What to use??

[std7mag]

As I've said, I hunt in the woods of PA. The woods of NY aren't any different.
1-2 power may give you more field of view. But if there are antler restrictions as here in PA, you'll want a little more power.
I typically use 4-12 & 4-16 power variable scopes.
At 35feet, (my closest deer) I had no issues with just seeing fur.

Illuminated reticles are nice. But if it's too dark to see the reticle, it's too dark to count points on the antlers. Or make a good shot.
What's on the other side of that deer?
Did another one walk beside it?
Another hunter you didn't notice?

As for bullets my go to's have been the Nosler Ballistic Tip or Berger VLD.

Never had to track with either of those bullets.

 

[Ol' Red]

Not sound redundant, but your 308 will be good.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

I've killed, a Metric chit Ton of, Deer and Antelope over my 60 years of Hunting with, an old, .06 and 4X scope using, 150 grain Bullets so, IMO,..
nothing heavier than, 150 to 165 grains is, necessary ! The Sierra's Game Kings loaded by Federal or, Hornady's ELD-X Precision Hunter Ammo, would be,.. PERFECT for, a .308 ( Both brands are, very accurate ! ) Be sure to Practice your "Off-Hand" shooting for, Woods range Hunting.

 

[Brad Quarnberg]

I hunted all over Europe with a 308 using 165gr Hornady SST Superformance with great success.
I hunted stands a lot and over half the shots were 100-150 yards with the longest over 350 yards on a Mouflon Ram in the Alps on the border of Slovenia and Italy. All of the deer (Roe and Fallow), wild boar and Mouflon were DRT. The only animal I had run after being hit was a large Bronze Medal Red Stag I shot at just over 220 yards.
The 308 will be more than enough gun for what and how you're going to hunt in NY. I wouldn't for a second or consider anything else since you already have one in your safe: unless you are looking for an excuse to buy a new gun.

 

[Orange Dust]

165gr game kings shoot well in every .308 I've tried them in. Leave a nice exit hole from most angles too. This is a plus if they run off in dark woods. They will fly like a match bullet in your 308. Hit liike a varmint bullet in your 300, so don't try that on anything you plan to eat.

 

[K.E.C.]

My vote is on the SST. The Superperformance had never let me down. And reloading them has always been EASY PEASY with Varget.
Have Fun, Shoot Straight.

 

[Coastal]

Shoot the rifle you like the best. If you prefer your 300 PRC shoot it. The deer won't know the difference at 100 yards between a 300 PRC, .30-06 or .308.

 

[ssramage]

The .308 has been killing big game animals all over the planet for generations. You'll be fine and that scope will be plenty, especially under 100 yds.

 

[bultinkle]

For deer under 100 yards? Anything 223 and up is adequate.

 

[watersfam]

Ok I am an Arizona hunter for last 8 years and haven't hunted anywhere else so curious to your opinion guys.
I am gonna go hunt with my brother in NY catskill mountains on his land. He is lefty and I am a righty (shooting wise not political) and all my guns here are for 200 yard plus and mostly prc calibers . I have an older 308 savage rifle that just sits in my safe already with a 3-12 scope setup . Is that good enough for that or should I use larger caliber like a 300 prc I have setup.
Most guys up there use 30-06 and all of them say I need one for there.
Give me your opinion please guys????

How does it shoot at the range? Cartridge is definitely enough for deer, sheep, antelope, and well-placed elk shots. I took down an oryx in East Cape in South Africa with one at about 125 yards.

Famed American hunter Jack O'Conner used to say that shot placement and bullet construction were the two most important factors in bringing down big game. If you can put a good cluster at 200 yards with the oldie, use it! If it is not accurate at range, it won't be in the field.

Stay away from "hamburger points" like the SST tips from Hornady or Winchester Silver tips. I have had those explode on contact with Oryx, Wildebeest, and even North American Bighorns. Stick with interlocks from Hornady, Remington, Nosler, etc. For whatever reason, they stay together to penetrate the big game and then expand with a good punch. SST's are good for coyotes, rabbits, or other small game that are not eaten. As nickname implies, they destroy a good portion of the meat when they hit. The specific orders from my last two PH's was to ditch the SST's for big game hunting.

 

[watersfam]

For deer under 100 yards? Anything 223 and up is adequate.

As my dad showed me when I was a teenager, with good shot placement, even a .22 L.R will take one down at short range. Still would not use a 22 caliber on our mule deer. .243 or greater is usually necessary to take down one of our muleys.

 

[bultinkle]

As my dad showed me when I was a teenager, with good shot placement, even a .22 L.R will take one down at short range. Still would not use a 22 caliber on our mule deer. .243 or greater is usually necessary to take down one of our muleys.

The 223 thread on another forum changed my mind on 223 for bigger deer with careful bullet selection.

 

[436]

NY Catskill Mountains, I'm with the other .308 Win guys... no need to think hard about it. Good luck, Cheers.

 

[Gpkhill2]

My dad and his uncles and cousins have pulled up 100s of whitetail deer in WV over the last 50 years with 308s and 3-9 scopes. And bullets in the 150-180 range Shots from 25 to 250 yards. It's a really hard cartridge to beat for that application