Bambi Whacking 2022-2023

[Archeryrob]

Got to clear those shooting lanes. Normally why I quit at 10minutes to 15 minutes after sunset in the woods as this small stick disappear in twilight.

I missed a doe once with a recurve at 20 yards. Arrows was zipping right at her and took a left turn and buried in the dirt clean behind her. The two does run off and I see a new stick I never noticed that fell into my shooting lane just swing back and forth from being hit. At least it was a clean miss

 

[KIBarrister]

I would jump on 6.5 grendel over 6ARC for hunting. More bullet choices and 6.5G has more energy at short range, larger expanded bullet, generally larger temporary and permanent cavities all else being equal, etc. ad nauseum.

6ARC is a marginally better long-range cartridge with a heck of a lot less parts and ammo availability*

My kids are all over the place. My 10 year old last winter when she was 9 loudly declared to me that she didn't want to learn to shoot and that guns were icky, but that she thought it was an important skill to have and "father, you may take me to the shooting range". She was giggling and laughing and having a riot shooting clays on the berm and my poly spinners with my 10/22 by the end (can't use steel on the range I am a member at sadly). My boys like to shoot. My oldest, who is 14, is deeply into guns, but has little interest in hunting. He shows some interest every once in awhile and immediately cools on it. He just doesn't want to put any effort in to doing it. But just about anytime I am going to the range he asks if he can go. My middle kid is 12 and he thinks guns are fine and loves to fish. I keep asking him about hunting, but he is meh. Anytime I shoot a deer and come in the house he is pulling on his shoes within seconds and grabbing a flashlight to go help find it (they almost all seem to be evening deer. Or if not, he isn't awake yet because it was butt crack of the morning when I shoot one). Heck, even the deer where I know right where they dropped I go get him to help me find it. He is 50/50 on sitting around while I field dress the deer chatting with me and sometimes asking questions.

I keep asking and gently pushing, but as of yet, none have really taken me up on it. The way my 14 year old is, I'd really like to get him out squirrel hunting first. I think he COULD be fine with hunting, but with his temperament he is just as likely to try hunting once and decide he isn't interested at all and then there will be zero way to get him out. My 12yr old, there is no making him do anything. So he is pretty much going to have to come to me, but I know he has the temperament for it. But his ADHD is bad. Despite being decent at fishing, I think he'd have a nightmare of a time sitting still to hunt. My 10 year old? Damned if I know, but she is smarter and about 300% more practical than either of her brothers and the former is saying something (the latter isn't, common sense could bite them both on the butt and they wouldn't notice).

This year has been a mess with my oldest starting high school and having a really difficult time transitioning in. I am really hoping next fall, as he will be a sophomore, to get him out to Greenridge relatively early, like mid-September, get him his apprentice license and take him squirrel hunting and camping a couple of days. If that goes well, get him out for youth day somewhere.

*I haven not been paid or compensated to endorse 6.5 Grendel. However, I am nut sack deep in Grendel with a very unnatural love affair with the cartridge, a Howa and a couple of AR uppers in it.

I feel your pain with my oldest. My younger son is foaming at the bit to go when hunter safety is done Monday - but I am not comfortable giving him a rifle to finger **** while sitting in a tree, and I know he won’t be able to sit still enough. I’m going to try to get a ground bond set up before rifle (made using natural cover so the addition won’t be off putting for Bambi); I’ll be curious to see if my almost vegetarian daughter asks to go!

I’m real torn on cartridge choice. I really like a faster round over grain weight/caliber (within reason of course). I was intrigued with the .300 ham’r, but then I saw that reloading dies are severely limited (with the only crimp option coming from Lee’s FCD, which I do not like).

Decisions decisions. Hopefully your kids get on board!

 

[Archeryrob]

My daughter bought a 6.5 Grendel last year and shot a huge 9 point with it. She hit him low in the chest and missed the heart, but the shock split the heart and ripped it right up the middle. He ran 10 yards.

 

[lazarus]

I feel your pain with my oldest. My younger son is foaming at the bit to go when hunter safety is done Monday - but I am not comfortable giving him a rifle to finger **** while sitting in a tree, and I know he won’t be able to sit still enough. I’m going to try to get a ground bond set up before rifle (made using natural cover so the addition won’t be off putting for Bambi); I’ll be curious to see if my almost vegetarian daughter asks to go!

