Bloodnativ

I'll be the odd man out and say I actually prefer using my shotgun for deer. I have an NEF 20ga that is just too sweet! Awsome trigger, light as a feather, carries like nothing else, and just seems to aim itself. I hunt in Tx and we can use either. But in the areas that I hunt shots are rarely 100 yards and cover is THICK. After the season I may get the rifled barrel or a 12 ga barrel (that's right, mine is a smooth bore) but it works just fine as is. I DO own a rifle but when I can find the slugs my shotgun prefers I will take it with me every time.

handloader1

Bolt action rifle. Good luck.

deerhunter34

Shotgun all the way, I can use my 12 Gauge for anything squirells quail deer elk. Any thnig that walks or flys. Shotgun is just more versitile.

Pauly

Rifle

I use a bolt action in 308 for deer, and just recently purchased a muzzleloader.
I also use a 22lr semi auto for small game, and just picke up a Savage in 17 HMR, which I get to shoot tomorrow

With the muzzleloader I don't need a shotgun in southern Michigan if I were to hunt during gun season i'd stick with the ML. And I don't hunt birds much, but would like a shotgun in the future.

firsttimeelkhunter

We had this debate, well sort of, on another board. The thread was "If you could only have one gun for all uses, what would it be?" The answers varied, but it may put a new slant on this thread.

BTW, My answer was the 12ga. With-in it's limits, which are generally broader, it can do everything I need it to. Any N. American animal walking, crawling, and flying at appropriate ranges. Makes a great Home Defense gun as well. Only drawback is if you carry. Can't conceal a shotgun very well

Edit, Should have read all the way down before shooting off. Tend to get into the fray on some issues. Lept before looking[]

bigcountry

You know, I used my sluggun for everything this year besides WMA's where I had to use a muzzleloader. I even used it in my own county which is the one county were you can use a rifle (Carroll in MD). Why? I don't know, opened up the safe, and grabbed it. I might grab my 308win for Sat. because its already dirty and needs cleaned anyway and I already cleaned my sluggun. Doesn't really matter to me. Whatever I grab first. The sluggun has already took 4 deer, and the muzzleloader two, so I might have to exercise the 308Win or the 270Win Auto, or maybe if I get real nutty and half asleep, grab my 300RUM.

eldeguello

IF I could only have one gun, I agree that a shotgun is a much more intelligent choice. But I prefer rifles, so I'd probably end up choosing a rifle of some sort. Maybe a muzzleloader of large caliber, like .66 or so, with a slow twist like 1/120" from which shot charges could also be fired.

oldelkhunter

Set up correctly a Shotgun gives up very little and in fact has more knockdown than most Rifles at normal woods ranges 50-150 max, this can be a benefit when there are other hunters posted in close proximity to where you are hunting and the animal needs to be DRT. Been a referee on a couple of those deals and it was a miracle no one was hurt or killed Laws are such that Muzzleloaders, Pistols,Shotguns and Archery are the only accepted methods of taking big game in most heavily populated states.

Briman

Don't like shotguns for deer hunting. I consider them crude. The only people who used shotguns to hunt deer where I was originally from were the ones who didn't want to spend a few bucks on a rifle. With a rifle I can put thousands of rounds of practice lead downrange every year, I haven't met anyone yet that can say the same about their shotgun with slugs- too expensive and not much fun shooting more than a handful of shots at a time. They are way overpowe3red for whitetailed deer, though I would make a good pump or autoloader my first choice for bear protection if I were in Grizzly country. If I cannot use a rifle in a certain area, I use a muzzleloader, my next choice would be a magnum revolver, followed by a distant last by a shotgun with slugs.

marmax

I would prefer to use a rifle in the right conditions because of weight. This year I deciided to use my 629 Classic 44 Mag because I live in Ohio and you can only use shotguns or pistols of certain calibers. Most shots for deer in this state are under 100 yards and a 500gr. slug will definately do the job but I opted for a more challenging shot with a revolver with open sights. Still got the job done at 60yrds.
Can't rifleman and shotgunners get along