00 Buck on deer

Hmmm........

I DETEST buckshot, but one of my best buddies swears by it.........

There is no way on God's green earth that I would deer hunt with buckshot, but I am of the opinion that it is excellent medecine for would be felons breaking into my house with murder in their hearts. But in that exceptionally unlikely scenario, I don't care much about meat wastage, now do I?

Buckshot is not nearly as effective as slugs, nor is it worth a hoot at longer ranges. Even a smoothbore barrel with a bead sight can launch a slug very accurately to fifty yards (and double that with a competent shooter). A slug puts the deer down most of the time with authority. A slug does not NORMALLY ruin as much meat as buckshot does, but there are a zillion exceptions to every rule......

If you are going to be standing on a watch, you should not need the "hail Mary" shots that you might need when you bust a deer in close cover at close range (senior's scenario). So my advice is to forget about buckshot and go with slugs! PLEASE! But if you do decide to go with buckshot, then for heaven's sake don't use an extra full choke, and spend a LOT of range time, as you have been advised.

Doug
 
buckshot

Here on the Island there is an area that is shotgun with shot only, so that rules out any slugs. I have shot lots of deer with '0' buck with 12 pellets with very good results. '00' buck only has 9 pellets and that lessens the chance of a good hit. I never use a full choke as it deforms the pellets and makes them fly erratically. I have found that modified and cylinder bore work the best along with a 26 inch barrel, any shorter and the pattern opens up too much.
 
Buck shot is unreliable for deer. You get about 15 .33" pellets at about 1225fps(that's all 15 at the muzzle) with 3" 00 Buck. Use a slug.
 
303carbine said:
Here on the Island there is an area that is shotgun with shot only, so that rules out any slugs. I have shot lots of deer with '0' buck with 12 pellets with very good results. '00' buck only has 9 pellets and that lessens the chance of a good hit. I never use a full choke as it deforms the pellets and makes them fly erratically. I have found that modified and cylinder bore work the best along with a 26 inch barrel, any shorter and the pattern opens up too much.
Click to expand...

That's interesting! someone that actually has to use it!
& gets "very good results". as oppossed to those that never use it but can definately say it's no good :D

Used at the correct range, with correct barrel it works excellent!
No diff than useing a high powered mag, with a high powered scope for very close ranges:rolleyes:

Correct me if I'm wrong but do BB resource officers not use a 12g with BUCKSHOT up the tube for bear defence :eek: must have some killing power eh! :D
 
I keep all of my buckshot shots under 25 yards. No exceptions. I have lost 3 deer in 2 years because of that stuff. I have also taken deer at 92 yards (lasered) using a smoothbore shooting Brenneke slugs. I have never failed to find a deer after shooting it with a slug. In dense brush, a slug has less deflection due to mass and speed (more KE) and is more accurate. Try tracking a deer with a gut shot due to 1 lousy pellet, it isn't happening without a hound. Been there and done that. If you are serious about using buckshot, regardless of size, pattern, pattern, pattern. It's cheap stuff, so use LOTS. The animals we hunt deserve that much at least.

-Jason
 
Back to senior........

Buckshot kills lots of deer, and has its applications. But IF A PERSON HAS A CHOICE, I think a slug is a hell of a lot better way to go. A slug has better range, better terminal performance, less wounding, and (main reason for myself) usually results in less damaged meat. I have cleaned and butchered a lot of deer, and my experience has been that deer shot with buckshot tend to have a fair bit of wastage, as compared to deer shot with slugs. (But for sure I have seen deer shot with slugs that the entire front quarters were lost to blood-shot muck - usually when a shot was taken at close rnage and went through both shoulders.)

In Dave's case, he is going to be on a watch and for him, I think a slug is a far better option.

Doug
 
senior said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but do BB resource officers not use a 12g with BUCKSHOT up the tube for bear defence :eek: must have some killing power eh! :D
Click to expand...
The only resource officers that would use buckshot for that purpose are the ones that are interesting in testing the quality of their workplace disability coverage.;) The smart ones read Shelton and load up with slugs.

I've used buckshot and slugs on both large and small animals at various times. Unless legally prevented from doing so I will take slugs. The only exception to the rule is close-range, small animal varmint hunting where #4 buckshot has a limited application.

If I had no choice I'd use a modified choke, the heaviest load of copper plated 000 buck that I could find and shoot at nothing beyond 30 yards.
 
BUCKSHOT IS FOR VARMINTS
We used buckshot on dozens of deer before we banned it in our group back in the early eighties and anyone who thinks it is a viable alternative to slugs just has not shot enough deer with it to know the difference.... period.
The argument that Buckshot is good in the bush at close range is completely ludicrous. Buckshot will deflect very easily by the smallest of twigs and the effective killing range on deer is only about 25 yards, at that distance a slug is a cakewalk on running deer.
The Game Wardens in the field in Ontario have lobbied the MNR for a ban on buckshot for a number of years. They are the ones that see the damage on unrecovered deer that die a lingering death because of this ineffective hunting method.
Any wild game butcher will tell you straight that buckshot is not good if you want good meat or a clean animal. Many will out and out refuse to cut deer killed with buckshot... it is just too hard on blades and grinders.
I am not one to preach ethics but this whole idea that buckshot is effective on deer goes beyond stupidity or ignorance... JBRO:eek:
 
Yeah Doug... you know it.
I have killed lots of deer with Buck shot.. and Russian Boars, Black Bear, Coyotes, Jack Rabbits even Geese back in the day.
Slugs are the better choice and outside of legislated buckshot only areas there is no reason to use it on deer.
 
thebuckhunter said:
I keep all of my buckshot shots under 25 yards. No exceptions. I have lost 3 deer in 2 years because of that stuff. I have also taken deer at 92 yards (lasered) using a smoothbore shooting Brenneke slugs. I have never failed to find a deer after shooting it with a slug. In dense brush, a slug has less deflection due to mass and speed (more KE) and is more accurate. Try tracking a deer with a gut shot due to 1 lousy pellet, it isn't happening without a hound. Been there and done that. If you are serious about using buckshot, regardless of size, pattern, pattern, pattern. It's cheap stuff, so use LOTS. The animals we hunt deserve that much at least.

