Creedmore seem very slow at the muzzle at only 2315!
They're energy numbers, not velocity.
I was discussing a bad outcome on the hill with a SD member by pm a couple of nights ago.
Red deer, shot with .300 WSM, 180gr at around 180m.
There is absolutely no getting away from the fact that it doesn’t matter how powerful your rifle is, if you can’t shoot properly you’ll wound and lose deer…
In the world of deer hunting it is quite normal to get two distinct populations of shooter. Those that use a standard short action cartridge, and those that use a “magnum” cartridge, normally long action but sometimes a short action WSM.
There’s one particular guy I know who some on here will recognise from the NZ forum. He’s 74 and a very prolific deer hunter. Out on the hill pretty much every week, usually alone, shooting and recovering red and fallow deer for meat, much of which is donated to those in need. His deeds are quite bloody brilliant really.
What is interesting is that from one week to the next, he will use rifles ranging from the .223 Rem to the .300 PRC, and several in between. He goes to great lengths to post the outcome on our forum with pictures of entry and exit wounds, vitals damage, etc, always with a clear description of range, angle and projectile. He often posts pictures of recovered bullets. Hence we get a really good insight into the terminal performance of different types of projectiles in different calibres and MV / energy. Some of you fellas would be well served to follow this content.
I can say that there would appear to be absolutely bugger all difference in his success rate no matter whether he is using a small 60gr bullet or a large 180gr bullet. And no, he doesn’t headshoot.
Shot placement, every time.
So the answer to the question is still yes.