Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Buckshot in a rifle zone

I've always hunted with rifles since I'm in the rifle zone of Michigan. I always sat in open fields with mostly long shots and typically kill my deer at around 200 yards, although they can range from 40-400 yards. Last year I was doing a late season drive on state land with some friends. They kicked up a nice buck that ran out in front of me at 40 yards. I missed twice with my scoped 30-06 turned all the way down to 4 power. This was a kick to the gut since I'd had a tough season already. I also realized I need a better setup for doing drives like this through brush. My new fancy long range scope was not my friend in this situation and I learned that lesson the hard way. After this experience I did what I normally do and figured out how I could remedy the problem in the most extreme fashion. I dug out some ancient buckshot of unknown origins I had tucked away in my pile of miscellaneous old ammo. Since I've never shot a deer with a shotgun, the best gun I could think of to put the buckshot through was my Remington 887 pump that I use for waterfowl (don't ever buy an 887, mine is garbage but it's what I got). I carried this combo back to the same state land I'd failed on. The spot where we'd jumped the buck before is a surprisingly short distance from the intersection of two main roads. You can see passing cars from the bedding area. I worked my way in from downwind and sure enough jumped 5 deer in the same spot, but couldn't see antlers and had no shot opportunity. I stalked around a bit longer before heading to another piece of state land that I know holds deer. This spot requires a stream crossing that probably contributes to it's consistent deer holding qualities. I made a loop through the area, which is also very close to a main road. As I came up to a low lying, open area, a doe jumped up on the other side about 60 yards away. My grouse hunting instincts took over as I quickly shouldered the shotgun and let loose on two shots, leading the running deer as I would on feathered upland critters. After the shots, I heard and saw nothing. I reloaded and struck out toward the last spot I'd seen the deer. I heard a faint rustling and took off running. When I crested the far side of the low, wet area, I saw the doe laying stone dead! Not only was this the first deer I've ever taken with a shotgun, but also my first deer with factory loaded ammunition, and my first deer on state land. Three firsts all at once! I was elated to have this doe and was as excited as I would normally get with a buck!

After my shotgun success, I again reacted in an extreme manner by ordering 9 boxes of buckshot. My plan for next year is to tromp around all over the place on state land with shotgun in hand. This is a far cry from the last 22 years of sitting in a blind on a private land agricultural fields. I'll still sit the fields on opening day, and with my kids, but I can't wait to get more active in my hunting pursuits. I plan to keep my ventures between the 10am and 3pm time frame so as to not disturb anyone else who may go out for a peaceful morning or evening sit.

Has anyone else become a shotgun convert so late in the game like I have?

Buckshot is deadly... pattern your gun/choke combo. OO and OOO many times pattern better out of a Mod or Imp choke Your results may vary. Just like rifles, most brands shoot differently. I've found 3" shells pattern better than the 3.5" stuff.

I actually did the opposite - started with a shotgun then converted to rifle. I like 4x as it gives enough magnification to pick out most obstructions out to 60 yards or so but still has enough field of view to readily find a running deer if necessary.

The key to the latter is to keep both eyes open and shoot as if using a shotgun. The biggest obstacle I have when using a scope on a moving target is the disparity of looking at a target normally with one eye and under magnification with the other. I can handle up to6x without too much problem but more than that and things get confusing. I practice this by pointing an unloaded gun at a light switch or other object keeping both eyes open. I find being close in distance to be more difficult so do my drills indoors rather than outside. When I think I'm pretty good, I'll take a scoped air gun. Into the yard and shoot dandelions, grasshoppers, wasps, and other targets of opportunity. That humbles me initially but later gets to be a matter of pride as I make more shots than I miss. I feel pretty confident I canregularly hit a moving target though seldom need to.

I did the opposite also. I hunted for 10 years with a shotgun before I killed my first buck with a rifle.


I agree with this also ^^^ My Rem 1100 12ga shot 00Buck best with a skeet barrel. My full choke barrel shot #1 Buckshot best. I liked to use 3" mag loads in both. 3" 00B = 12 pellets, 3" #1B = 21 pellets.

I grew up in Perrinton, Michigan, right on the shotgun/rifle line.(hwy57). Had both and used both every season. In all those years there might have been a time or 2 when carrying a rifle I wished it were my shotgun. There were however several times I would have come out ahead if I’d been carrying a rifle. A Marlin 336 fills in nicely for the close stuff, if on the north side. Also, I helped my uncle process deer every year and the stack of buckshot pellets (along with 22 bullets) was impressive. Shotguns and buckshot work but only in a small window. (Thinking mostly drives)My 2 cents. Stay safe

I grew up hunting with a shotgun and was told to aim for the nose. We could kill deer, turkey and hogs all in the same day. I my first two shells were #4 buck followed by 00.

