Missed Deer Today

Welcome to hunting. That's why its called "hunting" and not "getting". We can use generally what we want for firearms in SD but most use rifles. Only part of my county uses shotgun slugs because of its population density. For whatever reason, all of Iowa and 2/3rds of MN are forced to use shotgun slugs. "Buckshot" is not legal for deer in SD.

A couple of things:

Does do not have a "mate", they get bred when they're ready by whatever buck can get her. During the rut, usually the domianant buck gets to breed the most does but its not guaranteed. Breeding season, if he survives it, is an exhaustive time for a decent buck.



NHScrapman- A 2 3/4 inch 12 gauge shell will hold 9 #00 buckshot and a 3 inch shell will hold 15. I don't know if they load a 3 1/2 shell with buckshot.

At close range, a load of buckshot is devastating because of multiple projectiles but each loses energy fairly quickly, that's why most states don't allow it for deer hunting. A shotgun slug has tremendous penetrating power and even though its not moving that fast because its mass, has great killing energy within its range limits.

Scrapph- Even the old standard 1 oz. "wheel weight" 12 gauge slug doesn't drop that bad up to about 50 yards or more. The chances of it hitting a substantial tree branch is probably greater in Maine than it hitting below a deer because of its ballistics. The new saboted shotgun slugs have greater flat shooting range than the flying bowling ball. My friend at work grew up just over the line in MN and they shoot shotgun slugs at even running deer up to a 100 yards away across the open landscapes of farmland. They also do miss shots but have been hunting many years and know angles, animal's speed, yardages, etc. They don't limit out every year with their party but get a decent percentage of tags harvested. My friend uses a green dot low power scope, sabot slug, and probably a rifled barrel. But I wouldn't be afraid to shoot at a deer in my landscape at 50 yards or more with a smooth barrel 12 gauge.

First time I went deer hunting I was 13 and had a borrowed old .30-30 lever that I hadn't shot before that morning. I shot a box and half rounds (about 30) that first weekend without drawing blood but I did make a lot of dirt fly! Got my first deer for sure when I was a senior in high school when a decent 4 x 4 (8 point for your Eastern guys) WT materialized in an open pasture trotting after a hot doe. Have taken probably over 50 white-tail, mulie, and pronghorns since that time. And I certainly don't get every one I shoot at, far from. That's why its called hunting and not getting...