Re: Have you ever lost a deer with .44 mag
#13124
11/16/2015 08:18 AM
11/16/2015 08:18 AM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,035 Randolph County
Magnum hunter
Hoosier Hunter
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Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,035
Randolph County
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Never lost a deer with my 44 magnum, needless to say I have only shot 3 deer my whole life. My 44 magnum has killed all three of them, even if they ran a little ways. My first doe i shot in the guts and it killed it and then my buck i shot in both lungs and it left a heck of a blood trail and killed it and then my doe this year i shot through the heart and it killed it
"The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know."
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Re: Have you ever lost a deer with .44 mag
#13125
11/16/2015 08:24 AM
11/16/2015 08:24 AM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,035 Randolph County
Magnum hunter
Hoosier Hunter
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Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,035
Randolph County
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I mean you can easily have good shot placement and the deer won't drop. I shot my doe this year through the heart, and there was a hole through it. That's a good shot but it didn't drop until after a few yards. Now my buddy shot a doe this weekend with his 12 gauge in the neck and the deer dropped dead in it's tracks
"The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know."
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Re: Have you ever lost a deer with .44 mag
#13127
11/16/2015 09:49 AM
11/16/2015 09:49 AM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,099 Right where I belong
Double B
Hoosier Hunter
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Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,099
Right where I belong
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I have seen good bullets put a deer down with both calibers and also heard of lost game with both. Range and killing power is limited with the two magnums and trajectory is a factor if longer shots are desired. Barrel length helps get the velocity up....probably at least 300 fps faster in a rifle over a handgun.
I started out with a muzzleloader and always looked at 1000 ft lbs of energy as minimum and the 44 mag is right there. I have seen other opinions that 600 ft lbs is bare minimum which gets the hot 357 mag loads. The 44 mag rifle is adequate in power when good bullets are used and ranges are reasonable, but you're right shot placement is the key.
Followed by Buzzards
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Re: Have you ever lost a deer with .44 mag
#13130
11/20/2015 02:13 AM
11/20/2015 02:13 AM
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,830 Hancock Co.
trapperDave
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Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,830
Hancock Co.
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that can be said of any and all calibers
Join us on my Facebook group....OUTDOORS in INDIANA
formerly known as Indiana hunting, fishing and trapping
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Re: Have you ever lost a deer with .44 mag
#13131
11/20/2015 05:23 AM
11/20/2015 05:23 AM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,035 Randolph County
Magnum hunter
Hoosier Hunter
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Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,035
Randolph County
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+1 with what trapperDave said
"The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know."
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Re: Have you ever lost a deer with .44 mag
#13133
12/07/2015 04:57 PM
12/07/2015 04:57 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 61 Indiana
coyote6974
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Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 61
Indiana
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I didn't deer hunt until Indiana legalized hunting them with handguns. I borrowed a S&W 629 from a friend and loaded it with 180 grain HP ammo. I shot a buck at about 10 yards and dropped it right there. After it wallered around a bit, then laid still, I started climbing out of the blown down tree I was sitting in. When I made some noise, the deer came back to life, jumped up, and ran about 50 yards across a clearing where it bedded. I sat down to give it some time, but the neighboring land owner came driving back on a logging trail to cut wood. As he drove near where the buck had bedded I saw it get up and run. When I checked where it had bedded there was lots of blood, and I thought I would be fine. I gave it an hour, then began trailing the deer, but lost it after it went about a mile and went into Sugar Creek. I quickly learned that I did two things wrong on that deer. I used an improper bullet not designed for hunting, and I shot the buck in the shoulder, where the bullet I was using failed miserably to penetrate. Since that time, I switched to Winchester Premium Partition Gold ammo, using a Nosler 250 grain partition bullet, when I can find them, or I hand load Hornady 240 grain XTP's that are also designed as a hunting bullet. I also shoot behind shoulders, using the same aiming point I do with my bow. Since loosing the first deer I ever shot with a handgun in .44 Magnum many years ago, I have shot a couple dozen or more with .44 magnums and have never had one go more than 40 or 50 yards. On only a couple of occasions have I had one go down on the spot. The 284 pound field dressed buck I heart shot this year is the largest deer I've ever shot with a .44 magnum, and was the first I've not had a complete pass through with a 240 grain XTP. Shot at 30 yards with a Marlin rifle with a 20 inch barrel, the bullet destroyed the buck's heart, and liquefied its lungs, before it came to rest under its off side hide. I was able to pop it out with my knife. The bullet had expanded perfectly and had not come apart at all. The buck went about 40 yards. A few days later I shot a doe from the same stand at 40 yards with a S&W model 29 with a four inch barrel. The bullet completely penetrated the 120 pound doe, destroying both lungs. She went about 30 yards. I'll continue using the .44 magnum in a rifle and a handgun until I can no longer hunt.
