Question for hunters

[rangur1]

I have been real curious about hunters using airguns for bigger game, deer, hog etc. There seems to be an overwhelming tendency to take vital shots versus head shots. Even a good number of states have caliber restrictions requiring 35 cal or above for said game. It appears that head shots are far more reliable. Is there an issue with penetration? A good 30 cal should definately possess enough power to drop a deer in it's tracks. The majority of hunters seem to be more in line with vital shots with big wounds for tracking purposes, using wadcutters and so forth. I'm looking for information here, so what am I missing here with this interesting sport?

 

[Vetmx]

I think if there is an overwhelming amount of guys taking vital shots, that’s a good thing. Big game gets the most attention from every states hunting agency. If reports come in about hunters harvesting deer with airgun holes in their face from guys trying head shots, airgun hunting may be short lived. If a .270 Winchester produces 2,700fpe and it doesn’t always anchor a deer with a vital shot, it would be in the best interest of Mr. Airgun guy to use a projectile that leaves a blood trail.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@rangur1 Something else to consider is that when you live in a prime hunting region - around this time of year it is not uncommon to see dead deer on the roadside and in people’s yards. Many of these animals have been wounded by hunters using traditional firearms. They will wander onto roadways and highways into traffic sometimes being struck by vehicles traveling at speeds of 50 miles per hour or greater. Considering the danger that this particular aspect of deer hunting poses, game officials and agencies are not only concerned about the animals suffering, but also about the potential danger that taking bad shots poses to people (non-hunters).

With airgun hunting I am in favor of using larger calibers for larger animals. To use a small caliber on a large animal you have to be a precision shooter. I once read about a European big-game hunter who was known for taking elephants with brain shots using a .25 rifle. I would not use his practice to advocate for others doing the same. A body (vitals) shot is a lot more forgiving than a missed brain shot (head/face shot). Vitals shots are great because the body won’t move like the animal’s head does. They’re also good considering that if you aim for the vitals, shoot, causing the animal to dip down (while attempting to flee), and you miss the heart (small target) you can still puncture one or both lungs. Once the animal decides to flee (if it can) its adrenaline and increased heart rate will cause more bleeding making for a good blood trail to follow (if you get a pass through). An animal shot in the face won’t leave a trail nearly as obvious. As for penetration I can’t say for sure about deer, but I’ve encountered a racoon that I thought I could take with a .22 Prod shooting Polymag shorts from 10 yards. I aimed between the eyes, heard the pellet hit, the animal growled and ran off without dropping a droplet of blood that I could see. I tried to track it into the brush, saw it a second time, and lost it again after it ran into a thicket ultimately getting away. I think the pellet bounced off of its skull. I’d hate to have to encounter this with an animal the size of a deer. I don’t consider myself a cruel individual. Some people really just don’t care. I think caliber and power requirements and recommendations are in place for a reason, but a hunter must be able to put their shot in the right place. This is particularly important for airgunners. Know your your gun, low your ammo and how it will perform, know the animals’ anatomy and behavior, know the laws, and use this information to your advantage. @Vetmx also raised an excellent point.

 

[N2 Shooter]

A good 30 cal should definately possess enough power to drop a deer in it's tracks.

What's a good .30cal?
I think you are making one of the biggest mistakes one can make: You cannot assume efficy with airguns based on caliber alone.

There are .30cal airguns that shoot from 35fpe (Hatsan 135 QE) all the way up to 275fpe (Texan LSS). You really have to specify the caliber, ammo weight and velocity, as even an airgun that can be tuned to push 105fpe (like my .30cal Maverick VP), may be tuned to push just 70fpe. There are some .25cal airguns pushing up to 80fpe, exceeding the .30cal low end by almost triple.

