SAFETY WARNING: At any time when Hunters are too close together they are in a high level unsafe hazard zone! If a deer is sighted one hunter may move into the line of fire of the other hunter. This is an imminent danger when a deer is down and then regains its feet and is escaping, either hunter when in the process of shooting at a deer usually won't see the other hunter, (--if he is real close,)  --move into his line of fire. I know this from experience because many decades ago when I and my hunting buddy had downed a deer and we were nearly upon it, it appeared done for but regained its feet and began to run, I stepped forward and to the right to shoot it and within inches of having my head blown off when he shot the deer  putting it down for good.  I went down from the muzzle blast as we were very close. He was behind me and I assumed I would be the only one shooting! Never assume anything, or you or your hunting companion may end up dead! Take this warning to heart and always be aware of the imminent dangers of being close to another hunter or hunters!  Whenever you are close together each must know what the other is going to do, set some hard and fast rules and be fully aware of the other, or others, before firing any shot!

Speaking of safe gun handling, this should be taught to everyone that handles a shotgun or rifle.
Whenever you raise the bolt handle straight-up move the safety to the safe position before you chamber the live round!
On a pump action shotgun or rifle, when the action is slide all the way back immediately set the safety!
A gun should never be loaded magazine or chamber unless you are in the immediate area of the game you are going to shoot.
For many reasons, you are much more apt to have an accidental resulting in shooting a person that is very near you in the field! Think about these scenarios!

Wind drift: A  45-degree wind drift angle isn't half the drift of a 90º-angle, but is three-quarters the drift. It has a 70 to 75 percent effect, even though the angle is only halfway between no drift effect and full drift effect. The drift effect is not proportional, due to the aerodynamic ballistics of a bullet in flight. Just remember that halfway between full and zero effect is nearly three-quarters the drift of 90-degrees.  Memorize these aerodynamic ballistic realities.

Start from behind and swing through the middle of the body, squeeze off your shot when the lead looks right and be sure to keep swinging, --follow through. Starting your swing from behind and swinging through will keep your shot tracking the vertical path of the animal. Due to CWD in WI you should hold for heart lung shots, that is also the largest kill zone target area.

Keep this lead information in your head and practice visualization leads in your own mind and with your rifle, squeezing the trigger and following through! It works for me and it will for you, too! Visualizing in your mind the various combination of shots and angles conditions your brain's reflex habits and will make a huge difference in your shooting abilities. I no longer claim to be a marksman as I have a lot of handicaps these days.

Lighter weight Ballistic Tip bullets work the best according to the author of "The Ultimate Deer Cartridge." If available you might try the new Hornady SST bullets in 150 or 165 grain weights for the .308 caliber.

I need the caliber, the muzzle velocity and the weight and make of the bullet, or the bullet's ballistic coefficient. Give me all the information you can off the box of your cartridges and I will make a ballistics chart for you.

Rick Jamison writer for Petersen's Hunting Magazine, July 2002, p- 20, Guns & Loads Article Long Rangers, - http://www.huntingmag.com  says in essence that for deer sized game you need a minimum of 1000 ft/lbs of energy and 2000 ft/sec velocity at the impact range for adequate bullet expansion. The bullet needs a sectional density between .215 to .265 and a high ballistic coefficient for long range shots. This is a great Hunting Magazine, I subscribe through the local school magazine drives.

You can look at the various ballistic tables I have on the Net and determine the approximate outer range limit your cartridge and selected bullet will be capable of killing a deer with a well placed shot. If you can't put the bullet in the vital kill zone don't take the shot no matter how capable the cartridge you're using is at that range.

Related Pages
 http://www.udarrell.com/leadingrunninggamerifle.html
 http://www.udarrell.com/ultimate_deer_cartridge.htm
 http://www.udarrell.com/wisconsin_coyote_hunting.html

A Page full of my links
 http://www.udarrell.com/my_pages2.htm

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          Darrell Udelhoven - udarrell

          Posted: 10/21/00; Last Modification: 11/28/03
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