vampire Posted April 29, 2011 Report Share Posted April 29, 2011 (edited) Ok so i am on the look out for a .223,for muntjac and fox. I have some questions about muntjac i need answering though. 1,head shot or heart,what gram bullet. 2,do you only shoot bucks and fat does as again suggested by basc,to avoid lactating does 3,gralloching,i know you have to slit throat to drain blood straight away before it thickens,cant spell colagulate !,but what if you dont do this,is the meat ruined. 4,do you freeze it before taking several to the dealer like rabbits,or is this not accepted. 5,medal heads,what is this and how do you score it ! Sorry if these are stupid questions,but i want to get it right. Edited April 30, 2011 by vampire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted April 30, 2011 Report Share Posted April 30, 2011 Head or heart/lung, depends on how accurate you are and at what range. Heaviest bullet your gun will shoot accuratly and heart lung shot as Munties don't stand still for long. If you heat/lung shot you will prob not need to bleed out. Bucks and pregnant does will save a young fawn a slow death of starvation. Dont freeze them,chill if you want to sell em or get rid once skinned, hang em by the back legs and slit the throat if you want or need to bleed out but you need to do this straight away. I use 243 and 100gr bullets, we shot 6 on friday and even with accurate shots 2 ran 20yds before dropping. In the field now its warmer you will need a muslin sack to keep the blowflies and wood ants off. Start off with shooting one,stop shooting, deal with ie grolloch and take it home to skin it. I don't know how others get on but I find munties are the hardest to skin, especially round the tail area. Head shots are good for no meat damage but make sure you don't just shoot the jaw off, I have had to shoot one of this sad animals through bad shooting by others, not a nice sight. Not sure of your level of shooting but Munties are a challanging animal, don't run before you walk, they will def test your patience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Redgum has answered most of your questions to a tee there, the only things i'll add is on .223 bullet weight - i've always used 55gr as they shoot well in my Titan 3, and it's also acceptable to shoot very young does, but play it safe to start with - heart/lung shots and stick to Bucks and pregnant Does Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted May 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Thanks for the replies chaps I am a good shot with a rifle,but not so hot with 12g on the pigeons. The last three times i have been out after rabbits with the cz .22lr i have seen munties and stalked them to within easy range of about 70 yrds average,so well in range of the .223 i have just agreed to buy ,a little used cz .223 lux,not cut and no mod though so am now on the look out for a lower end mod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ST3V3 Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 here you go My link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 No argument with anything above, but mine die quickly and easily and skin well. I don't do vast quantities of Muntjac, probably only about 5-6 a year, but mine have all dropped and skinned well, perhaps I have just not found any tough old ******* yet. They eat really well and head shot or not, gralloch before they hit the ground, doesn't appear to matter where you shoot them, the chest cavity seems to fill with blood! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 No argument with anything above, but mine die quickly and easily and skin well. I don't do vast quantities of Muntjac, probably only about 5-6 a year, but mine have all dropped and skinned well, perhaps I have just not found any tough old ******* yet. They eat really well and head shot or not, gralloch before they hit the ground, doesn't appear to matter where you shoot them, the chest cavity seems to fill with blood! Vampire, it does matter were you shoot them, from what I read above I find it hard to believe that Dekers has ever shot a Muntjac A confident head shot will always leave you with much cleaner meat but its best to bleed it out straight away. Its a small deer so all the vital shot areas are going to be smaller, you do not want to put lead in the intestines,it will be hell of a mess when you find the animal. I shot one last night at 130yds, high neck shot but would not have attempted if not been resting on a high seat with a very accurate rifle and ammo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 as a beginner don't try clever stuff just stick with chest shots, head shots are best for people with good dogs and either lots of experience or little conscience they vastly increase the odds on things going wrong. With muntjac you want a decent soft point bullet and put it through the chest very tight to the front shoulder. That minimizes the chances of taking out the rumen, it also means no need to bleed them as it will effectively be done for you. You'll see when you open the first one up it will contain a fair bit of blood, don't freeze the carcass before sale though check the regs out as to what you need to do to be able to sell to a dealer. I find they taste so good they all go in the freezer and I could pretty much live on venison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Hi most of the above posts are pretty true, and you have some good advice. without sounding repetative stick to boiler room shots side on. Its been said they are easy to skin, well in comparison they are allot more difficult than other deer species, so those that have only done 1/2 a doz in 12 months they have been extremely lucky, or , I get the slight wiff of manure from the comment made !!! I have skinned and butchered ummteen deer