Drew Tag for my First Mule Deer Hunt

[Throwin Darts]

I drew a really hard to draw Mule Deer tag for the Black Gap WMA through Texas Parks and Wildlife. The area is just outside of Big Bend in West Texas. The hunt is in late December.

I've never hunted mule deer before. All my hunting for the past 20 years has been archery hunting. I do shoot rifles pretty regularly at our land where we have a range set up to 550 yards.

I have two rifles that I shoot the most, a Tikka Superlite in 6.5CM and a Tikka Superlite in .308. The guns are set up exactly the same, in MDT HNT26 chassis, Maven RS1.2 scopes, MDT bipod, Dead Air Nomad TI cans. Only difference is the calibers.

I like shooting the 6.5CM more than the .308. Can't tell you why, but just feel like I shoot it better. Maybe its the reduced recoil. In the 6.5CM, I shoot Hornady 140 gr ELD-M. But like I said, I don't hunt with a rifle so I don't have experience with ELD-M on deer and I have no experience on Mule Deer at all.

Is 6.5CM with ELD-M a good choice for a mule deer hunt? Or should I find another bullet that the gun shoots well to take?

 

[SkeeterMcgiblet]

6.5 with the ELD-Murder should be more than adequate

 

[West2East]

I just got back from my mule deer hunt. Killed one at 440yds with a 147ELDM out of a 6.5CM. Front lung was gone, back lung had the front quarter jellied and bullet exited. No loss of meat to bloodshot.
I endorse the 6.5CM with ELDMs

 

[mc1119]

Congrats on the draw and good luck!

Like others said the 6.5cm with the ELD-M will do great.

Since you said you have the .308, an option in that one is the Sierra tipped match kings.

Just food for thought, good luck!

 

[Throwin Darts]

Sounds good guys. Looks like ELD-Ms will be making the trip with me. Thanks!

 

[Hondo64d]

Congrats on your draw! I put in for every Mule Deer hunt TP&WD has every year and have never been drawn. Be sure to us how your hunt went.

John

 

[Hnthrdr]

I drew a really hard to draw Mule Deer tag for the Black Gap WMA through Texas Parks and Wildlife. The area is just outside of Big Bend in West Texas. The hunt is in late December.

I've never hunted mule deer before. All my hunting for the past 20 years has been archery hunting. I do shoot rifles pretty regularly at our land where we have a range set up to 550 yards.

I have two rifles that I shoot the most, a Tikka Superlite in 6.5CM and a Tikka Superlite in .308. The guns are set up exactly the same, in MDT HNT26 chassis, Maven RS1.2 scopes, MDT bipod, Dead Air Nomad TI cans. Only difference is the calibers.

I like shooting the 6.5CM more than the .308. Can't tell you why, but just feel like I shoot it better. Maybe its the reduced recoil. In the 6.5CM, I shoot Hornady 140 gr ELD-M. But like I said, I don't hunt with a rifle so I don't have experience with ELD-M on deer and I have no experience on Mule Deer at all.

Is 6.5CM with ELD-M a good choice for a mule deer hunt? Or should I find another bullet that the gun shoots well to take?

Sounds like a fantastic set up I would have zero issues shooting anything in NA with a 140 grn eld-m. Killed a tank of a mule deer a couple years back with a 143 eld-x in 6.5 cm and the wound channel was borderline too much devastation for me.