What is your caliber choice for the tiny 10?

[IvW]

As Marius @KMG Hunting Safaris rightfully mentioned, where you hunt Vaal Rhebuck, wind is always present. Small high speed calibers although flat shooting do not poses any wind bucking abilities. .223 and 22-250 are no use when the wind is pumping especially when taking shots across ravines or from one ridge to the next.

Stick to a larger better suited caliber and yes you want to anchor a Valie as trying to track them if wounded is not fun....

Although Valie and Mtn reedbuck are not part of the true Tiny ten we hunt them as such in SA.

Shoot any of these tiny ten at closer range with a 223, 22-250 or a 243 you best prepare for a European mount or a hope somebody can give you a spare cape.....

 

[Mekaniks]

My thoughts on the subject are you should be looking at bullets instead of just caliber. If your goal is to not blow them up then you need the proper bullet that is not designed to come apart on impact, regardless of caliber. For instance, a 375 with solids will likely do less damage than a 223 with thin wall varmint bullets designed to come apart on impact.
Chose your bullet design first then worry about the caliber and rifle you are going to shoot them from....

 

[Rider717]

Thanks for all the suggestions. My daughter is getting married next summer so the safari is 2 years out. Not sure which way I'll go but I do like the idea of using my current calibers with solids. Although I still fell the need to buy another lighter caliber barrel for the Blaser. Their choices are fairly slim in the 22-25 cal range but I may go the .223 route for hog hunting here in the US.

 

[Buckdog]

I have shot several some with a shotgun and some with 300win mag. some right up close like 20yds, farthest 416yds. at long range the 300 doesn't blow them up as long as don't go for bones aka don't hit the shoulders, Dennis the taxidermist told me to shoot them a little back from center mass if they were close with the 300 as I didn't want full body mounts and I can tell you 150yds or less a 300 about cuts them in 1/2 but nothing needed for shoulder mounts was harmed. I would def NOT shoot the shoulders with a 300! Up close a 12ga works excellent especially duikers.

 

[Scrumbag]

Not an experienced "Tiny 10er" but in the UK myself and quite a few others shoot muntjac and chinese water deer which are not very large.

For preference, I use my .223 rem with 62gr soft points (Federal Fusion). As others have said, if you want a larger size mount, stay away from the shoulders. It doesn't seem to matter what you shoot small deer with, if you hit the shoulder, you have a fair chance of removing it.

If I ever get a chance to do the tiny 10, my CZ in .223 rem will be what is coming with me.

The Sierra 65gr SBT would also be a good option. Make sure your .223 or .222 has adequate twist rate for these relatively heavier bullets. I would avoid the .22-250 as the velocity can rip the smaller deer apart.

ATB,

Scrummy

 

[IvW]

My thoughts on the subject are you should be looking at bullets instead of just caliber. If your goal is to not blow them up then you need the proper bullet that is not designed to come apart on impact, regardless of caliber. For instance, a 375 with solids will likely do less damage than a 223 with thin wall varmint bullets designed to come apart on impact.
Chose your bullet design first then worry about the caliber and rifle you are going to shoot them from....

Half correct, a solid from a 22-250 if you can find or even have made is still going to go way off target with high wind....stick to what your PH outfitter advises for the area you will be hunting.

 

[meigsbucks]

Was just thinking.., What about a .22 Valkyrie? Moderate velocity with heavy bullets? Gives you range and penetration.

 

[IvW]

Was just thinking.., What about a .22 Valkyrie? Moderate velocity with heavy bullets? Gives you range and penetration.

 

[Ray B]

An acquaintance of mine, a retired missionary that grew-up in Swaziland in the 40s & 50s claimed to have shot all sort of smaller animals with a 22 LR rifle. I suppose in those days the conditions would have allowed for a close stalk and follow-up shots if needed, so it probably wouldn't be the cartridge of choice today.

 

[IvW]

An acquaintance of mine, a retired missionary that grew-up in Swaziland in the 40s & 50s claimed to have shot all sort of smaller animals with a 22 LR rifle. I suppose in those days the conditions would have allowed for a close stalk and follow-up shots if needed, so it probably wouldn't be the cartridge of choice today.

I guess it would depend on what smaller animals he was referring to...using a 22 LR on the mentioned animals would be illegal to say the least.

 

[Ray B]

It depends on how the terms effective, illegal & unethical are viewed. In Washington State a common practice by those that feel their hunting rights are not under the jurisdiction of the state government is to hunt elk with a 22LR. the process is to find a herd of elk in early Summer, approach them as quietly as possible, generally while they are feeding through a meadow in moonlight. gutshoot one of the calves. the report is insufficient to spook the herd and after a minute or two they settle back down to grazing. the herd moves on, but the calf is unable to keep-up, despite encouragement by the mother. Finally the calf lays down and is unable to get up. the mother finally abandons the calf, leaving it to the "hunter".

