Hunting Wild Game

In my original post How to Survive Really Hard Times, I gave a few hints on how to kill and skin squirrels and the best way to cook them. In this post I will chat about how you can add a few other wild animals to your cook pot.

Let me begin by making a few comments about hunting in general. These comments apply to almost any wild animal that you might go after.

1. The best time to hunt is in the early morning and the late evening. This is the first two hours around sunrise and the last two hours around sunset. Wild animals feed during these two times of the day. During the middle of the day they take it easy and digest whatever they ate during the morning hours. Therefore, if you are trying to maximize the use of your time, you should only hunt during these four hours each day. They are the most productive hours for hunting. Of course, you can hunt all day long if you wish but after you have had several successful hunting experiences you will better appreciate the value of this suggestion.

2. Of all the ways to gather food in the woods, hunting is the most challenging. It can be the most time consuming for the least reward. If you chat with experienced hunters they will tell you they dont make a kill every time they go hunting. It just dont happen that way. If you are aware of this ahead of time then you wont become discouraged if your first few hunts dont put any meat on the table.

3. You need a hunting license to hunt wild game almost everywhere. It is illegal to hunt animals near a water hole. The reason is because this is the easiest way to hunt. In order to manage wildlife herds in the national forests, the game laws have been established to make hunting a challenge and to give wildlife a chance. I strongly recommend that you obey these laws during normal times. However, if times get really bad and your family is starving, then you might want to rely on your own judgment in this matter.

4. Animals have a much better sense of hearing and smell that we do. Therefore the most successful hunting strategy is to find a spot to sit comfortably and wait for wild game to appear. This should be on a game trail or near a source of food frequently eaten by the type of game you are after. Remember to sit facing the wind on the opposite side of the trail so your scent doesnt travel with the wind to alert your prey. By sitting still you maintain a very low noise level and you keep your scent from traveling ahead of you. You also conserve energy, will require less food and water, and can use the time to become a better student of nature by carefully and thoughtfully observing your surroundings.

5. If you decide that you must hunt while walking then remember to walk into the wind so your scent travels in the direction you just came from and not in the direction you are going (to alert potential game). Walk very quietly or you will not see any game. Stop every twenty steps and look around carefully. During the middle of the day the wild animals will be lying down (not moving) so you will have to be able to pick them out from the natural surroundings into which they blend so easily.

6. The best place to shoot most four legged animals is just above and slightly behind the front shoulder (if you are looking at it from the side). You will either hit the heart or a lung. If you hit a small animal here (squirrel or rabbit) then you will either kill it instantly or you will incapacitate it and you can quickly move in to finish it off using whatever method you prefer. (I prefer a brain shot because Im a little cautious about getting too close to a wild critter that can still bite me.) If you shoot a larger animal in this spot (deer, elk, or a small bear), then it probably wont be an instant kill. The animal will panic and take off. Carefully note the exact direction the animal departs in but dont move an muscle. Sit perfectly still for about 30 minutes. Dont guess at the time - look at your watch. In most cases the animal will only travel a short distance (usually less than a half mile) and if it doesnt hear any pursuit it will lie down and try to figure out what happened. The animal will gradually but surely bleed to death. You can then track the animal without too much trouble. Even if the animal is still alive when you arrive it will be too weak from blood loss to get up and run away and you can finish it off with a head shot. On the other hand, if you chase the critter immediately after you first shoot it, then it will hear you and it will keep running until it drops, which could be several miles. Id like to point out two problems if you decide to immediately pursue your game. First, you cant run as fast as most wild animals. Second, the chances are very high that it will cover so much ground that you will never find it (too broad a search area).

7. When I was younger, I remember hearing an old Indian saying that Id like to pass on to you. Shortly after the Indians first gained access to the invention of the hunting rifle they discovered how destructive it can be. The old saying was: One shot, meat. Two shots, maybe. Three shots, trash. A high caliber hunting bullet tears up a lot of flesh when it enters, passes through, and exits an animals body. The Indians were accustomed to the damage done by a single arrow (which is minimal). A single bullet shot destroyed more edible meat than an arrow. Two shots would really do some extensive damage. And three shots destroyed so much meat that they were ashamed to bring the little remaining meat home for the cook pot. My point in sharing this saying with you is to encourage you not to shoot an animal unless you have a clear shot at a reasonable distance based on your marksmanship ability.

