Blacktail Gun

Lien2 · Jul 13, 2006

I will be going on my first Blacktail hunt in Calif. this October. Which rifle should I bring? .243 with 100 gr.. bullets, .270 with 150 gr. bullets, or 7mm Rem Mag with 150 gr. bullets. I know a nice buck will weigh about 150 lbs. so they aren't huge by any means. The .243 would be small and light for carrying, but I like the 7mm cuz they can never be too dead.

I shoot them all well and am comfortable with them all.

Lien2

Blueoak · Jul 13, 2006

I shoot my 7MM at everything 140gr. noslers. The don't expand on the blacktails very well sometimes though. I would shoot the 7 or the 270.

larrbo · Jul 13, 2006

I would stick with the .270 or the 7mm. Depending on the area you are hunting you may have a fairly long shot. I have killed around 30 blacktails in Calif. and use the same rifle's I hunt mule deer with.

RACKMASTER · Jul 13, 2006

7mag and a good brush gun are what I use.
Here in B zone I get both long and thick brush shots!
is in thick brush I KICK BEARS, CATS AND SNAKES UP...
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eelgrass · Jul 13, 2006

Lien2.......I've killed a bunch with my 6mm Remington so .243 would work fine. .270 is ideal and 7mm would be great. I hope this helps!

I hope you get a nice trashy looking non-typical to match your mule deer buck from last year.

Steve

Lien2 · Jul 14, 2006

Hey thanks guys.
Steve, you were no help at all. Thank you.

Yeh, I am hoping to shoot two out there, one for the house, and one for my hunting cabin. If one would match my muley I'd be tickled!
Thanks again for your lovely insight on my choice of weapon.........if I read you right, any of the 3 should do the trick?!

Lien2

PAL · Jul 14, 2006

I've hunted them in WA, OR and CA and I'd lean on the side of lighter than bigger - .243, .270 good --- 7mm mangle'um is a bit of overkill IMHO for those little blackies and you're right a 150 pounder would be a really good buck in Cal...