Post by: sawyer on April 17, 2020, 10:36:29 AM
I intend on using my 12 gauge with a slug barrel this coming season to try and shoot my first deer. I am choosing my slug gun for a few reasons. 1) I intend on hunting a rifle restricted GMU (I have already clarified that shotguns are in fact legal to use in this GMU). 2) I cannot afford a new rifle this year. There are 3 forests I have spent time scouting in and found some areas that deer and other animals use to commute from timber to brush and to a water source. My plan is to build up a sort of blind, or perhaps get in a tree stand at these locations and sit and wait, within 80 yards of where I anticipate the deer to walk through.
I've never hunted deer and I have no one in my life to teach me how. Does this plan sound reasonable? I know a rifle and getting into the high clear cuts is likely the most effective method to hunt western WA, but I am working with what I have.
Is this crazy talk? do you folks have any experience or advice to share with me in regards to my plan?
Post by: Oldguy on April 17, 2020, 10:46:38 AM
Good luck on your hunts and I hope you get some support from the forum.
Post by: h20hunter on April 17, 2020, 10:49:47 AM
Post by: ghosthunter on April 17, 2020, 11:40:23 AM
Go for it. :tup: :twocents:
Post by: Goshawk on April 17, 2020, 11:54:19 AM
Post by: ThurstonCokid on April 17, 2020, 11:58:59 AM
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Post by: Pegasus on April 17, 2020, 12:30:44 PM
Post by: Widgeondeke on April 17, 2020, 12:43:02 PM
We used a solid copper slug and every shot was thru n thru. Even had one hit a bit back and it vaporized the liver. Buck was dead on his hooves.
Your plan sounds good. You didn't mention if you will be using open sights or a scope. If using a scope you are easily good out to 100yds. I am comfortable to 120yds with my slug gun. Although wind will have more effect on slugs.
As others said, get a trail cam out and build your blind in advance.
Good luck and most of all have fun :tup:
Post by: JimmyHoffa on April 17, 2020, 12:58:17 PM
Post by: Pegasus on April 17, 2020, 12:59:32 PM
My son and I have killed 5 BT with a 20ga slug gun. No added meat damage over a rifle. Good shot placement into the lungs or heart and you won't waste meat.
We used a solid copper slug and every shot was thru n thru. Even had one hit a bit back and it vaporized the liver. Buck was dead on his hooves.
Your plan sounds good. You didn't mention if you will be using open sights or a scope. If using a scope you are easily good out to 100yds. I am comfortable to 120yds with my slug gun. Although wind will have more effect on slugs.
As others said, get a trail cam out and build your blind in advance.
Good luck and most of all have fun :tup:
Were you shooting with a rifled barrel and copper sabot slugs for rifled barrels only? I was using a smooth barrel with a modified choke and shooting lead slugs. I missed that the OP is using a slug barrel instead of a smooth bore.
Post by: Magnum_Willys on April 17, 2020, 01:21:33 PM
Post by: h20hunter on April 17, 2020, 01:23:19 PM
Post by: h20hunter on April 17, 2020, 01:26:35 PM
Post by: Yelper Guy on April 17, 2020, 01:48:44 PM
Good on you sawyer!
I never had anyone in my family that hunted, only fishing, until I started hunting in my mid teens.
I spent endless :hello:hours hiking and learning about nature & wildlife when I was growing up.
It was a natural progression in my mind - nearly 40 years later, I'm glad I did!
Post by: Bob33 on April 17, 2020, 01:57:40 PM
Good luck!
Post by: steeleywhopper on April 17, 2020, 02:07:46 PM
Post by: sawyer on April 17, 2020, 05:33:24 PM
Work out of an elevated tree stand and try to shorten up your distance from the stand to the trail to 50 yards. If it's allowed in the area you're looking at, get some game cameras going to see what's moving around. Don't worry so much about only seeing does. Once fall comes, more does = buck magnets. When you get your area figured out, get the stand up sooner than later so everything settles down a bit before season.
Good insight, thank you. I got a game cam coming in the mail. Going to rotate it between my 3 spots all summer long as I keep checking them. Luckily I get to check one of the spots regularly because i'm a forest tech and one of our work sites is very near a deer hotspot I've been watching.
Post by: sawyer on April 17, 2020, 05:34:41 PM
Ever seen what a 12 gauge slug does to a deer? Not very pretty and wastes a lot of meat. I would suggest using #00 buckshot instead unless you plan on shooting at more that 40-50 yards. I have shot three blacktails with a shotgun. Two with #00 buckshot and one with a slug. The one with the slug destroyed both shoulders of the deer, the ones with buckshot were quick clean kills with little meat damage.
Thank you for sharing that experience. I'll defiantly do some more research and perhaps go pattern out some #00 buck and weight the pros and cons. I would hate to waste a whole shoulder, let alone two.
Post by: sawyer on April 17, 2020, 05:37:35 PM
I've never hunted deer and I have no one in my life to teach me how.
Good on you sawyer!