-Jason
Click to expand...

So you use buckshot but only under 25yds.
You have taken deer at 92yds with slugs.
Isn't that exactely what weve been arguing??
Keep ranges & equipment in correct corralation!
Curious at what range you lost the deer??
If it was at 25yds or less then I would suggest it would have been a complete miss with a slug:D
" In dense brush, a slug has less deflection due to mass and speed "
Absolutely correct, but a 1' pattern of buckshot going thru the brush is very unlikely to have every pellet hit that branch..twig..

BIGREDD. I completely disagree with you, my limited experience has proven ME & a few others otherwise. But then you are in fairly open country down there aren't you!
BUT I will refrain from calling you names "stupidity or ignorance" because I disagree!!:rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
senior said:
So you use buckshot but only under 25yds.
You have taken deer at 92yds with slugs.
Isn't that exactely what weve been arguing??
Keep ranges & equipment in correct corralation!
Curious at what range you lost the deer??
If it was at 25yds or less then I would suggest it would have been a complete miss with a slug:D

BIGREDD. I completely disagree with you, my limited experience has proven ME & a few others otherwise. But then you are in fairly open country down there aren't you!
BUT I will refrain from calling you names "stupidity or ignorance" because I disagree!!:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

The stupid/ignorant comment certainly wasn't aimed at you Senior... I didn't even read your post before posting. My apologies for any inferences in this regard.:redface:

I have killed deer with buckshot in the thick stuff, and we have serious cedar swamp down here, but it is old school logic and it took me many wounded and shot to hell deer to let go of my ill concieved perceptions back then.
As far as smoothbore slugs go 100 yards is easy as pie in the open and it you can see them you can shoot them in the cover.:)
 
BIGREDD said:
We used buckshot on dozens of deer before we banned it in our group back in the early eighties
Click to expand...

correct me if im wrong but hasnt technology come a long way since the early eighties...thats 25 years ;) better loads = better patterns;)

if your gun patterns well you dont need to worry about any pellets going into any area but the area between the front and back legs...heart, lungs and guts. tenderloin is the only good meat that a pellet may get stuck in.
 
I agree with Doug. Can't you borrow a rifle? Buckshot is illegal in Nova Scotia.


Doug said:
Hmmm........

I DETEST buckshot, but one of my best buddies swears by it.........

There is no way on God's green earth that I would deer hunt with buckshot, but I am of the opinion that it is excellent medecine for would be felons breaking into my house with murder in their hearts. But in that exceptionally unlikely scenario, I don't care much about meat wastage, now do I?

Buckshot is not nearly as effective as slugs, nor is it worth a hoot at longer ranges. Even a smoothbore barrel with a bead sight can launch a slug very accurately to fifty yards (and double that with a competent shooter). A slug puts the deer down most of the time with authority. A slug does not NORMALLY ruin as much meat as buckshot does, but there are a zillion exceptions to every rule......

If you are going to be standing on a watch, you should not need the "hail Mary" shots that you might need when you bust a deer in close cover at close range (senior's scenario). So my advice is to forget about buckshot and go with slugs! PLEASE! But if you do decide to go with buckshot, then for heaven's sake don't use an extra full choke, and spend a LOT of range time, as you have been advised.

Doug
Click to expand...
 
canadian hunter312 said:
correct me if im wrong but hasnt technology come a long way since the early eighties...thats 25 years ;) better loads = better patterns;)
Click to expand...
Buckshot hasn't come a long way in the last 25 years. The last major advancement in shot shell technology was the introduction of the plastic wad in the 60's. While there is today a greater selection of shells, chokes and guns, lead is still lead, velocity is still velocity and pattern is still pattern and those are the key determinants to whether buckshot works or not.

Where the serious advancement has taken place is in the development of slugs. The introduction of sabots and the availability of rifled barrels has meant greater range and hitting power to slug hunters. In comparison, buckshot is pretty much stuck in the past.
 
ah i see;) i just figured copper plated buffered loads werent around back then.

anyone tried hevishot buckshot? think its called dead coyote or something:confused:

a couple of the big guys should start producing high end buckshot loads for those who wish or are forced to use buckshot on big game. coyote hunters would also benefit from this as well.
 
BIGREDD said:
The stupid/ignorant comment certainly wasn't aimed at you Senior... I didn't even read your post before posting. My apologies for any inferences in this regard.:redface:

I have killed deer with buckshot in the thick stuff, and we have serious cedar swamp down here, but it is old school logic and it took me many wounded and shot to hell deer to let go of my ill concieved perceptions back then.
As far as smoothbore slugs go 100 yards is easy as pie in the open and it you can see them you can shoot them in the cover.:)
Click to expand...

No problem :)

I have to wonder how much of the excellent results some have had with buckshot is maybe due to easier target acustition with the long sighting plane & follow thru with the shotgun? Duck hunters especially would know how much easier it seems to follow right on a duck but couldn't even imagine trying that with a rifle! :confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom