"Buckshot" and "Birdshot" Terminology Question

Buckshot was and is used to hunt deer in many parts of the country. That's exactly the origin. The phrase itself is actually quite old, dating back hundreds of years.

Yes, buckshot will kill deer. Each pellet is like having a 32 pistol shooting at point blank range.

That's nine .32 caliber bullets, if you will, hitting the target almost simultaneously.

I have personally killed 8 deer with 00 buckshot, it's a great load for deer. I have killed deer with one shot of 00 at about 50 yards several times. In my mind shotguns with a smooth bore are for shot, and rifled barrels are for slugs ( I know this is not an absolute, rifled slugs for smooth bores, etc.). When in dense terrain (most of Michigan), buckshot works great.

I certainly wouldn't use 00 buck for deer.

Click to expand...

Do you only hunt does?...

Slugs would be good for farther shots (say, out to 100 yards).

Anything less than say 40 yards 00 Buck would be good.

Heck, I shoot skunks in my back yard with 00 Buck. The pellets tear up the grass but it only takes one pellet and the pellet typically goes through the skunk! And I'm talking big fat ugly skunks (like a large cat)!

The neighborhood does stink for a day or two afterwards.

I had a family of them apparently living under one of my buildings as I was seeing the scat at the corner of the building and the signs they leave of tapered holes dug all around the lawn (they eat those white grubs).

If I remember this right -- some states ONLY allow Buckshot for deer.

Certain urban areas don't allow rifle and the only way to then take a deer is buckshot.

Let's see now......Buckshot for bucks, Birdshot for......???????

Small game, bird hunting, hunting small varmints and the like that are at a fairly close range (depending on what choke you have).

"Birdshot" for small feathered winged thingys, and some small furry or scaly critters...

"Buckshot" for well...deer, bear, wild hogs etc, and miscreants that in some parts may be called "Young Troublemakin' Bucks"

#4 BUCKshot is .24" in diameter, while #4 BIRDshot is .130", a bit more than 1/2 the size {#5 BIRDshot is .120" 1/2 the size of #4Buck}