I’m real torn on cartridge choice. I really like a faster round over grain weight/caliber (within reason of course). I was intrigued with the .300 ham’r, but then I saw that reloading dies are severely limited (with the only crimp option coming from Lee’s FCD, which I do not like).

Decisions decisions. Hopefully your kids get on board!

Thanks. Good luck with yours as well. I think in the fall I'll find out if any of my kids want to sit in my ground blind. I usually bait and shoot a deer in my side yard very early season because the undergrowth in the woods is usually super thick. Though next year I'll do better having my game camera out and seeing what is moving in the woods. A chance I've been missing some nice early season bucks still in velvet.

I think so long as it meets the energy, there isn't really a bad choice for deer hunting. There might be better ones, depending on the setup, but probably nothing actually bad. Unless you are trying to beanfield hunt with a 50 Beowulf or something. And I think MD's energy requirements are stupid. So a 30 carbine with a nice expanding soft point is ineligible, but a 223 is just fine? An 8" 357 revolver can make the grade with most stuff, but a 357 rifle mostly can't without some real hot rounds? So if it can make energy, its good.

I went 6.5 Grendel before 6 ARC was a thing, though I don't regret my choice. I wanted something more powerful than .223, that could be fired out of an AR-15 package. 300BO just didn't excite me. To your point, I'd rather something kind of faster, and though I doubt I'll ever, or almost never, deer hunt past 150yds, if I do hit some public land or get an invite to private land where there is a 200yd shot, I'd be a heck of a lot more comfortable taking that with a 6.5 Grendel than a 300BO. Let alone if a 250 or 300yd shot presented. I could or would likely just reach for a .308 if I knew I'd be hunting at those kinds of ranges. But I also hunt places like Greenridge, where, I've yet to have a shot opportunity past 100yds, but there are parts of the state forest where you could have a 200-300yd shot. At 200yds my Grendel 120gr Gold dot is packing 1183ft-lbs still and dropped 4.9" with a 100yd zero. A 300BO supersonic round, 125gr Sierra for comparison, has dropped 8.6" and only has 733ft-lbs of energy left. At 250, the grendel has dropped about 10" and has about 1100ft-lbs. That Sierra 300BO load has now dropped about 17.6" and only retains 620ft-lbs. The wind drift is also about 50% more for the 300BO. And the 120gr gold dots aren't very slick for BC. A 123gr SST would have about 15% less drop and retain about 10% more energy at similar ranges.

But at short range, you are still smacking a deer with a .308 diameter bullet, versus a .264 diameter bullet. The velocity difference is probably going to have a negligible effect in terms of wounding. Then again, the Grendel might actually do a bit less meat damage at close range. And it'll almost certainly penetrate a lot better, bullet construction being equal. That probably doesn't matter unless you are trying to put a round through both shoulders and still want an exit, or are shooting a fairly steep quartering shot. Well, or you are shooting something a lot bigger than a deer. I would not want to use a Grendel on an Elk, but if it was a choice between a Grendel or a 300BO, I wouldn't even think about it a second longer and jump right on the 6.5 Grendel and use some 129/130gr and keep the range modest (no more than 100yds or so). Whatever I have in my gun safe, I'd be reaching for a .308 with a heavy weight bullet, or roll my own 180gr .30-06 and use it in my 1903A3.

 

[lazarus]

My daughter bought a 6.5 Grendel last year and shot a huge 9 point with it. She hit him low in the chest and missed the heart, but the shock split the heart and ripped it right up the middle. He ran 10 yards.

The only one I've shot, was a bad shot on my part. It was quartering towards me steeper than I thought. She ran at least 200, maybe 300yds on me. But it just obliterated one lung and the liver was in two pieces from the shock (actually probably a LOT of pieces, but there were two main pieces of about equal size barely attached to each other), went out right behind the diaphragm and carried a coil of intestine out with it (it did not perforate the rumen). Which plugged the hole and left a miserable blood trail after about 30 yds. I still for the life of me have no clue how the heck she managed to run as far as she did. Though at a guess, the vaporized lung meant it effectively collapsed so even though I am sure there was ferocious bleeding, she wasn't aspirating blood into her other lung. So it took maybe 45-60 seconds running full tilt for her to drop over from blood loss and she for sure did not stop or slow down. Probably helped the other 4 does with her also took off the same direction and none of them were thinking of stopping and didn't split up until shortly before she dropped based on the trails.