8. Most folks wont believe this next suggestion but if you whistle when an animal is in a favorable shooting position, most animals will freeze for two or three seconds while they try to figure out what that noise was and where it came from. This will give you a chance to get off one really good shot at a perfectly stationary target.

9. When you make a kill you should immediately gut the animal and remove its internal organs. This helps to cool the meat faster (to keep it from spoiling) and it helps to prevent unpleasant tastes from these internal organs from contaminating the surrounding edible meat. Skinning and gutting an animal aint pretty work. If possible, you should wear rubber gloves when you do this job (normal dish washing gloves). This also helps to protect you from any harmful parasites that might be on or in the animal. You should also have some one gallon and two gallon Freezer bags with you to put the butchered meat in. This keeps the meat clean and it also keeps blood and odors from collecting on the inside of your backpack. (Use Freezer bags. Not the regular zipper sandwich type bags. Freezer bags are thicker and airtight. They are worth the extra expense.)

10. If you have more meat than your family can eat in a day or two, then you will have to preserve it. First, cut it into 1/2 inch thin strips. If you have salt, salt the strips well. Then either sun dry them or smoke them. To sun dry, hang them on a clothesline for two to three days. Cover the meat with cheesecloth so flies dont lay eggs in it. The best way, in my opinion, is to smoke the meat. Build a small fire and wait for it to burn down to coals. Then put wood on the coals that smokes heavily and smoke the meat slowly for two days. Dont cook the meat with the heat, only smoke it. Smoked meat will be edible for many weeks.

That concludes my general hunting advice. None of it is original. But some of you folks might not have done much hunting yet and the above tips may prove real useful to you.

Now Id like to focus on a different aspect of the subject: hunting rifles. What I am going to share with you is my own opinion. As you search out more information on this subject you will probably find as many different opinions on hunting rifles as there are people you talk to. Youll just have to sort out all those opinions on your own and make the best decision based on your own personal circumstances.

Hunting Rifles:

Let me begin by chatting about the different types of rifles you can hunt with. If you already own a rifle then my first bit of advice is to be content with what you now have. Dont let anything I say make you look down on your existing rifle with displeasure. If you are short on money like most of us are, the best thing you can do is buy lots of ammo for whatever hunting rifle you now own instead of investing in another rifle.

Before I suggest a specific rifle, however, I would like to acknowledge the fact that certain rifles/shotguns are better suited to certain hunting situations. And I wholeheartedly agree. On the other hand, I aint found it practical to carry an arsenal of rifles with me when I go hunting. And even when I go hunting for something specific (like a deer), most of the time I spot some other animal instead. There is no way to know in advance what animals you will see each time you go into the woods. If you will keep that thought in mind, then my final recommendations will make a little more sense to you.

Firearm Basics:

1. Rifles come in three basic types: bolt action, lever action, and semi-automatic. A bolt action requires you to pull the bolt back, eject the spent bullet casing, and push the bolt forward to load the next shell. By the time you finish, any game you were after is long gone. A lever action requires you to push the lever down to eject the casing and raise the lever to load the next shell. It is a little faster than a bolt action but it still gives the game a chance to disappear. The semi-automatic fires a bullet when you pull the trigger, ejects the empty casing, and loads the next bullet. All with just one pull on the trigger. If you need a second shot (if there are several critters nearby), then you can take a second one and sometimes a third one before they all vanish. This is particularly helpful when the critters are small (squirrels, quail, ducks, etc.).

The most often quoted advantage of a bolt action is that it is theoretically the most accurate of the three. However, for most of us normal folks, I believe accuracy has more to do with our individual marksmanship ability and the amount of time we practice as opposed to whether we are using a bolt action rifle or something else. Therefore, I recommend a semi-automatic if you are considering the purchase of a new rifle (or shotgun).

2. The next choice is the shape of the bullet. Bullets come in two basic shapes: round nose and pointed. The pointed bullets are more deadly than the round nose. Even when you do special stuff to the round nose, such as add a hollow point, the pointed bullets are still better. Therefore, I recommend any bullet with a pointed tip over a rounded tip. Some calibers only come one way and other calibers may offer you a choice. For example, the 30-30 is a round nose bullet. The 30-06 is a pointed bullet. Both bullets have a 30 caliber diameter but one is round and the other is pointed. I use this comparison to illustrate the difference and not to recommend the 30-06 as the better bullet. In my opinion, the 30-06 has too much recoil for most folks (myself included) for it to be accurate for normal hunting situations. In general, a smaller caliber bullet (beginning with the .223 and going up) will get the jog done, will have minimal recoil, and have better accuracy over a longer distance.

