? on Promghorn hunting

[rjtfroggy]

If you were a 20 year old and loved hunting what would your advice be for a caliber for Pronghorn be?
He loves to be in the woods hunting anything but the only woods he has ever hunted is behind his parents house here in Ct.. He now has a chance to go out west on a hunt with his girl friends father but needs a rifle and scope for the hunt.
So what say you western hunters or guys that go and hunt them?

 

[strut64]

As far as caliber selection, anything from a 6 mm to 0.277" will do the job. Tikka is always a good choice. Personally I like 25-06

 

[Mark W]

I took my one and only pronghorn with a Rem 700 VLS chambered in .243 Win shooting hand loaded Sierra 100 Gr Gamekings.

On the same trip my buddy took his with a Rem 700 Milspec 5R chambered in .308 Win shooting hand loaded Hornady 165 Gr SST.

Both of these worked like a dream. There’s going to be a lot of right answers for the question. Best of luck to the young man on his hunt!!

 

[Drop Port]

Without knowing anything about the person, I would base it on a short simple list...........

Is recoil a factor?
What distance is he comfortable shooting?
Factory ammo or hand loading?
What will it be used for in the future?

It doesn't take a large caliber, the longer the shots often get complicated due to wind.

 

[338 dude]

With my rifle a custom 6.5x284 Norma my buddy and I went to Wyoming on our first trip out west on a do it yourself hunt and we both took nice antelope mine was at 615 yard his was at 783 yards

 

[stacy]

YOUNG MAN LOVES TO HUNT AND IN NEED OF A RIFLE IF HE LIVED HERE IN NC HE COULD COME AND PICK WHAT HE WANTED TO USE OUT OF MY SQUAD FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE ONCE HE DOES IT HE WILL NEVER TURN AWAY FROM IT BECAUSE HE WILL HOOKED FOR LIFE

 

[rjtfroggy]

YOUNG MAN LOVES TO HUNT AND IN NEED OF A RIFLE IF HE LIVED HERE IN NC HE COULD COME AND PICK WHAT HE WANTED TO USE OUT OF MY SQUAD FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE ONCE HE DOES IT HE WILL NEVER TURN AWAY FROM IT BECAUSE HE WILL HOOKED FOR LIFE

No need to shout.
This is why I am asking, I have a safe full of rifles he is welcome to use But I never hunted out west and don't want to steer him in wrong direction.
He already has a 308 and a 30-06 but I have never seen him shoot or know how accurate his rifles are. I am also willing to go show both him and his father how to reload for better accuracy.
I have a 260 rem in the safe I was leaning towards, it has a SWFA 16x on it but that can be swapped out if need be.

 

[PhilKeil]

YOUNG MAN LOVES TO HUNT AND IN NEED OF A RIFLE IF HE LIVED HERE IN NC HE COULD COME AND PICK WHAT HE WANTED TO USE OUT OF MY SQUAD FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE ONCE HE DOES IT HE WILL NEVER TURN AWAY FROM IT BECAUSE HE WILL HOOKED FOR LIFE

So very true about being hooked. Good luck

 

[338 dude]

No need to shout.
This is why I am asking, I have a safe full of rifles he is welcome to use But I never hunted out west and don't want to steer him in wrong direction.
He already has a 308 and a 30-06 but I have never seen him shoot or know how accurate his rifles are. I am also willing to go show both him and his father how to reload for better accuracy.
I have a 260 rem in the safe I was leaning towards, it has a SWFA 16x on it but that can be swapped out if need be.

Practice at the farthest distance you can most shots will be 400 yards or more out to 1000 if you want to risk it the first few days the closest we got was 350 but decided to pass several days later with pressure from other hunters it was hard to get closer than 700 yards

 

[watercam]

It is not totally necessary to shoot long range for antelope. Stalking is still a 'thing' and most are shot within 250 yds. in my neck of the woods.

 

[338 dude]

Where I was hunting at the Laramie river area in Wyoming it was hard to get that close and they were even wise to the Cow decoy that we would hide behind and try to stalk in although there were cows all over the place I guess it had been done many times before

 

[jepp2]

It is not totally necessary to shoot long range for antelope. Stalking is still a 'thing' and most are shot within 250 yds. in my neck of the woods.

Terrain and hunting style can dictate distance of shots. Where I hunt there is a lot of "roll" to the land. I can almost always approach within 200 yards. But I see really flat areas that would make a stalk very difficult. Hunting water holes can be effective in dry areas.

I used to use a 25-06 but now use a 6 CM. I have been able to shoot the last 10 or so from a prone position. Whatever rifle he decides to take, know your distance limit and stay within that. Winds of 20+ mph are frequent, so pay attention to bullet drift.

 

[Chuckhunter]

No need to shout.
This is why I am asking, I have a safe full of rifles he is welcome to use But I never hunted out west and don't want to steer him in wrong direction.
He already has a 308 and a 30-06 but I have never seen him shoot or know how accurate his rifles are. I am also willing to go show both him and his father how to reload for better accuracy.
I have a 260 rem in the safe I was leaning towards, it has a SWFA 16x on it but that can be swapped out if need be.

The 260 is an outstanding choice, I used a 6.5 X 47 Lapua on this guy and it worked flawlessly. Velocities from the 260 are equal to or slightly more than the 6.4X47L and both exhibit outstanding accuracy with minimal recoil. I personally think that would be an excellent choice. Good Luck on your quest.

 

[rjtfroggy]

Here is what is in the safe already set up and sighted in- 22-250, 243, 250, 260, 7mm rem. mag, and a couple 223's. He has his own 308, 30-06.
I can also put a 6 BR together but that one would be heavy.

 

[Chuckhunter]

Here is what is in the safe already set up and sighted in- 22-250, 243, 250, 260, 7mm rem. mag, and a couple 223's. He has his own 308, 30-06.
I can also put a 6 BR together but that one would be heavy.

Your intended range of shot will narrow the herd Quickly.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

243.... Gets it done.. Killed a jillion speed goats with one. Yes the same one every time. More than a few deer have fallen to it as well. Mine is a Savage 99

2nd I would say 25-06. No I don't own one.

 

[stacy]

No need to shout.
This is why I am asking, I have a safe full of rifles he is welcome to use But I never hunted out west and don't want to steer him in wrong direction.
He already has a 308 and a 30-06 but I have never seen him shoot or know how accurate his rifles are. I am also willing to go show both him and his father how to reload for better accuracy.
I have a 260 rem in the safe I was leaning towards, it has a SWFA 16x on it but that can be swapped out if need be.

NO HARM JUST CANT SEE LIKE I ONCE COULD THATS WHY I USE CAPS

 

[rwk]

25-06 is a good round for deer also coyotes and my be elk shot placement vital.

 

[5spd]

Just about any 6mm, 25 cal does the job 243, 6 creed, 6 rem, 6-284, 25-06, 6x6.8, 6x45, any 6.5 variation as well. They are not hard to kill. I use a 6x6.8, 90g bullet.

 

[Sniper338]

I look at them everyday almost driving down the road. A 260 would be the ticket. Its both more than enough and not too much. If I went id take my 260 and not think twice. Of course shot placement is always key.