The harvest of trophy bucks and older age-class bucks has generally been stable over the years. The .257 Roberts, which is continuing its slide into obsolescence, is near and dear to my heart. Less game will be wounded and lost, which means more animals and better hunting for all of us. It is not uncommon in South Carolina for hunters to find wild deer. In the state, a large caliber rifle, such as a.35 caliber or better, is now permitted. It pushes bullets about 250 fps faster and has been winning ELR (extreme long-range matches) even when going head-to-head against big .30s and .33s like the .300 Norma, .300 PRC and .338 Lapua. Wildlife Refuge, Report Its a solid contender for the best deer caliber out to 500 yards. For a broke kid, this was a godsend, since I was able to read about and obsess over all the rifles and cartridges I couldnt afford while trying to pick the best deer hunting caliber. Hunting regulations in South Carolina are governed by laws and requirements that must be followed by all hunters. Hunting with a bow and arrow is permitted for apprentice residents. The list is difficult to narrow down to five items. Therefore, we want a hunting cartridge/load with a maximum point blank range (MPBR) +/- 3 inches of at least 200 yards. Wild herb, fruit, and agricultural crops are the primary sources of nutrition for deer, but they may also be able to survive on the leaves, buds, and twigs of woody trees and shrubs. Hunting on private land requires a permit from the owner of the land. Lenient Gun laws however, do not mean that proper hunting practices should not be observed. The first choice is the.22 caliber. Since these are technical argumentsmostly concerning the ability of those cartridges to drive a given bullet fasterit requires a technical rebuttal. When hunting with a firearm in South Carolina, you must be 300 yards away from a residence when less than 10 feet above the ground. And its still going strong. In the morning and at night, when the moon is full, deer tend to be more active. is going to bounce off. In 2002, the states deer harvest was 319,902 animals. Even out past 500 yards, this round is carrying more than 2000 foot-pounds of energy. Other regulations include limits on the number of deer that can be killed, the use of bait, and the use of dogs. All deer harvested in South Carolina are required to have their tags on. County and municipal laws however may have restrictions. Cookie Policy - Through the IFW, archers can learn new skills under a new program. notches, marking, etc. It really is the best all-around hunting rifle caliber. The gun hunting season for deer runs from September 1 to January 1, and firearms are permitted during that time. There is no definitive answer to this question as it largely depends on personal preferences. Crowning one cartridge as the best whitetail caliber is a difficult task, but it is hard to imagine which would surpass the .30/30 Winchester. It is very unlikely that a large sum of money will be able to be taken. But fewer and fewer hunters look to the .25s these days. Just $1 per month , Here are the top cartridges for pursuing North Americas most popular big-game animal, We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Is deer overpopulation a problem in South Carolina? An antlered deer is defined as a deer with antlers 2 inches or more above the hairline. On medium games, the cartridges perform admirably, can be effectively used at a short range, and are reasonably priced. Deer hunting with .223-caliber rifles is legal in most states. This does not apply to storage at a private residence or to deer on which a hunters personal tag remains attached to the hamstring because the tag identifies the hunter. It isnt that I have an issue with the subject. Those who purchase tags for the entire deer season must also have an active license or big game permit. The Columbia full-service Licensing and Boat Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources - Rembert C. Dennis Building 1000 Assembly Street, Columbia . And its terminal ballistics can handle all but thick-skinned dangerous game. Deer may be taken with handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Note that all hunters in the SCDNR study were placed in elevated, permanent stands with seats and rests to facilitate marksmanship; they were not shooting offhand or from hurriedly acquired field positions. Personally, I think that advantage is negated by the poorer shooting one sees with these thumpers, but to each his own. Here is a list of possible Fusion Lite loads we can add to our caliber list. This years deer hunting season in South Carolina will be significantly different than previous years. Please visit the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources website if you want to learn more about the game you want to hunt. Federal Premium 165-grain Sierra Gameking. Snow is Shooting Editor of Outdoor Life, where he oversees the publications firearms and shooting coverage. All of these calibers are effective for deer hunting, but they may not be the best for specific hunting situations. We also accept that 800 ft. lb. The cartridge should be at least .24 caliber, have a MPBR +/- 3 inches of at least 200 yards, deliver at least 800 ft. lb. One advantage it had over the most popular .30, the .300 H&H Magnum, is that it could be chambered in a standard long-action rifle, whereas the .300 H&H required a magnum-length action to run. Tags are valid in Game Zones 2, 3, and 4 beginning Sept. 15 and in Game Zone 1 beginning Oct. 1. Since 1962, when the round was introduced in conjunction with the Remington 700, countless others have arrived at the same conclusion. There is a permit, tag, and stamp available for each specific game. The.30-06 Springfield is a good caliber for hunting deer in states that allow hunting with a rifle, but it could be a better caliber for hunting deer with a bow. It's a solid contender for the best deer caliber out to 500 yards. faced some stiff competition among .30-caliber magnums. I even added a few places up north. A. Feral Hog, Coyote & Armadillo Regulations, General Migratory Bird Seasons, Shooting Hours, & Bag Limits, Hog Hunting Seasons for WMAs & Heritage Preserves, http://dnr.sc.gov/regs/pdf/speciallicenseapp.pdf. Sharpshooters have been called in to control areas of high deer density. Except for the under-appreciated .240 Weatherby, there are no magnum cartridges on the list. There are marshes all along the South Carolina coast, as well as mountain forests, but they prefer mixed-old forests, croplands, and farms. Its been around forever, packs a punch, and helped us defeat the Nazis in World War II. Therefore, the use of full metal jacket rounds and other hard tipped rounds was found unnecessary. Being the minimum it must be not as good as bigger, manlier cartridges, and therefore has been equated with youth rifles and