Buck shot

[jungleboy]

The Coyote shotgun thread got me thinking. How many have or do use buck shot when hunting deer? What are your thoughts on the subject? Obviously within a certain yardage it is effective, but what sort of results does it give as far as damage goes. How quick will it put a deer down? These are rhetorical questions as I don’t really see myself purposely hunting deer with it but am curious about it.
When a guy is out for birds and Bambi is standing in the shadows…. Could happen ,

[fishnguy]

This is the only guy I know of who does it consistently and has a few awesome videos posted: http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...t=Deer+shotgun

[Smoky buck]

I have taken a few blacktail with buckshot when living in B.C. in areas that rifles were not allowed and 1 well duck hunting. All were taken at 30yards or less 4 with chest shots one with a neck shot. Neck shot dropped on the spot and chest shots were down within 75yards

I preferred my bow back then but injury and random opportunity is why I took a few with buckshot

My friend who just passed shot majority of his blacktail with buckshot and took at least 1 buck a year for the 15+years I knew him without loosing one. Again close range

It works but I would avoid shoulders personally. It would likely still do the trick but prefer not to test it myself

Keep it close and pick your shots it works fine in my opinion

[Dick284]

Myself and some buddies knocked a few 30-40 yards song dogs down with reloaded 0 buck(.30”) (18 pellet) 3”, 12 gauge.

Dead as dead……..

At similar ranges I see no reason why a deer hit wouldn’t die just fine, as many pellets did exit those coyotes we shot.

[fatboyz]

When I used to hunt county of Strathcona deer I used a muzzleloader but my BIL used buck shot and had good success.

[outofbounds]

A handful of friends south of the 49th use shotguns and BS on a regular basis. Their seasons depict weapon. Archery, Shotgun, Muzzle Loader, and Rifle.
For the most part, they are heavier into the archery and shotguns, when they do rifle for deer it is typically a lever in a 35 Rem, 30-30, or one of the Big Bores. Pattern shotguns close range shots to ribs from what I've seen them do.

[KGB]

Firing buck shots from 30-40 yards, what’s the area of damage? Do you end up throwing half of the carcass away due to the meat been badly damaged?

[Pioneer2]

You can eat right up to the pellet hole.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by KGB

Firing buck shots from 30-40 yards, what’s the area of damage? Do you end up throwing half of the carcass away due to the meat been badly damaged?

You will often get more shock damage from of your average rifle vs buck shot for what I experienced

[Big Lou]

I’ve only killed one deer with shot and another with a slug. The deer with shot was 25-30 yards and it killed very quickly. As in right now. I’ve killed coyotes out beyond 70 yards with #4 buck. I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot 40 yards on a deer with 00 if the gun threw it in a tight pattern.

[tikka250]

Only experience I had was helping an old timer neighbor a few times out on the Vancouver Island. He ran an old Cooey single shot 16 gauge and almost always he would aim for the neck area and they would drop right in their tracks. The odd time I helped track one that didn't go down but far as I remember he never had one get away and would kill 2 a year. I helped skin a few times and his pattern wasn't amazingly tight yet it seemed to have enough shock to work.

[Desert Eagle]

I don’t recall seeing anything in the regs regarding buckshot here in AB, is it on the up and up regulation wise?

[jungleboy]

From what I read it just has to bigger shot than 24 ga.

[H380]

Only taken 1 deer with a shotty ,mule deer at 20 years thru the neck with a slug...dropped on the spot and you could see thru the hole ..if i were to use buckshot I would think it would have to be very close range, within 30 if at all possible .

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[3blade]

I did a bunch of pattern testing this year, out of an 18 in cyl bore and 30 in full choke. Results for both, with multiple loads, were highly variable past 20 yards, while also clover leafing slugs at 50.

IMO slugs are the better choice for deer.

[Pioneer2]

from the muzzle to 60 yards .........like they ran into a sheet of plexi-glass.I used primarily Imperial SSG but prefer #1 buck .30 caliber to up the pellet count always 2 3/4" but if you have 3" chambers better yet.

[Big Grey Wolf]

A hunter I knew wanted to impress his young siblings while duck hunting. Opened up shot shell poured out BB,s loaded fingernail clipper and took the deer.

[Pioneer2]

My Grandfather used to cut shot shells for deer as all farmers could buy was .22 and shotgun ammo. Nothing was wasted.