3. The third decision is the size of the bullet (or the caliber). The bigger the bullet, the more powerful the bullet is. This means you can kill larger animals. It also means more recoil, and in general, less accuracy. The bigger the bullet, the heavier the bullet, and the more pronounced its trajectory will be from the time it leaves the gun until it makes impact (the rise and fall of the bullet during its flight path). Some animals, like a bear or a moose, really do need to be shot with a large bullet. But most animals can be brought down with a smaller bullet if you place your shot correctly. If you live in an area with lots of moose or bear, then you should consider a big caliber bullet for these animals. However, if you are like most of us, then you will probably never see these animals and a smaller caliber rifle is better. Even in areas where bear still live it is highly unusual for a person to see a bear (bears instinctively avoid humans).

A smaller caliber bullet has a flatter trajectory which means the bullet does not rise and fall as much as heavy bullets over the same distance. It is sometimes difficult to accurately estimate how far an animal is from your position. With a small caliber bullet the rise and fall of the bullet does not vary by more than a few inches over a distance from 50 feet out to 200 feet.

4. Iron sights come on the rifle. They are fine for distances of 50 yards or less. A scope will extend your ability to accurately hit targets out to 100 yards or more. If you dont already have a scope, then I recommend an adjustable scope in the 3-to-9 variable magnification range. I also recommend that you mount the scope on your rifle using See-Thru mounts. These mounts elevate the scope slightly and allow you to use the iron sights on your rifle if you are really close to your target (25 yards) or if your scope fogs up. An easy way to initially sight-in a scope is to start at 25 yards with a large paper target. Look at the target through your iron sights and then without shifting the rifle look through the scope. Then adjust the scope crosshairs as required. Keep doing this until you see the same spot on the bullseye through your iron sights and your scope. Then shoot three bullets using your scope. Examine the target and figure the average point of impact of the three bullets and adjust your scope crosshairs again. Keep firing three shots and adjusting your crosshairs until you are satisfied. Then back up to 50 yards and repeat. Finally, back up to 75 yards and repeat. When you finish with your scope sighted at 75 yards it will be accurate from 50 yards out to about 125 yards which is where 98% of your shots will be if you hunt in the woods. (Note: I set my center fire rifles at 75 yards but I set my 22 rifles at 50 yards. The reason is because I hunt in the woods.)

5. Most rifles dont come with a shoulder sling. After you have carried your rifle in your hands for a short ways you will appreciate a shoulder sling. You will need to buy the sling and the mounting hardware to attach it to your rifle. You can install it yourself by following the simple instructions with the mounting kit or have it done at your local gun shop.

6. You should make your final choice of a rifle based on its price, its condition, and your budget. After you have purchased a rifle, buy lots of ammo for it. Also buy a standard rifle cleaning kit in the matching caliber. Plus you will need extra solvent, oil, and lots of spare cleaning patches. Always clean your rifle after a day of use. If you dont then it will start to slowly rust on the inside of the barrel. And powder buildup on the inside of the barrel adversely affects the accuracy of future shots.

7. Concerning handguns, I dont recommend them if you are on a budget. Ignore what you see in the movies. Handguns are not accurate at ten car lengths. The barrel is too short for long distance accuracy. And handgun bullets will not penetrate a bullet proof vest. And it is illegal to hunt in many areas with any handgun other than a 44 Magnum. Finally, you can purchase two or three really good hunting rifles for the price of one good quality handgun. Even if I lived inside a big city, I would rather have a good hunting rifle for self-protection than any handgun on the market. On the other hand, there will be lots of folks who disagree with me on this issue of handguns, so in the end you will have to make the final decision for yourself using your own good common sense.

Shotguns:

In my opinion, the 16 gauge is the best overall gauge but shells can sometimes be hard to find. If you have a 16 gauge, buy lots of ammo now. Both the 12 and 20 gauge are both fine shotguns in my opinion. The 12 gauge has a really powerful kick and the 20 gauge doesnt. The 12 gauge is more deadly but the 20 gauge will kill almost anything you go hunting for. An animal is dead when its dead. It cant be more dead. However, with the 20 gauge you have to be a little closer to some animals when you pull the trigger. If you see a really good deal in any one of these three gauges, and it is a semi-automatic, then you would probably be making a wise investment.

