slug or buckshot?

[Stickerbush]

I plan on hunting whidbey this season (drew second deer tag) going to be using my shotgun its a 12ga 28 inch barrel with screw in mod choke installed. I am wondering if I should use a slug or buckshot? and is it even ok to shoot a slug with my barrel? I have never done it will be in tree stand not planning on shooting more than 20-30 yards. Any advice would be great!

[bobcat]

If you're only shooting up to 30 yards, I'd probably use buckshot. Even #4 buck would work good at that range. You might want to buy a few different loads and pattern them to see which ones your gun likes best.

[h20hunter]

I am no exper by any means so take this with a grain of salt. There are slugs you can shoot with a choke and those that you can not. I agree with buckshot, patter a few loads and see where they hit. It should do the job.

[Goldeneye]

I've just taken two deer with a shotgun of all the bucks I've harvested over the years.  Both were taken with a slug.  Both immediately tipped over with barely even any death kicks.  Both were taken in thick reprod at about 15-20 yards.  A shotgun slug seems to have a tremendous amount of impact at close range.

[ducksoup]

I've killed three deer with a shotgun, all using slugs and all using a youth model 20 ga. no less!! I used a modified choke tube. Worked fine, longest shot was about 50 yards. Complete pass thru and deer only ran about 50 yards. Slugs get my vote. By the way, all three deer were shot on Whidbey Island! 

[Kain]

Gotta use #1 or larger for deer.  I shot a doe with 00 a couple years ago at about 25 yards.  Dropped her right in her tracks.  I was impressed with the lack of meat damage.  Aimed for the vitals and had one pellet go through the shoulder.  No blood shot meat just a nice clean hole.  The pellets did not penetrate the other side though.  They were all sitting just under the skin on the opposite side. 

Shotguns:
Deer, bear, and cougar may be hunted with 20
gauge to 10 gauge shotguns shooting slugs or
#1 or larger buckshot. Other big game may be
hunted with a 10 or 12 gauge shotgun using
slugs. Hunters must use #4 shot or smaller
(e.g. #6 shot is legal) to hunt turkey.

[Stickerbush]

thanks all, looks like I've got some shooting to do. I'll probably get both and see how it goes

[Kain]

I always have #1 buckshot in my shotgun while predator calling during bear season.  I would hate to have a bear or cougar come in and not be able to shoot it because I was running #4 for bobcats and coyotes.  #1 is not easy to find BTW.

[blindpig]

another vote for buckshot.

[shoot-em-dead]

I've shot many deer over the years using slugs and every one has dropped in their tracks. I have also wounded a few with buckshot and I will not use it for deer anymore.

[Wile E. Hunter]

I grew up hunting on an Air Force base that was divided into sections based on weapon. Rifle, Shotgun, and archery based on proximity to missile sites, runways, and housing, etc. The shotgun and archery areas were the best. Buckshot was prohibited. I've killed 30+ deer with rifled slugs (lots of wild boar, too). They take some practice at extended range, but their close in trajectory is similar to a heavy blackpowder load. I've killed deer from 25yds to 130. Beyond 100 I would not recommend without a lot of practice. I think at the yardage you mentioned, you'd be fine either way, but the slug will definitely have more immediate effect. Slugs hit HARD. Oh, a word of warning. When you go to the range to sight in... Rifled slugs kick harder than most things you've ever shot. "They kill on both ends!"

Wile E.

[fair-chase]

I grew up hunting on an Air Force base that was divided into sections based on weapon. Rifle, Shotgun, and archery based on proximity to missile sites, runways, and housing, etc. The shotgun and archery areas were the best. Buckshot was prohibited. I've killed 30+ deer with rifled slugs (lots of wild boar, too). They take some practice at extended range, but they're close in trajectory to a heavy blackpowder load. I've killed deer from 25yds to 130. Beyond 100 I would not recommend without a lot of practice. I think at the yardage you mentioned, you'd be fine either way, but the slug will definitely have more immediate effect. Slugs hit HARD. Oh, a word of warning. When you go to the range to sight in... Rifled slugs kick harder than most things you've ever shot. "They kill on both ends!"

Wile E.

   Wile E. nailed it.

[Huckleberry]

I hunt the island most years for the 2nd doe (this will be my last due to increased tags). 00 buckshot is fool proof. No blood trail but almost impossible to miss with and drops them where they stood. You can pattern a round or two but a full choke and you'll be fine. I've killed about a half dozen deer and a bear or two with it. Very effective and no meat damage which is nice on such large animals lol

[Stickerbush]

cool cool, thanks for all the insight guys. I'll see what they have at the bimart and go try some things out downrange

[Stickerbush]

although I think I am more inclined towards buckshot, I want to be 100% sure the slugs are not going to damage my gun if I use them.

[bobcat]

As I said, slugs are best through a more open choke than your modified, but I don't believe they will hurt anything. But really, if you're maximum range is only 30 yards, the buckshot should be just fine.

