shotguns are for deer

[huntsman]

anybody get a deer with their shotgun ? I would have if I had my 870. I jumped a nice 10 point less than 30' from me as I was going to my evening stand, he stood and loped away an easy shot . But for the last 2 seasons I've been useing a 44mag super redhawk and it was safely holstered :banghead: if I had my shotgun it would have been meat on the pole.

 

[Fumbler]

I shot my first deer ever opening day with my Mossberg 500.
One Brennekke style slug through the neck at about 40 yards with homemade peep sights.
I won't shoot at a running deer (I don't have enough confidence in hitting a jumping target), this one was slowly walking.




I'd like to try my GP-100 and Tikka T3 .308 sometime later this season.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Not yet. Hope to Saturday eve.

Nice way to start off, Fumbler. You may want to get the pics before gutting and skinning next time.

Nice job on the peep sight.

 

[WhiteKnight]

I'm using an 870 Wingmaster with a 20" Express fully rifled barrel loaded with Remington Copper Solid 1 ounch 2 3/4 slugs this year. 'Haven't had a chance to see its performance on game yet..

 

[ACP230]

I killed a little three point years ago with my 16 gauge Winchester Model 12.
He never moved from the spot where I shot him, but did stand up between the first and second load of buckshot.

I prefer the rifle, but my Mossberg 590 with peep sights shoots Foster-type slugs very well out to 100 yards. If I was to hunt deer with a shotgun now, I'd use the 590.

 

[JeFF D]

Yes, shot a button buck late sunday, thought it was a big doe until I got up to it. With my Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag rifled bbl, topped with a Bushnell Trophy 1.75-4x, I used Lightfield Commander 3.5" slugs.

The Reason for the 3.5's is that I hunt on a farm in michigan thumb area its shotgun only, so I wanted to get as much range as I could. I wear so much clothes anyways the recoil doesnt bother me.

 

[erik the bold]

Yep! See here: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=112083

I used Lightfield Commander 3.5" slugs

Jeff D. - Can you give us a small report on the Commanders? Where did you hit, damage, etc ?? I've got a box of the 3" and 3-1/2", haven't tried them yet as the 2-3/4" are devastating.....

 

[Okiecruffler]

Back in the day alot of the public land I would hunt was shotgun only. I had a Mossberg bolt action 20g that was just great on deer as long as I did my part.

 

[RandyB]

yep, a button buck (thought it was a doe). T/C Omega with 295 grain powerbelt with 100 grains 777. Deer never even twitched. Hit high in the shoulder, taking out the spine as well. Sorry no shotgun, though the boy in the picture hunted with my 870.

 

[TNT]

Three deer this season with the Winchester SX2 and a Bushnell Holo-Sight using Winchester Platinum Tip sabots.

 

[Atticus]

I took a doe on Monday with my 870. I have a Weaver 1X3 on it, which was on 1X at the time. Winchester silver box slugs $1.79/5. The doe came through a thicket and didn't see me standing there. The slug went completely through her chest and she ran about 10 yards. One slug - one deer -was home by noon.

 

[Fumbler]

Nice way to start off, Fumbler. You may want to get the pics before gutting and skinning next time.

I would have prefered taking the pic before skinning, but I didn't have a camera.
it was just my luck that one of my professors showed up with a camera and he snapped a couple pics for me.

 

[ARGarrison]

This year (2004) opening morning Indiana's Firearms Season November 13th, I got a nice doe, after only sitting a whole 12 minutes.

 

[JeFF D]

Sure Erik,

I sighted in at 75 yards, and they were within a 3" group on a very windy day, with a crappy target holder that blew around and a water well for a rest. Enough excuses yet....okay they shoot really good, I think.

The shot was only maybe 20 yards broad side into the shoulder, angled down since I was 20ft up in a tree stand. Exit hole was maybe a little smaller than a baseball. The deer im confident never even knew it was shot, fell right there it was so fast I couldnt even believe it happend at first.

Its a new gun I just got in september, Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag Combo Turkey/deer in Mossy Oak New Breakup it came with a 24" turkey bbl w/fiber optic sights and extra full choke and 24" rifled bbl with cannilever scope base. Oh it also has interchangable cheek pieces, to raise your eye up to scope level and still get a good cheek weld.

I didnt have a lot of time to compare loads. I just got the flattest shooting slugs I could find, once again because of all the long shot possibilities on my grandpas farm. It sure would be nice to be able to use a rifle, but I can understand.

umm companys here, if I left anything out just ask.