carcuses and believe me Munties aint the easiest. Pity you are not any closer i could have given you some tuition. dougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted May 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Hi most of the above posts are pretty true, and you have some good advice. without sounding repetative stick to boiler room shots side on. Its been said they are easy to skin, well in comparison they are allot more difficult than other deer species, so those that have only done 1/2 a doz in 12 months they have been extremely lucky, or , I get the slight wiff of manure from the comment made !!! I have skinned and butchered ummteen deer carcuses and believe me Munties aint the easiest. Pity you are not any closer i could have given you some tuition. dougy Dougy,with regard to the butchering,i am lucky enough to know a butcher/game who will come and teach me how to do this. I think i would stick to boiler room shots and i have read a report from an american that suggests it is not a must to bleed,but this contradicts what most other people have said,i suppose you can keep asking until you get the answer you want so many opinions from people taught different ways,guess it may be a region/generation thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Hi most of the above posts are pretty true, and you have some good advice. without sounding repetative stick to boiler room shots side on. Its been said they are easy to skin, well in comparison they are allot more difficult than other deer species, so those that have only done 1/2 a doz in 12 months they have been extremely lucky, or , I get the slight wiff of manure from the comment made !!! I have skinned and butchered ummteen deer carcuses and believe me Munties aint the easiest. Pity you are not any closer i could have given you some tuition. dougy Obviously a fellow hunter who has dealt with a few munties, I find the bit around the tail a pain. Vampire, you will be fine if you take the advice given and take it slowly,its not rocket science, just a little patience and care.Its advisable to get a couple of hooks up in the shed to take the back legs and just work down. Good luck with em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 No argument with anything above, but mine die quickly and easily and skin well. I don't do vast quantities of Muntjac, probably only about 5-6 a year, but mine have all dropped and skinned well, perhaps I have just not found any tough old ******* yet. They eat really well and head shot or not, gralloch before they hit the ground, doesn't appear to matter where you shoot them, the chest cavity seems to fill with blood! Vampire, it does matter were you shoot them, from what I read above I find it hard to believe that Dekers has ever shot a Muntjac A confident head shot will always leave you with much cleaner meat but its best to bleed it out straight away. Its a small deer so all the vital shot areas are going to be smaller, you do not want to put lead in the intestines,it will be hell of a mess when you find the animal. I shot one last night at 130yds, high neck shot but would not have attempted if not been resting on a high seat with a very accurate rifle and ammo. I think you misinterpreted... But Mine still skin easily and die easily, I don't know what you guys all get up to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 (edited) Hi most of the above posts are pretty true, and you have some good advice. without sounding repetative stick to boiler room shots side on. Its been said they are easy to skin, well in comparison they are allot more difficult than other deer species, so those that have only done 1/2 a doz in 12 months they have been extremely lucky, or , I get the slight wiff of manure from the comment made !!! I have skinned and butchered ummteen deer carcuses and believe me Munties aint the easiest. Pity you are not any closer i could have given you some tuition. dougy Chap, Just what is wrong with putting a shot in a Muntjac head? They are NOT difficult to kill and don't go walkies anywhere! I don't think I have ever taken a Muntjac past 100 yards, most have probably been about 40-70yards, if you can't put a shot in it's head at that distance questions need asking! I have been around a long time and speak from experience, don't make erroneous comments! We all have our experiences and our skill sets, don't judge everyone by your own standards! Chill! Edited May 3, 2011 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 (edited) I am a little confused by some responses here, the Muntjac is tiny, and whilst I have seen them at distance, (but I'm not bothered), I have NEVER gone out SPECIFICALLY Muntjac shooting, the ones I remove have turned up, commonly pretty close. I struggle to understand why people suggest they are hard to stop with a .243 at around 1600+++++ft lb, or a .22 CF at 1000ft lb plus recently. I rate myself as a proficient shot, certainly not world standard, so how come I can stop them EASILY and you guys struggle? Lets not start judging by individual competence! ATB! Edited May 3, 2011 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Dekers, I don't think you can say that Munties just drop, bit of a sweeping statement I would say considering you say you havent shot many. I've seen one buck shot square in the heart with a 308 and gone far enough into cover to warrant a dog. As for the skinning, I have never had a munty skin like a fallow, CWD or Roe, I have skinned em young and old and find em a bit like de husking a coconut. With your skills Dekers I bet you have no problem getting the wifes bra and knickers off, but I bet shes not happy with you wearing em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 (edited) Dekers, I don't think you can say that Munties just drop, bit of a sweeping statement I would