MT youth deer hunt 2024 is in the books again with 2 shots fired and 2 nice bucks in the cooler. The Tikka .223/ 77gr TMK / AB Raptor 10 is wicked combo!!
My oldest daughter (14) took her fifth (with the .223) buck at 305 yds with zero drama. We found him bedded and crawled to a spot to set up. He was bedded with about 25 other deer, and she was hesitant about that. But I asked if she could visualize where his neck meets his shoulder? If so, I said "shoot him there". She touched the trigger and we both watched him simply tip his head to the ground, lights out, done. Barely a wiggle. None of the other deer so much as stood up! I was amazed by that!! I didn't photograph the wound channel on this buck as I avoid rooting around where spinal tissue has been disrupted, but it was basically a Red Bull can or greater volume amount and shape of destruction with jacket pieces piled up against the offside hide. As he lay when we walked up:
My middle daughter (12) and I finally caught up with another nice buck (her 2nd with the .223) and got set up for a 208 yard shot at a slightly quartering deer. She hit him just a hair high in the lungs, but "middle of the front half" nonetheless. He did a short loop and fell within 10 seconds - maybe 20 yards total. Entrance with shoulder intact:

Entrance inside, 2 broken ribs:

Bullet path, no exit, but broke the offside ribs and ended up against the hide.

Entrance side upper lung wound channel

Off side lung wound channel
The more I see it, the more I love it!! And again this year, I watched 2 other young hunters spend 10 rounds of .243 to get their deer....just sayin'.