I never had anyone in my family that hunted, only fishing, until I started hunting in my mid teens.
I spent endless :hello:hours hiking and learning about nature & wildlife when I was growing up.
It was a natural progression in my mind - nearly 40 years later, I'm glad I did!
Thank you! I've had great success learning fly fishing and salmon fishing on my own, and grouse hunting. Hopefully I'll be able to say the same about deer.
Post by: sawyer on April 17, 2020, 05:39:21 PM
My son and I have killed 5 BT with a 20ga slug gun. No added meat damage over a rifle. Good shot placement into the lungs or heart and you won't waste meat.
We used a solid copper slug and every shot was thru n thru. Even had one hit a bit back and it vaporized the liver. Buck was dead on his hooves.
Your plan sounds good. You didn't mention if you will be using open sights or a scope. If using a scope you are easily good out to 100yds. I am comfortable to 120yds with my slug gun. Although wind will have more effect on slugs.
As others said, get a trail cam out and build your blind in advance.
Good luck and most of all have fun :tup:
I'll be using iron sights, it is through the 12ga remington slug barrel. They have a nice rear sight and a nice front sight post. I may play with the idea of scope after I do some shooting. Thank you for sharing your experience. Good to know I'm not crazy using a slug gun in WA
Post by: sawyer on April 17, 2020, 05:40:35 PM
Post by: Widgeondeke on April 17, 2020, 05:48:02 PM
Deke is, was, shooting an h&r break open slug gun, rifled.Ya that :)
Post by: Brushcrawler on April 17, 2020, 06:55:57 PM
Post by: CP on April 18, 2020, 08:27:40 AM
Post by: Remnar on April 18, 2020, 11:54:42 AM
I wouldn't recommend buckshot. If l were to use it would limit shots to 30 yards and under. :twocents:
Good luck out there
Post by: jackson7 on April 18, 2020, 12:38:01 PM
Post by: follow maggie on April 22, 2020, 08:13:38 PM
Post by: lokidog on April 23, 2020, 01:35:06 AM
Ever seen what a 12 gauge slug does to a deer? Not very pretty and wastes a lot of meat. I would suggest using #00 buckshot instead unless you plan on shooting at more that 40-50 yards. I have shot three blacktails with a shotgun. Two with #00 buckshot and one with a slug. The one with the slug destroyed both shoulders of the deer, the ones with buckshot were quick clean kills with little meat damage.
There's a reason many states back east have banned 00 buck for deer.... A 12 ga slug will do no more "damage" than any high speed low caliber round when placed in the same location. Buck shot can create many more wound channels in meat and have a higher likelihood of not providing a clean kill as well as a much shorter range.
Find a scope mount to fit your gun, rib or receiver mounted, put a red dot or low magnification scope on it and go shoot, a lot. I prefer a 20ga sabot to a rifled slug, but I've also shot several deer with rifled slugs and you need a rifled choke tube or barrel with the sabot. Figure out your maximum accurate range and stick to it. My first year hunting, I was shooting a 20 with rifled slugs and open sights. I was only comfortable with accuracy to about 60 yards, I let a huge buck walk that was about 100 yards up the ridge, I've never regretted it.
Good luck.
Post by: fowl smacker on April 23, 2020, 04:48:39 AM
Post by: Jpmiller on April 23, 2020, 08:05:54 AM
Post by: JakeLand on April 23, 2020, 08:23:49 AM
Maybe the blacktail guys can chime in on this advice but if I'm going to be married to a spot for whitetail or mulies I can typically get them coming in fairly regular with a salt block. I'd imagine that would help out for blacktails as well and give them a little bit more incentive to be where you are. Helps get them in front of your game camera too. Good luck out there!a summer blacktail buck is a completely different animal then one in September and that buck will again completely change By the last week of October through mid November
Personally I never bother with blocks or minerals in the summer because of that . Come October keep track of does and that’s where you will have a upper hand on bucks !
Game cameras are a plus the more you get the more you’ll figure out the puzzle
Post by: lokidog on April 23, 2020, 11:07:17 AM
Maybe the blacktail guys can chime in on this advice but if I'm going to be married to a spot for whitetail or mulies I can typically get them coming in fairly regular with a salt block. I'd imagine that would help out for blacktails as well and give them a little bit more incentive to be where you are. Helps get them in front of your game camera too. Good luck out there!a summer blacktail buck is a completely different animal then one in September and that buck will again completely change By the last week of October through mid November
Personally I never bother with blocks or minerals in the summer because of that . Come October keep track of does and that’s where you will have a upper hand on bucks !
Game cameras are a plus the more you get the more you’ll figure out the puzzle
That's why I like archery. Even here on the island where there is no increase in people in the woods, the deer behavior changes dramatically near the end of September. Muzzleloader season usually still has some of the predictability of September, but not always.
