Idaho Mule Deer Hunt - Help me decide which rifle

[engelm]

Hi All,
I'll be going on a mule deer hunt in Idaho later this year and I'm torn on which of my rifles to take. I have a .308 and 300 win mag that I hand load for and both shoot incredibly well. I've worked up loads for both and told myself the one that shot the best would be the one that went with me; as it turns out, they both shoot so well that I can't make the decision based on that.

My 300 win mag loads use 200 gr ELD-X and 200 gr Accubonds; I also have some 165 gr and 180 gr Accubonds that I haven't loaded up yet. My .308 loads are with 165 gr Sierra Gameking HPBT, 165 gr Ballistic Tips and 165 gr SSTs. All loads shoot sub-moa out of both rifles if I do my part. I'll only be picking up a deer tag, so I won't be shooting any elk on this trip. I know either will do the job, but I wanted to see what some of you would choose in this situation. Given the choice between these two cartridges and the loads I've listed above, which would you guys choose for an Idaho mule deer hunt? If it matters at all, I'll be in unit 39. I'm not sure how long most shots will likely be since I've never even seen the area, so if anyone who knows the unit decently well has insight, that would be great!

 

[Calbuck]

If you have confidence in either and can shoot either equally well, I think I would take the lighter weight gun of the two..you might have a slight trajectory advantage with the .300wm..the deer won’t know the difference if you do your part.

 

[idahohikker]

Whichever gun you shoot better.

I killed a mule deer at 50 yards with a .308 shooting 180 grain bullets and the damage was extensive. For deer I'd go 165 grain or lower. I prefer my .243 Winchester actually. I don't shoot over 300 yards normally though. Maybe you adjust for long range.

 

[id260]

Either would work fine. I agree with Calbuck in choosing the lighter of the two. Depending where you hunt in 39 you could be doing some steep hiking. If the .308 is lighter, better yet, low recoil. Having said that I killed mine this year with a 300 saum just because I hadn’t used that gun in a while. I’ve shot most with a 260 rem with 120 ttsx or accubonds. Also used 6.5 Grendel with 123 ELDs, and quite a few with 270 and core loks. Either cal or load you mentioned would be great as long as you put it in the vitals. You definitely have the potential for long shooting though most deer probably get killed within 200 yards.

 

[engelm]

Thank you all for the responses. The 308 is in fact much lighter and easier to pack around so I'll likely take that one. I'll continue to shoot from now until October and see which one I consistently shoot better groups with. Appreciate the help!

 

[elkguide]

Shoot them both a bunch this summer and take them both so that you have a good reliable back up. I've shot Idaho mulies with a bunch of different calibers from 7X57, .270, .300 WSM and last year I used a .300 Win Mag ( for I think the 10th deer) It really comes down to whatever rifle you are most comfortable shooting.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I tagged along with my brother and a friend when they were hunting elk in 39 a few years ago. There is a lot of area down there that could result in a long range shot opportunity, if that is something you feel comfortable with. As mentioned earlier, there is a lot of steep country, too, so if your 300 is significantly heavier than your 308, the extra weight you would have to carry is something to think about.

 

[bigmoose]

I shoot a 300 mag with 200 gr. Accubonds and it is my go to gun. With the high BC, it will help with any long shots and still have plenty of energy. Most of the bucks I've taken in last 50 years have been with this set up. I shot the 200 gr. Nosler Partitions until the Accubonds came out. I could not be happier with either bullet. Some of those Idaho bucks can be pretty big bodied.

 

[nphunter]

Whichever you feel more confident with. Both are plenty of rifle and will do lots of damage.

 

[Fridayonsaturday]

Either will be fine just flip a coin! But I’d lean toward that 300


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[huntinfool84]

you'll be fine with either as many have already stated. But i really like both my 300's

 

[270BBD]

Both will do the job, it comes down to what you believe in more. Confidence is a big part. No second guessing.