No hunter wants to track a wounded animal for miles—or worse, lose it entirely. But some calibers just don’t have the consistency or stopping power for clean kills, especially when paired with bad shot placement or the wrong bullet. Whether it’s lackluster penetration, poor expansion, or just not enough punch for the animal you’re after, these calibers are responsible for more wounded game than most would like to admit.
.223 Remington on Deer
Yes, it can work. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should. The .223 is marginal for deer-sized game, especially with common FMJ or varmint loads.
If you’re not hitting vitals perfectly, expect long tracking jobs. It’s better suited to varmints and predators unless you’re running heavy, well-constructed bullets with perfect shot placement.
.243 Winchester on Elk
It’s a great deer round, no doubt. But the .243 starts to fall short when you use it on bigger-bodied animals like elk.
Penetration just isn’t consistent enough for ethical kills unless the shot is perfect. A lot of elk are wounded every year by hunters trying to stretch this small caliber too far.
.30 Carbine on Hogs
The M1 Carbine has its fans, but that soft-shooting round isn’t ideal for feral hogs. Even broadside shots can fail to reach vitals through thick shoulders.
Hogs are tough, and the .30 Carbine often lacks the energy and penetration needed to drop them quick. It’s a risky pick in the woods.
7.62x39mm on Big Game
It’s tempting because it’s cheap and widely available. But even soft-point 7.62x39mm rounds struggle on elk, caribou, or large hogs.
The trajectory is rainbow-like, and many bullets fragment or underperform on impact. It can wound more than it kills when used outside its limits.
.22-250 Remington on Deer
This high-speed varmint round was never designed for deer. It zips along fast, but light bullets can explode on impact or fail to penetrate deeply enough.
Some states still allow it for deer hunting, but it’s a gamble. More often than not, you’ll end up following a blood trail through thick brush.
.17 HMR on Anything Bigger Than a Coyote
It’s fun to shoot and deadly on small critters, but the .17 HMR is wildly underpowered for anything larger. Hunters sometimes get tempted by its accuracy, but it’s a bad choice for ethical kills on medium game.
Even perfect headshots don’t always anchor an animal. It just doesn’t have the mass or energy to get the job done cleanly.
5.7x28mm on Deer or Hogs
It looks cool and feels high-tech, but the 5.7 isn’t great for hunting anything bigger than varmints. Even expanding rounds don’t offer reliable performance on medium-sized game.
Too many hunters assume the speed makes up for the small bullet, but animals often run off wounded when hit with this caliber.
.204 Ruger on Coyotes
This one surprises people, but the .204 is so fast and light that it can actually zip through without expanding—especially on broadside shots.
Coyotes hit with a .204 often take a few steps before dropping, and if your shot’s not perfect, you may be chasing a wounded one across the field.
.300 Blackout with Subsonics
Running suppressed with subsonic ammo sounds great—until you realize how often it fails to fully expand or penetrate. It’s quiet, but also underwhelming on impact.
Unless you’re within bow range and using carefully chosen expanding rounds, you’re better off with a different setup for ethical game harvesting.
.410 Slugs on Deer
Sure, it’s legal in many places, but legal doesn’t always mean ideal. .410 slugs don’t carry a lot of energy, especially past 30–40 yards.
Unless the shot is close and perfect, deer often run off with little sign of a hit. It’s a common source of frustration for youth hunters using it as a starter.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
