Current magazines typically show a grinning hunter with his new short magnum bolt action rifle and a dead mule deer. Greatly exaggerated claims of long distance shots are stated.

But this is not necessarily so. I've hunted mule deer in Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, California, South Dakota and Nebraska. Over 35 years of annual hunts for these large bodied animals. Most shots were taken at 125 to 175 yards or so. Only a handfull of bucks were taken beyond the 200 yard mark. I typically head into the foothills or breaks with either 30-30 carbine or 35 Remington rifle. Occaisionally, I'll hunt with my old slide action .243 or auto-loader in .308. These rifles have more "reach" but weigh more also.

The myth that mule deer are harder to kill than whitetails is widely accepted. Yet I've never witnessed a well placed bullet bounce off even the biggest buck!

I'd like to hear from other hunters who have successfully hunted mule deer with so-called brush guns. I'm convinced that a hunter who knows the land and habits of his quarry can do quite well with a carbine chambered for one of the popular "woods cartridges".
TR

T.R.,

Not only have I killed Texas mule deer with a 30-30 but I've also killed 3 antelope! The closest was 35 yards and the furthest 75. If fellows would get out of a truck they wouldn't need them magnums to kill'em. I going on a trophy Texas mule deer hunt this year... big $$$ so I figured I better step it up and take a little more gun. I'm taking a 444P ;) Guide didn't flinch because he knows I will probably kill the deer at less than 40 yards.

Michael

I have taken deer out as far as 200yards with my 30-30. Most deer I have taken have been in the 70 yard range as an average. I have found that I have not missed my scoped bolt guns a bit, this old Winchester is all I need.

The last deer I shot with a bolt gun was a 35 yard shot with a .270 Ruger M77 with a 3-9x40 on top. I thought, why do I bother with this thing?

The 30-30 or one of my old BP rifles is all I use now.

Well, I've never killed a deer with a lever action of any type. However, the longest shot I ever took on any deer, including Montana plains mule deer, has been just over two hundred yards. I'd think a 30-30 would work OK at those ranges.
Until I was 28, every deer I killed was shot with a shotgun or muzzleloader. The longest shot I made, up to that point, was with a round ball in my 50 caliber muzzleloader - one shot at about 120 yards. Obviously a "brush gun" would have worked fine!

Doubt I'll take many deer past 150yards; the type of hunting I do and the areas I hunt just don't offer long range shots.

BUt there are lots of areas that do and hunting styles that promote that kind of shooting.

Some folks seem to try for the long range shots...the farter away they shoot a deer, the happier they are. Guess if they spot on at 200 yards, they'll reverse stalk until it's 400yards away.

Guess I'm guilty of the other extream...like to get close and then try to sneak a few steps closer.

I am a meat hunter and have used the 06 mostly. I have taken several critters with a 30-30, 25-35, 32 sp, and 300 Sav.(lever guns) And you are correct that most are taken a 100 or less yds, especialy in cover. But a good portion of my hunting was in the foothill and plains of CO (where I grew up and lived most of my life) and I found it harder to stalk as the hunting pressure and growth increased over the years. The last few years have had to shot further to put the meat in the pot. Most of the deer I have taken (the last few years in CO) were relativly long shots. 200+ and two at 450+, all one shot kills. I still prefer to use the 'brush' guns and will when I can. Sport is ok, but I want the meat.

Guess that's my point...if you want long range shooting, can set up the hunt to provide it. OFten hear that long range is the "only shot you'll get hunting where I hunt" and it may well be true for that section of land.

Usually we have the ability to pick areas to hunt. Even in deep South Louisiana, can set up hunts that offer long range shooting....we got bean fields too (or Sugar Cane fields...or timber cuts), clear cut right of ways, etc. Could set up on this land, ignore the brush to the sides, and only shoot at +400yards. But it would be my choice to do so, not a requirement.

Some of it is just preference (or the hunter's philosophy)...not everyone wants to play sniper. Some of us like to get in close and hunt the deer rather than snipe the passer-bys.