Hunting & Fishing Will a 9mm kill a Deer?

[Maedho12]

Will a 9mm defense round kill a deer at point blank range if its a headshot? I've heard horror stories about having to shot a deer 4 or 5 times to kill him after being struck by a car. Whats your opinion?

Today when driving home from work I witnessed a deer jump in front of a van traveling about 30 mph. The deer hit the windshield of the van and was thrown across the road into a drainage ditch. I pulled over and checked on the driver, he was ok. The deer however was alive but all of his legs were broken, he would attempt to stand and try to run away but would fall down immediately. I thought about using my 9mm G19 to take him out of his misery but was worried it wouldn't kill him and only cause more suffering. A few minutes later an older gentleman stopped and he had a 40 S&W and a single head shot stopped the buck from suffering any longer.

 

[TxWelder35]

Kill it just as dead if you shot a person point blank in the head with a 9mm

 

[CoryT]

Repeat after me "Shot placement"

A .22LR will kill perfectly well, if you place the shot correctly.

Bell shot 800+ elephants with a .275 Rigby (not that I'd suggest trying that.)

 

[Maedho12]

Repeat after me "Shot placement"

A .22LR will kill perfectly well, if you place the shot correctly

I realize shot placement is everything. I deer hunt and use a 7mm rem mag. But I've heard 9mm hollow points will not penerate their skulls.

 

[HousePlant]

Yes - had to do it myself with a 9mm and it was a Hornady defense round shot from 6" away. Just took one to the skull. It's last breath out was sad.

FYI: in some states, shooting the injured deer is considered poaching if you did not get police or DNR permission first.

In my case, I put the deer down, called DNR after. DNR told me to call 911 for shots fired. Sheriff came and eventually DNR came. I got a dual lecture like you would not believe and feel I barely got out of there without being handcuffed. This was in Georgia. Call the authorities first.

 

[HousePlant]

I realize shot placement is everything. I deer hunt and use a 7mm rem mag. But I've heard 9mm hollow points will not penitrate their skulls.

Shoot through the eye heading slightly up and back if you're worried about the skull...

 

[Ravenworks]

Will a 9mm defense round kill a deer at point blank range if its a headshot? I've heard horror stories about having to shot a deer 4 or 5 times to kill him after being struck by a car. Whats your opinion?

Today when driving home from work I witnessed a deer jump in front of a van traveling about 30 mph. The deer hit the windshield of the van and was thrown across the road into a drainage ditch. I pulled over and checked on the driver, he was ok. The deer however was alive but all of his legs were broken, he would attempt to stand and try to run away but would fall down immediately. I thought about using my 9mm G19 to take him out of his misery but was worried it wouldn't kill him and only cause more suffering. A few minutes later an older gentleman stopped and he had a 40 S&W and a single head shot stopped the buck from suffering any longer.

You should sell your gun.

 

[Maedho12]

I realize shot placement is everything. I deer hunt and use a 7mm rem mag. But I've heard 9mm hollow points will not penitrate their skulls.

Yes - had to do it myself with a 9mm and it was a Hornady defense round shot from 6" away. Just took one to the skull. It's last breath out was sad.

FYI: in some states, shooting the injured deer is considered poaching if you did not get police or DNR permission first.

In my case, I put the deer down, called DNR after. DNR told me to call 911 for shots fired. Sheriff came and eventually DNR came. I got a dual lecture like you would not believe and feel I barely got out of there without being handcuffed. This was in Georgia. Call the authorities first.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Maedho12]

You should sell your gun.

Great idea. That's exactly what we need less legal gun owners. I would expect more from a fellow Jarheard but even a broken clock is right twice a day.

 

[davsco]

Call the authorities first.

yeah my wife got one with her car, maybe 100yds down the road from our driveway. yells at me to finish it off. so i'm walking down the road with my .45 1911 and did that. prob wouldn't have worked out too well if smokey rolled by then... benefit of being in a more rural setting.

 

[diverdon]

If the head shot goes thru the head without touching the brain it may not. If you put the bullet thru the brain then death is instant.

 

[Supersubes]

Yes - had to do it myself with a 9mm and it was a Hornady defense round shot from 6" away. Just took one to the skull. It's last breath out was sad.

FYI: in some states, shooting the injured deer is considered poaching if you did not get police or DNR permission first.

In my case, I put the deer down, called DNR after. DNR told me to call 911 for shots fired. Sheriff came and eventually DNR came. I got a dual lecture like you would not believe and feel I barely got out of there without being handcuffed. This was in Georgia. Call the authorities first.