I shot this 202 pound dressed 9 point back in 2013 with a Browning Gold 10 gauge using 3.5 inch 00 Buckshot. It soaked up 3 shots on the run at 40 yards..

I found that I hit it with 11 pellets when I was skinning it.

I live in New Jersey, started out with buckshot (only thing legal), then rifles slugs and then rifle hunting in PA and NY. I've killed and have seen a lot of deer killed with buckshot, it's deadly. Good luck and be safe.

That's one He!! of a Buck. Good for you. It sure is fun when they come running by. I killed my first Buck over 50 years ago on a deer drive in New Jersey. He was only a 6 point, but he came running past me at 35-40 yards. I unloaded 3 shots of 00B with my Rem 1100 12Ga. and he folded up. It was pretty exciting for a young teenager. Been hooked ever since.

Buckshot kills stuff dead. Patterns better with more open chokes for the most part. No need to go with 3" shells, and little cause to use 00 or O buck. #1, 2, 3 buck does the trick, day in, day out. Was surprised when I started using it. 12 Ga 00 required two shots on a 250#+ boar at 25 yards. 20 Ga #3 would pass thru a large hog at 40 yards and kill a couple standing behind it when the trigger got jerked.

Pattern some loads with different chokes and shot size, go out and kill stuff.

Killed my first few deer with a 12 gauge shooting 2 3/4 “ shells. As others have said pattern your gun. Have seen guns like different shot size and even shell brands better than others. Keep it close and you won’t have any problems.

GreggH

I hunted in Va from 08 till last year with a hound club. I spent some time on the pattern boards with my SX3 and man, it was so much fun hunting deer like that. Under 35 yards it would definitely pile drive them but even out to 50 it’d still put them down, just took a bit longer.

Sounds like I'll be doing some patterning soon! I hadn't thought of that, since I never really got into turkey hunting much either. All the shells I bought are 00 Buck, but I like the idea of #1 Buck or similar since there would be a lot more pellets. Perhaps #1 in the chamber and 00 behind it as suggested above. I'm also a fan of more open chokes. They make me look like a better shot than I am!

If you have or can find some Federal buckshot with Flitecontrol wads give then a try - I patterned their 12 ga 00 law enforcement version a few years ago in three different shotguns and was impressed.

"Rem 870 Police Magnum, 20" Improved Cylinder, rifle sights. Overall best performer.
Rem 870 Magnum, 20" Cylinder bore, shotgun bead. Patterns tended to be high, centered above point of aim. In some case entire pattern was above POA. Guess that isn't a big surprise with shotgun bead for sight.
1st generation Ithaca Deerslayer, 20" minimum diameter straight bore barrel, rifle sights. Nothing special, patterns similar to the 870 with Cyl Bore and Bead, except centered more to point of aim.

Federal Law Enforcement 2.75 in 00 flitecontrol loads worked as advertised. Tight patterns (4 to 8 in at 25 yds) with all 3 guns. Tightest was the Police Magnum."

Not a convert, but my very first deer kill was with a H&R single shot 12ga.
As the group of deer ran over a hill and past me @ about 20 yds going away.

1st shot #4[was hoping for a turkey]
2nd shot was #00 at about 45-50 yds
She went down within another 20 yds

I live on the shotgun only side of VA and have killed the majority of my deer with buckshot. Im a big fan of 3” federal premium OOO copper plated out of a mossberg 835 with a modified choke. Also killed quite a few with 2 3/4 and 3” OO. Main thing is to pattern your gun and don’t get greedy with your range. Buckshot hits like a hammer at closer range but from my experience it doesnt leave good blood trails.

I too was impressed with the Federal Flight Control Buckshot. Unbelievably tight patterns compared to standard Buckshot.

Ron

I need to check and see if the make #3 or 4 buck loaded with the Flitecontrol wad.

10 Gauge, Hornady makes their Varmint Express Buckshot with the Versa-tite wad (their version of the Flight Control) in #4 buck.

Ron

Saw that. Looks like it patterns good as well.

High school classmate, Fat Jack, went with a dog crew in the Florida Panhandle when we were growing up. He had no experience. They put him on stand with a single shot 12 gauge and three shells. He had a group of three bucks come out on him and he killed two. Handy work with a single shot.

Careful on your shot distance with the smaller (#4 buck) loads. At 35 yards each pellet has as much energy as a 22lr. I’ve seen driven deer go a long ways with literally dozens of #4 pellets in them fired from 40-50 yards. When I was hunting a shotgun only County I patterned a good load with federal premium 000 buck. At 30 yards with the choke I was using I could keep 8-9 of the 10 pellets on a pie plate. It was devastating on deer and left excellent blood trails. I treated it like bow hunting and killed many deer with it without losing any. I did switch to a muzzleloader as soon as I was allowed as it extended my range to 150+/-.

I would always use a rifle instead of buckshot if rifle was legal.

Maybe the bias of 0 buckshot knowledge, but I agree 100%.

Have often figured that if painted into a corner I'd use some form of muzzeloader,
Before a shotgun. Even a scoped revolver if I was a stand hunter, which I'm not.

Some of the bolt slug guns might change my mind, but this isn't about slugs.


Maybe dog hunting would change things, that's never gonna happen though.

I have killed deer with buckshot and I have shot deer with buckshot that limped off dripping a few drops of blood. With a rifle you have control of where you put bullets with a shotgun you are relying on a pattern. After shooting buckshot at a pattern board at 35 yards I never used it again.
With my 12 I tried several shot sizes and chokes. Nothing I tried threw an evenly distributed pattern.

You just didn't find th right combo... it is DEADLY if you have the right load/choke... out to 50 yards repeatedly. It will kill further out but pattern density comes into play.

Any guess about how many states allow buckshot now?

It’s not legal here in WV.

^^^This^^^

I can easily pick up a target immediately when shouldering a rifle with an optic set to 4x at 40 yards. If he missed twice the deer was presumably well within the the scopes field of view. Sounds more like the Indian than the arrow.

The OP says that the deer was jumped at 40 yards, given that. Had he been carrying a shotgun with buckshot the deer would have been on the edge of buckshot range by the time he had the gun shouldered and ready to shoot anyway.

Not legal in Ohio either.

Ron

I have never used buckshot for deer, wasn’t legal in NY. We did use buckshot running coyotes in the winter with our hounds, but usually #4 buck.

Now I’m in SC . Still use rifles or revolvers but would really love the opportunity to hunt deer with dogs at least once, just for the experience of doing it and because most of my life I’ve been involved with the dog sports.

Buckshot is legal here and for all of the concerns listed above not used nearly as often as in the past.

I’m in two clubs: one that is still hunting(using that term loosely as it’s mostly sitting in a stand) and one that uses hounds. The houndsman have almost exclusively given up on buckshot except for a couple of the older generation. Just too inconsistent but deadly inside 50 yards.

I’ve never killed a deer with a shotgun but it has been on my mind the last few years. I believe it was illegal to hunt deer in Texas with buckshot until just recently. I do believe it is something I will be giving a try soon.

Buckshot works well out to 50 yards or so given all is good.

Missing a buck at 40 running with 4X is not the fault of the gun though. Its fault of the shooter. 40 yards at 4X is going to be no problem.. Actually one could probably not even see through the scope at that range or a bit less and still easily kill. Both eyes ope and swing and pull. On 9X it would be an issue.
I used to have a 6x fixed on a shotgun, just to become proficient. Shot doves with it.

Cross training. No one seems to do that these days.

Enjoy the buckshot but don't push the range on it.

FWIW we used to be able to find nickel plated #4 buck in 3 or 3.5 inch 12 gauge. That was pretty reliable to 50 or 55 yards every last time...pattern check and you should be good. Never assume its going to pattern or hit where you are looking.

I've killed a bunch of deer with buckshot. Hunting deer in front of dogs is my passion and the woods we hunt are thick. Most of my opportunities come at 75 yards or less and I've killed several at 60+ yards. I prefer the bigger 00 and 000 pellets. I started loading my own years ago to save money. Glad I did because finding a load your gun likes isn't always easy. These last few years, a lot of folks have been having to shoot whatever they can find and I guarantee you a lot of it doesn't pattern worth a crap. The importance of patterning your gun can not be overstated. When you find a load your gun likes buy all you can find. The load I've been hunting with for a while will put all 16 00s into 12" or so @ 40 yards and 20" or so @ 60. I feel very confident with it out to 60 or a bit more.

Hit a deer right with a load of buck shot and he will hit the ground so hard he'll bounce. Shoot one beyond the abilities of your setup and you will probably never find him if you kill him. A lot of times a deer shot with buckshot won't bleed much if at all. Not a big deal when you already have a pack of hounds on them. Could be a lost deer if you don't or don't at least have access to a good dog.

As much as I trust my shotgun, when I still hunt, I use my rifle with a nice scope on it. I know even if it's a close shot in the thick, I can thread a bullet where it needs to go. And if the deer doesn't fall there, he'll leave me a blood trail.