Post by: Jpmiller on April 23, 2020, 02:33:58 PM
Post by: lokidog on April 24, 2020, 11:45:08 PM
And there you have it :chuckle: id listen to those guys over me, don't bother with salt
I put a salt lick out behind my place when we first moved here, never saw a single deer near it. Now, apples on the other hand.... :chuckle:
Post by: bench beast on April 25, 2020, 07:46:17 PM
Post by: lokidog on April 25, 2020, 11:48:50 PM
Post by: yakimanoob on April 26, 2020, 12:23:04 PM
I hunted hogs and deer in AL with a 12g slug 870 before I moved to WA. Don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting a lighter platform sooner rather than later :chuckle:
Have fun!
Post by: fishnfur on April 30, 2020, 10:55:32 AM
RE - salt lick. I have tried that a couple of times years ago. Doe will hit them until June or so, then stop. Many times, bucks will only hit them once or twice in April/May and that is it. If you want to attract any BTs living closeby: apples, apples, apples.
Lastly, if you're a big dude, a 12 ga. is a fine choice. 30-06s and 12 ga. shotguns bruise my shoulder and make me flinch. Not a good choice for me. Unless you can't afford one, a rifled barrel is the best choice for any slug gun (in my opinion). I like and use this setup:
https://www.range365.com/fine-tuned-savage-220-slug-gun/
If you are patient, you can pick up a used one in good shape for under $400.
https://www.gunbroker.com/Other-Shotguns/search?PageSize=24&Sort=13&View=1&Ch-model=220
Post by: Tree Farmer on April 30, 2020, 01:43:12 PM
Post by: The Big Game Hunter on May 12, 2020, 02:42:36 PM
Hello folks, first deer season I'll be hunting here in western WAI think that's a reasonable plan. My 12 gauge does really well with slugs out to 50 yards or so with a regular smooth barrel and a really basic bead sight. With a dedicated slug barrel that has better sights, I can accurately shoot out to 75-100 years with no trouble at all. A 12 gauge slug is .73 caliber and weighs around 1 ounce (437.5 grains), so it is devastating on thin skinned game like deer.
I intend on using my 12 gauge with a slug barrel this coming season to try and shoot my first deer. I am choosing my slug gun for a few reasons. 1) I intend on hunting a rifle restricted GMU (I have already clarified that shotguns are in fact legal to use in this GMU). 2) I cannot afford a new rifle this year. There are 3 forests I have spent time scouting in and found some areas that deer and other animals use to commute from timber to brush and to a water source. My plan is to build up a sort of blind, or perhaps get in a tree stand at these locations and sit and wait, within 80 yards of where I anticipate the deer to walk through.
I've never hunted deer and I have no one in my life to teach me how. Does this plan sound reasonable? I know a rifle and getting into the high clear cuts is likely the most effective method to hunt western WA, but I am working with what I have.
Is this crazy talk? do you folks have any experience or advice to share with me in regards to my plan?
Just FYI, you can learn more about hunting with buckshot and shotgun slugs below.
https://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/buckshot-vs-slug/
Post by: sawyer on May 14, 2020, 05:50:39 AM
I think that's a reasonable plan. My 12 gauge does really well with slugs out to 50 yards or so with a regular smooth barrel and a really basic bead sight. With a dedicated slug barrel that has better sights, I can accurately shoot out to 75-100 years with no trouble at all. A 12 gauge slug is .73 caliber and weighs around 1 ounce (437.5 grains), so it is devastating on thin skinned game like deer.
Just FYI, you can learn more about hunting with buckshot and shotgun slugs below.
https://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/buckshot-vs-slug/
Pretty good for smoothbore! This article is awesome thank you for sharing
Post by: fishnfur on May 21, 2020, 06:42:20 PM
Last year I bought a Remington 870 pump with wood furniture. It is a 20 gauge. I think I paid $225 for it new and on sale. I sold the barrel on eBay for like $125. For about the same price as I sold the barrel I purchased an 18 inch rifled barrel on eBay. I topped it with a 2-7 Leupold. I have approximately $425 into the entire package. Last year I killed a 2pt blacktail in SW Washington with it. Shot was approximately 130 yards. This thing shoots paper plates consistently out to 200 yards. I think with more practice I can get it dialed in even better. Recoil is not bad at all and no meat damage. Sweet package, especially for a fire restrictions area.
Nice setup! That's a great way to go.
Shoot me a PM sometime about your tree farms - Tree Farmer. I'd love to compare notes.
Post by: pd on May 21, 2020, 08:28:20 PM
The first few deer I ever killed were with open sighted shotgun slugs. They work just fine.
Do it!
Post by: Chad McMullen on May 30, 2020, 06:37:25 PM
Scope with premium copper sabot slugs - good for up to 200 yards. Son took a nice whitetail in Iowa at 185 yards.
I dunno -- your results may vary. I've tried Hornday, Winchester, and Remington sabot slugs out of my rifled 12ga barrel and achieve anywhere from "bleh" to "meh" groups, considering I'm spending $2.00 to $2.50 per shot. My best groups out of that same barrel, oddly enough, are a bit over $1 each and are conventional Winchester foster slugs -- go figure... :dunno: