.223 and Mule Deer?

[Crow Poison]

Is it enough from your experiences?

[Daryl (deceased)]

Can it kill them? Yep.
 
Is it recommended by me as a mule deer cartridge for most shooters? NO.
 
There are simply too many other much better choices.
 
Mule deer typically live in fairly open country. Shots can be close, but they can also be fairly long. A person is much better off with a larger cartridge. A .243 works pretty well at medium ranges, and I usually consider it to be pretty much minimum...as do many states where mule deer are hunted.
 
Put it another way:  You've just spent $3500.00 on a guided mule deer hunt.  It's the evening of the last day, and you have a huge mule deer across a canyon (350 yards).  How much confidence do you have in the .223 you brought with you?  Would you rather have a .308 or 30-06?
 
Some shooters could/would make the shot, but almost all would rather have something a little larger I'm thinking.  Even our own rockinbbar, who praises the .223 pretty well, used a rifle chambered in .243 to take a nice mule deer this last season.
 
Daryl

[rockinbbar]

What Daryl said.....Exactly

It isn't legal for mulies in some states, (like Colorado)

Just better medicine for em out there than a .223.

Barry

[M1Garand]

What Daryl and RBB said +1. Plus consider we aren't always presented with a perfect broadside shot. You see a huge mule deer buck at 175 yards quartering towards you...and you have a .223, how confident are you? A guy in another forum I think in Idaho shot a big mule deer buck with a 223 and the bullet was deflected by a rib. They ended up tracking and getting it when his partner shot it with an '06 or something which was when they found out what had happened.

[Crow Poison]

You guys are exactly right.  
Thanks!

[Gmoney]

Just better medicine for em out there than a .223.
 
 Barry

WHAT!!!!!.....
 
 
 Okay in all seriousness, I agree with Barry, Daryl, M1, and all the rest who replied....there are tons of better choices out there for mule deer especially since more than likely your shot will of medium to long distance...

[Hiker]

:D Great answers!

[recoil junky]

Being from north central MT (45 miles south of Chinook to be exact) I used everything short of a wrist rocket to kill muleys. Was given permission by the game warden to shoot them with a paint ball gun to chase them out of our haystacks. A mule deer with a lime green spot on her side is a site to see. :D
 
I killed several deer with a .222 and later with a .223. I found both rounds to work quite well for dispatching brown tasties, WITH PROPER BULLET SELECTION AND PLACEMENT!!!!!!
 
After moving to CO I"ve made the 308 or 7 mag the deer rifle.

[bigblock455skylarkcustom]

Yeah a 223 is just way to small of a bullet. You're much better off with a heavier caliber. 30-30 is ok but ive hunted with them and they just dont do it at 200yards. You can pick up a 30-06 cheap these days.But yeah, 22caliber just doesnt pack the punch to drop it. Unless your a sniper and can get a head or neck shot