In a lot of those states, you are allowed, also, to shoot BP rifles in deer season, not sure about YOUR state. Given that option, I'd go BP as I like BP hunting. You can extend ranges to 200 yards with some combos of gun/load, the powerbelts and that with good BCs. But, I sticlk to 100 or a bit more with mine and shoot cast Lee REAL bullets in my CVA. I just got it last year, so I haven't shot anything with it, yet. Wife passed away last summer and I really wasn't in a hunting mood last season, but I'm getting ready for this season. I can use rifles here, but rifle hunting got boring and I've been there, done that with handguns. I would go archery, but archery season is HOT and when it's wet (not this year), the skeeters are miserable. I'm just not going to mess with that. LOL
Anyway, if you HAVE to use a shotgun, get a rifled barrel and some sub caliber sabot slugs. That is your most accurate and fartherest shooting set up. 12 gauge, of course.