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.