buckshot for deer ? - Page 3

Saltydog235 · August 22, 2014, 07:56 AM

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I have been surprised at how slow heart lung area shots stop a deer even at close range

That's because the deer being shot with buck is typically in a flight mode with adrenalin coursing for survival. If you made the shot on it at rest like with a rifle, it's either drop or go the same distance. I've rolled a many up that piled head over heals in a cartwheel on a run, seen them run for a while loaded up and a bloody mess.

Todd1700 · August 24, 2014, 01:28 PM

We used buckshot quite a bit back when I was a young man and everyone ran deer with dogs. Buckshot got a bad rap back then IMHO for the following reasons.

1. Almost no one I knew back in those days patterned their shotguns with it. They bought a box of buckshot and hit the woods. No clue as to what pattern they were getting or even if their gun was throwing the center of the pattern to point of aim.

2. We were shooting at moving deer. And not just moving but moving at a rate of speed that only a pack of hounds can inspire.

3. People did not respect the limited range of buckshot. A range that I would place at 40 yards. But it's very hard to hold fire on a really nice buck that the dogs ran pass you at 50 or 60 yards. Most people couldn't resist.

That said, if you pattern your gun; your aim is true; and you keep your shots close then buckshot will kill deer. I killed a pile of them with it back in the day.

Unlicensed Dremel · August 24, 2014, 05:23 PM

Todd, what percentage of shots were neck vs. vitals? And what size - OO? And what type choke? And what were your max distances?

mxsailor803 · August 25, 2014, 04:50 PM

Salty has some very valid points hear people. I've done dog drives all over SC and have killed my fair share. I've also missed my fair share. Tell you what, if you think you can drop a deer in his tracks with one shot in flight mode every time, I'll bring my H&R 12ga single shot and lets see it jack. I've dropped several with 1 shot. But that several is over the course more than 20 years of dog driving. I've also takin shots I had no business taking. I had a doe hit a dirtroad right at 70 steps from me (roughly 60-68yards ish). The first shot was just above her head, she goes down and I start sprinting to her. She gets back up when I closed roughly 30 paces from original distance. Second shot, she's down for the count with a broadside neck shot. Get to her and realized there wasn't much damage. First shot had 2 pellets hit her in the back of her skull. Second shot had 5 pellets hit her spine in various areas of her neck. And Salty is right that in SC you can't use slugs or rifles in a drive. As many out of staters we get, that cant shoot, they don't need harder penetrating, longer range weapons.

Unlicensed Dremel · August 26, 2014, 09:02 PM

No offense, but from what you just described, the in-staters aren't that much better.

Todd1700 · August 28, 2014, 05:35 AM

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Todd, what percentage of shots were neck vs. vitals?

For others back then I cannot recall, but I always aimed for the vitals. My hits were not always perfect due to shooting at deer that were often running wide open.

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And what size - OO?

I used both Number 1 and 00 at various times. I know the general consensus will probably be that 00 is vastly superior to number 1 buckshot but I saw little effective difference at shot distances 40 yards and closer. 00 did not always pattern well out of all my guns. To show my age most of us were using 2 3/4 inch shells back then and number 1 buckshot gave you about twice the pellets as 00. As I recall there were about 16 to 18 pellets in a 2 3/4 12 gauge number 1 buckshot vs just 8 or 9 pellets in the same size 00. That being the case I almost always got better patterns with number 1 buckshot. And as I said before I saw little difference in lethality.

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And what type choke?

Full with some and modified with others. Wish I could be more helpful but only way to know is to pattern your gun with both.

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And what were your max distances?

40 yards is the max range I tried to stay within.

Grunt96 · October 11, 2014, 02:10 PM

I don't recommend it, but if you know your shot will be around 20-30 yards it will do the job if you use the right load. That's 3" plated 00 Buck. Don't use standard lead buck because your going to get far less penetration than plated buck. Either way it's not ideal for something you plan to eat. 3" buck at 20-30 yards and your going to have holes all in the deer. Why not use slugs, which is a good option. Save the buckshot for HD or general mayhem.

August 24, 2014, 01:28 PM	#52
Todd1700 Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2008 Posts: 192	We used buckshot quite a bit back when I was a young man and everyone ran deer with dogs. Buckshot got a bad rap back then IMHO for the following reasons. 1. Almost no one I knew back in those days patterned their shotguns with it. They bought a box of buckshot and hit the woods. No clue as to what pattern they were getting or even if their gun was throwing the center of the pattern to point of aim. 2. We were shooting at moving deer. And not just moving but moving at a rate of speed that only a pack of hounds can inspire. 3. People did not respect the limited range of buckshot. A range that I would place at 40 yards. But it's very hard to hold fire on a really nice buck that the dogs ran pass you at 50 or 60 yards. Most people couldn't resist. That said, if you pattern your gun; your aim is true; and you keep your shots close then buckshot will kill deer. I killed a pile of them with it back in the day.

August 24, 2014, 05:23 PM	#53
Unlicensed Dremel Junior member Join Date: February 13, 2014 Location: Flathead Valley, MT Posts: 2,187	Todd, what percentage of shots were neck vs. vitals? And what size - OO? And what type choke? And what were your max distances?

August 25, 2014, 04:50 PM	#54
mxsailor803 Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: SC Posts: 1,344	Salty has some very valid points hear people. I've done dog drives all over SC and have killed my fair share. I've also missed my fair share. Tell you what, if you think you can drop a deer in his tracks with one shot in flight mode every time, I'll bring my H&R 12ga single shot and lets see it jack. I've dropped several with 1 shot. But that several is over the course more than 20 years of dog driving. I've also takin shots I had no business taking. I had a doe hit a dirtroad right at 70 steps from me (roughly 60-68yards ish). The first shot was just above her head, she goes down and I start sprinting to her. She gets back up when I closed roughly 30 paces from original distance. Second shot, she's down for the count with a broadside neck shot. Get to her and realized there wasn't much damage. First shot had 2 pellets hit her in the back of her skull. Second shot had 5 pellets hit her spine in various areas of her neck. And Salty is right that in SC you can't use slugs or rifles in a drive. As many out of staters we get, that cant shoot, they don't need harder penetrating, longer range weapons.

August 26, 2014, 09:02 PM	#55
Unlicensed Dremel Junior member Join Date: February 13, 2014 Location: Flathead Valley, MT Posts: 2,187	No offense, but from what you just described, the in-staters aren't that much better.

October 11, 2014, 02:10 PM	#57
Grunt96 Member Join Date: September 21, 2014 Posts: 90	I don't recommend it, but if you know your shot will be around 20-30 yards it will do the job if you use the right load. That's 3" plated 00 Buck. Don't use standard lead buck because your going to get far less penetration than plated buck. Either way it's not ideal for something you plan to eat. 3" buck at 20-30 yards and your going to have holes all in the deer. Why not use slugs, which is a good option. Save the buckshot for HD or general mayhem.