buckshot vs slugs
 

hi, i was wondering how many yall seen deer shot with slugs compared to bushshot. thanks

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

Do a search. This topic has been beat to death and always opens a can of worms.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

Buckshot can be deadly at close ranges. Probably up to 40yds but every gun is different.Buckshot definatley can waste more meat. Slugs are probably the most prefered but i suggest shooting them through a rifled barrel and get yourself a nice shotgun scope. I used to shoot nothing but 3 1/2 inch buckshot but since i bought a nice rifled barrel shotgun and a nice scope i've never gone back to buckshot.Thats just my opinion but see what suits you best.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

Deerhunter2006,
Buckshot does have its place in history with hunting, and has taken a great deal of deer. However, buckshot is a poor performer. I’m not going to go into great detail, but here is my summary;
A slug is just as powerful, or even more so than buckshot at any range, but buckshot has far less power at a greater distance than a slug. This is mainly due to the ballistic coefficient of a sphere, which slows quickly and has poor penetration. The number get worse and quickly when you start to calculate in the fact that some of the pellets will not hit the animal at this greater distance, which will compound the poor numbers. If you hit an animal with only a few pellets and they are not in the best location on the animal, you may never find it, or know that you’ve even hit it, subsequently resulting in either not tracking it, or not being able to track it due to the large range it can cover while it is still alive.
With a slug it is pretty obvious if there has been a hit because it will deliver a good bit of energy even if shot placement is less than optimal. There really isn’t much of a reason to limit yourself with buckshot if slugs are legal for use.
Good luck,
KP
P.S. – There will be others who disagree. You should study this matter on your own and form an opinion from your research.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

It would depend what kind of range and species of whitetail.NC whitetails are smaller than those giants in Canada.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

My $.02

The only reason you should use buckshot is if you are hunting with hounds which isn't done a lot but I know we do it here in Eastern Va and its done some in south fla. and the reason is becauseyou are taking a lot of running shots. And this stuff about 40 yd effective range is BS. We reguarly kill deer out to 100 paces with 00 buckshot. We reguarly miss alot at that range too. If you are going to shoot buckshot then be sure to pattern your gun to see what load it shoots best with which choke ( I am a Winchester 00 Buckshot with modified choke man, and with my 11-87 that puts 15 out of 15 pellets in a 2x2 paper target at 50 yds.)

Also some places allow buckshot but not slugs (like where I live) and other places allow slugs but not buckshot so check out your local regulations.

But in general I would say if you are still hunting use a slug if you are hunting with dogs then use buckshot. If you use buckshot and it patterns well for you thenthe winchester 00 high velocity is a real widow maker, they took 3 pellets out and put in more powder,the only problem is it kills on both ends... my shoulder is killing me.

Good Luck

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

I Hate Buckshot
Over the year's Iv'e been hunting,I have found six animals that I harvested to have Buckshot pellet's just under the skin,two of which had
busted leg joint's that have healed over.
One Deer in particular that sickened me was Gang Green on the whole side of it.I thru the whole Deer away what a waste of a animal.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

SloPitch a couple of lines in your post stand out. "We regularly kill deer at 100 paces with 00 buckshot. We regularly miss a lot at that range also." I would be willing to bet that those aren't alwaysmisses, rather you don't get enough buckshot in the deer to kill them quickly and a number of them die later on. Stick to the distance that buckshot is effective and meant to be shot.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

Timber: I have no argument for that. I was just stating the facts of the way it is around here. I am a bigtime bowhunter and I never take low percentage shots however alot of the shotgunners here do. I do dog hunt when the season comes in because most deer become nocturnal once they here the hounds start up and its the only way you will see deer. When I dog hunt I always take my little brother and I rarley take my gun out of the truck. I just like seeing him be sucessful. I kill most of my deer in bow and muzzleloader season.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

i would prefer slug just because buck shot doesn't not have enough penetration power even at close distances....slugs really don't either..i shot a buck at 22 yards with a slug...made a 2 inch hole in his front shoulder and the slug did not exist, just penetrated about half way in the buck and broke into pieces....