(Brief side note: I know the pump shotgun will hold six to nine rounds and when they use them in the movies they look real neat, and they arent suppose to ever jam. However, if a person is confronted with a stressful situation only one time in their life, then they really need a semi-automatic for a second or third chance to stop their adversary. It is really difficult to maintain the presence of mind to pump another round into your shotgun when you are in a life-or-death situation. Let the gun do the work for you. Just keep pulling the trigger.)

What size shotgun shells should you buy? I recommend three different sizes: the 6 (or 7) shot, the 00 buckshot, and the rifled sabot slugs. The 6 (or 7) shot can be used to kill rabbits, squirrels, quail, and turkey. The 00 buck can be used for deer at close range. And the rifled sabot slugs can be used for deer or bear at moderate ranges. (For self defense, the 00 buck is the only round that has proven itself to consistently terminate a human adversary with one shot if you hit them in the chest area or head. It has a track record of 100%.)

I reckon thats all I have to say about hunting rifles and shotguns. At this time I would like to make my recommendation. Well actually, two recommendations. For both hunting and self-defense, I recommend the .223 caliber. For hunting only, I recommend the 22LR. Lets take a look at both of these rifles in a little more detail.

The .223 Rifle (either the Mini-14 or an AR-15):

If you will be carrying one rifle for both hunting and self-protection then the Mini-14 or an AR-15 would be my first choice.

It is a small caliber, it is a pointed bullet, it has a relatively flat trajectory, it is reasonably accurate and deadly out to about 800 yards, it is a semi-automatic, it has minimal recoil and it can be shot with reasonable accuracy by either a male or a female anywhere between the ages of 10 up to 100. In my house that includes all of us except for a few of the very young grandkids.

In addition, the bullets are relatively cheap compared to other centerfire bullets and you can buy lots of specialty bullets in this caliber (armor piercing, tracers, incendiary, etc.) The rifle can be used effectively for either self-defense or for hunting. Therefore, it is the rifle I recommend to someone who doesnt already own one and is in the market to purchase a rifle.

The major problem is the cost which will be from several hundred to a thousand dollars. The major hunting shortcoming of this caliber is that it is not effective for very small game, such as squirrels or quail. If you hit a squirrel in its midsection the bullet will mutilate the entire squirrel and there wont be anything left for you to eat.

If you go looking for an AR-15, then there is about a $400 price difference between new rifles and those made a few years ago (called pre-bans). The pre-bans are used rifles but they command a premium for a variety of reasons. The easist way to recognize a pre-ban rifle is to look for a bayonet holder on the lower front part of the rifle and push pins (instead of screws) to break the rifle down into two parts.

22 LR Rimfire Rifles (Hunting Only, Not Self-Defense):

A bullet can be detonated by a primer in the center of the casing. This is called a center fire bullet. Or it can be denoted from the rim of the case. These are called rimfire bullets.

22 bullets were originally sold as shorts, longs, and long rifles. The LR stands for Long Rifle. The last time I priced these different bullets, they all cost the same. The LR has more powder behind the bullet so it is the better buy. And almost all pistols and rifles nowadays will only shoot the LR bullet so I dont know of any reason to consider the shorts or longs.

You can buy a semi-automatic 22LR rifle at almost any Wal-Mart or K-Mart for around $100 (Marlin or Savage). They sometimes have a rifle/scope combination for around $130 to $140. In my opinion, the scopes on these rifles are only a little better than the iron sights. I recommend that you buy the basic rifle plus a set of scope mounts ($10) plus an adjustable 3-to-9 power scope (about $35) plus a sling ($6 to $20) plus sling mounts ($10). Total cost between $160 to $180. Then mount the scope and sling yourself following the instructions that come with the kits (or have it done at your local gun shop for another $40). Also buy about ten bricks of 22LR bullets. A single brick of 500 bullets (ten boxes of 50 bullets each) sells for about $10. I prefer the Federal Lightning bullets in the Red and Black box. They shoot the same as the Remingtons but the Federals are packed in neat little individual plastic cases and you can easily see how many bullets you have left in an opened box. The Remingtons are loose packed in the box and when you start using them you cant quickly see how many are left because they are all loose in the box. They usually have a special deal on the boxes of 550 bulk packed bullets but these bullets are only 36 grains. The normal 22LR bullets are 40 grains. For my money, I would rather have the heavier 40 grain bullet. Remember, if you shoot different bullets of different grains, then your rifle will not be accurately sighted for all these different loads. But if you always shoot the same bullet in the same grain, then your rifle will always be in tune. (And dont forget to buy a 22 rifle cleaning kit.)