Too bad you got two uptight idiots. Happens fairly often that we can’t get there in time and some passerby does it for us. Good for them. Less paperwork for me.

 

[nagantguy]

No to kill a deer you need at least a 338 win mag and one of those shoulder things that go up.

 

[Tchitcherine]

I knew I was missing something.

 

[xdeano]

I've shot a pile of deer with a 22lr or 9mm in the head. Work... They dispatch humanely. Walk up behind them and put it at the back of the skull by the brainstem, quartering through the eye orbit. Broadside through the ear. Front on between the headlights.

Xdeano

 

[DCAN]

Having done it several times, yes it will work. However, shot placement is really important. When I switched to a 40 cal things went better. You just have to be able to cope with the "dying flops". I've killed bear with a 22LR, but that is another story...

 

[jwhjwh54]

I'm glad you are being cautious but if a 9mm can't kill a deer then it's useless on humans or other thin skinned creatures.

If there is a next time, walk up and put one in the head and you'll be done. You could even put one through the heart/ lungs like a normal shot and it would die. Like the post above, even with a good shot they don't always die instantly even with a rifle. I've had to do it with a knife and I'd much rather have had a 9mm.

 

[Maedho12]

I'm glad you are being cautious but if a 9mm can't kill a deer then it's useless on humans or other thin skinned creatures.

If there is a next time, walk up and put one in the head and you'll be done. You could even put one through the heart/ lungs like a normal shot and it would die. Like the post above, even with a good shot they don't always die instantly even with a rifle. I've had to do it with a knife and I'd much rather have had a 9mm.

Thanks for the insight. My question was more related to bullet type fmj or jhp and how fragmentation effects penetatration. I've reached out to Buffalo Bore and they don't recommend jhp even for head shot due to the bullet mushrooming.

 

[diggler1833]

It's a deer. I wouldn't hesitate to use just about any non-frangible bullet to humanely finish one off...although I'll admit that I haven't had to do it.

But I have finished off several dozen hogs with headshots from my .40 short and weak. Hornady XTP, Speer Gold Dot, and Federal HST have all penetrated the skulls of many hogs well in excess of 200 pounds. I know guys who do the same thing with a 9mm.

 

[Bullspotter]

Fairly sure a 9mm would do the job, have never had to do it though.

 

[BullGear]

Great idea. That's exactly what we need less legal gun owners. I would expect more from a fellow Jarheard but even a broken clock is right twice a day.

That's a bizarre response to what was obviously a joke.

 

[Mudburner]

I see this frequently. When someone hits a deer, 911 dispatch calls me to go get it. I put 5 or 6 deer in the freezer every year. 2019 they called me 10x. A LOT of deer get hit by cars around here.

Either the deer will die from the collision right away or they will not. Quite often, almost always, they have at least one broken leg and often internal injuries.

Even with broken legs, a deer will try to get away when approached. If they are able to move away from the road, out of sight, they will remain alive until they slowly die from injuries, or get EATEN ALIVE by predators such as coyotes. Nature is a cruel bitch.

Local town cops refuse to shoot an injured deer, saying they are not allowed, told me to bring a .22 and do it myself. I was PISSED and told him it's inhumane not to put an injured animal out of it's suffering, RFN. Plus, it's against city ordinance to open carry inside city limits and to discharge inside city limits? The cop said, "It's OK, I'm authorizing you to do it..." The chief of police does not return my phone calls.

Then, this year they said I couldn't shoot it either! Had to use "alternative means" (whatever that is) and wouldn't say.

So 3 weeks ago I was at a scene driving slow with flashers on looking for an injured deer, after dispatch called me. I got pulled over by a local cop for driving slow, who then offered to shoot it, but I never did find that deer. It was in a reaidential area and either it managed to move out of sight from the road or someone came along and got it. Why would one local cop say he wasn't allowed, and the next local cop say he'd shoot it? Why won't the COP talk to me about it?

County deputy last night had to put 2 or 3 rounds into a deer's head, but waited probably 30 minutes until I showed up before he shot it. He said, "they give us cheap fmj ammo for this sort of thing" and wouldn't use his hollow points.

So, long story short, you can shoot a deer through the head with a 9mm pistol round, or any other round, but not hit the brain because it's only the size of a tennis ball.

The best shot (as already mentioned) is the base of the skull where the head joins the neck, or center of the brain, but that's sort of a small target. A .22 LR will do the job, but imo bigger is better.

 

[406Eric]

You should have shot it then you'll know the real answer to your question

 

[RTH1800]

Conflicting information from the same department. NO, THAT CANNOT HAPPEN!