[Bean Counter]

Slug + open bead sights: like a man!

[steve04]

00 works just fine. My cousin shot a forked horn at 20 yards and dropped it in it's bed as it was getting ready to stand up.

[Bob33]

Both will kill a deer at 30 yards.  Only a slug will kill effectively at longer distances.  Why limit yourself?

[Kain]

I plan on hunting whidbey this season (drew second deer tag) going to be using my shotgun its a 12ga 28 inch barrel with screw in mod choke installed. I am wondering if I should use a slug or buckshot? and is it even ok to shoot a slug with my barrel? I have never done it will be in tree stand not planning on shooting more than 20-30 yards. Any advice would be great!

Should work just fine in your shotgun.

From a box of Remington Slugger Magnum Rifled Slug Packaging.

Rifled Slugs may be fired through any choke; however, improved cylinder provides best results.  These slugs will also perform well in fully rifled barrels and barrels fitted with rifled choke tubes.

Caution: These shells must not be used in guns with Damascus or twist steel barrels,...

[Stickerbush]

  thanks again!

[dawei]

If you're only shooting up to 30 yards, I'd probably use buckshot. Even #4 buck would work good at that range. You might want to buy a few different loads and pattern them to see which ones your gun likes best.

Not trying to nit pick but in WA state you can only use #1 Buck and larger (0, 00, & 000). #2, 3, & 4 Buckshot is not legal (for Bear, Cougar, & Deer).

[bobcat]

Not trying to nit pick but in WA state you can only use #1 Buck and larger (0, 00, & 000). #2, 3, & 4 Buckshot is not legal (for Deer).

Yeah, someone else already pointed that out. I actually meant to say #1 buckshot but mis-typed for some reason.

[Wile E. Hunter]

To address your concern about choke.... Growing up hunting deer largely with a shotgun with rifled slugs, I killed over half of them with a Mossberg 500 with a 30" full choke barrel with just a beed for a sight. Like most kids, that's what my Dad gave me to use, so that's what I used. I've read the boxes of slugs where they say open chokes yield the best results, but as I got older, we began testing various slugs, and various guns. Our findings were that the choke didn't seem to make that much of a difference. We fired all kinds of ammunition, too. We fired Remington, Rottweil Brenneke, Federal, Winchester, etc.. We also shot rifled slugs, and the sabot slugs once we got fully rifled barrels. The results were kind of interesting. The 1 oz. Winchester rifled slug shot better than ANY of them. No matter which gun, barrel length, choke, rifled/smooth bore etc. These things won't matter much to you at 30 yds, though. At 30 yds. any of them will work just fine. It only begins have importance beyond 75. Out at the 100 yd mark, the Winchester has a distinct advantage. Anyway, I hope this helps. I'd have absolutely NO CONCERN WHATSOEVER about shooting a rifled slug through a modified choke. Best of luck!

Wile E.

[Curly]

Not trying to nit pick but in WA state you can only use #1 Buck and larger (0, 00, & 000). #2, 3, & 4 Buckshot is not legal (for Deer).

Yeah, someone else already pointed that out. I actually meant to say #1 buckshot but mis-typed for some reason.

When I read what you typed, (below) I just took it that you were saying that even #4 buck would work at 30 yards.......  I didn't take it that you were advising to use #4 buck, but I could see the confusion there to someone not knowing the min size req'd.

If you're only shooting up to 30 yards, I'd probably use buckshot. Even #4 buck would work good at that range. You might want to buy a few different loads and pattern them to see which ones your gun likes best.

[bobcat]

I just took it that you were saying that even #4 buck would work at 30 yards

Yes it would but if I were using it I'd go for a head shot. Honestly I don't know why #4 buckshot is not legal, when a 25 Auto handgun with a 4 inch barrel can be used legally for deer or elk.   

[Special T]

I would go for the buck shot with a head shot if you know your gona be close. I had a bad experiance tracking a deer with a longer shot with buck shot... I did find it but there was snow on the ground.

[Caseyd]

I've hunted out of a treestand on whidbey.

I used 00 buckshot

[Wile E. Hunter]

Head shot=Bad idea. 

[Special T]

I no longer hunt with a shot gun, so why is it a bad idea? A 30+ caliber or 2 hitting the head and/or neck not gona dropp them? I could see not using a head shot if you were horn hunting, but??? 

[Wile E. Hunter]

Buckshot is round, their skull is round. Depending on where on the head, how it hits, could literally deflect. Depending on the distance, with a modified choke it gets pretty iffy. I just think a ribcage shot is a lot more ethical. I was taught growing up that a head shot is rarely the shot to take. 

Wile E.

[Mike O]

I vote for slugs.  And, if the option is available, add a rifled slug barrel.

