First Deer Hunt W/ 12 Gauge. Slugs or Buckshot?

C

cptnjm

New member
Hi Gang.

I have an opportunity to go deer hunting for the first time this year, and am wondering what the pros and cons are of choosing slugs or 00 buckshot.

How much meat will I lose if I use buckshot? My plan is to donate some of the processed venison to a local food pantry if I'm lucky enough to take one.

All experienced advice and insight welcome and appreciated. Thanks.
 
I one time lived in an area where you had to use shotgun with slugs for deer. No buckshot. I was surprised at how accurate they were.
 
Effective range is always significantly greater with slugs. However, you must pattern it first to see where the point of impact is.
 
buck v. slugs

Buckshot is a close range proposition, typically 40 yds and under, and half that is better. Much depends on how your gun prints different loads.
Buck is still common here for hunters with dogs (still legal), but cripples are common and the dogs help with that.

Depending on how your gun throws slugs, you might have 50-75 yd deer gun. The big stumbling block on slugs through common shotguns is the bead sight. Difficult to get any sort of consistency in sight picture with just the simple front bead.

With real sights and some experimentation, common slugs can likely go to 100 yds on a deer sized target.

Personally, I would hunt slugs and come up with some type of improved sight system.

Or........buy a gun with a slug barrel, or one that could be fitted w/ same.
 
Personally, I'd choose slugs whether I had good sights or not. Slugs accuracy with a bead may not be good, but it's still probably good out to as far as buckshot is effective.
 
Thanks all for replies so far.

Highvel - 22 inch w/ screw in chokes.

Also, rifle sights are already on the gun. Winchester 1300 Ranger.
 
With my double barrel I'm going to use buckshot out of the full choke and slugs out of the modified when i'm not using my rifle.

If the deer is running close (within 40 yards) hit it with the 00 buck, if it's standing and farther away (MAYBE 70 yards), slug to the neck or chest.
 
There is nothing that buck shot does that a slug don't do better... 'cept maybe prevent some meat loss...

After just a couple pocket full of slugs, I am very confident in my and my gun's ability to put a slug in a pie plate (6 or so inches) at 65 yards consistently...

That is very much "minute of deer" in my book.

Buckshot is my HD round but only to mitigate the risk of over penetration a bit.

If you are huntin' behind deer dogs, the buckshot can do a decent job of wounding the runner so you can get a kill shot but I do not prefer this sort of shooting for many reasons...

Brent
 
Slugs without a doubt. Too many stories about hunters wounding deer with buckshot. Not to say you cant do it, but when I use my shotgun on deer, even smaller 4-6 pointers. Its just a risk I wouldnt take.
 
What type hunting???

Are you in a stand all day, with trail that deer will follow?
Or are you still hunting, moving slowly in brush and woodlot?
Are you in heavy brush or woodlot you can see distance??

I normally use slugs (Brenneke's with a 1.5X scope) BUT when still hunting will slip a 00 shell into chamber while walking.

You best be practicing NOW for your hunt, especially what slug your shotgun is MOST accurate shooting.
 
Choose your ammo depending on your stand placement. There's no sense over looking a 400 yard prairie if you can't reach them.

I personally like to be in heavy cover when I use a shotgun for deer, and usually go with OO, but keep a few slugs with me regardless.

It sounds like someone has invited you for your first hunt, so you might not be selecting your stand placement...bring both slugs and 00 and decide when you get there.
 
It depends on how you're hunting. If yall are using dogs to drive the deer you're gonna want buckshot. If you're gonna be in a stand in the woods buckshot will again probably be a better choice. If you expect to make a 100 yd plus shot I'd use the slug but you better make sure your gun is accurate with them. Since it's a smooth bore I wouldn't expect too much accuracy even with rifled slugs. Add to the fact that unless you practice making long shots you will probably miss, especially since it'll be your first time hunting for deer. Adrenaline will destroy your fine motor skills when that wall hanger steps out there. I'd opt for buckshot. More versatile.
 
If you have sights on your gun, would suggest a slug. And practice.
Ive hunted with a shotgun and buckshot since I was just a kid, and never felt under gunned. I just realized what I was using and knew how to use it. You must find a choke and pellet combo that will pattern well.
We hunted deer in front of hounds, and I can tell you for a fact that if the user was competent, it is a deer slayer. I watched a fella kill a nice buck saturday morning with and old A-5 stoked with single ought. The buck came out of a clear cut, crossed a fire lane and caught a load of single ought in the head. His nose plowed in the dirt and he went arse over tea kettle. That happens THOUSAND of times a season here in South Carolina. Before the internet we never knew buckshot wouldnt kill deer.

The problem is that some of the fellas using it shoot their shotguns only during hunting season. They are incompetant, and would probably cripple deer no matter what weapon they used.
 
If you have sights on your gun, would suggest a slug. And practice.
Click to expand...
I use a single bead equipped 20 gauge cylinder bore (no choke constriction). It gets fed the absolute cheapest federal or winchester "rifled" slugs. I can consistently hit a typical pie plate at 65 yards and would consider 85 yards fine if I was low enough on meat at end of season.

I know many who mirror my results at 85-125 yards using cheap slugs in longer barrels and generally they are 12 gauge.

But my point is, you don't need to be a super duper hawk eye sure shot to utilze a gun with just a bead to accurately deliver a slug to the boiler room of a deer.

Brent
 
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