.36 for deer hunting??

[Darkhorse]

I never understood using the minimum caliber for game. It's like fishing for 10lb trout with a 2wt fly rod. Dumb!

I whole heartedly agree. Light tackle fishing I do and understand. But light tackle hunting is beyond my ken. For me a proper deer caliber starts at .50 and I prefer the .54 above the rest. I am very fond of my .40 and it's a tack driver, just a pleasure to hold and shoot. But I can't begin to consider it a deer caliber. Perhaps an Antelope gun? I have considered that.
I'm sure where one hunts has a  bearing on the chosen caliber. Down here in the thick southern swamps and woods we need a large hole that lets a lot of blood out if we need to track one. And the faster a deer expires the better. While farther west recovery with a small caliber would be much easier.
I agree that shot placement is everything. But sometimes conditions dictate that little ball doesn't always hit where you want it to no matter how good you are. That's when the .54 shines.

[MuskratMike]

South Carolina deer season is August 15th - January 1st? Seriously out here in the "People Republic of Oregon" we get 7-10 days. You boys in the South have it lucky. Need a hunting partner next year?
"Muskrat Mike"

[Bob McBride]

South Carolina deer season is August 15th - January 1st? Seriously out here in the "People Republic of Oregon" we get 7-10 days. You boys in the South have it lucky. Need a hunting partner next year?
"Muskrat Mike"

And me and Wade Patton are the luckiest of all. Our county is 3 Does a day til after the first week of January.

[Levy]

I have two friends that work for the Florida Wildlife Commission.  I believe that recently they legalized .30 cal. air guns for deer.  They made the argument that if .30 cal. air guns are legal so should .30 cal. ML's be legal and that passed too.  Previously, .40 cal. ML's were the minimum for deer.  I think that it is  a case of marketing driving hunting regulations (as with inlines also).  I personally like .50 and .54 cal. for deer hunting.  James Levy.  I'll check the regulations now and see if I've made a mistake.

[WadePatton]

South Carolina deer season is August 15th - January 1st? Seriously out here in the "People Republic of Oregon" we get 7-10 days. You boys in the South have it lucky. Need a hunting partner next year?
"Muskrat Mike"

And me and Wade Patton are the luckiest of all. Our county is 3 Does a day til after the first week of January.

And three bucks we can throw on that pile.    We're also lucky to not have one jump into our vehicle any time we're out at night or pre-dawn.  Knock wood, despite many close calls, I've haven't bent metal on one yet-but I've seen it happen.

The way I prefer to look at it, the TN rules allow for most traditional Hog Rifle calibers to be used because some folks don't have a rack guns to choose from, and need a utility gun first and foremost.  This is completely off-base I'm sure, and the guys who passed it likely wouldn't even know what I was talking about, but I like the idea anyway.

And it won't hurt a thing for me to go 'round thinkin' it.   

[Mike from OK]

.40 Cal minimum in the Sooner state...

I'm certain I could take deer with my .32, but I'm not certain I would be comfortable doing it.

Mike

[wolf]

South Carolina deer season is August 15th - January 1st? Seriously out here in the "People Republic of Oregon" we get 7-10 days. You boys in the South have it lucky. Need a hunting partner next year?
"Muskrat Mike"

until a couple of years ago we had no limit on bucks, except 5 per day. then we had several doe days. now they have these stupid tags, the limit is 3 bucks per year and you can buy more buck tags. but they really are a joke! as a lot of people skin and clean deer at home and do what we want. if a deer is taken to most processers they give you the tag back and you use the same tag over. I killed 9 deer last year and wasn't even trying hard! i give a lot of meat to familys who need it. I am 62 and have done that all my life, it is un-telling how many deer I have killed. and I am a lightweight compared to some of the other rednecks here! some kill 20 or so a year! that sounds awful but we have deer like fleas on a dog! the only ones game wardens mess with are the dog hunting clubs, it is all about making money! that's all!