Buckshot for deer
 

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.

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

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

:)

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

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;).

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

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

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

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

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

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

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

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.

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

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.

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

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!

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

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

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

well i just bought three boxes of hevishot 00 buck "deadcoyote". stuff was 13 per box of five. I also bought a pure gold buckshot tube.
Hopefully i can get a good pattern at around 45 yards as I usually get the bucks in that close if not a little closer.
Problem is that 9 times out of 10 they are facing me so only shot i have is front chest or head.
Will buckshot go thru the shoulder @ 40 yards?

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

I used to use buckshot all the time and still do on ocassion. One thing you have to know about it is even though it puts a lot of holes in a deer many times there is no sign of a hit and no blood trail. So what I'm saying is make sure if you shoot you follow up on the animal really good. I have found many deer I shot 100 yards away with no blood trail. Sometimes they bleed like a stuffed pig and sometimes nothing. So just be careful.

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

kingranch
You would seriously consider shooting a 160 class buck in the head?:DLOL! It would definitely save a taxidermy bill or add to one when he had to reassemble the rack. Just keep your range under 50 yards, and aim for the chest if they are facing you or shoulder if the shot presents itself. I have killed about 15 deer with buckshot and have never had a deer take a step inside 50 yards (which is my maximum comfortable range with it). Treat buckshot like you would a bow and arrow, and you should have no trouble.

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

neck shot might work

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

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RE: Buckshot for deer
 

Rebel Hog gave you a good chart on the size and # of pellets in the shells.I have always shot buckshot for deer and hogs till I got a place that I stand hunt with a rifle.
I hunted in the Fla. swamps for the past 42 years and I say 35 was only with shotgun and buckshot.buckshot in my BPS 3" with Winchester #4 buck have taken over 140 deer and twice that many hogs.I always took shots that were 50 yards and under(mainly because in the swamps,thats as far as you can see and tell what it is)I used # 4 buck because we had so many turkeys.then I foundout they took deer and hogs great.
I had an uncle put it this way to me once.he said take an orange and a grapefruit; throw them both as hard and as far as you can.he then said which one went the fatherest,I said the orange,but the grapefruit hits harder.he said yep ; if it get to ya.just something to think about.thats why I shoot #4 buck.

back to the buckshot,I would get some #4 ; some #1 and the 00 you have.take a 1/2 sheet of news paper and put themat 30 and 50 yards one behind the other lined up so you only see one sheet.shoot them and you will get an idea of how you gun shoots.the newspaper want make a difference in the pattern.try that with each different shot size to see which one does the best.

as for the shot placement; I would try for a broadside shot,that will most times drop them.I have only had 2 or 3 deer that ran off after I shot them,all the rest dropped.a head shot is iffy at best;small kill zone and will distroy the rack to boot.I took a shot at one buck one time that two other hunters had shot with arifle and both hit him;one was in the front leg justabove where the knee was; the other was just below the spine.he was running ahead of a pack of beagles.I shot him at about 75 yards(only shot that far because we knew he was wounded); he dropped in his tracks.hit himwith 3 in the lungs and 2 in the neck.

if you have him head on,just be ready for the turn and fire;(DEAD DEER).

don't know if any of this will help you any; just the way I have used them over the years.

some people will disagree with me on this ; But There Wrong[8D]:D:D:D:D:D:D:DLOL

RE: Buckshot for deer
 

I will have to say that I was never a big Buckshot fan, how ever
this past hunt seasona first time hunter was with us we put him on a watch with a 12 gauge pump 30" barrel and loaded with double 0 buck
3" mag.when a nice 8 point came out to him at aprox. 30 yrds he fired and acording to him the buck did a front knee skid and expired in seconds
after dressing the deer out we found 6 holes in the front shoulder area.
Moral of the story is given the right chance and shot placement inside 40 yrds the animal will go down to Buckshot I am sure.