Shotgun Deer
 

Good morning:
This year I am hunting in an area that only allows shotgun for deer.
I am unsure if I should be using slugs, or Buckshot.
Opinions appreciated!
Thank you!
Grant

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

What gun will you be shooting?

I prefer slugs myself. I was never a buckshot fan.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

Thank you for the reply.
I will be using my Wingmaster 870 2 3/4"
Grant

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

Not sure how effective buck shot is, as it is illegal to use it in Wisconsin. It would seam to me that slugs would be more acurrate and have a greater effective range than buck shot.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

Having killed 80% of my deer with shotgun I can say both are effictive killers if you know ther limits. I usually perfer to use slugs if I am in open woods and have decent range shots. I have killed several deer at 120 yards with a slug, but only take these shots if thery are 100% right. I try to keep my shots around 85 yards or less.

As far as buckshot goes, I mainly use that when we make man drives and I know my shots will be really close on fast moving animals. I have killed alot of deer with buckshot. I do use it when stand hunting as well. I limit my shots with buckshot to under 50 yards with my 10 gauge and under 40 with my 12.

Depending on what type of barrel and choke you have you can shot either. If I were you I would shot both to see how they shot from your gun. I will also say that I have learned that unless you have a rifled barrel or choke that the high dollar slugs are a waste of money, In a smooth bore barrel I found the basic slugs work best. I used a 2 3/4 1100 with a smooth barrel and a scope on it for years and took many deer with it. In fact all but one of the deer over 100 yards I have taken were with this gun. The Rem. sluggers are excellent shells along with the Winchester slugs. You should be able to pick these up at Walmart for around $2.50 a box.

The best thing would be to get out and try some and see what works best for you. Just dont try to puch your range with it. I shoot mine atleast once a month year round and have done so since I started hunting back when I was 7 ( and that was almost 23 years ago now lol) so I know my and my guns limits. I am sure you will find that hunting with a shotgun is a great way to harvest a deer.:D Almost as good as a bow... :D

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

I don' t know about where you are, but buckshot is illegal here in Jonesboro AR. We can only use shotguns with slugs. Check up on your local laws.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

OO Buck will knock them down in their tracks. Get them within 50 yards. Know how you gun shoots before using it to hunt. I can kill them out to 70 with 3" mags.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

Depends if you hunt where you can only see 40-50 yds use buckshot. If you opt for slugs you should have a front and rear sight on you gun not just a bead. Or better yet a scope of low magnification. Also a rifled choke tube or fully rifled barrel will also improve accuracy.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

Actually you need to follow up on your local laws!!!

Arkansas you can use buckshot,but in a couple zones you can not use buckshot.

If you are going to check something out in your state,that law may or may not be for the whole state,some hunting zones are diffrent...

If you need info for Arkansas, give me the zone your are in and I can let you know..

Troy

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

12, 16, or 20ga? I have a 16 gauge Wingmaster 870...and if thats it, i dont believe there is too much buckshot around...

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

I go with slugs, never had one get up after 12 guage slug hit it.;)

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

Buckshot is only illegal in zone 4 and 5, which is where I hunt.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

Depending where im hunting, I usually put in slug, then two buckshots. Got my first deer last year on the second shot with buckshot, dropped in its tracks.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

Joe I think if you need that third shot he would probably be out of buckshot range and you' d be better off with a slug. Just my 2 cents.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

i hope you are using a rifled barrel, because i was going to hunt with my grandpas 20 gauge with slugs, but we didnt have a rifled barrel for it so i am going to use his .32 remington instead. it should work fine because all of my shots will be within 25 yards. like i said it depends on how far you will be shooting and if you have a rifled barrel or not.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

I have a mossberg 500 and it shoots bad with the rifle barrel [:o] so I dont use it, I shoot with imp. cylender choke and it is very accurate at 100 yards.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

LOOK HERE

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

I have had the same experience with my Rem 11-87. It shoots well with an improved cylinder tube. I did buy a rifled tube cheap and found it does give better accuracy and a little more distance.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

I own both rifle barrel and smooth bore barrels and actually both work very well. I have killed more deer with the smooth bore and lugs than the rifled barrel. But that is due to the fact I have more years in the woods with the smooth bore. Do not be afraid to run some slugs through a smooth bore barrel. Try and see how they shoot.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

Having shot many deer with buckshot from a 12 gauge and seen many more killed with a 12,16, or 20 gauge, I can attest to it' s ability to kill cleanly and efficiently in the right hunter' s hands. I have witnessed a 12 gauge 00 buckshot kill (8 pointer) with my own eyes at 137 yards, but I wouldn' t recommend it as an effective range. 3" Mag 000 buck from a 12 gauge is effective out to 60-70 yards from a good long barrel full choke gun (no choke tube), for example. A 20 gauge Number 3 is effective to about 40 yards in the right hands. The most important thing I can recommend is to pattern your gun and use a fixed choke barrel if you have one. I have found that choke tube barrels don' t pattern real well for buckshot in full choke, but often modified or improved cylinder tubes will do OK. My son shot his first deer with a shotgun last year using his turkey gun (22" bbl with modified choke tube, 12 ga. 000), a doe at 40 yards and it dropped in it' s tracks. Know your gun' s ability before you walk into the woods!!!

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

I am only aloud to use buckshot where I hunt and with a well placed shot I have killed deer out to 75 yards. I have heard of farther but I just think tha beyond that it is not a for sure kill.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

I have killed them with 3" 000 at 90 yards running and a little farther standing but like I said earlier its all in knowing your gun and how it will shoot.. Now for the 10 Gauge I have well.. its plain out awsome, I just wish they would make 000 for it!!

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

Well my 1100' s semi automatic so I was thinking along the lines that your first shot is probably your best, then the next two will be running and be boomboom and I usually hunt in thick stuff so buckshot is way better.

RE: Shotgun Deer
 

I see said the blind carpenter, as he picked up his hammer and saw.:)