A 22LR is not a good weapon for self-defense. However, it is better than a butter knife (just kidding). If you shoot someone with a 22, you will have to empty your weapon in them to slow them down or stop them (assuming you dont hit the heart, the eye, or some other vital spot). On the other hand, if you are trapped inside your house and are trying to defend it, and you shoot someone outside the house with a 22, they will not be feeling real good and they will need to get medical care sometime soon to stop the bleeding and get to the bullet out. Finally, a 22 bullet (or any handgun bullet for that matter) will not penetrate a bullet proof vest. However, any pointed rifle bullet will rip right through a bullet proof vest.

Personally, I prefer a semi-automatic 22LR when I go my hunting. It will kill any animal from a squirrel up to a deer. Now I know that it is illegal to hunt a deer with a 22 rifle (except in an emergency survival situation) and I dont do that. On the other hand, I also know that in the Old West the original cowboys carried a 22 rifle with them more than any other caliber. Do you know why? The bullets were cheap and they were light weight. They could afford to buy more of them and since they were relatively light, they could carry more of them when they were on the move. And they knew from experience that the 22 rifle was accurate and deadly. Not deadly enough to instantly kill most critters, but deadly enough that once the critter had been shot it would bleed to death in short order and be ready to eat in time for the next meal. (Note: When the movie Bambi first came out in the late 40's, there was such an outcry from the public about cruelty to deer that most states passed laws that made it illegal to hunt deer with a 22 rifle. Previous to that, however, our forefathers hunted deer all the time with a 22.)

When I occasionally go hunting with a center fire rifle, I also like to carry a semi-automatic 22LR pistol in a side holster for squirrels, rabbits, and other small animals that I may happen across. Id rather come home with some meat in my backpack than for it to be completely empty.

If you find yourself in a survival situation and you must hunt deer with a 22 rifle, then I recommend three quick pulls of the trigger aimed at the heart. The 22 rifle doesnt carry the wallop that a centerfire bullet does and three small 22 bullets will not damage very much meat. However, three small 22 bullets will usually fatally wound a deer and it wont go very far before it drops.

Finally, if you shoot a small animal with a 22 then the bullet will probably just stun or shock it and it will remain still on the ground for a minute or two. You must move in and finish it with a brain shot to kill it. If you wait several minutes there is a good chance the animal will get over the shock and run to safety. Even if it is mortally wounded it wont stay put for very long.

Conclusion:

If you already own a hunting rifle, buy lots of ammo for it and practice when you can. If you dont yet own a rifle, then you should evaluate your current situation and your financial position and see if you can afford to purchase a rifle in the very near future. Also buy lots of ammo for whatever rifle you end up with. Remember, a rifle without bullets is less effective than a baseball bat for self-defense.

Now I know some folks dont like weapons of violence. But I ask you remember what Jesus told His disciples after He had eaten His Last Supper and just before He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray:

(New King James Version: Luke 22:35-36):

And He said to them, When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything? So they said, Nothing.

Then He said to them, But now he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.

May God Bless.

Grandpappy

P.S. - If you would like to read my previous posts, please try the links below:

How to Survive Really Hard Times

Drinking Water Revisited

More Edible Wild Plants

-- Grandpappy (Grandpappy@old-timers.hom), July 20, 1999

Answers

Grandpappy,

Thanks for the great posts - they are so easy to read, I just zip through them. I treasure my deer rifle: old Springfield '03 chambered to .257 Roberts with Lyman peep sights. It was my grandpa's rifle. I have dies and supplies for reloading because the rounds can be unavailable but I love this rifle. I was going to get a Ruger 10/22 but had forgotten about the Marlin - decent I have heard and money is really tight right now..... Thank you again. I recognize the limitations of my deer rifle but think that adding the 22 rifle will balance it out. Personal protection is managed by a handgun but plan to get a 12 gauge if the money holds out after all else is done. Good night!

-- Kristi (securx@succeed.net), July 21, 1999.

I think the AR-15 is fine, but have found the SKS to be a better deal. I have found SKS(7.62x39) ammo for as cheap as 11 cents per round. The .223 has more velocity thus shoots flatter, but the SKS yields more foot pounds per round. I wouldn't really consider trying to make a shot at 800 yards with a .223 or 7.62x39.

For the .22 LR, consider trying the CCI Stinger, QUIK-SHOK (the one that splits into 3 fragments on impact), or Aguila's hypervelocity round (in some .22 LR rifles it will do 1750 fps).

