Going on an Axis Deer hunt next week - question

[jeffreyjwilliams]

Hello everyone.
I am going on an Axis deer hunt next week. (Texas). It will be my first Axis hunt. Should my bullet selection and shot placement be the same as shooting a white tail?

I will be using my 6.5 CM Tikka T3x Lite. What ammo would you guys use? I have Win Deer Season xp 125 gr., Core-Lokt 140 gr , and Nosler BT 140 gr.

The shot will likely be 150 yards or less and my Tikka shots all of these rounds pretty much the same. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Orange Dust]

All those will kill him fine. Better than excellent meat. Enjoy it.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Core-lokt or XP would be my choice of those three. Good luck on your hunt. The axis population took a pretty good hit here in Texas during that major cold storm. They aren't made for that kind of weather.

 

[swampbug]

Axis hunts are a lot of fun. Great meat. Just realize a mature male axis is a large animal. Shot placement is important.
The females took a bigger hit than the males in the recent freeze but I saw plenty of both last week down around Sonora, TX

 

[lejuch]

All three bullets are up to the task, as I'm sure you are aware, axis shed antlers all year long rather than after a fall rut so just be aware that the large "doe" you are looking at through your scope may be a buck!

 

[jeffreyjwilliams]

Thanks. Yeah, with that storm I heard that the axis took a big hit.
thanks for the advice.

 

[Ole Dead Eye]

Best of luck to ya!!! Take some pictures.

 

[Rick Richard]

Good luck. Hope you have success and I heard the meat is excellent.

 

[jraulsten]

Any of those will work and shot placement should be right up the back of the front leg in the crease or even a little forward of where you would shoot a whitetail. I've shot a bunch and I can tell you from experience you do not want to walk up on a "dead" Axis and grab a leg. They have a habit of coming alive and kicking the heck out of you! Fantastic eating and a beautiful animal. Good luck on your hunt!

 

[JMW67]

After you get your buck they might make you a good deal on some does if the polar blast did not kill a bunch, the bucks are good the does are fantastic eating

 

[grog24]

Neck shot w/ a 6.5 works best. That's also my choice on whitetail... I have found that axis are far more hardy than white tails.

At the end of the day though, they're not some magical creature. They all die if shot correctly. Good shot placement and good bullets = dead

 

[grog24]

Where at in TX are you hunting?

 

[cabelasken]

Axis deer are not hard to kill and the caliber and loads you have chosen are all acceptable. I've taken over 25 axis does and bucks over the years and they have provided excellent table fare - even the old beyond their prime bucks. My wife will toss my elk out of the freezer to make room for axis steaks! I agree with the former comments - an axis doe will probably approach the best wild game you have ever served.

 

[javman]

I'd check on how their herd condition is due to the freeze killing off many axis deer.