Rifle or Shotgun this year?

B

BfloBill

New member
I need some advice/opinions. I posted recently in another thread that due to logging that was done in the area I hunt, I expect that I may be getting some closer, moving shots when I jump deer that are bedded in the tops the loggers left behind. I intended to remount a red dot on my shotgun (I have taken deer with the same setup before) since that would be better than my scoped Marlin for quick, closer shots.

But, here is the problem: When I sighted in my shotgun with the red dot I was reminded why I took it off in the first place. It's a great setup REAL close (out to about 35 to 40 yds). After that both the gun and myself are capable of shooting tighter groups than what is covered by the dot. I was unhappy with the way it shot by the time I got out to 50 yds.

Here is the question:

Do I hunt with the shotgun setup and just go into the season accepting that I am not going to have my normal level of confidence if I have a 60 or 70 yd shot?
OR
Do I take the scope off my Marlin and remount the Williams peep sight I have, and go with that setup?

FYI-Where I hunt most deer are taken at around 40 to 50 yds, with 60 to 70 not being uncommon, and 100+ yd shots are rare.
 
Unless they are actively logging the area now, I would use the rifle and set up on the edge of the logged area. Cutovers - especially those that were cut over the previous year - can be deer magnets.
 
I'd never choose a shotgun over a rifle if I knew shots might be more than 25 yds

You're likely to miss or wound any deer you "jump" anyway.

Just go SLOW and you'll catch them standing still or bedded

Or even better, get high in a stand overlooking the cut-over, and let the deer come to you
 
I've had very good luck with my Mossberg slug gun but recoil really hammers me. In contrast, the Marlin rifle has significantly more "reach" and with less recoil depending upon caliber.

Jack

 
I sometimes use an old H&R S/S 12Ga from the 30's. I cut it down to about 18' and silver soldered a scope base on the tube. The best shooting slugs I found for it are Federals. I sighted it at 50 yards and 3-4 shots is one ragged hole. I don't know where it drops off at, but I shot a doe out about 80 yards and it hit where I aimed. Don't underestimate the smoothbores, but ammo choice really makes the difference with them.
 
I think I am leaning toward the Marlin, just not sure whether to leave it scoped or go back to peep sights.
Jack-Recoil is about the same as the shotgun. The rifle is a .450
 
Bow...

At least that's what is in season right now.

Come gun season it will be the Stevens 200 in 7mm-08 with handloaded 140gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips.
 
To me, it's quicker to use a properly mounted scope than to use a peep sight.
Snap shots at moving game isn't a great strategy

Hunt slower, and you'll get higher percentage shots
 
I think I'll leave the scope on.
Slow and quiet is definitely the key, snap shots were never my strategy. Just trying to be prepared for every scenario. (or at least most of them)
 
I taught my X to shoot with a scope. I put a scope on her .410 to hunt squirrels. When sitting and taking a break, I told her to practice getting falling leaves lined up. She soon had no problem picking up a walking deer to shoot. I have shot a lot of trotting and running deer with a scoped rifle. When I first started in with scopes, there was no one around to teach me. I invented the falling leaf thing and it worked. Like all people new to scopes, I brought the rifle up and tried to find the target. The falling leaf thing cured me of that. Hitting moving deer is not as hard as it sounds if you practice on how to pick them up.
 
Is your scope mounted low or high with see through rings. For close quick acquisition of target I use see through rings and then look up to my scope. If you have the right rings you can also use your rifle sight.

My dad uses a 336 in 30-30 with see through rings and it works great for him.
I have a offset scope mount on my Winchester 94 30-30 which also works for picking up an animal quickly.

Either way take as much time as you need and let the shot count.

I've used slugs twice at 7 and 14 yards and almost regret it. For me it's rifles first and shotgun only if the state/county/town requires it.
 
The last time I used a shotgun with slugs and buckshot, I saw a nice buck walking along, a power line right of way, about 150 yards away and didn't shoot at it. However, I've cleanly killed several running deer, ranging from 10 yards to over 200 when using scoped bolt-action rifles.

Keeping a variable scope at a lower power unless you need to identify a deer (after confirming that it's not a person).

Try this trick a guide once told me: Use a dog whistle looking over a cut area that has lots of deer bedding areas. Deer that are lying down often get up at the sound.
 
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