-- -Jeff (foo@bar.com), July 21, 1999.

Overall the above is a very useful essay. Thanks for the work in putting it together, Grandpappy. I'd like to add to/clarify a couple of points and take issue with a couple as well.

First, always place your shots carefully on big game. If frightened or wounded they can take a lot of killing. You owe it to your intended prey to kill swiftly if you are going to kill at all. Don't make a mess of it and leave a wounded animal to suffer because you weren't willing to pass up a poor opportunity.

Second, don't rush up to a big-game animal you've knocked down. Walk up carefully, staying out of harm's way, and look carefully at the animal's eye. If it is CLOSED, carefully place a kill shot in the neck just behind the head where it will break the spine. A wounded animal will likely have its eyes closed, and can hurt you badly if you are not careful. A dead or dying animal will likely have its eyes open. It is still a good idea to observe carefully for a moment or two before you touch the animal even if its eyes are open. I suggest you adopt a reverential attitude at this time and offer thanks for the animal's sacrifice on your behalf. You have taken a life you do not have the power to give back, and such should never be done lightly.

Your rifle and caliber choice will depend to a large degree on the terrain you are hunting over. Local laws may have something to say here too- pay attention. If ranges are relatively short (about 100 yards maximum), like they are in the Carolina Sandhills where I now live, a .30-30 or equivalent will be fine. An SKS with soft-point bullets will also. You can even get by with a shotgun that handles slugs or buckshot well. If you live in or hunt in more open areas (large fields here or the plains out west) you might need more power, range and accuracy than the above can supply.

Whatever you do keep logistics in mind. No matter what happens in the US you will almost certainly be able to trade for/scrounge up a few rounds of .22LR, 9mm, .223/5.56mm, .308/7.62mm, or 12 gauge buck. Some other calibers have regional followings and are good bets too. But if you run out of .234 Super Whizzbang, it's not likely too many people will have any to trade no matter what you offer.

As to bullet shapes, -never- load pointed bullets in cartridges that are going in tubular magazines of centerfire rifles (mostly lever actions or pumps). A minor detail, yes, but... .

Handguns may not be everyone's bread and butter for hunting, but they have their place, as briefly mentioned in the essay. And in questionable times NO ONE should go about completely unarmed- a pistol is a logical choice if you need hands free for other chores. If you have an accurate .22LR pistol, it makes a good counterpart to the centerfire rifle you may be hunting with. Then you can pot small game (if you're good enough with the pistol to be carrying it) without fragmenting the small game and wasting big-gun ammo. NOTE: This is another of those things that your state may frown on in "normal" times- check local laws, if they still apply. The reverse is also true- a larger caliber pistol is a good sidekick to a rimfire rifle if you are small game hunting, if you run up on something that needs a more authoritive thumping than the .22 can deliver. If you ever HAVE TO shoot something big with a .22, go for the eyes, and keep shooting.

Shotguns IMHO are only for absolute-emergency hunting or varmint elimination, when the return on investment for the ammo doesn't really matter and you HAVE to have some meat for the table or a pestilential critter done away with. Shotguns are set up as defensive weapons and hunting is a decidedly secondary consideration. Otherwise anything of the small-game nature a shotgun can garner can be more economically had with a .177 air rifle, a .22, or snares and traps.

For hunting or defensive use, the maximum effective range of a shotgun with buckshot will likely be limited to about 30 yards. The only way to know for sure is to pattern your gun with several types of ammo (that means shoot big sheets of paper or cardboard to see what the gun will do). Yes you might get hits beyond 30 yards, but see how effective those hits will be- shoot some paper! In general, the larger buckshot pellets (000, 00, 0, #1, #2, #3, #4 are the buckshot sizes in decreasing order) will penetrate better at longer ranges, though there are fewer of them in the load. Your best bet is to shoot whatever your gun patterns best with, and the only way to know is to try it and see. Some modifications will allow a shotgun to pattern better at longer ranges (Vang Comp, Inpromark etc) but they tend to be expensive and make for much smaller patterns at closer ranges.

No firearm is a magic wand that will sweep all before it (unless you happen to have a GE Minigun and a ton of ammo, that is). You have to hit what you aim at, and the cooler, more collected and better practiced a shooter you are the more likely you are to get hits that count. Learn how to use what you have or will buy well, and you will face no disadvantages where firearms are concerned. So practice, get training if you need it, and above all be safe.

-- Lee (lplapin@hotmail.com), July 21, 1999.