Last fall I was set up just off a cornfield in southern Wisconsin when a nice buck stepped out about 180 yards. I was running my .30-06 that morning, and it dropped him clean with one well-placed shot. Most of my hunts here stay under 200 yards, so that caliber fits perfectly. Sometimes I switch to 6.5 Creedmoor for flatter shots, but the old .30-06 still feels like home. What’s your go-to round?
Wisconsin Whitetail picks
- Thread starter Donnie
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2025
- Messages
- 78
My go to is the .308. Loaded with a 165 Sierria Game King at 2800 FPS. I have a 7-08 and a .260 . Love the 7-08 ,but it's a fair weather gun,and Wisconsin seasons always have at least 1 day it rains all day and a couple with snow and wind. The .308 is stainless composit. Just run it through the car wash and go back out.
I hunt Wisconsin whitetails with a soft spot for the .30 06 because it’s versatile and forgiving at under two hundred yards. I also run 6.5 Creedmoor for flatter shots and less recoil. What matters most is bullet selection, steady shooting practice, and knowing your effective range. Tune your loads, practice at hunting distances and trust shot placement over caliber choice.
I like using different cal/guns but if I had to list just one or 2 guns it would be my Ruger 77s in 280 or 7mm 08 . most summers find me trying out a new rifle in a new caliber that I pick up just because it's new and different, this year it was a T/C Compass II in 6.5 CM the rifle is ok, nothing great just a solid decent enough rifle for the money , it shot just about every thing i tried in it 1 1/2" down to 3/4" at a 100 yards, plenty good enough for where I hunt where a really long shot would be 300 yards , also tried out several CVA single shot rifles, couple in 300 blackout for the grandkids and one in 350 Legend , have a couple more still waiting to be scoped in 243 , they'll be for the grandkids when they get a little older/bigger
last year was a Howa mini 1500 in 6.5 Grendel, year before that was a Bergara B14 in 6.5 PRC , others have been a Ruger American in 7mm 08, a T/C Encore barrel in 243 , couple new to me 30-30's
I keep a few of them , give some to my kids or grandkids ect
guns can be like a great saving acc. if you buy good name brands , you won't loose money on them and they make great gifts much better than a few hundreds in a Christmas card or birthday card
last year was a Howa mini 1500 in 6.5 Grendel, year before that was a Bergara B14 in 6.5 PRC , others have been a Ruger American in 7mm 08, a T/C Encore barrel in 243 , couple new to me 30-30's
I keep a few of them , give some to my kids or grandkids ect
guns can be like a great saving acc. if you buy good name brands , you won't loose money on them and they make great gifts much better than a few hundreds in a Christmas card or birthday card
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These days my go to is whichever rifle I have in my hands. It could be a Winchester Model 70 in 308, which actually was my go to deer rifle for a couple of decades. Like most Winchester sporters the barrel life is limited, one 30-06 lasted around 1000 rounds then went south very fast. The 308 is probably at 1200 rounds. It's currently patiently awaiting a new Bartlien match grade varmint. stainless replacement that is going to get chambered for 7.62 x 51. I also take out my two Tikka T3x rifles, one in 270, the other in 30-06. Both have taken several deer and are sub moa accurate right out of the box. Most recent addition is a Remington 700 in 338 Win Mag. I have 180 gr loads that run around 3000 fps and currently shoots right at 1 MOA. With 210 or 225 Nosler Partitions it's sub moa. Now, as the Beach Boys used to sing about saving their pennies and saving their dime to buy a brand new 409, For me it's the holidays, a few birthdays and property tax time so Im saving to buy a 6 inch 1911 barrel for my 38 Super which will eventually become a deer hunting pistol. I guess I'm an equal opportunity hunter.
