I am shooting a Steyr 7-08 Mountain Rifle. I have been shooting the Hornady 139 light magnum SST's. I have shot numerous deer with this set-up that have been a bang/flop. However, lately the deer I have shot with this set-up have been running with little or no blood trail to follow. Two of the deer I saw fall so it wasn't a big deal to find them. The other one was an 8-point a buddy of mine shot and there was no blood we just got lucky and walked up on him. All shots have been right behind the shoulder

The deer bleed like hell where they are laying, but not until then.

Any ammo suggestions in this caliber?

I shoot Remington Core Lokt's out of my 243 and love them, but have a hard time finding it locally in 7-08

I've never lost a deer with the bullet that you are using in my 7-08. I shot corelokts too from the same gun and didn't get near as good results. I didn't get pass through on one deer at about 40yards! No blood either. Stick with what you have. It's the perfect whitetail round.

I shoot Fusion 140 gr in my 7mm-08 and never had any trouble and what few ran they bleed like crazy

I would stick with what you have.
All 7-08 factory 139/140 grain loads are designed for whitetail. They all kill deer very well.
The difference in individual deer is much greater than the difference in between the various 7-08 factory loads. <$0.02>

Most of the deer I have shot with it have dropped. But as I said it is the few that have run, did not bleed until where I found them laying.

The biggest buck I have ever shot was with this set-up. He was 240 yards out in a clear cut. First shot dropped him in his tracks. I called my dad to bring the 4-wheeler up to help me load him, packed up all my stuff and was about to climb down when the buck got up and ran off (laid there for over 5 minutes without moving). I shot him again and he started running on 3 legs, next shot I hit him and he turned a front flip as he was leaving the clear cut.

My dad got there and we searched for hours with no blood anywhere. Next morning we went back and found two different spots where he bedded down were full of blood, but none in between the two spots or anywhere else. Never found the deer?

The last buck I shot with it I double lunged, he ran 100 yards and no blood until I got to him. Where he was laying looked like a blood bath though?

I shoot the exact same round out of the exact same gun. I have had one deer take a step after the shot and he was amped up chasing three does.

I dont think it is the bullet.

A 240 yard shot in a cutover...anything could have happened to that bullet on its way to the target on the first shot and the next two sounds like were in a hurry.

I think I would do some more field work before I threw out a good round.

federal premium 140 gr barnes triple shock want shoot anything else out of mine

I have shot federal premium 140 BTs and never had a problem, but I started shooting hogs, so I switched to federal premium 140 grain nosler partitions. I have not had a single animal take more than 3 steps when hit with one. Hogs and deer, all dropped. I really like that round.

Go to a smaller faster caliber. All of your bullet energy is exiting from the hole on the opposite side of your deer.

I had two bucks this week hit with 22-250's w/55 grain bullets and they never took a step. I had one deer hit with a 300 Win Mag 180 grain and he ran 200-225 yards. Why track 'em?

You boys with the small penises will learn one day.

When did a 7mm-08 become comparable to a .300 mag?

Thanks guys. I have never had a problem with this round grouping well. I have always hit where I was aiming, with the exception of the clear cut deer I guess.

Its just odd that little to no blood trail, but where they fall it is everywhere. It's like they just fill up inside and then fall.

With that being said I have only lost the one deer with it, so it is working.

If you want blood, then shoot the Winchester ballistic tip in 7-08.
I personally shoot plain Winchester 140gr soft point, but I don't get great bloodtrails either.
Ive had two deer in my life drop like a rock in a clearcut that weren't hit. At the sound of the rifle they drop and hide. Both deer were killed later and didn't have any prior injuries. One was an 8 and one was a spike.
Good story behind the 8.

Hornady Superformance GMX's. The bullet stays together much better than the SST's. I shoot either GMX's or Barnes TSX's in everything I got simply because I like the one-part construction better, and they deliver complete passthrough's every time.

Everyone has a different theory on whether complete passthrough's are good or not...you know, wasted bullet energy and whatnot. Here's my theory...two holes are better than one, especially if the deer runs off and you have to trail them. Regardless of what some of our resident "experts" say here on Aldeer, no hunter drops them every time.

On the non-passthrough shots, you have one small bullet hole which can easily get plugged with a clot. If you have an exit hole with a properly expanding bullet, there's no way a clot can plug that hole, and the deer will be much easier to find.

Just my $.02.

Thanks, that's what I was looking for. I also agree that two holes are better than one

Federal Premium Accubonds. 140 grain. Last two does double lunged. One 75 yards the other 55 yards. Both had exit wounds about the size of a silver dollar. Both ran less than 25 yards.heavy blood form point of impact to crash site.

I have had the same problem with the sst from both my wife's 7-08 and my 308. I have shot numerous deer with the sst and if I didn't drop them where I shot them I never had more then a few drops of blood to track them. I would have to walk the way they ran off and hope that I would find them. My son shot a nice wide 6 during the youth hunt with my 308. When he shot him the deer bucked and almost went tail over nose. All we found was 4 drops of blood and never found him. After that I shot several different brands and settled on the fusion for the 7-08 and laugh all you want but the winchester power max for my 308. The power max actually grouped better out of my 308 then the sst. After shooting several deer with it I am totally hooked on them. I have had good blood trails everytime I have had to track one. The fusion grouped good out of my wife's gun and left a pretty impressive entrance and exit hole on the only deer she shot this year.

I actually laughed out loud a little at that.

WOW.

try the hornady 139 gr. btsp they do very well in all my rifles
leave good blood in all calibers from 22-250 to my 308