 

[Philip Glass]

Phillip, How windy was it on the day that you took the Vaalie? That would be my only concern with the .223 . It will certainly be enough gun, but 9/10 times, winds are very strong in the areas where the Vaalies live.
Always say that the day the wind stops blowing there, I think they will all die.

Good question and certainly a concern. It was not windy surprisingly (Jeffrey’s Bay Area) and not too long of a shot. They were tough to hunt as you know but we caught a pair late in the evening coming down to feed in cultivated fields. Maybe 150 yard shot and no problem. Ideal caliber for that animal? Not likely.
Regards,
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

My thoughts on the subject are you should be looking at bullets instead of just caliber. If your goal is to not blow them up then you need the proper bullet that is not designed to come apart on impact, regardless of caliber. For instance, a 375 with solids will likely do less damage than a 223 with thin wall varmint bullets designed to come apart on impact.
Chose your bullet design first then worry about the caliber and rifle you are going to shoot them from....

Very good point. I did some testing before I went on that safari. I was calling fox here at the ranch and using .223 Hornady Vmax bullets and it was turning the Fox inside out! I used a few others then quickly made the decision to go with Barnes TSX and shot a few coyotes. I put them down without much damage. That is what made my decision for me. It’s all about the bullet!
Philip

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Good question and certainly a concern. It was not windy surprisingly (Jeffrey’s Bay Area) and not too long of a shot. They were tough to hunt as you know but we caught a pair late in the evening coming down to feed in cultivated fields. Maybe 150 yard shot and no problem. Ideal caliber for that animal? Not likely.
Regards,
Philip

Thank you for taking the time to reply, Phillip. They are such awesome animals, and one every hunter should try at least once. Sooner, rather than later. Some areas where they live can be some big country, and tough on the knees.

 

[ve7poi]

I’m going to take a custom bolt in 6.8spc with 95gr ttsx next trip..

 

[Philip Glass]

Thank you for taking the time to reply, Phillip. They are such awesome animals, and one every hunter should try at least once. Sooner, rather than later. Some areas where they live can be some big country, and tough on the knees.

Although it was two days of climbing big hills I still feel like I had an easy hunt. Only because Vallies are so difficult and an awesome trophy. I could so easily have gone home empty handed. Most of the time I just saw their cotton tailed behinds bounding away at long distances!
Regards
Philip

 

[Hoss Delgado]

It depends on how the terms effective, illegal & unethical are viewed. In Washington State a common practice by those that feel their hunting rights are not under the jurisdiction of the state government is to hunt elk with a 22LR. the process is to find a herd of elk in early Summer, approach them as quietly as possible, generally while they are feeding through a meadow in moonlight. gutshoot one of the calves. the report is insufficient to spook the herd and after a minute or two they settle back down to grazing. the herd moves on, but the calf is unable to keep-up, despite encouragement by the mother. Finally the calf lays down and is unable to get up. the mother finally abandons the calf, leaving it to the "hunter".

This is actually true , Ray B. I have witnessed it. The .22 LR was ( maybe still is ) a popular tool for poachers to bag moose and elk. Brain shots through the ear were guaranteed killers. My dad also tells me that during the '50s , he saw my grandad's friends shoot elk with a .22LR. The horns make a headshot risky. But some men were brave or foolish enough to try. Apparently the trick was to draw an imaginary line from the left ear to the right eye , and from the right ear to the left eye. Where the lines intersected was the brain . Of course , angling must be SURGICALLY precise. If you don't time it right, or the elk moves it's head a little , you've got a deflected bullet and a wounded elk.
I personally favor a .375 HH Magnum for Elk. .30-06 works too.

 

[Buffalo1]

I know that common duiker and steenbok are both about 21-22" shoulder height. What is the width of the body around the vital zone area? Also how thick are the animals in the vital zone area?

 

[HWL]

My Drilling in .22 Savage and 16 ga shotgun barrels would be my choice.

At short distances, the little ones would accept a slug or a simple load of #5 also.....I think.



HWL

 

[Hannes Oberholzer]

As mentioned, If you are planning on hunting a Vaal Rhebuck, you need to be prepared to shoot out to 350 yards, so the 300WSM would be a great choice for that. Not to say that the shot WILL be that far, but it could be. Vaal Rhebuck are not very hardy animals, and you should simply try and stay away from the shoulders, whether you choose something like a Barnes or a conventional lead core bullet. A big factor is the bone fragmentation that cause the shrapnel ending up in a big hole.
As far as the rest are concerned, for the Blue Duiker, it would depend whether you are hunting one over hounds or not. Over hounds, it will be with a shotgun.
We consider the Tiny 10 and Vaal Rhebuck our specialities, so please feel free to drop us a message if we can assist in any way.

Take Care,
Marius Goosen

Hey Marius, ek stel belang om aan my volgende lysie te begin werk aka d Tiny 10. Baie dankie Hannes Oberholzer