 

[Maedho12]

That's a bizarre response to what was obviously a joke.

I'm looking for individals opinions based of their experiences with the specific matter. Lots of great information here that pertains to the thread. But if you're here to only joke than you're wasting oxygen and time.

 

[RTH1800]

I was simply enjoying this thread. Since you have chosen to get unduly defensive I will post my thoughts.
Your stupidity in posting this question shows you have no business using a firearm. I’m not joking.

 

[RanchhandTCR]

Ive put down cows with a 9mm.

Its just as capable as everything else. Shot placement and training is key with any cartridge.

 

[Maedho12]

I was simply enjoying this thread. Since you have chosen to get unduly defensive I will post my thoughts.
Your stupidity in posting this question shows you have no business using a firearm. I’m not joking.

Outstanding. You have no clue about my background or experiences, though they are very limited when it comes to using pistol calibers for killing injured deer...

Now move along.

 

[RTH1800]

BTW,

“Move along” really fails here. You sound like a mall cop.

 

[BullGear]

I'm looking for individals opinions based of their experiences with the specific matter. Lots of great information here that pertains to the thread. But if you're here to only joke than you're wasting oxygen and time.

 

[BullGear]

What is it with the newbies today? Seems like they are on the defnse from the start. I guess they don't have a thick skin and won't be around very long.

If he got upset about that post, he's really going to enjoy the rest of the crowd.

 

[Maedho12]

What is it with the newbies today? Seems like they are on the defnse from the start. I guess they don't have a thick skin and won't be around very long.

If he got upset about that post, he's really going to enjoy the rest of the crowd.

Another waste of time & oxygen.

 

[RTH1800]

Slow learner..

 

[BullGear]

He's gonna be fun.......

 

[BullGear]

Another waste of time & oxygen.

Just curious, how are you wasting oxygen?????

Asking for a friend.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Anybody got an extra bag of popcorn? I'm fresh out.

 

[Loner]

Killed many deer with a 22lr, so yes a 9mm will work, shot placement is key. Base of skull would be my choice also. In a pinch a 6 inch blade or a long screwdriver behind the shoulder will work also.

 

[krw]

Well I hav not killd many a deer with 22LR, buy I hav witnessd them killd with 22LR. CCI stingers are badassd.

 

[footsteps]

The kill crew who comes to my farm to slaughter ALWAYS brings a .22 MAGNUM rifle one shot 10 feet away between the eyes drops a 1400lb steer.
Again Shot Placement is critical, BAMBI IS DEAD.

 

[msstate56]

The fact that you were afraid a 9mm wouldn’t work, but then someone showed up with a deadly 40 S&W to finish the job says a lot about your mindset and understanding of ballistics. Do you carry this 9mm for self defense? But don’t think it will penetrate a deer skull?

I have put down a couple dozen deer with a .38 S&W j-frame. Mostly with 135 grain gold dots. I found several expended bullets buried 6-8” deep in the dirt after going in and out of a deer skull.

 

[Maedho12]

Edit-

 

[Mudburner]

Just as a follow-up,
We butchered the deer picked up Saturday night. It had been hit by a car and someone called 911 to report that it was still alive. When we arrived, a county deputy was on scene waiting for us. Only then did he agree to put the injured animal down, saying he had to change from duty ammo (hollow points) to fmj.

We watched as he shot the deer in the back of the head/neck from about 5 feet away. It reacted, but continued to lay with it's head up, so I asked deputy dog to hit him again, advising him to aim this time.

Upon autopsy, uh, processing, we recovered both 9mm fmj projectiles. Neither had mushroomed. One was nearly intact, with only rifling marks, and the other had a deformed tip and rifling marks. One was lodged under the skin on the far side of the neck, opposite the entry wound, the other one, the deformed one, was found in the upper neck bones. So, neither had complete pass-through. In my opinion, the 2nd round was the fatal shot, being better placed to smash the spinal cord at the base of the skull. The first round didnt seem to have any immediate effect, other than to go through soft tissue of the neck.

Deer have thick, tough skin on the upper neck, and except for the head & legs, & belly are covered with up to an inch of thick, tough hair, both of which can act to hinder penetration.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

In 2001, I killed a doe with a Walther PPK .32 ACP at 25 yards... antique lever rifle misfired and then double fed and jammed up tighter than a logjam. I had a PPK in my pocket. One in the boilerworks. Dropped right there.

Yes, she was legal.

.22 LR's take more illegal deer every year, probably, than legal ones with big rifles.

Yes. A 9mm will kill a deer without question.

SIrhr