say considering you say you havent shot many. I've seen one buck shot square in the heart with a 308 and gone far enough into cover to warrant a dog. As for the skinning, I have never had a munty skin like a fallow, CWD or Roe, I have skinned em young and old and find em a bit like de husking a coconut. With your skills Dekers I bet you have no problem getting the wifes bra and knickers off, but I bet shes not happy with you wearing em. See Above! And someone either needs to learn how to stalk or shoot or BOTH! The only way a Muntjac will go anywhere after its heart is removed buy a .308 is if it is filled with adrenalin. Perhaps a reason to learn to shoot and hit it's head, a Muntjac will go nowhere without a head! Sorry Chap, I have already made it very clear I take maybe 5-6 Muntjac a year. This thoroughly inexperienced Muntjac shooter seems to deal with them easily, but all those allegedly "experienced" Muntjac shooters are chasing them all over the county. Edited May 3, 2011 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Last Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Last Thursday. Sorry chap, what is that meant to show, so you shot a few Muntjac, am I disputing that? Did you stop them all, or are you suggesting you shot twice as many and couldn't find the rest, or are you showing that when you shoot them right they fall down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Your like my missus Dekers, hard work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 over the last couple of years ive shot about 30 muntjac and about 20 roe most of which dropped where they were standing but 3 or 4 have legged it off, I think when they are spooked they are more likely to run but they never seem to get more than 20-30yds but that is enough if the cover is thick, one roe doe did make about 80yds with no heart and only one lung, amazing really. I shoot all my deer through the heart/lungs from 10 to 250yds and never bleed any of them, as soon as they are shot I do a full gralloch and remove everthing from the bum hole to the chin, in the warmer months get them straight back to the motor and in a large tray and covered with a wet sheet and either return and try for another or head off home, this is generally early in the day before the sun has heated the car, when its cold i just hang them up in the wood if i'm going to stay on, never had a problem with any of the meat being tainted mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 (edited) This is about the norm Mikee, I shot a munty buck last year at 60yds with a 100grain softpoint, he had no idea I was there as he was munching away. I thought I had blundered with my homeload as he took off and crashed into the hedge 30yds away. He was stone dead when I got to him and his heart was completely gone, just running on adrenelin I quess. Muntjac maybe small but they are tough little things, I reckon their skin is tougher than a fallows. Ps when shooting them this time of year and as with Roe bucks make sure you have a good muslin sack to put em in. I hung a few in a tree last week, when I got back to them they were writhin with wood ants, they had climbed up the tree. Edited May 3, 2011 by Redgum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Your like my missus Dekers, hard work. Yeh...but don't you just love her............... To be serious for a moment, I don't get it, my Muntjac fall down EASILY, apparently others don't, shot placement, luck, numbers game, who knows! If I shot 100's maybe things would change, as I have said, the vast majority of mine have been close and opportunist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 Ok. Again stick to chest shots side on As a beginer like i am i would not advise any other shot ita far larger target and gives more allowance for nerves from the shooter.... Skinning well you skin Roe, Fallow and Munties then get back to me and say which are easier I personaly have skinned more than that including lambs,beef cattle, fox's, squirrels, rabbits of course, plus a few more smaller mammals. end of, me, well i am cool as a cucumber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 Ok so i am on the look out for a .223,for muntjac and fox. I have some questions about muntjac i need answering though. 1,head shot or heart,what gram bullet. 2,do you only shoot bucks and fat does as again suggested by basc,to avoid lactating does 3,gralloching,i know you have to slit throat to drain blood straight away before it thickens,cant spell colagulate !,but what if you dont do this,is the meat ruined. 4,do you freeze it before taking several to the dealer like rabbits,or is this not accepted. 5,medal heads,what is this and how do you score it ! Sorry if these are stupid questions,but i want to get it right. Answers but only my opinion you understand as I only shoot several hundred deer a year If you're competent enough (and being a novice you're probably not) head or neck shots are best. I've never seen a deer run when it's spine has been severed! I only shoot bucks but would concer with BASC Always bleed any carcase a.s.a.p. after it's been shot. Game dealers generally don't want Munties and even if they do the price they'll pay is so low you're better off keeping the butchered carcase for yourself. Or better still offer some to friends, the landowner/farnmer etc as it is IMO (apart from CWD) the best venison to eat. Go for trophy heads if that's your bag but unless they're +08cms don't bother as they won't score enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 bear in mind with aiming for the spine on low neck shots etc its not where you think it is, have a look at a few when you butcher them before trying it as its a lot lower than you think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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