For hunters, calibers count — but shot placement counts more

By David LaPell

Grouse taken with S&W Model 22A rimfire pistol in 22 LR. (Photo: David LaPell)
Over the years much ink has been spilled over which caliber should be used for downing just about everything — from the tiniest squirrel to the most massive pachyderm walking the plains of Africa, to that deer or elk you caught on your trailcam last season. I find most of these types of articles focus on terminal ballistics, but really the caliber you choose should be directly informed by the shots it will be necessary to make in order to bag your game animal.
If you spend enough time in the woods or around hunters you will hear about or see for yourself instances of animals that are gut shot or that are not hit cleanly. In these cases, the animal either has to be shot a second time or, in the worst case, is never found.
I can recall when I young being paired with a friend of one of my relatives on a hunt. In two days he shot two deer and lost them both due to lousy shot placement. His gun should have easily done the trick as he was using a 12 gauge shotgun loaded

Source: Guns.com