Shotgun Non-rifle WMU Hunting Implement Preference

[Nomad]

Idk I’m a simple hunter ,I’ve killed scores of deer with a smooth bore Browning BPS , out to 100 yards and many running deer on drives .

Never owned a rifled barrel shotgun ,they have there place, but from a stand and long shots I’d go ML,thick areas or run and gun my BPS works well .

Depends on your hunt .

Tons of 20 and 12 ga sabots at my shop today ,but  I have little interest in those , and I no ,longer buy for others ,for the most part .

[BowmanMike]

Always a muzzleloader for me. I hunt with one exclusively during regular season. It is light,accurate and hardly any recoil. 

[phade]

I’ve shot doubles and triples on does before with the single shot H&R. There’s a few people here who can attest to how fast you can cycle through 3 shots with it. I also think the utility of a MZ is not nearly as practical as a slug gun IMO. I don’t have to take precaution about powder getting wet, leaving the MZ in an environment where it won’t get moisture. And I don’t have to take primers, powder, etc.

I could only see it being used if that is what he has and doesn’t want to spend any money on a slug gun. The 220 is likely the best new option since the H&R isn’t in production. 

[Phantom]

I hunt a lot of the time in a shotgun-only area, Despite its limitations, I have found that the smoothbore shotgun can be an effective tool for deer hunting in these areas. By using the appropriate ammunition and practicing regularly, I have been able to adapt my hunting techniques to make the most of this unique opportunity. Hunting in a shotgun-only area has challenged me to refine my skills, respect its limits , and maximize my success within the given constraints. It has opened up a new dimension of hunting that I have come to appreciate and enjoy. 

[fletchny11]

I've hunted shotgun zone my whole hunting life. This year they finally made us rifle! I use my muzzy almost exclusively unless doing drives. It's more accurate, shoots a lot farther and kicks less than any of my 6-7 shotguns.
Id say use the muzzy unless your serious about shooting multiple deer at a time.

[Larry]

I still hunt in Monroe county from time to time and still use a shotgun. I have a 870 that I put a Mossberg 870 barrel on it then I screwed the barrel to the receiver. I had the receiver drilled and tapped and put a Simmons pro diamond in 2.5 power on it. It shoots great with slugs going under 1600fps with the twist rate the barrel has won a lot of turkeys with that gun.

[The_Real_TCIII]

I go back and forth between my 11-87 and my TC Encore, my shots are so close it doesn't make much difference

[Fab]

Save your money.  Stick with the muzzle at least until you decide if your going back to mass 

 

then look for a used smooth bore or a shotgun with a rifled tube.   Shoot fosters.   Way easier to find and like 1/4 the price.   Smooth bore n fosters still get you a 85 95 Yd gun.   
 

I have a fully rifled Slug gun with a great set of optics.   I should 5$ a round ammo.   I have taken many deer with it in 2 states.   My longest shotgun shot was 80 yds.   Some are in the 60s with most in the 40s.    

I have so many fosters now I’m using my back up 11/87 with the rifled choke tube with a 1.75-4.25 shotgun scope   A dollar a round is better than 5    Just my thoughts 

 

[Buckmaster7600]

These answers surprise me! I’ve killed a lot of deer with muzzloaders, I own a bunch of muzzloaders and some are pretty expensive, I have muzzleoaders that will shoot better than many centerfire rifles but if given the option I’ll pick a shotgun over a muzzleloader 100 out of 100 times! 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I dont like the handicap of capacity and wet weather with muzzleloaders. Ill take a shotgun any day. I think muzzleloaders are a pita. All the extra gear involved and cleaning. I wish we had a primitive weapons season instead. 

[mlamm24]

We hunt in Erie County...so shotgun or muzzle loader it is for regular season. Everyone on the lease uses a 220.....they are an absolute tack driver of a gun.....and it has no problem taking a deer out past a 100 yards if need be. 

[dbHunterNY]

On 10/31/2023 at 7:46 AM, Buckmaster7600 said:

These answers surprise me! I’ve killed a lot of deer with muzzloaders, I own a bunch of muzzloaders and some are pretty expensive, I have muzzleoaders that will shoot better than many centerfire rifles but if given the option I’ll pick a shotgun over a muzzleloader 100 out of 100 times! 

i'm pretty firm in probably taking the TC ProHunter muzzleloader. with my growing up around the adirondack Remington 7600 pump or die ways the idea of picking up a slug barrel or choke for my Benelli Supernova pump that has a burris speed bead red dot reflex sight indexed down the barrel rib is eating at me. fast follow ups and if they have snow on the ground it's game on and shoot til he drops. unless we come across ground that's not crawling boot tracks justifying a return trip, i'm hard pressed to drop a lot of money on a dedicated shotgun rig.

[dbHunterNY]

On 10/31/2023 at 8:13 AM, Spaceman Spiff said:

I dont like the handicap of capacity and wet weather with muzzleloaders. Ill take a shotgun any day. I think muzzleloaders are a pita. All the extra gear involved and cleaning. I wish we had a primitive weapons season instead. 

there's many days i've got a taped muzzle and other stuff going on when it's sunny and people look at me like i'm crazy. they just haven't been burned by wet weather yet.

[cas]

I slug gun hunted for many years before switching to handgun hunting. The only time I felt at a disadvantage was in open fields. In the woods there was no difference.   Now that it's rifle, there are almost no open fields.  (sigh) 

Edited November 1, 2023 by cas

[ShootEm]

21 hours ago, dbHunterNY said:

there's many days i've got a taped muzzle and other stuff going on when it's sunny and people look at me like i'm crazy. they just haven't been burned by wet weather yet.

I do this even with my rifle. Rifle condom goes on and stays on from opening day until it gets shot off or the season ends. I know it's not necessary and most people don't do it, but I let my OCD run a little and just like the idea of having a protected barrel.