In the lower part of the state in SC, buckshot is used quite allot in driving deer out of thickest into feilds. The most common step up i have seen is a shotgun shooting mod chk...3 1/2 in magnum with 000 buck. I have seen it DRT deer at 40 yards but i wouldnt shoot much farther than that. I have seen it kill deer out to 75 yards but it wasnt pretty..the deer was more or less hobbled or wounded and had to be shot again. i would keep it under 50yards.