Good 9mm hunting round?

[Ronbert]

There might be another practical way to approach it.

What would the Game Warden say or do when he found a hunter using 9mm pistol on deer?

While 9mm might be legal by the OP's interpretation of whatever the regs say, the Warden might have other charges he could bring if he thought it was a very bad idea. Things like "unsportsmanlike conduct" or " cruelty" or any charges that they could impose at their option.

(Thinking along the lines of open carry being "legal" but will still fetch a "disturbing the peace" charge if practiced in certain jurisdictions.)

[Mike U.]

Kudos to the OP for taking the thoughtful advice given to him.

[Stumper]

Sigh. While I don't think a 9mm is anywhere close to being the ideal deer cartridge I must say that the reams of prose that I have read regarding minimum energy requirements etc. is really a load of the stuff congressmen spread. Having shot literally hundreds of animals I have discovered that animals die when vital organs are perforated but they seldom fall over immediately . A 9mm is bullet fired from the 9x 19 is capable of doing the job. If I were going to use the 9 I would prefer the heavier projectile loadings---125-147 grain bullets.

[akfedor7]

I cant believe how bad you people can flame a guy...

I agree with Stumper

I have killed one deer with a 9mm... it was a taurus PT111. A very compact gun. Deer went less than 5 yards. Shot another one with a .357 Mag. Deer went about 30 yards. Shot another deer with a .45-70 levergun. Deer went about 50 yards. Shot another deer with a longbow. Deer took 2 steps and dropped.

My point is that there are way too many variables in hunting to call someone unethical just because they might like the challenge or variety of hunting with a particular cartridge or gun. EVERY cartridge is capable of instant incapacitation, and EVERY cartridge can lead to a wounded animal. By some of you guys thinking, isn't using a .300 mag inhumane when you could me using a .50 BMG that would have a much lower rate of wounded/lost game??

I say use whatever caliber you like, but be very dilligent with your tracking. Most hunters give up way too easily when tracking a wounded animal.

And even if you do happen to wound and lose an animal, its not the end of the world. Nature will take care of them... that's what scavengers are for. Even natural hunters such as hawks, bobcats, etc wound game.

[9Hunter]

I have taken 3 coyotes with my 9mm carbine w/red dot this winter alone... All with successfully placed shots, the farthest the one ran was about 15yds... I wil not even consider taking a shot over 35yds. But yes... It gets the job done... At least for Wiley..

[Boncrayon]

Maybe for a coyote or small wild pig, but without the right ammo, not enough energy to knock down a deer! If the deer is still alive but down after a less than quick kill, a 9mm with a Hornady Critical Defense to the head would be sufficient. But certainly not as a "hunting" round!

[WiscBuckmaster]

I'm speechless, wow, just wow. This site apparently doesn't have many real hunters.

Any handgun cartridge excluding 357&44mag are roughly equivalent to bow hunting.

And here is a perfect example of that. That has to be one of the most ignorant statements on this thread, and that is saying A LOT.

[JohnKSa]

Might be worthwhile to do a search for posts on TFL made by "Boris Bush". He did a good deal of hunting with various handgun rounds.

[allaroundhunter]

Ethics and morals aside, I still question the intelligence behind this train of thought....

Leave the 9mm holstered unless it is needed to dispatch the deer after a less than perfect rifle shot. Part of being a hunter is to ensure that you can make a quick and clean kill, even if your shot is not perfectly true. You need a better margin of error that the 9mm does not give you.

If you want more of a challenge then try shooting the deer in the neck when they are within 50 yards. Please, for the sake of the sport and ethics, drop the idea of hunting deer with a 9mm...

[allaroundhunter]

I just realized that someone revived a 4 year old thread to comment about how he has shot a coyote with a 9mm so it should therefore be enough for a deer..... Lord have mercy.

[Pico]

It looks like he has dropped this idea.

Pico

[9Hunter]

No way is any 9mm good for deer... You guys are funny. Selective hearing maybe. My carbine is the best gun I have used for short range COYOTES not deer... The area I hunt totes is very thick wooded area so I simply stick to bow range . Long shot I use a 223. To pull any side arm on any animal for a 2nd shot just means you made a terrible first shot.

[Gaerek]

I'm not a hunter. I know people who have taken Sitka Black Tails with 9mm and .38 SPL. I had a friend would would hunt exclusively with his S&W model 627 loaded with 180gr flat points. He was quite successful, even out to 100 yards with iron sights. Heck, where I used to live, .223 was an adequate round to take one of these small deer.

Having said that...if you want to challenge yourself with pistol hunting, get yourself an adequate pistol for the job. At least 44 Mag, or 10mm with the proper ammo. Leave Mr. 9mm (as Jules calls it) at home.

[Pilot]

If memory serves Stephen Camp used to hunt Texas deer with a 9MM Browning Hi Power, but I can't find it anywhere on his website. The only reference I can find to hunting with the 9MM is with Javelina. Maybe someone else remembers that.

[Hitthespot]

I once took a deer at 50 yards with a 357 mag 6 inch barrel SS colt revolver with red dot scope. The bullet shattered and I was lucky enough that a small piece hit the heart and killed the deer relatively quick. I was very lucky since there was little penetration. I sold the gun and bought a 44 mag for hunting deer when i wanted to use a handgun. In my opinion the 9mm is not a round for hunting deer even by a stretch.

[Smit]

So you want to bring more than one firearm hunting? Not a good idea, especially all the racket and movement you will be making switching weapons once you decide how far away the deer is. You want my opinion? Hunt to get the job done. Your Remington will do just that.

[Mystro]

A steak knife isnt a skinning knife but I could use one to get the job done. I have a hunting handgun book where many famous writers (like Mike Jordan) use the 9mm to hunt deer, javelina and goats so lets dismiss the idea that the 9mm cant be used for hunting. (check out "the gun digest book of the 9mm Handguns" 2nd edition by Steve Comus).
If you hunt with a soft 357mag, you can use a 135 +P 9mm. My family are bow and handgun hunters from way back. I myself am a very accomplished hunter with both bow and handgun. I have seen many deer fall from a 38special load in a 357mag over the years. You can throw the ethics crap out the window because if smooth-bore muzzle loader shooting pumpkin balls is legal to hunt deer with, a hot 9mm is every bit as effective if not more. Its still about shot placement.