That was using a Hornady Black. Bullet not recovered. I did not find any bullet fragments in the body cavity, but it had to of expanded to cause that much damage. And it certainly carried 20" or so through her at that angle, and destroyed 3 ribs on entry.

If I get out this year, I'll probably either use SSTs, either Hornady commercial loaded SSTs, or handloads. Or Federal Fusion 120s, or handloaded Gold Dots. Unsure. At the time, the ELD-M is what I had on hand with lots of testing under my belt and I had hadn't really worked up any handloads I was confident with yet and I didn't have the time to shoot any commercial SSTs at all (even though I have 2 boxes). I've heard people both praise and curse the ELD-M in Grendel for hunting. I'd prefer something more controlled opening just to avoid any chances of it blowing up on a shoulder or something, or having an odd hit that prevents it from opening at all (not that I've heard any real complaints of that happening with ELD-M).

 

[Archeryrob]

I'd prefer something more controlled opening just to avoid any chances of it blowing up on a shoulder or something, or having an odd hit that prevents it from opening at all (not that I've heard any real complaints of that happening with ELD-M).

I shot SST's years back and had the blow up on the shoulder thing. She ran 40 yards and killed good. I don't think most hunters know how much damage and ruined meat they can cause since they don't butcher. I went back to core-locs and now going cast. Done with 30-30 and still have to ladder out 30-06 and have been wasting time and just need to to it.

The SST hit the leg and exploded the bone, it was just gone there. Went through the heart and opened the back side of the heart like a flower and the bullet did not exit and I couldn't find it easily. I think it fragmented heavily. I quit shooting them after butchering that doe.

 

[lazarus]

I shot SST's years back and had the blow up on the shoulder thing. She ran 40 yards and killed good. I don't think most hunters know how much damage and ruined meat they can cause since they don't butcher. I went back to core-locs and now going cast. Done with 30-30 and still have to ladder out 30-06 and have been wasting time and just need to to it.

Yeah that is largely why I am thinking 120gr Gold Dots. Less range, but still quite capable of a STRONG smack down well past 200yds if I need. And a whole lot less likely to come apart if I hit something hard. I figure it'll probably do a little less meat damage, but should still expand pretty easily at the ranges I'd be considering using it, and shouldn't be very likely to come apart if I do hit a shoulder. Killing them dead is nice, but I also don't want to toss an entire shoulder and a bunch of the backstrap.

Also why I don't take shoulder shots.

 

[akalma]

I went 6.5 Grendel before 6 ARC was a thing, though I don't regret my choice.

What barrel length is your AR-15 upper for this 6.5 grendel? I've red this caliber shows good results with longer 18-20" barrels.

 

[KIBarrister]

Thanks. Good luck with yours as well. I think in the fall I'll find out if any of my kids want to sit in my ground blind. I usually bait and shoot a deer in my side yard very early season because the undergrowth in the woods is usually super thick. Though next year I'll do better having my game camera out and seeing what is moving in the woods. A chance I've been missing some nice early season bucks still in velvet.

I think so long as it meets the energy, there isn't really a bad choice for deer hunting. There might be better ones, depending on the setup, but probably nothing actually bad. Unless you are trying to beanfield hunt with a 50 Beowulf or something. And I think MD's energy requirements are stupid. So a 30 carbine with a nice expanding soft point is ineligible, but a 223 is just fine? An 8" 357 revolver can make the grade with most stuff, but a 357 rifle mostly can't without some real hot rounds? So if it can make energy, its good.

