growing up a rifle hunter, but learning to love the shotgun

Growing up in West Texas, rifle hunting was all I knew — long shots, open country, and skittish deer. But my dad’s stories of thick Alabama woods, shotgun hunts, and deer dogs always stuck with me. Years later, public land hunts forced me to trade my rifle for a shotgun… and honestly, I started to love it. It made me rethink everything I knew about deer hunting. Anyone else grow up one way and switch later on? What pushed you to try something different — location, regulation, or just curiosity? #hunting #shotgunhunting #riflehunting #deerhunting

2025-07-23

Jonathan Hall

both are good I use rifles and shotguns when I hunt depending what I am hunting and where I am at since someplace only allow shotguns deer hunting with a shotgun is a interesting way since you are using a large ball and need to be closer than you would be with a rifle if you do got hunting for deer with a shotgun check the specs for your gun barrel it might not be safe to shoot slug out of it better be safe than terribly injured

07-24

Lebanon, PA

Al Digregorio

The area I hunt deer in N.Y started out shotgun only, then they allowed rifle years later so I've taken deer with both. I have a Remington 11-87 with a Hastings rifle barrel on it and at 100yds, on a rest, I can put 3 sabot slugs in a 3 inch group. The biggest difference I found was hitting a deer in the boiler room with the shotgun compared to my 30-06 is that with the shotgun they usually drop a few feet from where they were hit compared to them running 50yds or further with the rifle round.

07-24

Massapequa, NY

R C

Depends on the environment you plan on hunting in that day as to what suits your needs

07-24

Adams, WI

Wayne Dillon

I use a rifle for coyotes on open fields and a shotgun in the woods. I've found they don't like to come out in the open on sunny days, but will sometimes respond in the woods.

07-23

Clarksville, TN

John Elkins

Born and bred rabbit hunter and raise beagles. Cottontail hunt on numerous farms in Connecticut and Snowshoe Hare hunting in New Hampshire and in Maine. Former competitive skeet shooting champion x3 times. I absolutely love shotguns and own many.

07-26

Mystic, CT