Buckshot for deer?

[Dutchman01]

I just wanted to know what ya'll thought of 00 buckshot for deer. I'll be hunting in the Ozark Mountains. It's pretty much wild, rough, country. Ranges tend to be short.

[gd357]

I've never used buckshot for whitetails, so I can't speak from personal experience.

However, I have a friend whose favorite deer gun was a single shot 10 gauge. He killed deer at ranges I wouldn't have tried to shoot with OO buck. Never lost a deer, most of them dropped in their tracks (tends to happen when a pellet or two hits the spine). If you keep your ranges short, it should work - it has been working for many years. JMHO

gd

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I've never used buckshot on deer, either, but I did some playing around with it re: ranges. Talk about a 'rainbow trajectory'!
At 25 yards, pellets usually found their mark, and depending on the load, gauge, choke, ect,. would, IMHO, been effective (most of the pellets in the vitals).
...HOWEVER! At 50 yards, most of the pellets were hitting extremely low on the target, and some were even kicking up dirt in front of the target! At 75 yards, FORGET IT!!!! the pellets were kicking up dirt at less than half way between the 50 yard & 75 yard target.
You said "close range', but didn't say how close. IMHO, I wouldn't use it any farther than 30 yards distant. I would also skip the smaller (#4) buck in favor of the bigger 00, and pattern test your load prior to hunting with it.....I've found that in some instances some things like copper plated shot and buffer can make a difference and really tighten patterns.
Good luck.

[M.T. Pockets]

I've shot a lot of deer with a shotgun, but all with slugs. Trust me, if you hit them with buckshot you would hit them with a slug too. Plus, you'd be using a load that many people use as grizzly bear protection instead of a 00 pellet. Even if most shots are close, a slug would give you range out to 100 yards or so.

I would suggest a shotgun with a slug barrell, it's much more efficient and versatile. You mention that most shots will be close, I've killed many deer at around 25 yards with a slug, works great. It leaves a nice blood trail too, something that buckshot likely wouldn't. I don't mean to hijack this away from buckshot, but I think you'd be happier with slugs.

[popplecop]

If I were to use a shotgun for deer huntin it would be with slugs.

[wrenchman]

I have killed deer with buck shot it is a good tool in the right condition and that is what it is.
Just like if you were going turkey hunting patern your gun no were it shoots and its max range.
Check to make sure buck shot can be yoused some states do not allow it.
Also if you are on a club property they might have rules about it one way or the other.

[dovehunter]

I hunt in many areas where it's not legal to use slugs. I also hunt in areas that are pretty densely wooded. This has forced me to use buckshot over the years and I am absolutely convinced that it is effective up to at least 50 yards. I lost one of the nicest deer I have ever seen shooting slugs. Afterwards I noticed that I had chopped down several small pines trying to shoot through them to the deer. Had I been shooting buckshot I would have gotten that deer. After 40-plus years of hunting deer under these conditions and ranges I will take buckshot any time over slugs at ranges of 50 yards or less. I hear a lot of people say "Oh don't use buckshot, use slugs". That tells me either that (1) someone is just giving what they think is the politically correct answer and/or (2) that they have never tried buckshot at all or at least not given it a fair chance. Get some buckshot and try it out at ranges up to 50 yards. Don't just restrict it to 00 buckshot, also try some 0, 000 and no. 1 (my personal favorite). If your shotgun has screw-in choke tubes try modified as well as full. Sometimes I have found, particularly with larger buckshot sizes, that modified will actually give denser patterns than full choke. I think you may be surprised just how effective buckshot can be.

[Dutchman01]

Originally Posted by dovehunter

I hunt in many areas where it's not legal to use slugs. I also hunt in areas that are pretty densely wooded. This has forced me to use buckshot over the years and I am absolutely convinced that it is effective up to at least 50 yards. I lost one of the nicest deer I have ever seen shooting slugs. Afterwards I noticed that I had chopped down several small pines trying to shoot through them to the deer. Had I been shooting buckshot I would have gotten that deer. After 40-plus years of hunting deer under these conditions and ranges I will take buckshot any time over slugs at ranges of 50 yards or less. I hear a lot of people say "Oh don't use buckshot, use slugs". That tells me either that (1) someone is just giving what they think is the politically correct answer and/or (2) that they have never tried buckshot at all or at least not given it a fair chance. Get some buckshot and try it out at ranges up to 50 yards. Don't just restrict it to 00 buckshot, also try some 0, 000 and no. 1 (my personal favorite). If your shotgun has screw-in choke tubes try modified as well as full. Sometimes I have found, particularly with larger buckshot sizes, that modified will actually give denser patterns than full choke. I think you may be surprised just how effective buckshot can be.

Actually I wouldn't be surprised by buckshot. I have patterned it at 50 yards already. My drilling has a full and modified choke. Both pattern quite well at 50 yards. 50 yards is plenty of range in the area I hunt.

What I'm uncertain of is the killing ability of buckshot. On this forum it's about 50/50 for/against using it on deer. Surprisingly it's about the same on the other forums I've asked the same question. I'm quite surprised by the difference of opinion on this subject.

[wrenchman]

I have yoused slugs and buck shot the aspect of a point and shoot with a beed in tight areas is nice.
I do no that the same could be done with a slug and have done it when i thought my shots would be longer then i wanted but when i feal the shots will be under 50 yards and my field of view is restricted i like buck shot and it works well.

[Swift]

If you know where yer gun patterns at and you stay within its limitations you'll be fine.

They call it Buckshot for a reason.

[buckhunter]

I've used it and been fairly successful with it. If you use a full coke and keep the ranges at say 50 yrs or less it pretty good. We have area's of Mass that resemble the swamps of the south and I have found buckshot is the only way to go in these area however being a little older and a little wiser I stay away from them now.

My dad used to hunt deer in Arkansas and thats all he used.

[dovehunter]

I wholeheartedly agree with Wrenchman, Swift, and Buckhunter - if you do your job the buckshot will do it's job. Based on my experience, I can almost guarantee in the really thick stuff at close range that you will score enough hits to get your deer. Under the same conditions it will be more chancy with slugs.

[Dutchman01]

In all honesty boys I'm going to be hunting with a drilling this year. I'm going to stoke the full choke with a slug, the left with buckshot, and the rifle with o6. I'm guessing I'll be covered for just about any eventuality. I'm still amazed at the conflicting opinions about buckshot tho. It's pretty much the same on the other forums I've asked this same question, a 50/50 split.

[wrenchman]

It is a combonation of some states dont allow it and there being so much out there that is deemed better then buck shot.
Some of the new sabot rounds can be shot out to 200 yards

[Dutchman01]

Originally Posted by wrenchman

It is a combonation of some states dont allow it and there being so much out there that is deemed better then buck shot.
Some of the new sabot rounds can be shot out to 200 yards

So, you feel it all boils down to range?