22-250

[bobcat]

Starling.

[uplandhunter870]

i dont see why not. id rather physics limit my caliber choices than the government. it all comes down to bullet selection and shot placement just like every other "this caliber or that caliber" discussion. you can make a  bad shot with a larger caliber weapon just as easy as a smaller one.

correct and thought-provoking point you bring up.  but is there a line to be drawn?  a .22 short behind the ear will drop nearly anything in it's tracks, but should you be legally allowed to hunt with one?  At some point every hunter will make a poor shot, and with larger caliber weapons, the chance of immobilizing the animal with subsequent back-up shots increases.

i agree 724wd there is a line to be drawn and in a perfect world it would be drawn by the ethics of individual sportsmen/women and an accurate self assessment of their own individual capabilities not a fish and game agency. there are hunters that possess great skill in shooting and could do quite well with smaller calibers due to years of practice or simply god given shooting talent and then there are others that dont have the years of practice or simply were not graced with such talents.

since we do not live in a perfect world and everyone determines their own ethics and evaluates there abilities differently we will simply have to follow the rules handed to us.

and yes i agree that with larger caliber weapons you drastically increase your chances of quickly putting a wounded animal down

[GoldTip]

I knew several smaller framed girls when I was a kid in Montana who's Dad's had them deer hunting with a 22magnum.  One girl I knew really well killed several deer with a 22mag, I know at least one  was a good buck I recall.  Her Dad was always with her when hunting and limited her shots to under 50 yards and broadside and they were all one shot kills.  Many here would say the guy lacked common sense to have his daughter hunting with that weapon.  I know that same girl now packs a 338 win mag in AK and kills animals we all dream about.  So I would say that Daddy knew what he was doing when he introduced her to the sport.  Don't know whether that was legal back then or not, hell it was going on 35 years ago, but I know it was done.  Not sure whether I care for this states fish police deciding what caliber I can or can not hunt with either, kind of like telling me I HAVE to wear a seat belt.  But I digress with my last statement, simple fact of the matter is that those calibers are not legal to hunt with in this state.  No different than it's not legal to kill wolves or grizzlies here, we have to follow the laws as set forth by the fish and game, or choose to decide they are wrong and face the consequences.

[high country]

what kind of critter?  prairie dog?  moose?   

Anything in between. A good bullet makes the +3500ish centerfires down right pissed.

[Emptyhanded]

I'm thinkin' a 53 gr. TSX through shoulders would be bad news for the deer... 

[wreckerman5357]

Like was mentioned above with the girl that deer hunted with the .22 mag, I think a lot of people have their kids hunt with these small caliber rifles because they are too small to handle the recoil of a larger rifle. I think if a kid can't handle a .243, then they are not ready to hunt. Wait a year or two, have them practice with tongues and step them up when they are ready.

[724wd]

Wait a year or two, have them practice with tongues and step them up when they are ready.

WHAT??!!!     with a 4 year old daughter at home, i don't want her to practice ANYTHING with tongues!   

[runningboard]

I think a lot of people have their kids hunt with these small caliber rifles because they are too small to handle the recoil of a larger rifle. I think if a kid can't handle a .243, then they are not ready to hunt.

Exactly why I have students in my Hunter Education classes shoot at least a 20 gauge shotgun as it is the smallest legal for big-game. I have told parents your words verbatim, if they can't handle the 20 gauge, then perhaps they are not ready.

[BLUEBULLS]

I agree that a 22-250 will do the job if used correctly but they have to draw a line somewhere. You can thank a large percentage of our population for this, too many idiots out running around who would use a 22-250 incorrectly. I feel like they drew the line in a good spot.

[wreckerman5357]

Wait a year or two, have them practice with tongues and step them up when they are ready.

WHAT??!!!     with a 4 year old daughter at home, i don't want her to practice ANYTHING with tongues!   

Got to love the autocorrect feature on Android phones. "rimfire" was corrected  "tongues". Got to really watch what this things doing I guess!

[demontang]

Got to love the autocorrect feature on Android phones. "rimfire" was corrected  "tongues". Got to really watch what this things doing I guess!

  My iphone does a few good one too.

 It seems that the gov has to protect the not so sharp from them selves a lot, look at all the things that are laws that should just be common sense

[high country]

It is pretty obvious Montana, Idaho, Alaska....and others have better hunters than wa does. They seem to do just fine with 22 centers.

[wreckerman5357]

People lose plenty of animals in those states with .22 centerfires as well. It's just that those states don't interfere in peoples business by telling them .22s are illegal. Just as many idiots there I'm sure.

[inchtowntracking]

I have seen posts like this before on different sites, and one guy said that guys who cant shoot use bigger guns. Less room for error that way. Now I know that cant be true for all but I would feel safe to guess that is the case for some. From other guys on here it sounds like if you can find the right bullet a smaller gun can be just as deadly as a big gun when shooting in the shoulder. I say use what you feel comfortable with and use a bullet that is capibale to get the job done.

[high country]

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/5638484/Re_Girl_s_first_deer_hunt_with#Post5638484