-jeff

 

[lbmii]

Fumbler you might start a new thread on how you made that sight of yours. I am interested in what all you did and what you did for the front sight. It looks really good.

 

[M Jager]

Ok, lets see we (5 of us) got 8 with shotguns, I also shot one with my 41 mag and 240 grain platinum tips. 6 does and 3 bucks. Bucks were nothing to right home about, we try to shoot only really big bucks or does but sometimes we find an excuse to shoot a buck. Mine was that I wanted to shoot one with my handgun and I had a standing broadside shot at 25 yards.
Of the other deer:
Two fell to winchester 12 gauge platinum tips
3 fell to Winchester 12 rifled slugs
1 fell to a Winchester 20 gauge slug
2 fell 12 gauge federal barnes expander. Once again I can't help be amazed at the effect expanders have on deer. Dave is fond of saying there is no ineffective deer slugs and rightly so, but the holes these things put in a deer are just huge.

 

[sgtb]

I dropped a nice 2 1/2 year old doe yesterday with my Benelli M1/super 90 and a Breneke KO rifled slug at about 40 yards....Good eating.....

 

[OH25shooter]

Huntsman, don't feel too bad. Like all of us we wait a year to gun hunt deer. This year bronchitis settled in my lungs (five weeks) and completely ruined any thought of hunting deer. Perfect timing, huh.

 

[erik the bold]

Its a new gun I just got in september, Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag Combo Turkey/deer in Mossy Oak New Breakup it came with a 24" turkey bbl w/fiber optic sights and extra full choke and 24" rifled bbl with cannilever scope base. Oh it also has interchangable cheek pieces, to raise your eye up to scope level and still get a good cheek weld.

Hey, I got that same Mossy combo for a (early) Christmas present! Used that on my buck on the 16th. Like I said, the 2-3/4" ones are awesomely devastating. I also picked up the imp cyl choke for tossing clays and a Nikon scope for the rifled barrel. I'm a little short, so I modified my stock for a 12-1/2" length of pull. I'm really impressed with this combination for the price.

Were you hunting in Macomb, St. Clair, Sanilac or further north county? I live in Genesee, but grew up in Macomb, and have property in Sanilac.

 

[WhiteKnight]

I dropped a nice 2 1/2 year old doe yesterday with my Benelli M1/super 90 and a Breneke KO rifled slug at about 40 yards

Was there extensive meat damage? How big was the exit wound?

 

[sgtb]

Whiteknight, The exit wound was not any bigger than usual with other rifled slugs. Little or no meat damage due to the shot placement. The slug entered the right side just behind the front shoulder and exited a few inches further back on the other side. I really like these slugs as they are cheap and accurate and I use them for 3-gun shoots...Dick's had them on sale last month for 1.48 a box..

 

[scout26]

Got a nice doe at 93 yards, and this guy with Mossy 500A rifled barrel with a cantilevered scope mount and Winchester Platinum's at 88 yards, both were shot off-hand (one going to one of my stands, the other coming from a stand), double lung shots. She made it about 50 yards. He ran 150 yards uphill before expiring..........50 yards from the trail.

The key was knowning that it shoots 2" high at 50 yards and dead on at 100 yds. That sore shoulder from August filled the freezer in November.

No meat damage, unless you count the ribmeat.

 

[JeFF D]

Erik,

Hey, yes it sure is a great gun for the money, havent had a chance yet to test it out on turkey, next year though for sure.
I hunt in Sanillac county, my grandfather has 40 acres in Port Sanillac. Sadly though it is up for sale, really gonna miss that place when its gone.

-jeff

 

[Fumbler]

Whiteknight, The exit wound was not any bigger than usual with other rifled slugs. Little or no meat damage due to the shot placement. The slug entered the right side just behind the front shoulder and exited a few inches further back on the other side. I really like these slugs as they are cheap and accurate and I use them for 3-gun shoots...Dick's had them on sale last month for 1.48 a box..

That is my slug of choice too. I love how the Brennekes are so much cheaper than the others.
When I tested my sights many of the holes from the other slugs looked like they keyholed or something. I was getting 6 inch groups at 25 yards with half of the other slugs, the Brennekes were doing 1.5" with most of them touching. I picked up a few boxes when Dicks had them on sale

 

[huntsman]

well the last 2 days of the season came and went without seeing anything I had my shotgun with me but nothin. To all who got one, congrats .There's always next year I guess or muzzle loader if it's not too cold.