first-time hunters. It might come as a surprise to some, but despite the gargantuan success of the .270 over the decades it was not an immediate hit with the shooting public. Except in the far West, white-tailed deer can be found throughout the United States, except in the far north. at 200 yards .30-06 Spfd., 125 grain at 2660 fps: 1249 ft. lb. In short, the relevant language redefines the "shotgun zone" as the "limited firearms deer zone" and adds the following to the list of allowable firearms in Southern Michigan: " (d) A .35 caliber or larger rifle loaded with straight-walled cartridges with a minimum case length of 1.16 inches and a maximum case length of 1.80 inches. South Carolina has hunter harassment laws that state that it is illegal for anybody to deliberately restrict another person from licensed hunting or related activities like fishing and trapping. For youth 17 years old and younger. Where the .300 Win. His outstanding prose, and experience in the field, tipped the scales in favor of the .270 to the point where it has run neck-in-neck with the .30/06 in terms of popularity for three quarters of a century. All harvested deer must be tagged at the point of kill prior to being transported. I think that when you consider how simple it is to build a tack-driver of a .223 (just go with a 1:7 twist for these heavy bullets) and how well an AR balances with the round that the answer is yes. The type of firearm and ammunition used is up to the hunter, but must meet the minimum requirements for hunting deer set by the state. And the .25/06 and .257 Weatherby are also wonderful on deer. As hunters, we must be familiar with and knowledgeable about our firearms. Hunters traveling elsewhere should check with the wildlife agency in their destination state to determine its CWD status and to determine what restrictions the state may have on the movement of carcasses. The original loads for the .300 Winchester were with 150- and 180-grain bullets. A deer hunter who cannot shoot a 10 MOA group offhand should not be obsessing about whether his or her rifle will (theoretically) deliver 1/2 MOA groups. In a lever gun, Ive always been partial to the .35 Remington. Because larger caliber rifles are more effective at killing deer and other wildlife, this prohibition is required. Most deer hunters use the 129-grain bullets, but it also comes in 120- and 140-grain rounds. And who has better taste in such matters than me, the Shooting Editor of Outdoor Life? Titling office is now located at: SCDNR Furthermore, because they are so widely available, they can be used in a variety of ways. How often do you hear the term match-grade thrown around? The best bullets for deer are those weighing 90 grains or more. The Hunting Seasons and Regulations Act of 2013, which was passed by the South Carolina General Assembly in 2013, established hunting seasons and deer hunting rules. Fans of the big magnums insist that a benefit to these boomers is that they are more forgiving with bullet placement than lesser cartridges. However, deer ran less frequency when hunters implemented a high caliber rifle. Use them as your standard ammunition for hunting Class 2 game (deer) and switch to full power loads if the occasion arises to hunt Class 3 game (elk). With a flat-fire bullet, the.243 can travel up to 200 yards. And more people, by far, search for best deer hunting calibers than the technically correct cartridge. With that out of the way, lets proceed. In states where hunting with a rifle is legal, the.300 Winchester Magnum is an excellent caliber for deer hunting; however, it is not the most effective caliber to use if hunting with a bow. Commercial natural deer urine products are made of urine collected from deer in other states, many of which have diagnosed CWD. It is unlawful to hunt deer with a firearm within three hundred yards of a residence when less than ten feet above the ground without permission of the owner and occupant. Nebraska State Hunting Laws - Quick View. Thats with a 175-grain spire-point hunting bullet at 2900 fps. The best practice is to take a deposit for the processing service when deer are left at the facility. Its the scrappy underdog that elbowed its way in between the .270 and .30/06 and has managed to hang in there despite the dominance of those rounds. Published on November 21, 2017 by LJ Bonham. A habitat can support more than twice as many deer as it can support. The timber covered mountains have patches of clearcuts where the deer hang out and long cross-canyon shots are the norm. In coastal communities, the IFW examines the potential of managing deer herds. Though that shot didnt take advantage of the 7mm Mags flat trajectory, it convinced me of the cartridges superior qualities. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources - Rembert C. Dennis Building Hunting black bears with dogs is possible both under and without the use of dogs. Answering Questions About Guns, Ammo, and Man's Best Friend. Page had been fooling around with a number of 6mm wildcats in the late 1940s, but when Winchester introduced the .308 Winchester in 1952, he discovered the platform hed been looking for. Hunting time begins one hour before sunrise and ends one hour after sunset. If you want to hunt deer in a more relaxed environment, consider using the.30-06 Springfield or the.300 Winchester Magnum. Hunting licenses and hunting permits are required for some games. Do Deer Move More During The Rut? Limits listed do not apply to quota deer taken on properties enrolled in the Deer Quota Program. These loads are effective to at least 200 yards and excellent for our self-imposed 150 yard shot limit. Act 2, passed by the South Carolina General Assembly in 2013, removed the prohibition on hunting over bait on private lands within Game Zone 1 and Zone 2. In Game Zones 1 and 2 it is unlawful to pursue deer with dogs (50-11-310). The most popular method of deer hunting in South Carolina is still rifle hunting, as it is the most effective way to take down a deer. Adult may guide, however, only the youth may take or attempt to take. It is prohibited to shoot and kill eagles, hawks, owls, and vultures and other birds of prey. Processors may not accept untagged deer; however they are not responsible for any missing information on a deer tag, e.g. Some people may enjoy deer hunting in South Carolina because of the challenge it presents, while others may find it to be a frustrating and unsuccessful experience. In Game Zones 1 and 2 it is unlawful to pursue deer with dogs. This law was passed in response to complaints about hunters hunting too close to houses. Mag. In states where hunting deer is legal with a rifle, the.257 caliber is a good choice. I hope that you, gentle reader, having read this article will take it to heart. Dont bother with the Ackley improved AI version. 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