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

Hi deerhunter2006...I have...

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

60/40

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

Buckshot is not an option in OK. It is illegal to possess it while hunting.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

There are some counties in North Carolina that you MUST use buckshot if you are shooting from the ground. (Less than 8' off the ground)

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

I agree - too many hunters think they "Missed" with buck shot when in fact they wounded/crippled the animal.

Almost every single year we see crippled deer or find dead deer with B/S wounds on our farm near property line next to large WMA.This year we found a huge doe with one pellet in gut. Shot on adjacent WMA and made it to our farm and dropped dead.

What a waste and what an idiot that shot her!

Having said that I've taken a few deer over the years with 00 & prefer 000.
It has its place.I have a s/gun used just for buck shot - 28" modified w/rib.Use it only in woods stands where shots are 30-35yrds - maybe 40 at best.Perfect for B/S.

Too many hunters abuse buck shot range by loading a slug 1st and B/S 2nd.Should be the reverse for possible follow up shot w/slug that exceeds B/S range.Then there are the morons who bang away with buck shot thinking they can "Lob In" a few pelletts for the kill = Wouned - Crippled Deer[:'(]

Buck Shot has its place in Deer Hunting - if - used properly at its effective range,and should be patterned BEFORE you go bangin away.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

i have always used slugs never buckshot.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

Buckshot in Ky will get you a big fat ticket,maybe lose your vehicle and weapon.

This is from a state that allows ANY centerfire rifle to be used for deer as well as no restrictions on poundage for bows.


No thanks to buckshot for me.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

Just for my own knowledge, what is the reason behind buckshot being illegal in certain states?? In my state (DE) you can hunt shotgun/muzzleloader, pistol and archery/ but not with a rifle. unless its a .22 for squirrels.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

Wound rate is too high,people shoot too far and just wound them.


Some states don't allow rifles for safety reasons,conjested,flat open areas is a good way to get someone shot with a rifle.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

100 yards?? give me a break!!!

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

Look I am not saying its right but we had a guy drop a deer in his trackswith one shot from a benelli 3 1/2 this year and we thought the shot looked pretty far. So I stood where he shot from and he walked to the deer I put my range finder on him and he was 123 yards. So theres your Break!!!And don't tell me that its not done on a regular basis, because I see several buckshot kills at 90-110 yards every year.

That being said...

My brother is 14 and hunts with me alot, I make sure to instill in him the way that I hunt. I don't take shots over about 60 yards simply because the wound ratio is to great, so thereis no reason to jumpall over me about this,but I do see kills over 100 yards every year.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

o2,

He said 100 paces which could be 85-100yrds depending on a mans "pace/stride".Now - maybe he meant 100 yrds??

Both seem insane with B/S - IMO.The miss rate at 100 paces says it all - maybe 1-2-3 pellets hit home(non lethal hit) = wounded animal. Seen way too many cripples too many times.Whats sad is when you see these cripples later in season your tag(s) might not allow you to take out the deer.Legaly you gotta let it walk.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

I'm sure not gonna say that 3 1/2" 00 or 000 won't kill deer at 100+yrds with the right barrel.

But - If the expected kill rate is not 100% it means the wound rate is high not to mention the "misses" that your never sure of - WHY even attempt the shot??

Sloopy - Very Sloppy - and - Unethical.

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

Again...

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

for every deer dropped at 100 PACES w/ buckshot, there probably is 10 deer out there as CROW BAIT..

RE: buckshot vs slugs
 

slugs are nice, my first shot is always a slug when I'm on stand followed by three buckshot and the last a slug, but, love that buckshot when I'mstill hunting all I use is buckshot. me and my uncle have killed many deer with buckshot never lost one, you put any deerwithin 40yds of someone that can hit them under any conditions, and there dead, all our deer have only gone a distance of 40 yds and expired. my uncle shot one last year 237 pounds at around 40 yds and he ran twelvefeet andexpired. so like Itell everyone, the proof is in the frezzer.