Anyone use a shotgun for deer ?

[tercel89]

Where I hunt its very thick and wooded. I don't have a long ways to shoot or to see a deer through a scope. The longest straight-away I have to see a deer and shoot it is around 100 feet. Therefore I use a shotgun with open sights/bead. I use a slug. I been doing this the last 3 seasons and all the deer I shot have only ran about 30 feet at the most and dropped. Do any of you guys/gals use a shotgun and if so why ? Is it cuase you like shotgun or is it out of need for the area you hunt in like me ?

[Omega]

I've hunted a few military posts that had shotgun only rules, though now Black Powder is allowed also.  I was never fond of using a shotgun, if I was limited as you are I may use a 30/30 minimum, much less drop and much less meat loss.  But a regular rifle with say a .270 Win will work in such situations as well, unless you are punching through the branches.  When I started hunting in the eastern side of the country (NC) in the 80s, I asked around and most seemed to use the 30/30.  It worked good for a couple seasons, until I was allowed to hunt a large track of land with 200+ yard shots, that 30/30 was like lobbing artillery the drop was so bad, I went out and got a .270 and never looked back.  The .270 is so flat shooting that you just have to put hair in the scope, and if you do your part, the POI will in there.

[gregintenn]

Nope.

[10-Ring]

I have as there are a couple of stands that I hunt that I have a very short (less than 20 yard) shot.  I have not actually taken a deer with a shotgun though.  It seems like it's a great option at short ranges.

[10-Ring]

3 hours ago, Omega said:

I've hunted a few military posts that had shotgun only rules, though now Black Powder is allowed also.  I was never fond of using a shotgun, if I was limited as you are I may use a 30/30 minimum, much less drop and much less meat loss.  But a regular rifle with say a .270 Win will work in such situations as well, unless you are punching through the branches.  When I started hunting in the eastern side of the country (NC) in the 80s, I asked around and most seemed to use the 30/30.  It worked good for a couple seasons, until I was allowed to hunt a large track of land with 200+ yard shots, that 30/30 was like lobbing artillery the drop was so bad, I went out and got a .270 and never looked back.  The .270 is so flat shooting that you just have to put hair in the scope, and if you do your part, the POI will in there.

I agree for the most part.  I hunt with a .270 more than anything else but leave it at home when I'm likely to take shots at less than 50 yards.  IME the ammo that I use does not perform well at close range, but works great out past 50 yards or so.  Sight the .270 in at 200 and the crosshairss should give you a dead deer 0-300 yards.

[Omega]

22 minutes ago, 10-Ring said:

I agree for the most part.  I hunt with a .270 more than anything else but leave it at home when I'm likely to take shots at less than 50 yards.  IME the ammo that I use does not perform well at close range, but works great out past 50 yards or so.  Sight the .270 in at 200 and the crosshairss should give you a dead deer 0-300 yards.

I've had some relatively close shots with my .270, 50 yds or under with no issues.  I zero at 100 yds, and keep my shots to under 200 yds most times with no compensation on my part.  At Ft Bragg, I hunted an area where all the pine trees were lined up dress right dress, so sometimes depending on angle you had a tight window to punch through and I never failed to make the shot.  Same when we would walk the ridges pushing deer out of the bottoms, sometimes all you could see is the neck, or if lucky the vitals and yup, put it right through the window.  Back when I was considering what caliber to move to, I did some research (pre internet) and came up with the .270 or the 7mm, but the .270 was the first rifle I came across that was in my ballpark $$ wise, which turned out to be a pretty good choice.

I use the Speer Grand Slam, it seems to mushroom pretty well at all distances.  They used to be sold loaded only, but then they sold as projectiles, now have been discontinued but I bought enough to hunt with for the rest of my time here.

[KahrMan]

Not a shotgun but your situation is why I bought "thumper".  It is Marlin 1895 cut down to 16".  I use it in very thick stuff where the shots are going to be fast and short.  Big bullets that are quick to get on target is perfect that situation.

[tercel89]

4 minutes ago, KahrMan said:

Not a shotgun but your situation is why I bought "thumper".  It is Marlin 1895 cut down to 16".  I use it in very thick stuff where the shots are going to be fast and short.  Big bullets that are quick to get on target is perfect that situation.

I had a 1895 Marlin in 45/70 . Should have kept it . It was a beast .

[Patrick Henry]

Maryland is a shotgun & muzzleloader only state.  I have used a 12 ga. with Hastings rifled choke tube (I do not believe these are made any longer) and Winchester BRI sabots.  Longest shot has been no more than 80 yards. At 50 yards you can expect about a 3" grouping with a 3" red dot sight.  A scope might improve accuracy.  A 12 or 20 ga. slug is effective; they leave a big hole. 

[martin5]

I bought a cantileverd rifle barrel for my 500 2years ago and never used it. I would like to just haven't got around to it. I have a 35 cut to 16 inches also for close in and I still want to take my SBS on a hunt one day. 

[quietguy]

When I was in college, we hunted in southern Illinois and Ohio.  Both were shotgun only, and I had a rifled barrel for my Rem 870.  I had pretty good luck, but would probably opt for a modern muzzleloader over a slug gun.