I went 6.5 Grendel before 6 ARC was a thing, though I don't regret my choice. I wanted something more powerful than .223, that could be fired out of an AR-15 package. 300BO just didn't excite me. To your point, I'd rather something kind of faster, and though I doubt I'll ever, or almost never, deer hunt past 150yds, if I do hit some public land or get an invite to private land where there is a 200yd shot, I'd be a heck of a lot more comfortable taking that with a 6.5 Grendel than a 300BO. Let alone if a 250 or 300yd shot presented. I could or would likely just reach for a .308 if I knew I'd be hunting at those kinds of ranges. But I also hunt places like Greenridge, where, I've yet to have a shot opportunity past 100yds, but there are parts of the state forest where you could have a 200-300yd shot. At 200yds my Grendel 120gr Gold dot is packing 1183ft-lbs still and dropped 4.9" with a 100yd zero. A 300BO supersonic round, 125gr Sierra for comparison, has dropped 8.6" and only has 733ft-lbs of energy left. At 250, the grendel has dropped about 10" and has about 1100ft-lbs. That Sierra 300BO load has now dropped about 17.6" and only retains 620ft-lbs. The wind drift is also about 50% more for the 300BO. And the 120gr gold dots aren't very slick for BC. A 123gr SST would have about 15% less drop and retain about 10% more energy at similar ranges.

But at short range, you are still smacking a deer with a .308 diameter bullet, versus a .264 diameter bullet. The velocity difference is probably going to have a negligible effect in terms of wounding. Then again, the Grendel might actually do a bit less meat damage at close range. And it'll almost certainly penetrate a lot better, bullet construction being equal. That probably doesn't matter unless you are trying to put a round through both shoulders and still want an exit, or are shooting a fairly steep quartering shot. Well, or you are shooting something a lot bigger than a deer. I would not want to use a Grendel on an Elk, but if it was a choice between a Grendel or a 300BO, I wouldn't even think about it a second longer and jump right on the 6.5 Grendel and use some 129/130gr and keep the range modest (no more than 100yds or so). Whatever I have in my gun safe, I'd be reaching for a .308 with a heavy weight bullet, or roll my own 180gr .30-06 and use it in my 1903A3.

We are of a like mind on ammo selection. The more I look at that 300 Ham'r the more I think it would be the perfect mild to moderate range small frame AR round - it does about 400 fps better than 300 AAC (and near on 1800 lb-ft muzzle energy from the Ham'r, which is about 350 over the AAC). But the 6.5G v 6ARC is a much closer call. My daughter was actually starting to show an interest last night, maybe I'll build out all three and save the AAC for my youngest ;p

And, it is subtly amusing that you mention state regs being dumb - I was reminded how dumb they are this week when I took my middle two for the hunter safety class. I heard them spout off no less than nine (9) inaccurate (ranging from misleading to flat wrong) statements of Maryland law regarding hunting. The class is being led by a current local sheriff, a current NRP officer, and a retired NRP officer. I haven't had it in me to jump on them, but I have politely and discretely pulled them to the side to point out their errors after class (e.g., last night they asserted that smokeless muzzleloaders were illegal, which is flat wrong). I get that they are volunteers, but they should know that an adult child or grandchild can't automatically hunt on a parent/grandparent's property without a license.

On the first night it was asserted that it is illegal to transport a deer uncovered. I didn't correct that one because, while to my knowledge that is incorrect, I haven't had time to pull the regs and check. Best I can recall there was a bill to that effect almost twenty years ago that didn't pass.

I did almost fall out of my seat while the current local sheriff's deputy advised people that broke the law (e.g. shooting a duck out season by mistake) to rat themselves out and "just own it - we will work with you and it will go a lot better for you...." If I tried to stifle the laugh my eye twitch would have turned into a stroke. It was also hilarious when a seven year old kid started the discussion by improvising a version of SS&S with "I would skin it so you couldn't tell"

 

[Ecestu]

Came out on this windy day. I arrived a little later than I would've liked. When I got out to the field, I saw two 2-pointers on the other end of the field. I was so excited to creep up on these deer I couldn't shoot that I bumped the doe that I could shoot that I've seen 3 times this week. I decided to keep pursuing the two bucks to shoot them with my camera. I closed the distance to about 40 yards. There were some bushes and tall grass between us, but I was able to see them looking back at what I later found to be another deer. There was also a crosswind, so I was good. But then the crosswind shifted, and I was upwind. That put them on high alert. They didn't stick around too much longer. On their way out of sight, one of them paused and looked back one more time. The rangefinder said 90 yards. After about 5 seconds, he turned and ran, then I saw the third deer hightailing it out of there. I can only assume it was a buck, as well.

