A lot of deer hunters have opted for the shotgun loaded with buckshot when in pursuit of fast-moving deer on deer drives over the years. Shotguns also tend to feature shorter barrels (18”-26”) when compared to rifles (26”-30”), making them a great option for swinging on moving targets. When you find yourself in a treestand in tight quarters surrounded by brush and sketchy shot opportunities, there’s no better gun to have in your hands than a shotgun with a hard-driving slug.

Rifle bullets can be much more reactive to interference en route to the target compared to a shotgun slug that tends to stomp right on through whatever gets in its path. Where shotguns shine for deer hunters is when it comes to shooting in brush, grass, or other vegetation and cover. In fact, you can pretty much count on 75-150 yards being your maximum range depending on whether you’re shooting a smooth-bore or rifled barrel shotgun. I remember the frustration I experienced on some of my early hunting attempts with a shotgun and the realization that I could see a lot more ground than my 20 gauge slug gun could ever possibly cover if a deer showed up. Rifles get the easy win when it comes to reaching out for long-distance shots. There’s no denying that shotguns fail to hang with rifles when it comes to shooting distance. Why would anyone still hunt deer with a shotgun these days? Here’s a look at the pros and cons of deer hunting with a shotgun versus a rifle. But times have changed, and so have the guns we now haul to the deer woods. Countless deer hunters cut their teeth on smooth-bore slug guns back in the day when fancy deer rifles were beyond the grasp of the average hunter. Despite the fact that rifles dominate the deer woods across much of the country these days, you’ll still find that shotguns have their place when it comes to taking down big game.

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