.50 BMG Whitetail Deer Hunt..seriuosly !

[Fox]

The calibers you listed are totally viable , [look it up] and useful hunting calibers, [ the .50 BMG is not.}

Why is the 50 BMG not viable and useful, it seemed to do the job perfectly.

I hope you realize that your comment on useful hunting calibers is exactly what generations before said about the 30-06 when the 44-40 did a great job on a deer. You guys comment about this being excessive but proven deer rifles like the 30-30 are considered marginal at best in the next thread, again, total garbage.

If the deer is dead and feels very little then the round is totally viable and useful for hunting.

[MikePal]

And Mike, to compare a muzzle loader with the 50 BMG is totally ridiculous on your part especially from someone who is ex-military.

Ridiculous ? Same caliber and close to the same weight (grs) ...yes different velocities but at 50-100 yds, that would be irrelevant. The damage inflicted to the deer would be similar depending on shot placement. ie.. a head or neck shot with either would have the same results. So why is one unethical and not the other ?

If you provide a reason or criteria as to what makes .50 BMG unethical then I'd have a better idea as to how to refute the premise.

and yes...I have fired many, many belts of .50 cal rounds down range while serving with an Infantry unit, so I know exactly what I'm talking about when it comes to the effective use of that caliber of bullet.

[MikePal]

I still think those that keep saying it's 'unethical' should explain why...what reason ?

There seems to be a lot of hunters that have a preordained idea as to what is an 'ethical' bullet and what isn't, it would be interesting to know the criteria used to make that list. We've hashed out the lower end on this forum many times with the smaller calibers, so lets hear some arguments as to where you draw the line at the top end and why. How do you determine 'too big' ?

Fox's list of ammunition that guys use to hunt with will inevitably fall into someones list as 'overkill' but they are perfectly OK to others. What is the criteria to make the list of bullets that are 'overkill'.

[Deer Wrastler]

I still think those that keep saying it's 'unethical' should explain why...what reason ?

There seems to be a lot of hunters that have a preordained idea as to what is an 'ethical' bullet and what isn't, it would be interesting to know the criteria used to make that list. We've hashed out the lower end on this forum many times with the smaller calibers, so lets hear some arguments as to where you draw the line at the top end and why. How do you determine 'too big' ?

Fox's list of ammunition that guys use to hunt with will inevitably fall into someones list as 'overkill' but they are perfectly OK to others. What is the criteria to make the list of bullets that are 'overkill'.

I will agree it is ethical and actually a larger round inflicting the most damage would ensure a more clean kill..so as far as ethics yes definately caliber choice not and issue. The video however is pretty much glorifying the killing aspect and the giys attitude makes it seem unethical to some I guess....I will not debate the ethics of the round but the choice to post a video like that on youtube is questionable and does not shed a positive light on hunting.

[Fox]

I will not debate the ethics of the round but the choice to post a video like that on youtube is questionable and does not shed a positive light on hunting.

This right here is the problem, not the use of the 50 BMG. The fact that this guy goes all crazy about how it died and what happened, lets watch that in slow motion, all that crap is the problem. This is why I cancelled WildTV, I am sick and tired of the idiots whooping and hollering when they kill something "I F*&king nailed him", "Smoked him", etc, I feel that I respect the animals way more than to act like that then I kill them, it should be a somber and calm event.

[Hunter John]

I will agree it is ethical and actually a larger round inflicting the most damage would ensure a more clean kill..so as far as ethics yes definately caliber choice not and issue. The video however is pretty much glorifying the killing aspect and the giys attitude makes it seem unethical to some I guess....I will not debate the ethics of the round but the choice to post a video like that on youtube is questionable and does not shed a positive light on hunting.

That's what my point was, Don't care what you shoot the deer with it was the stupid comments made by the idiot in the video.

[MikePal]

x3 completely agree with that take on the video. . The Bubba fist pump after the adrenaline rush is normal, every one does it, but I think it hurts the sport when it's captured on video or embellished for the video with comments etc.

You're right HJ, this video would have been more acceptable without the 'epilogue', he comes off as a real idiot.

[parkcity]

it might be possible people are confusing "unethical" for "unnecessary" to me .50bmg is an ethical kill but is absolutely unnecessary to take down a whitetail but they do it because they can. no more explanation needed.

[Snowwalker]

Utilizing a caliber originally designed as an anti-aircraft weapon on deer is unethical and down right dangerous.

Both 303 British, Various 30 Calibre, and 7mm and 8mm rounds have also been used as "ANTI-AIRCRAFT" and in air to air combat as well better get those off the list too. Not Ethical as you say to use a round "Designed"( how ever you seem to be defining that) to shot down aircraft.

[Snowwalker]

The calibers you listed are totally viable , [look it up] and useful hunting calibers, [ the .50 BMG is not.]

Viable, Useful and practical has more to do with the game you are hunting. A 22 for rabbit is viable and practical, 308 is not. A 308 for bear or Moose is viable and practical, a 22 is not. A 50BMG for bear, Grizzly, Buffalo, Moose is also Viable and Practical.