I just have to say that I love seeing deer on public land, even if I can't shoot them.

 

[lazarus]

What barrel length is your AR-15 upper for this 6.5 grendel? I've red this caliber shows good results with longer 18-20" barrels.

18" for my hunting AR. I also have a 24" upper that appears to be a tack driver, but I've actually only taken it to the range twice. Both are made with mostly cheap Classic Firearms junk parts, that turned out 1MOA guns.

That said, I am mostly deer hunting with my Howa mini 1500 with a 20" heavy barrel in 6.5 Grendel. It is more accurate and a bit handier. And about the same weight as the 18" (the 18" and 24" have fluted heavy barrels). Plus, it suppresses better than the AR does. I'll get my 18" AR back out for sure. But for now, I am a smitten kitten with my Howa. That is what I used to shoot the late season doe in question.

 

[lazarus]

We are of a like mind on ammo selection. The more I look at that 300 Ham'r the more I think it would be the perfect mild to moderate range small frame AR round - it does about 400 fps better than 300 AAC (and near on 1800 lb-ft muzzle energy from the Ham'r, which is about 350 over the AAC). But the 6.5G v 6ARC is a much closer call. My daughter was actually starting to show an interest last night, maybe I'll build out all three and save the AAC for my youngest ;p

And, it is subtly amusing that you mention state regs being dumb - I was reminded how dumb they are this week when I took my middle two for the hunter safety class. I heard them spout off no less than nine (9) inaccurate (ranging from misleading to flat wrong) statements of Maryland law regarding hunting. The class is being led by a current local sheriff, a current NRP officer, and a retired NRP officer. I haven't had it in me to jump on them, but I have politely and discretely pulled them to the side to point out their errors after class (e.g., last night they asserted that smokeless muzzleloaders were illegal, which is flat wrong). I get that they are volunteers, but they should know that an adult child or grandchild can't automatically hunt on a parent/grandparent's property without a license.

On the first night it was asserted that it is illegal to transport a deer uncovered. I didn't correct that one because, while to my knowledge that is incorrect, I haven't had time to pull the regs and check. Best I can recall there was a bill to that effect almost twenty years ago that didn't pass.

I did almost fall out of my seat while the current local sheriff's deputy advised people that broke the law (e.g. shooting a duck out season by mistake) to rat themselves out and "just own it - we will work with you and it will go a lot better for you...." If I tried to stifle the laugh my eye twitch would have turned into a stroke. It was also hilarious when a seven year old kid started the discussion by improvising a version of SS&S with "I would skin it so you couldn't tell"

Yeah I've looked closely a HAM'R versus BO, but the fact that the barrels aren't made to properly stabilize anything subsonic has lost me. Once I finally dip my toes, and I will someday, my intention is to get something giggle quiet for suppressed subsonic plinking and ground hog removal (once I move for the later, that would NOT be safe where I am. 22lr is okay so long as you aren't an A-hole or blind drunk). But I would like it to be a better supersonic round too. I really don't like how much 300BO got trimmed back. But 300 HAM'R isn't made with a fast twist barrel at all. So, for now, a no go. If the only use was for deer hunting, it might be about perfect, other than no one makes anything for it. Before that I had brief love affair with 277 Wolverine that I never consummated before I lost my passion when I saw how little anyone makes for it.

HAM'R also prevents you from accidentally stuffing a 300BO into a 223 chamber. Another one of those "WTF was he thinking" design decisions for the cartridge. "but it is easy to convert brass!"

Yeah. Okay. For the 1% of 300BO shooters who do, that is great.

I hear you on the hunter safety. Even a total neophyte on guns in hunting 7 years ago when I took mine, I still remember hearing two totally wrong things that were clear as day on DNR's website that they were misquoting. I don't recall what they were now.

Yeah, I don't think the covered deer thing has ever been law. I certainly see plenty of guys ignoring the heck out of that one. I'd personally cover one because I don't want crap landing or getting blown all over my deer. Though in my case, I don't have a truck, so it just goes in the trunk of my car.

