Finding the Best ‘Tool’ for the Game

Just as you don’t want to kill a fly with a bazooka, the same holds true for dispatching small game.  A .300 Winchester bullet will bring down a feral hog, but it’s likely to turn their smaller brethren into minute particles. It’s known as overkill. There’s the right caliber bullet for every animal, a specific “tool” to get the job done in the most efficient and economical way.

For squirrels and rabbits, the .22 LR caliber bullet is ideal. It provides power and accuracy up to 50 yards. A high-powered pellet gun is also effective against squirrels, as is the .17 HMR. Using a higher caliber against this furry-tailed, acorn hoarding rodent is just plain nuts.

Turkeys, unlike upland game birds and waterfowl, are not required to be harvested with a shotgun. Ideal caliber sizes range from the .22 WMR, for distances from 25 to 50 yards, to the .243 Winchester, which is effective up to 200 yards. The 35-grain .223 Remington is one of the most popular against turkeys, providing plenty of pop without blasting the bird into oblivion and putting a damper on the Thanksgiving meal.

In the medium game category, there’s the fox, which is prized for its pelt yet poses a threat to poultry and other small animals as a varmint. If you want to save the pelt, the small .17 Hornet bullet is the way to go. If you’re trying to ensure he won’t take up residence in the henhouse, outfox him by using .22 WMR, 223 Remington or .22-250 Remington bullets.

The coyote is another medium game animal whose pelt carries value. There are a number of caliber choices, based on shooting distance. As with the fox, the .17 Hornet is the bullet of choice at distances less than 200 feet and if you want to preserve the pelt. At longer ranges, there are the .223 Remington, .204 Ruger, 22-250 Remington, .243 Winchester, .220 Swift, and 6 mm Creedmoor.

The large game category is a large one and includes deer, caribou, elk, moose, caribou, and bear. Deer remains the most popular target among big game hunters and, as with other game, calls for different caliber bullets based on distance.

The .30-.30 Winchester is excellent for short and medium distances, while the .270 Winchester is a longtime favorite that is effective up to 500 yards. In between are the .243, and .308 Winchester. At the high-powered end are the 30-06 Springfield, 7 mm Remington, and .300 Winchester.