Doe Antelope Caliber

[okie archer]

300 win mag with 220 grain eld-x bullet and 78 grains of powder will for sure kill a pronghorn dead. Ask me how I know.

 

[Nate Mode]

300 win mag with 220 grain eld-x bullet and 78 grains of powder will for sure kill a pronghorn dead. Ask me how I know.

because you missed a deer at 1/2 mile but shot a doe antelope instead?

 

[Fullquiver]

I've killed 25+ Whitetails with 223, including a 170lb field dressed buck. Also several whitetails just over 200 yards.. I have to say that it would kill the tar out of an Antelope. However I would recommend only 2 rounds. The Nosler 60 GR Partition or the Federal Fusion MSR. Unless you reload then I would recommend a Speer Gold Dot in 62gr or 75gr or the 64gr Nosler BSB..

Also keep your shots under 250 yards and you had better be able to thread the needle with your rifle. With smaller caliber rounds shot placement becomes far more critical.. YMMV..

 

[Walkathon]

Do chickens have talons?

Yes. The chickens have large talons.

 

[okie archer]

because you missed a deer at 1/2 mile but shot a doe antelope instead?

Actually shot a buck pronghorn in his bed at 200ish yards. He jumped up and ran about 20 yards and fell dead.
Man, now that I think about it, 20 yards is to far for a pronghorn to run. Maybe I need a 300 RUM or a 338 lapua.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Do chickens have talons?

Are you suggesting falconry with chickens targeting pronghorn doe? Seems like a stretch but I would love to watch the effort.

 

[Nate Mode]

Are you suggesting falconry with chickens targeting pronghorn doe? Seems like a stretch but I would love to watch the effort.

That would be overkill.

 

[BTripp86]

I'd use the 7mm with a smaller bullet selection.

I would avoid the 223, doesn't typically have enough performance for an ethical kill on animals, IMO.

Beg to differ, In the right situations with the right bullets, the 223 works just fine for deer size game. My buddy had his 6 year old use my AR, with some handloaded 55 gr hornady spire points I had laying around to shoot his first deer last year. Lung shot, 40 yd run and a dead deer with 2 holes in him. I see this happen every season. You'd be surprised how many whitetails fall to a 223 every fall for kids. If it'll handle a whitetail, its fine on a 90 lb doe antelope.

 

[Tikka06]

With a quality bullet it would probably be ok I would think. But a 7mm would do it without the doubt in the back of your mind. That confidence can mean a lot. If I were shooting a 7mm at antelope I would have a 140gr monolithic bullet like a ttsx or hammer, etc.

 

[DRS]

I think a 223 could be effective for doe pronghorns. The only potential question I could see would be the amount of wind drift that the relatively light bullets could experience in the sometimes very windy conditions encountered when hunting pronghorn.

 

[mtmuley]

I wouldn't use anything less than a .300 RUM. DRT. mtmuley

 

[Nick87]

Either of those is fine with a good bullet you won't be under or over gunned. Take whichever you shoot best.

 

[Seamaster]

I don't like the 223 if there is much wind to consider. If I only had the two cartridges from which to choose, it would clearly be the 7mm.

 

[shoots-straight]

In all seriousness, 2 other fellas and myself hunted antelope in eastern Montana thru the 80's into the 90's and killed a semi trucks worth of Antelope with .224 caliber weapons in the .220 Swift, 22-250 win range. Keep your shots under 300 yrds in windless conditions and it will do the job. Use a well built bullet of course. Those smaller calibers are nice to shoot.

 

[EastTNHunter]

.223 Speer gold dots, 55gr TTSXs, Hammers or Nosler BSBs or NABs and keep it under 200. Be mindful of the wind in WY as it will be rough

Or 7mm mag and NABs, TTSXs, Hammers, etc and you’ll be fine. If you go with something light and fragile then you’ll likely do more damage

 

[Buffs35]

If you don't own a .300 wby, the 7mm will do.


Honestly, you're good either way. I'd choose the 7mm. I've used .243, .270, .30-06 and .300 wby for pronghorn. But none have provided an exit interview to tell me which they preferred.

 

[woods89]

If a 223 is legal I'd use it in a heartbeat. There's a thread on Rokslide with a dead moose, a few elk, and plenty of other animals that died from the 223 77 gr TMK.

Some other bullets that get high marks are the 75 ELDM and the Speer Gold Dots. I shot a whitetail doe last fall with a 73 gr Berger and she died within sight. You'll need a 1-8 or 1-7 twist rate for the 75+ gr bullets.

Wind drift may be a downside, however.

 

[TheJason]

Better have enough gun for the long, quartering shot at a doe of a lifetime, on the last day at dark.

 

[Bluffgruff]

This is taking the 6.5 CM "it's good enough if conditions are perfect" argument to a very extreme and needless place.

Use the 7mm, shoot behind the shoulder since the only reason to shoot a doe pronghorn is for the delicious meat.

 

[CPAjeff]

Being a resident of NE Utah, I’m assuming you drew a unit with quite a bit of oilfield activity. The antelope aren’t skittish and your shot will be close (leave the high-end camo at home and wear oilfield attire).

.223 in the boiler room will be plenty!