Many states specify caliber and power limits to ensure ethical kills. It is so easy to miss a target the size of a small orange (a deer's brain) at 75 yards when the game can easily move it's head that much in an instant. A vital shot is always the smart shot, as going for the heart and lungs is a significantly larger target that is not moving nearly as much as the deer's head is. Even if you miss one lung altogether in a quartering shot, you still can get an ethical kill if you hit just one.

 

[Emu]

I have been real curious about hunters using airguns for bigger game, deer, hog etc. There seems to be an overwhelming tendency to take vital shots versus head shots. Even a good number of states have caliber restrictions requiring 35 cal or above for said game. It appears that head shots are far more reliable. Is there an issue with penetration? A good 30 cal should definately possess enough power to drop a deer in it's tracks. The majority of hunters seem to be more in line with vital shots with big wounds for tracking purposes, using wadcutters and so forth. I'm looking for information here, so what am I missing here with this interesting sport?

It is not the same the damage caused by a normal pellet without expansion that the damage caused by a JSB Hades or a slug. Hades and slug cut much more tissue because of deformation but keeping penetration.

In my hunting videos you can see a coyote taken with a .357 that needed three shots with a normal pellet and a coyote taken with a .30 Cal Hades. The Hades drop the coyote just there.

Some hunting videos.

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

www.airgunnation.com

 

[rangur1]

Very illuminating responses! N2shooter- good 30 cal would have been a slug shooting about 90 FPE with a 55-60g minimum. Ezuna4ce- I too have bounced a 25 cal poly mag off a raccoon shooting 35 FPE at 15 yards. Lesson learned! The main reason was to know why the preferred target on bigger game, I knew vitals were the choice, just didn’t know why. Thanks

 

[iAMzehTOASTY1]

I'm pretty limited on actual "hunting" with my airguns. But I use them more for practice/plinking/pesting around the house. When I do go hunting though; let's say for deer? Depends on where I am going, who I going with, blah blah,... I've never taken a deer with anything less than a .30-06 gunpowder and nothing over .50 blackpowder. Never went for a head shot as was taught to never do sowas always trained/advised to go for vitals. That being said; during pesting I am not always supplied with a vital shot. So I take what shot I can but only if I know I will hit. Have had a few headshot DRTs but also had one like someone said. The pellet just bounced off the skull and the fur bearer just howls in pain and scampered offeven came back days later. I've yet to get close to that one again. It hears the screen door open and flees. On the othe hand. Every torso/vital shot I've taken has them dead within a yard after a bit of flopping. ....I've had a couple run off after hitting them and never come back. Only one had no blood trail so, I assume they learned to stay away or died elsewhere. For pesting this is no problem. But if Ia hunting. I want a trail if they aren't DRT.

 

[bowwild]

Regarding the comment about traditional weapons wounding deer found along roads and yards.
I'm a retired wildlife biologist. I've never heard of such a thing. Something an anti might write?
Those dead deer are a result of rut-driven movement with less abandon than outside the hunting seasons. (In other words, breeding activity causes road kill numbers to spike as bucks chase Does from around Halloween through much of November).

 

[Ezana4CE]

@bowwild Ok

 

[Jnine]

For hunting deer, they have very small brains, so you’d need to be very accurate to land a fatal brain shot at distance. Much easier to go for a vital shot.

As mentioned above, some people and agencies will get pretty pissed if they find a suffering deer with pellet holes in its face.

 

[OldSpook]

@bowwild Ok

He is 100 percent correct.

 

[OldSpook]

Very illuminating responses! N2shooter- good 30 cal would have been a slug shooting about 90 FPE with a 55-60g minimum. Ezuna4ce- I too have bounced a 25 cal poly mag off a raccoon shooting 35 FPE at 15 yards. Lesson learned! The main reason was to know why the preferred target on bigger game, I knew vitals were the choice, just didn’t know why. Thanks

Actually head shots are like shoulder shots. If you execute them poorly you will have problems. The skull in my Avatar is from this racoon. Note the pellet hole over the right eye?

Headshot Racoon 15 fpe.