I did learn from a couple of DNR biologists, and I still am meaning to check it, that they changed regs and so long as you have checked in your deer first, you are not required to tag your deer unless you are giving the deer in to another person's possession. But it needs to be tagged OR checked in prior to being moved. That'll save me a bit of paper and some luggage tags (plus zip ties) I put the paper tags in since most the deer I am shooting are 50-100 yds behind my house. Even if I was going to butcher it on the back deck a few minutes later, I am a stickler for following rules. Plus, I know there are some hardcore horse lady idiots in my neighborhood. I have permission from the neighbors to be hunting, but I don't need one of them walking their dog and see me back there and call DNR/NRP and have a warden giving me the 5th degree looking for anything at all wrong I've done. Part of why I prefer archery season for hunting, because again, I stick to the regs and wear a blaze orange hat during ML and gun season. Which I am sure makes me stick out from people walking dogs 150yds away on the street when the leaves are off the trees. Just camo, I highly doubt anyone except the immediate neighbors notice me at all even with the leaves off.

Heck, if time and reloading room space are no issue, I say go for it. I'd love to dip my toes in to 6ARC. But my money, time and space are limited and already being deep in to 6.5G I don't see anything I'd ever use that 6ARC buys me. I can already reach out to 1000yds with the right load from all 3 of my Grendels. Maybe not WELL, but I could. 6ARC can do it a little better, but only a tiny bit better. Really if I want something better, I'd be looking at 6.5CM (because at least some of the bullets overlap with 6.5G). Or maybe a .260 rem. I do like the idea of it.

 

[KIBarrister]

Yeah I've looked closely a HAM'R versus BO, but the fact that the barrels aren't made to properly stabilize anything subsonic has lost me. Once I finally dip my toes, and I will someday, my intention is to get something giggle quiet for suppressed subsonic plinking and ground hog removal (once I move for the later, that would NOT be safe where I am. 22lr is okay so long as you aren't an A-hole or blind drunk). But I would like it to be a better supersonic round too. I really don't like how much 300BO got trimmed back. But 300 HAM'R isn't made with a fast twist barrel at all. So, for now, a no go. If the only use was for deer hunting, it might be about perfect, other than no one makes anything for it. Before that I had brief love affair with 277 Wolverine that I never consummated before I lost my passion when I saw how little anyone makes for it.

HAM'R also prevents you from accidentally stuffing a 300BO into a 223 chamber. Another one of those "WTF was he thinking" design decisions for the cartridge. "but it is easy to convert brass!"

Yeah. Okay. For the 1% of 300BO shooters who do, that is great.

I hear you on the hunter safety. Even a total neophyte on guns in hunting 7 years ago when I took mine, I still remember hearing two totally wrong things that were clear as day on DNR's website that they were misquoting. I don't recall what they were now.

Yeah, I don't think the covered deer thing has ever been law. I certainly see plenty of guys ignoring the heck out of that one. I'd personally cover one because I don't want crap landing or getting blown all over my deer. Though in my case, I don't have a truck, so it just goes in the trunk of my car.

I did learn from a couple of DNR biologists, and I still am meaning to check it, that they changed regs and so long as you have checked in your deer first, you are not required to tag your deer unless you are giving the deer in to another person's possession. But it needs to be tagged OR checked in prior to being moved. That'll save me a bit of paper and some luggage tags (plus zip ties) I put the paper tags in since most the deer I am shooting are 50-100 yds behind my house. Even if I was going to butcher it on the back deck a few minutes later, I am a stickler for following rules. Plus, I know there are some hardcore horse lady idiots in my neighborhood. I have permission from the neighbors to be hunting, but I don't need one of them walking their dog and see me back there and call DNR/NRP and have a warden giving me the 5th degree looking for anything at all wrong I've done. Part of why I prefer archery season for hunting, because again, I stick to the regs and wear a blaze orange hat during ML and gun season. Which I am sure makes me stick out from people walking dogs 150yds away on the street when the leaves are off the trees. Just camo, I highly doubt anyone except the immediate neighbors notice me at all even with the leaves off.

Heck, if time and reloading room space are no issue, I say go for it. I'd love to dip my toes in to 6ARC. But my money, time and space are limited and already being deep in to 6.5G I don't see anything I'd ever use that 6ARC buys me. I can already reach out to 1000yds with the right load from all 3 of my Grendels. Maybe not WELL, but I could. 6ARC can do it a little better, but only a tiny bit better. Really if I want something better, I'd be looking at 6.5CM (because at least some of the bullets overlap with 6.5G). Or maybe a .260 rem. I do like the idea of it.

