A 20 gauge shotgun is not the biggest size but it is still very powerful. Since I’m new to hunting deer I wondered if a 20 gauge shotgun could take one down. I did a little research and here is what I found.
So, can you hunt deer with a 20 Gauge shotgun? Many people have reported that a 20 gauge shotgun is powerful and accurate enough to hunt deer. But, you want to use slugs rather than buckshot because the slugs do more damage. Which makes it easier to down a deer if you slightly miss the kill zone.
Deer are smaller than other big game animals such as moose and elk, which means their kill zone is a lot smaller. And using a more powerful bullet is helpful especially if you’re a new hunter.
So, read on to discover the best bullets to use and why, and also other helpful tips about hunting deer with a 20 gauge shotgun.
What are the best bullets to use when hunting deer with a 20 gauge shotgun?
A shotgun has a few different types of bullets. The most widely available are buckshot, birdshot, and slugs. Some are more powerful than others, which means it’s easier to down a deer with some rather than others.
The strongest to weakest bullets in a shotgun are:
| Shell | How much damage they do |
| Slug | Very deep penetration, most damage of all the shell types. |
| Birdshot | Deep penetration enough to kill, but not as much as a slug |
| Buckshot | Partial penetration enough to kill, but weaker than birdshot. |
So you can see that slugs are the strongest shell type you can use for your 20 gauge shotgun. This will give you the best chance of downing a deer when you hit it. If you slightly miss the kill zone, the damage will be enough to where your dogs can chase it down. And/or you can kill it with a follow up shot.
Birdshot and buckshot still do a good enough job of doing enough damage to down a deer. But, they don’t do nearly as much damage. So, there’s a higher chance that your shot won’t do fatal damage and the deer might get away injured. When that happens you’ll have to track the deer down, and it might get away completely.
Here’s an cool video of a guy downing a deer in one shot using a shotgun with a slug shell:
There is less shell selection when using a 20 gauge shotgun because they aren’t as popular as the other shotgun models – 12 gauge are by far the most popular. Over 50% of shotguns are 12 gauge according to Wikipedia.
However, there are still more than enough bullets that you can find a suitable slug from almost any gun store. Both online and offline.
Which size shotgun is the best for hunting deer?
The bigger the shotgun size the better for hunting deer. This is because the bigger the gun the more damage your shell will do. Which makes it easier to down the deer. A 20 gauge shotgun is perfectly fine. But, you will have an easier time using a 12 gauge shotgun.
A 12 gauge is the most popular because it is very versatile, and can be used to down virtually all big game animals that you find in North America.
The bigger muzzle and shell size makes it more powerful. But, with the increased power means it is louder and has more recoil. Which makes it harder to use.
Because deer are quite small a 20 gauge works well. Where you don’t get as much recoil as using a 20 gauge. And many hunters have reported that it works perfectly fine for hunting deer. But, it is slightly on the lighter side.
Which is why you want to use slugs rather than birdshot or buckshot so that your shots do more damage.
The smaller gauge shotguns 16, and 20 for example are better equipped for small game, such as fowl.
Where a larger gauge shotgun can do too much damage than you required to the meat. Which makes them not as good for the dinner table, and you’ll have to spend extra time removing the buckshot from the mean.
Is 20 gauge or 12 gauge better for deer?
A 12 gauge is easier to hunt a deer with because it is more powerful. Which means if your shots aren’t as accurate you can still down the deer. But, a 20 gauge is sufficient and works about the same as long as you use slug shells rather than buckshot or birdshot.
A 12 gauge also has more recoil so is harder to shoot than a 20 gauge shotgun.
In hunting and shooting, you get more comfortable with a gun the more your practice with it. So, if you practice enough with either gun, you will be good enough to hunt deer. Also, there isn’t a noticeable difference between the two gun sizes for hunting deer if you are proficient in both.
How far can you shoot a deer with a 20 gauge?
A 20 gauge shotgun has an effective range of up to 50 yards (45 meters). This is quite a distance. Imagine looking down a 100 meter running track to about the halfway mark. This is more than enough distance to get close enough to deer without spooking it.
There are a few different ways of hunting deer. Either stalking them, or staying in one place. The best beginners guide I’ve found for hunting deer, which covers getting into a good spot to shoot them is this one, provided by Outdoorlife.com.
In the article, they mostly talk about hunting them with a rifle where you can me a huge distance away – almost 200 yards (182 meters). But, the same principles and techniques apply to hunting deer with a 20 gauge shotgun.
There are a range of factors that can influence how close you need to be to do enough damage to a deer. These are how strong the wind is, and the shells you are using.
As well as the angle you shoot the deer at. In strong winds coming directly towards you the effective range will be less. And if you are using buckshot or birdshot rather than slugs the effective range will be less.
The ideal angle to hit a deer is on its side. On the kill zone. Which is where’s it’s lungs and heart are – close to the top of its front leg. If you hit it at an angle the shell will hit the deer at an angle and it won’t penetrate as deep.
So, you want to be within 50 yards (45 meters), closer depending on how close you can get based on the terrain and your positioning when you spot the deer.
Conclusion
You can hunt deer with a 20 gauge shotgun. But, it is slightly on the lighter side, so you will want to use slugs rather than birdshot or buckshot. Slugs do more damage and the shells can travel further. Deer are quite small compared to the other big game animals you can hunt, so a 20 gauge with slugs has more than enough power to down them.
You need to be within about 50 yards (45 meters) for your shot to do enough damage to down a deer. A 12 gauge is more powerful but harder to shoot. But, if you practice enough with any size shotgun you will get comfortable enough to down a deer no problem.