Shotgun Deer hunting Ontario - Slug vs Buckshot

Exidous

Exidous

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Hi All,

I would like to solicit some opinions about what you folks use for shotgun hunting deer. Slugs vs Buckshot. Pros and Cons of both would be great. I am somewhat new to hunting and the area I plan to hunt allows shotgun only.

Thanks in Advance.
 
What type of terrain are you hunting? If it's thick bush and your shots are close,25 - 30 yards then likely buckshot would be ok. If hunting farmers fields or more open areas I would use slugs with some sort of sighting system. Cheers Bac4
Forgot to add : Make sure you pattern your shotgun with the buckshot and determine your effective range if you choose to use it.
 
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Buckshot is devastating if used properly, and shots can be kept within average bow range. Estimating range in the heat of the moment can be very tricky and an underestimation of 10 - 20yds could easily happen resulting in a wounded animal. If you can say within 100% certainty you can keep shots under 40yds your golden with buckshot. If not go slugs.
When comparing the two all the 'cons' go to buckshot.
 
Following is strictly my opinion on the topic!

Buckshot sucks. Hunted with it for years. Only killed one deer with it. Was shooting short distances always drew blood (lots of blood) and deer does not go down. Always has to be tracked long distances. Now all of you hunting southern Ontario know how hard it to obtain permission to hunt and if deer goes next door where you have no permission it is lost.

Now this is not strictly me. I have 8 guys in my hunting group and it is same for all of us. For every few deer that we killed many are wounded that get away and die. After skinning deer that we harvested we found many time that buckshoot goes in but due to thick layer of fat deer do not bleed but just run away. We all got together and decided that it is unethical to would so many deer that will just run away and die. To solve this we all switched to shotguns with rifled barrels. Now some would say that i am bad shot and and can not hit side of the barn BUT after switching to slug guns I got my deer every year. I hit them running and standing. If it is standing up 150yards it will go down. Most of the deer shot go down right away or if tracking is required very short distance.
Rifled barrel with good scope is like a rifle. I will never hunt deer with buck shot again. Now if you hunt deer but pushing it is more difficult to hit moving targer with a slug but i have no issues. Practice makes it perffect.
If you have deer by waiting on tree stands anybody can easily harvest a deer.

I use remington 870 with cantilever rifled barrel topped with leupold ultimate slam, shot remington accutip 3" slugs.

Now like i said this is strictly me and guys i hunt with. Other people may have different opinions.

I do know some people that hunt with buckshoot and do not care much to switch BUT i do know they loose lots of deer.
 
svergas said:
Buckshot sucks. Hunted with it for years. Only killed one deer with it. Was shooting short distances always drew blood (lots of blood) and deer does not go down. Always has to be tracked long distances.
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This is a perfect example of what happens when buckshot is stretched beyond its limits.
 
I asked a guy in BC who hunts deer with a shotgun if he uses slugs or buck shot he has used both. He said this for a little more range slugs a little less buckshot both dropped the deer in 1 shot and it didn't run off. He uses buckshot in a shot only area for hunting and when he is out of it he will use slugs so he uses both. He uses a 33 inch barrel side by side shotgun with chokes in it so it makes a tight pattern with buckshot. It always came down to distance from the deer and if it's 2 far away he wouldn't shot at it with buck shot so it's close range inside 50 yards but allot of hunting in BC is that way due to the trees and thick bush.
 
captonion said:
This is a perfect example of what happens when buckshot is stretched beyond its limits.
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yeah right! believe never even tried over 40yards. lot of shots taken at 30 yards and nothing. shotgun was patterned at range and was using 000 and 00 federal ammo. tried other and always same results.
 
