Mauser Magnum M98 .416 Rigby for Roe deer video

[Hoss Delgado]

And that probably sounds overly critical of driven hunts for deer. I have no issue with anyone who enjoys it. In the South it is a series of annual multi-generational social events with enormous tradition. That aspect, I truly love and respect. Just for me, at this point in my hunting life, it is simply not how I care to hunt for deer.

I get it My dad dislikes using shotguns for 4 legged critters too and never hunted with dogs. He uses only rifles for everything . All 3 of his rifles ( Winchester Model 70, Enfield 1917 and Browning Safari II ) are .30-06 .
I personally prefer rifles for white tail , red stag , mule and Fallow. Roe Deer , l shot my first with my .375 HH Magnum. Then l picked up the habit from my Swedish friends of hunting roe deer with shotguns over dog. One thing l will humbly disagree on ( and like you , my view is based on personal experience ) is the inadequacy of #1 shot on Roe deer. At close range , #1 birdshot fired from a half choke shotgun will completely pole axe a roe deer . But you have to wait until they are so close , that your charge of #1 shot is concentrated

 

[Hoss Delgado]

You are right of course. But, part of the joy in using a rifle, for me at least, is balancing it to the game. Like the fellow above, I “could” drag a .416 or .375 around for deer, but why on earth would I ever want to do so? I admit I am fortunate to be able to fairly regularly use those rifles for the game for which they were created. But hunting a deer is defined, at least in my mind, by a perfectly proportioned caliber. My Rigby Highlander .275 is my current favorite, but there are several 6.5’s and .270’s always waiting in the wings. And for me, the 6.5x57 has always seemed the perfect rifle for Roe deer.

Your view is very accurate. But some of us can only afford one rifle and have to use it like a " Swiss army knife " ( ie , for everything ) . For many years , my only rifle was that .375 HH Magnum . I used it for everything and it did work . It is only recently after my financial status improved , that l got ahold of my .350 Rigby Magnum . Now though , l would definitely choose my .350 for Deer . For me , the ideal roe deer caliber would be a .270 Winchester , if l were hunting just roe deer .

 

[CoElkHunter]

Great video, but a .416 Rigby was a little overkill, don't you think!

Yes, nice video. But the deer wasn’t any bigger than a Labrador retriever. I like the way the hunter stalks his game with an open sighted rifle to get close. I would’ve used a crossbow.

 

[wesheltonj]

I would agree its way overkill. That's a Norma FMJ, 450 Grain Woodleigh bullet, with a Velocity 0 of 2150 f/s and Energy 0 of 4620 Foot pounds to kill a deer weighing 33-77 pounds. That said, I know someone that shoots everything with a 375 H&H and he has more than one gun, a lot more.

 

[stug]

Pretty sure in that video or another one he explains he is using the .416 because he wants to practice with the rifle before he goes to Africa hunting buffalo.

 

[Opposite Pole]

part of the joy in using a rifle, for me at least, is balancing it to the game. Like the fellow above, I “could” drag a .416 or .375 around for deer, but why on earth would I ever want to do so?

I agree with you and I think there is such a thing as correct application for guns. We’re merely stating that it can be done and does not necessarily trash the meat. If one was to use a fast magnum with more frangible projectile though I think it would mince the Roe. I shot my Roe doe with 375 because that’s what I had in my hand not because it’s the right choice. I was boar hunting at the time and I find my 308 to not be best tool for them in our area. It kills them off course but they ran first, and when they do they go straight into the thicket and one must go in after them, hoping they are expired and not ready to slice you up. They’ll go in 20-30m when the visibility is 5. It’s hard and stressful to find them and pain in the a.. to drag them out. 375 does the job much quicker (as does 9.3).

Stalking deer with a nice, light, handy rifle is a very pleasant activity. In fact I enjoy it so much that I think I’ll have to buy myself a single shot rifle for that very reason.

 

[Opposite Pole]

A driven hunt in Germany or Austria on an unfenced Revier is a different thing entirely. There the boar are truly wild - slugs or rifles are legal.

Same thing in Poland. Wild, no fences.

 

[njc110381]

Those videos show stalking at it's very finest for me. I spent a lot of time in my early hunting days taking roe deer with a 7x57/12g combination gun. To this day I think I have shot more deer with iron sights and under 50m than I have with a scoped gun at longer ranges. This is where I get the most enjoyment from the sport - getting in close, accepting the losses it brings when the deer spook but knowing the reward when successful is unbeatable.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Pretty sure in that video or another one he explains he is using the .416 because he wants to practice with the rifle before he goes to Africa hunting buffalo.

Yes, I’d probably do the same thing and hunt for deer/elk with the same rifle and cartridge I would be using in Africa. I really like the stalking up close with open sights. In fact, most of the elk I’ve taken were within 75 yards, but with a scope. I like hunting the thicker stuff. IF I can draw a leftover elk tag this upcoming season, I’m using my open sighted .375 h and h, just because!

 

[njc110381]

What I used to do if I was under a bit of pressure to get a result was to scope my combi on quick release mounts. I used to stalk without the scope on the gun but it was there in my pocket as an option to clip on if the deer were too jumpy to get into. Usually with a roe deer you can bump them and still catch up again as their territory areas are quite small. I'd hunt them properly and if that failed I'd scope it up and take them at slightly longer range so I didn't go home empty handed! Cheating a little, but if I was on a tag that's what I'd do!

 

[CoElkHunter]

What I used to do if I was under a bit of pressure to get a result was to scope my combi on quick release mounts. I used to stalk without the scope on the gun but it was there in my pocket as an option to clip on if the deer were too jumpy to get into. Usually with a roe deer you can bump them and still catch up again as their territory areas are quite small. I'd hunt them properly and if that failed I'd scope it up and take them at slightly longer range so I didn't go home empty handed! Cheating a little, but if I was on a tag that's what I'd do!

Great idea!