Again, our thought process is lockstep! If it wasn’t for stature consideration I would not even be considering small frame AR - as you are deep in Grendel, I am with creedmoor (and for the really long stuff I would be using my 300 rum had I the need.

Oh, and if you check in you do NOT need to tag Confirmation number in hand is just as good…

 

[akalma]

18" for my hunting AR. I also have a 24" upper that appears to be a tack driver, but I've actually only taken it to the range twice. Both are made with mostly cheap Classic Firearms junk parts, that turned out 1MOA guns.

That said, I am mostly deer hunting with my Howa mini 1500 with a 20" heavy barrel in 6.5 Grendel. It is more accurate and a bit handier. And about the same weight as the 18" (the 18" and 24" have fluted heavy barrels). Plus, it suppresses better than the AR does. I'll get my 18" AR back out for sure. But for now, I am a smitten kitten with my Howa. That is what I used to shoot the late season doe in question.

Thanks. I'm a firm believer in 6.8SPC AR-15 for hunting, my impression this cartridge got oversited with all the hype with 6.5. It has plenty of bullets and poweders available for reloading, gives pretty good accuracy with 12.5" and 16" barrel length.
The only drawback it is not easily suppressed but even 300BO subsonic which is famous for good suppression becomes pitiful for hunting.

 

[Ecestu]

Came out on this windy day. I arrived a little later than I would've liked. When I got out to the field, I saw two 2-pointers on the other end of the field. I was so excited to creep up on these deer I couldn't shoot that I bumped the doe that I could shoot that I've seen 3 times this week. I decided to keep pursuing the two bucks to shoot them with my camera. I closed the distance to about 40 yards. There were some bushes and tall grass between us, but I was able to see them looking back at what I later found to be another deer. There was also a crosswind, so I was good. But then the crosswind shifted, and I was upwind. That put them on high alert. They didn't stick around too much longer. On their way out of sight, one of them paused and looked back one more time. The rangefinder said 90 yards. After about 5 seconds, he turned and ran, then I saw the third deer hightailing it out of there. I can only assume it was a buck, as well.

I just have to say that I love seeing deer on public land, even if I can't shoot them.

Update: Decided to sit until sunset. About 15 minutes before sunset, my 6+ pointer showed up. Still alive. Yes. But at the other side of the field, in the same place as the smaller bucks from earlier. Tried to get closer for some photos. I was 100% upwind this time. I got to about 60 yards and I could hear him blowing. Decided to stay in place with my camera at the ready. He crossed in front of me going back to the woods. Came within 40 yards, pause long enough for me to be able to take a shot (but my effing camera crashed my phone!), then took off. 1 second later, a doe was right behind him in full stride. Looked like the same one from earlier. Dammit.

 

[Ecestu]

Nice, brisk afternoon here in the fields of Central Maryland. Got out here much earlier in case that doe wants to make another early afternoon appearance. The sun's out, so no complaints here.

I do have a question for you savvy hunters. If I see a legal buck, I shoot it. I hope the big one comes by when firearms season starts, but if the loner 5 pointer is unlucky number 3, so be it. Are there others like me, or do most of you only shoot the geriatric, wall hanging bruisers?

 

[KIBarrister]

Nice, brisk afternoon here in the fields of Central Maryland. Got out here much earlier in case that doe wants to make another early afternoon appearance. The sun's out, so no complaints here.

I do have a question for you savvy hunters. If I see a legal buck, I shoot it. I hope the big one comes by when firearms season starts, but if the loner 5 pointer is unlucky number 3, so be it. Are there others like me, or do most of you only shoot the geriatric, wall hanging bruisers?

I hunt for meat, horns are a bonus.

 

[gwchem]

On certain property I hunt for horns, others I just make sure they're not babies.

 

[outrider58]

Some folks say "you can't eat antlers".

I say "you can't hang your coat on a backstrap".

 

[lazarus]

Some folks say "you can't eat antlers".

I say "you can't hang your coat on a backstrap"

If you leave it in the dehydrator long enough you can