaging deer kill opportunity and he happened to have his .22 on the tractor at the time.

 

[dogdinger]

no worry mate...

if it were me shooting the 22wmr @ 20yds i absolutely would not worry....i would even do it with the 17hmr.....both rounds would be more than adequate for the job assuming you are a skilled marksman. one word of advise would be to wait for a head down attitude, or a sideways /profile shot to deliver the pill right behind the ear......AJ

 

[gremcat]

After surveying the property today I am switching to tap ammo for head shots out of a tree stand and in the .223 until then it's .22wmr head shots out of a tree stand and maybe some 12 gauge in the field.The field is actually a rose garden at the bed and breakfast on 40 acres completely fenced in with neighbors on three sides .Granted through trees and over hills and fences but most of the shooting will be out of the few trees there or of the deck in the only safe direction however it is in town limits in a small rural town So any flat center fire round is out .

 

[Boss Hoss]

Not legal in Texas as it should be..

 

[6.5user]

alternative?

I know this is all about long range, but have you considered blackpowder? My T/C Hawken will shoot 1/2 inch groups at 50 yards with open sights shooting off-hand. Using a 350gr slug and 90gr of powder you achieve approx 1400fps with over 1500lbs of energy, even a 177gr round ball will give 1600fps with a light 70gr charge and over 1000 lbs of energy. The low B.C. of these rounds coupled with relatively low velocity drastically shorten the carry of the projectile yet hit harder than the numbers show. This would probably be a good alternative to downloading centerfires, is not very costly to get started (I bought my entire kit used for $300 ready to shoot) and its just a bloody hoot to play with. Also keep in mind that the big bore BP rounds tend to have more of a boom and less of the sharp crack that centerfire rifles have, as well as light loads are sub-sonic right from the muzzle. Just an other option.

 

[Quarter Round]

22wmr will do the task as you have outlined it and is practicle for the setting. It will require very deliberate target choice for effective kills and down range control should always be a concern.

 

[P KUNDA]

It shouldn't be legal anywhere, not just Texas

Peter

 

[screech]

Ill flat out admit that I have shot a deer in idaho with a 22mag but it was after it was hit by a pickup and I was just putting it down. Is it legal in idaho, no but it did work with one shot. His hind quarter was almost gone and was standing there looking at me so I grabbed the 22mag and put one between the eyes and he dropped like a rock. I also have buddies that have done the same with the hmr's.

Am I saying it would be my first choice, no, but it would work.

 

[gremcat]

I understand the wmr isn't legal to hunt with but this isn't hunting as I have said it is killing and with very short range deliberate shots I think it will work I will also be using .223 with tap ammo for slightly longer field shots also head and under 60 yds. Idon't condone this for hunting but for this situation I think it's appropriate