hey everyone, i have been looking at a few shotguns and muzzle loaders. i wanted to know wat u guys thought would be the best choice for hunting deer with in illinois.
Skill level will be the main thing. Where I hunt in Pike county, Illinois, you don't generally get a far shot. Most of our shooting is done under 35 yards. If you are really good and confident with the muzzle-loader, it is fun to use and makes you take GOOD shots. If you are in-experienced and take a shotgun, especially and auto-loader, one can tend to do a lot of blasting and not careful aiming. It just happens if you are new at it. If you have some hunts behind you then your skill level is what matters. I take a muzzle-loader both seasons but also take along a shotgun. Mostly because if it is raining heavily ( and it seems to about every other season) using a muzzle-loader can be tricky or it just wont fire. The shotgun is for my aging eyes since I have a scope on it and I don't worry about the gun getting soaked from rain. It would be quite rare for any of us to get a shot at 100 yards in the woods in any event. Not too many spots on our land that is flat for 100 yards. Wish you luck on your choice and this season.
for deer, i would go with the muzzle loader every time. Especially if i were in a position to ask. muzzle loaders have a bit more range. YOu wouldnt have to be extremely close. Shotguns lose their killing power in under 100 yards. At that range the deer is more likely to sense you, and be gone with its bad self,
Muzzle loader with rifled barrel and scope. They're a pain in the but to clean (relative to other guns) but you'll get way better accuracy with the muzzy. Keep your powder dry and don't forget to squeeze.
