re: What Would You take on a Mule Deer Hunt?

With the correct bullet, all the guns you mentioned are fully capable of taking down a mule deer at the ranges you'll probably be hunting at. It's extremely unlikely you'll be shooting at 500 yards. I consulted w/ the guide and fellow mule deer hunters before my mule deer hunts. All thought mule deer were not as hard to put down as whitetail deer. I agree. Both of my mule deer were were killed using a 6.5 JDJ (ballistically equivalent to the 6.5 Grendel) Contender single shot pistol. One was 100 yards while the other 325 yards. I certainly didn't feel undergunned w/ either deer.

I'd take the gun that:
Is the lightest/handles the best.
Has the most consistent accuracy.
Has available and appropriate ammo.
You shoot best.

I'm not a big fan of the CM, not because it can't kill deer, but because of all the excess hype and hyperbole surrounding it. If it's bad about crippling deer, that's because of bullet selection, not the cartridge itself. How can the Creedmore be a "crippler" when the ballistically identical 6.5 Swede and 260 Remington are not? If you end up w/ the 6.5, I'd be sure you're using a good hunting bullet like a 140 gr Nosler Partition, Nosler AccuBond or Barnes TTSX.

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Some people say it’s a crippler because people think that you can kill deer at 900 yards no problem with it. shot selection.

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This. It unfortunately became a round every d bag at the gun counter wants so he can shoot 700 yards.

Load it with some good hunting bullets and it’ll kill the frick out of deer. And recoil less than a .308

7mm mag?? With a 22” barrel???? You are waisting a bunch of powder!

The one that’s easiest to carry, that you practice and gain confidence with. Give me a 143 ELDX that you can place in the palm of my hand over something larger that you can fit through a car window.

Ballistics wise that gun will do, don’t care what any of you say. I have seen elk killed, dropped dead in there tracks at 600yrds. Yes most people can’t do that neither can their rifles or their ammo, however the round can do it if it hits the sweet spot. I always hear shite from my friends in Utah about how easterners think you can’t use anything less than a .300 to hunt out west. My buddies grandfather used a .243 to hunt elk. When in Rome.

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Muley’s can take some punishment so bring enough gun

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Hunted mule deer last 4 out of last 5 years. I can attest to that. Some perfect shots, rolled the deer and they get up and run 50 or more yds