I have shot 50-75 deer with a shotgun. Never used anything but slugs. Get a rifled barrel (Remington 870 is my first choice) If the receiver is not drilled and tapped get it done, put a low power (2-7) scope on it and shoot Hornady SST slugs. In the beginning we used smooth bore, but switched to rifled barrels. We can accurately shoot to 100 yards and have accurately shot to 150 yards.
 
svergas said:
yeah right! believe never even tried over 40yards. lot of shots taken at 30 yards and nothing. shotgun was patterned at range and was using 000 and 00 federal ammo. tried other and always same results.
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Within 40 you wouldn't have witnessed the number of wounds you describe. A Lot of people aren't good at ranging on demand. Then there is the lead factor on a moving target that gets greater with range. Alot of factors to account for.

Just my opinion that you were stretching the limits, but in the same thread you are stretching the limits of slugs. This is what makes me think you did the same with buckshot. If used within its limits you wouldn't be able to describe that number of wounds.
 
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captonion said:
Within 40 you wouldn't have witnessed the number of wounds you describe. A Lot of people aren't good at ranging on demand. Then there is the lead factor on a moving target that gets greater with range. Alot of factors to account for.

Just my opinion that you were stretching the limits, but in the same thread you are stretching the limits of slugs. This is what makes me think you did the same with buckshot. If used within its limits you wouldn't be able to describe that number of wounds.
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most of mine slug shots are taken from 20 to 80 yards. this is from tree stand where i measured with the range finder. took one buck at 125 yards. put the slug exactly where i was aiming. so 150 is not streching. if one can put accurately and consistently slug where he/she aims it is not streching.
now for hunting with the buckshot i may have under estimated the range but still those deer were close.

see with the smooth bore was always a gamble when the deer shows up but with the rifled it is not. again this is my opinion.

my advice to anybody that is starting on deer is to practice with your gun, try different set up and if it does not work try something else.

accuracy and consistency
 
A close range shot in the vitals with buckshot is absolutely lethal. 40 yards will probably always be your absolute maximum unless you find a very good choke/ammo combination. I use 3.5'' Winchester Supreme 00buck, kicks like a bastard but it worked for me. My deer last year with that load was a trotting bang flop at 35-40 yards. My friends deer a few years back that I was around for was taken at 20 yards with a 3'' federal 00 round was also a bang flop. With both deer there were a few pass throughs, and most of the rounds that were in the cavity were expanded or deformed.

However, slugs are the better choice for 90% of situations.
 
svergas said:
most of mine slug shots are taken from 20 to 80 yards. this is from tree stand where i measured with the range finder. took one buck at 125 yards. put the slug exactly where i was aiming. so 150 is not streching. if one can put accurately and consistently slug where he/she aims it is not streching.
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To put the slug right where u aim @ 150 you would need to have your gun sighted in 8-10" high @ 100. This leaves you handicapped shooting closer ranges. Zero @ 100 puts u 8-10'' low at 150. A mistake in ranging of 10-20 yards at that range is easily done and this surely is stretching the limits. Especially when your estimation at closer ranges has been an issue.
 
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captonion said:
To put the slug right where u aim @ 150 you would need to have your gun sighted in 8-10" high @ 100. This leaves you handicapped shooting closer ranges. Zero @ 100 puts u 8-10'' low at 150. A mistake in ranging of 10-20 yards at that range is easily done and this surely is stretching the limits. Especially when your estimation at closer ranges has been an issue.
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Trajectory +2.5 inches (50 yards); +3.4 inches (100 yards); 0.0 inch (150 yards)
this is for remington accutip 385grain 3" slugs

is what i found on trajectory. my gun is +1.5-2.0 on 100yards which makes it -1.5 on 150yards. so i made point not to shot over 150 which is more than enough for me.
 
captonion said:
To put the slug right where u aim @ 150 you would need to have your gun sighted in 8-10" high @ 100. This leaves you handicapped shooting closer ranges. Zero @ 100 puts u 8-10'' low at 150. A mistake in ranging of 10-20 yards at that range is easily done and this surely is stretching the limits. Especially when your estimation at closer ranges has been an issue.
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if you ever swing by Niagara Falls we can meet at the range and I'll be more than happy to let you try the gun. Two conditions: 1 you have to buy slugs and 2. first beer is on you after we finish.

cheers
 
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