kingranch

I am forced to shoot buckshot on an area of public land. No slugs, bows or highpowered rifles allowed.
Normally i would say screw it and hunt somewhere else but i have taken 160 class deer out of this area..(took one earlier this season with a gun)..the rules are new rules starting this year.
Where would you shoot a deer and make it drop or not go far. I have had good luck at this place and have taken a buck every year within 50 yards.. They areterritorial bucksand respond to the horns like music to their ears. I passed on 7 bucks that i rattled in this year on only two hunts.
I was thinking of head shot but not sure. I would think a straight shoulder shot would not penetrate thru the bone in the shoulder... and behind the shoulder it would run a good ways
I am used to poping them with my 30.06 in front of the front shoulder and they drop like a rock.

bigaggie77

if you collapse both of them lungs they don't run very far...

Rickmur

It's very leathel from what I hear especially if you have a tight shooting gun. Personally, I would never use it although I hear it's legal here in Del. Don't know for sure as I havn't hunted here yet. Next year.

Rebel Hog

Fl has many areas that arevery dense and sometimesBuck Shot is the way to go!

Paul L Mohr

Buckshot, but not a bow? That makes perfect sense to me, well actually no it doesn't.

Buckshot will kill deer just as well as anything else if you put it in the vitals at the proper range. The downside is it damages more meat and people tend to use it at longer ranges than it is intended or as an excuse to not shoot well. So you tend to hear about people wounding deer with buckshot.

Your best bet is to get some buckshot and pattern it in your gun to see what works well and at what distances you are comfortable using it.

Keep in mind that just because you are using a shotgun doesn't mean the range at which a round will damage something is severely reduced. With 000 buckshot you are still shooting a 35 caliber round ball that travels at 1200 fps and up and weighs around 75 grns I think. Except you are shooting 6-10 of them in a fairly non accurate platform. If you miss your target they can still travel a fair amount of distance and do damage to another person or property. I think it would be simular to shooting a small caliber musket.

I would personally rather use a pistol than buckshot, but if you don't have a choice I guess you will have to go with that. Many people kill deer every year with it, so it works. Just do some home work a head of time so you know what to expect when you go out. Too many just grab a shotgun, any old buckshot off from a walmart shelf and go hunting. They have no idea of how well it will shoot out of their gun, where the impact point will be and at what range it is effective. Don't be that guy and I think you will do ok.

Just my opinions anyway, I will add that I have never hunted with buckshot. I have played with a little bit though. I think it's best use is home defense in a rural setting.

Paul

Paul L Mohr

Oh I forgot to add, I think shooting them in the vitals would be the way to go. Any where else and I think you run the risk of wounding a deer. I honestly don't think you are going to drop them on the spot with buckshot. Doesn't always happen with a slug actually. I have never dropped a deer in it's tracks, they always run for ways regardless of what I use ( no centerfire where I live).

Your not using your 30-06 anymore buddy, you may have to track them now. Buckshot just isn't a high powered rifle, no matter how you cut it. With a good hit they should drop within 100 yards though, probably closer to 50 yards and in but you never know with deer.

Paul

EncoreJoe

I've shot deer up to 75 Yards with 3 1/2" 00 buck and a full choke choke tube. The deer I shot between 50 and 75 yrds always had atleast 4 pellets in them. Anything under 50 yrds you will smeer with this load, it has 18 00 buck pellets which are equal to 18 .33" projectiles..

Shoot for the shoulder, and your pellets will hit the heart, lungs, liver spine and neck area.

AJ52

I have shot a few deer over the years with 00 & 000 B/S. 000 is really the way to go if you can find it.

It is Deadly medicine no matter what the Nay Sayers will state - IF - you pattern the gun and keep your shots within limitations.The problem is not with the ammunition but the Nitt Witt behind the butt plate.

Some states won't even allow it on your person.On the other hand,I've heard some areas/counties only allow Buck Shot.

JagMagMan

I have found that smaller buckshot (#1) will pattern better, and is just as deadly! The two bad things about bucksot, is stretching the range, and poor blood trails if they don't drop on the spot!

Steve F.in MD

I have only shot two with buckshot (No.1). Both dropped on the spot. Good luck with your hunt.