[hillbilli]

OK so my first deer gun was a 20guage single shot.. and with slugs it is a 65 cal. musket. The 12ga is a .75 cal musket when loaded with slugs.. Normal winchester/federal/brenneke slugs should shoot fine through your modified choke. (but dont shoot them through a choke tighter than 'full' ..IE ex-full turkey choke.) The slugs that should only be shot through a rifled barrel or rifled choke tube are the expensive sabot slugs.( about 3$ a shot) My biggest argument against the buckshot is not that it wont kill deer at 30 yards, its that it may not create a consistent killing pattern at 40 or 45.. and not everyone, even bowhunters, is perfect about judging yardage.. at a glance can you tell the difference between 33 and 43 yards? with buckshot that difference can be the difference between a kill and a wound. Even if the deer runs and requires tracking.. would you rather blood trail a .75 entry  and maybe bigger exit.. or a bunch of small entries and no exit. i have 2 pump shot guns with bead sights.. the lest accurate of the two (870 rem) will still keep slugs on a paper plate at 60 yds.. 

[coachcw]

00 buck will be good to 50-60 yards  one pellot in the basket will smokem

[Ballance1]

go with a slug.  00 buck to many mistakes can be made with that on a deer.  i shot a doe under 20 yards and the BB's were just under the skin.  no penetration.  I'll never use 00 buck again on a deer or anything other than a coyote

[oneshotkill]

I definitely vote that you use slugs!  Having hunted on Whidbey and the San Juan Islands for the last several years where it is firearms restriction, I have seen a lot of both being used.  With slugs I have yet to see a deer not die.  All but one of the ones I have seen shot with a slug dropped on the spot.  The other one made it about 50 yards and left a blood trail that I could have tracked blindfolded.  Literally pools of blood on both sides of the trail as it ran. 
Buckshot I have been VERY unimpressed with.  Of the close to 20 deer that I have seen/ been close to seeing get shot with buckshot I have seen 5 recovered.  Of those 5 only 2 dropped on the spot.  The other 3 required at least a 2nd shot to finish them off and 1 of them even required a 3rd shot.  The other 15 that were not able to be recovered left little to no blood trail.  If anything it was a drop or 2 at the beginning of the trail and then nothing.  All of these shot are 40 yards and under and the people were aiming either behind the shoulder or at the head.  More success seemed to be in head shots because a pellet through the brain kills it instantly.  A pellet through the lungs makes for almost no blood trail because it is a small hole and doesn't seem to ever make it all the way through and exit.  The ones that were not recovered each were given 2+ hours of searching with little to NO sign of them.  Maybe I have just been really unlucky in my experience but I would HEARTILY recommend going with slugs.  Much more knock down power and more ethical IMHO.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I would just use the muzzy ....alittle added smoke to the hunt 

[bobcat]

I would generally recommend slugs over buckshot as well, but he said he wasn't shooting more than "20 to 30 yards". At that short distance I think buckshot will do fine. But further than that and I'd definitely want a slug instead.

[wadu1]

I would generally recommend slugs over buckshot as well, but he said he wasn't shooting more than "20 to 30 yards". At that short distance I think buckshot will do fine. But further than that and I'd definitely want a slug instead.

I aggree with bobcat 20 - 30 3" 00 Buck any farther slug. My gun shoots Remington 1oz slugs the best over Win or Feds with an IC choke tube the same gun with 3" 00 will keep almost all pellets in a 12" target at 20 yards. To bad you dont have two tags shoot one with a slug and one with 00 Buck and then tell us what worked best for you. 

[BOWHUNTER45]

Can they use a Jacket slug now days ...? If you can then definately SLUG !!

[bobcat]

I've never heard of any kind of shotgun slug not being legal to hunt with.

[coachcw]

I've shot quiet a few of the island and I always went with 2 oo buck chased by a slug . many times thew deer hold so tight then explode out of the brush and its more like bird hunting . 00buck shoots a pretty tight pattern at 30 yards and ive never had a problem with it ! each pellet is .32 caliber and if one slips through the rib cage the partys over . the only time i'd shoot a slug first over there would be if I was in a stand once I got on the ground the buckshot would be in the pipe .

[jechicdr]

If still hunting and hitting the brush and having possibility of a jumping deer, would go with buckshot.  If you are stationary and animal is meandering through, would use a slug, but the buckshot would work as well at short range.  With a good slug gun, could extend your range, so if you had longer shots from a stand, would go with the slug.

[jackmaster]

If you're only shooting up to 30 yards, I'd probably use buckshot. Even #4 buck would work good at that range. You might want to buy a few different loads and pattern them to see which ones your gun likes best.

[Bob33]

I guess I'm kind of an oddball, but if I don't think I can hit a deer at 20 to 30 yards with a single projectile, I just wouldn't shoot.  Relying on a shotgun pattern to hit a big game animal just isn't my cup of tea.  To those who do and can make a killing shot 9+ times out of 10, more power to you.