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Re: Have you ever lost a deer with .44 mag
#13134
12/08/2015 05:18 AM
12/08/2015 05:18 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 309 NW Indiana & Chicago, IL
Stinger
Hoosier Hunter
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Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 309
NW Indiana & Chicago, IL
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Coyote.. very good info on your post.
The only round that I dislike and will never shoot again is a 30-30 up in Minnesota. I got rid of that Winchester model 94 and will never shoot a deer with one again. I shot a doe with that 3 times - all lungs/heart and the deer refused to die until the 3rd shot.
Bought a 30-06 and that was all she wrote. I am happy to see this post about .44 mag since I love the idea of hunting in Indiana with a Rifle instead of a shotgun.
When I initially saw this post, I thought, NO WAY can you lose a deer with a .44 and a decent placement... but as usual, I was wrong.
Anything is possible and this is why I enjoy reading these forums - a good reminder, if nothing else.
I have also recently been interested in handguns and may invest in one for hunting as well. Good post!
Deer Hunting since 1999 (Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana Antelope) Marketing Guy in Chicago but grew up in Indiana/ Ball State.. blah blah blah.
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Re: Have you ever lost a deer with .44 mag
#13135
12/08/2015 06:36 AM
12/08/2015 06:36 AM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,807 Montgomery County
76chevy
Hoosier Hunter
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Hoosier Hunter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,807
Montgomery County
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Seriously? This caliber has probably put more deer on the ground than any other. For inside of 150 yds or so, this is an excellent deer caliber. You don't need a .300 win mag to kill a deer. This old faithful round round carries 1357 ftlbs of energy at 100 yards. http://gundata.org/blog/post/30-30-ballistics-chart/ How far was the shot? Originally posted by Stinger: .... The only round that I dislike and will never shoot again is a 30-30 up in Minnesota. I got rid of that Winchester model 94 and will never shoot a deer with one again.
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Re: Have you ever lost a deer with .44 mag
#13137
12/08/2015 01:54 PM
12/08/2015 01:54 PM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,063 Richmond (Webster)
bean
Hoosier Hunter
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Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,063
Richmond (Webster)
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Originally posted by garman6: My kids have put the smack down on some deer with a .44mag single shot! 12 deer between my two boys all died with 1 shot. My youngest son started killing at age 7 with a .44. I have killed 8 with same gun and all were 1 shot kills. I would say its a really effective gun. Yep.
Fishing and honeybee time
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Re: Have you ever lost a deer with .44 mag
#13139
12/10/2015 08:09 AM
12/10/2015 08:09 AM
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,456
antiwheeze
Hoosier Hunter
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Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,456
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All my buddies and I jumped on the 44 band wagon. Deer needing repeated shooting and long sparce blood trails have changed our minds. 44 is a fine round for well placed broad side shots. If I want quick dispatches in real world hunting conditions, I carry my 12 gage. 44 is better for the ears and recoil.
Treat me like I'm your best friend and it may happen
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Re: Have you ever lost a deer with .44 mag
#13140
12/10/2015 10:39 AM
12/10/2015 10:39 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 309 NW Indiana & Chicago, IL
Stinger
Hoosier Hunter
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Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 309
NW Indiana & Chicago, IL
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I've had this conversation at least 5 different times on different forums... No one I know likes the 30-30 up in MN and no one I know hunts with one anymore. The deer are quite big up there.
I would rather hunt with a spear than a .30-30. I know there are a million people that disagree with me but I hunted for 2 years with one and I killed 5 deer with it. I don't like it.
Deer Hunting since 1999 (Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana Antelope) Marketing Guy in Chicago but grew up in Indiana/ Ball State.. blah blah blah.
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