ORIGINAL: yeoman
Wolfhound - I cut my teeth with slug guns and admit to being a little hung up on heavy bullets. I've seen Whitetails carry hits from shotgun slugs I never would have dreamed they could handle. I'm afraid there is a tendancy to overestimate what a heavy bullet can do.
I know what you mean. I live in a sluggun state too and I've seen deer hit with big slugs run forever. IMO big heavy slugs are the third worst projectile for hunting after roundballs and arrows.
I'll take amuzzleloader over any sluggun anytime. I no longer hunt with a sluggun and in fact sold my slug barrel a few years ago. I haven't hunted with one since 2000.