Best caliber for short to medium range woods hunting?

[Steiny]

I thought Indiana was pretty limited except for private property hunts?

Used to be a shotgun only state, then they went to pistol cartridge rifles (.44 mag, .357 mag, etc.), a couple years ago they opened it up to pretty much everything, .243 and bigger.

 

[DK27]

Why?

I have wind proof gear that keeps me warm and dry. Wet jeans aren't fun

 

[DK27]

I have wind and water proof gear that keeps me warm and dry. Wet jeans aren't fun

 

[Mainer207]

I have a Model Seven chambered in 7mm-08 with an 18” barrel and a straight 4x scope. Was my first rifle and is a great gun to carry around in the timber.
Someone mentioned the model 99 in .300 savage... my old man has shot deer for 40 years with that gun, but I’d hate to lug that log around if you’re doing much walking. It’s heavy as hell.
My pops also has a cabinet full of Winchester .30-30s and a couple .32 specials ...growing up the son of an antique dealer has it’s perks. They mostly sit in the cabinet, but all this talk makes me want to take one for a walk next season.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I have wind proof gear that keeps me warm and dry. Wet jeans aren't fun

True about the jeans. So, I carry dark green rain gear.

 

[ImBillT]

Big and slow is the name of the game in close quarters brush. Fast moving pointy bullets are deflected significantly by seemingly insignificant brush and twigs. The same is not true of blunt nosed heavy bullets moving slowly. I would not discount the 30-30 at all for a brush gun, but would certainly consider other cartridges common to lever guns if you feel the need to improve upon the 30-30. I’m no expert in such cartridges, but the 444 Marlin and 45-70 come to mind immediately.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

Both are a bit overkill for deer. Elk and bear they're good though.

Those calibers in a light lever gun will wake you up.

 

[3855WIN]

.308

 

[BRaska]

Best is what like and are confident with. I started with 30.06 but in recent years have found for me the .308 in a 125 grain or 168 depending on the animal ect..

 

[AmericanLongrifle]

We would drop deer every year with an old Win94 in 30-30 using 150gr core lokts and iron sights in PA growing up. No fancy plastic tipped bullets or optics. All that crap isn't needed for hunting thick brush.

 

[PAelkhunter]

My vote is the .270 Win with a 130gr projectile. I started with 150’s, but couldn’t get reliable expansion on thinner skinned game like whitetail deer. Loaded up some rounds with Sierra game king 130’s and never looked back. Works great in the PA hardwoods.

My kids shoot .243 and 7mm-08 with good success, but much less recoil. 7mm mag was what my dad always carried, but he’s in his 70’s now and kills just as many deer with a 257 Roberts.

Like many have said, there isn’t any one caliber that’s “the one”. Weigh your options and find one that suits your needs the best. Good luck!

 

[Preacher shaner]

I hunt in WV every year. And it's woods hunting and I love my 6.5 manbun. But I have a pump 20ga I use here in OH to deer hunt with. The SSTs are bad to the bone. I may be wrong on this but when it comes to deer hunting hear in the east pick the one that has the biggest COOL factor to you and go kill all the deer you want.
Just have fun with it.

 

[sharpshooter97]

I'd say stick with the .30-30 and use a 170 grain soft point, if you want to get a new rifle just because I think the .243 is a good short range deer caliber

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

My 9.3 is my bush gun for when I need to kill something on the otherside of something.

 

[Pucky Freak]

30-30 will fit your needs just fine. Sometimes I buy new guns to use for the fun of it, and nothing wrong with that either. I’d hold on to your current set up in case there’s an issue with your new set up.

 

[PawPawWPG]

What about .450 Bushmaster? I’ve got one for the limited zone in Michigan and love it. Big and slow but accurate!

 

[elkhnter]

Putting together a 458 Socom for this fall in Indiana. At 150 yards or less, should do the trick.

 

[RevJim]

I used a Mod 94 Classic Carbine, 30-30, with 150 Remington CorLokts for deer and hogs. I've also used the Marlin 1894 in 44 Magnum and a 1894 cowboy Carbine in 45 Colt in the woods. We used, but felt, the 30-06 was like a "magnum" on deer, pretty rough on those East, Texas deer. The best meat saver for me was when Federal began loading the Sierra 165 Game King in those old "Red Box" cartridges. It was a good one in my dad's Mod 742/30-06. A good Marlin 336 in 30-30 or 35 Remington ( non safety model) with a Happy Trigger, and a low powered scope is perfect. Do I still own one, nah, I use bolt rifles exclusively now. I do prefer the "Mountain Rifle" style though, slim & trim....like a good levergun, ha.

 

[buffybr]

I killed my first deer with a Winchester Model 94 in .32 Special. For the next 10 or so years I shot my deer with a .30-06 and Hornady 150 grain Spire Point bullets, although one year I used a patched .45 caliber round ball from a CVA kit Kentucky rifle that I built. Since about 1978 I've killed most of my deer with my .257 Ackley shooting 117 grain Sierra GameKing or Hornady 120 grain HP bullets. Last year I shot a Sitka Blacktail deer with my .308 Weatherby Vanguard and a Sierra 150 grain GameKing bullet.

And I'd NEVER hunt in jeans...

 

[AmericanLongrifle]

I killed my first deer with a Winchester Model 94 in .32 Special. For the next 10 or so years I shot my deer with a .30-06 and Hornady 150 grain Spire Point bullets, although one year I used a patched .45 caliber round ball from a CVA kit Kentucky rifle that I built. Since about 1978 I've killed most of my deer with my .257 Ackley shooting 117 grain Sierra GameKing or Hornady 120 grain HP bullets. Last year I shot a Sitka Blacktail deer with my .308 Weatherby Vanguard and a Sierra 150 grain GameKing bullet.

And I'd NEVER hunt in jeans...

You mean to tell me that you harvested all of those critters wearing jeans......

Geez, I thought a hunter must wear the latest and greatest camo pattern to hunt.

Honestly, I wear carhart pants and a flannel while deer/elk hunting during muzzleloader season. I wear the same, but with an insulated coat during rifle season. And a bright orange vest and hat also.

I learned long ago that camo is designed for making money off the hunter, not for hiding the hunter. Our fore fathers didn't use or need "mossy oak advantage breakup max-1 sitka kuiu kryptek camo" to kill critters.....they just learned how to hunt.