To begin with, many hunters believe that shotguns are restricted to two rounds in the tube. While this is true in most hunting rules, it is not a hard restriction if you use your shotguns for other activities such as shooting clays or blasting items in a gravel pit or at the range. Two-round limits only apply to deer hunting in some states. In others, you can put as many shells in your gun as will fit.
You should be aware of how many shells are in your gun before you go hunting. If you run out of ammunition and have to leave the game, at least one hunter has died because he didn't have enough shells available.
It's recommended that you carry between three and six shells per hunt depending on the species and size of game. If you're lucky, you might catch more than one animal and you'll need more shells for them. If you're not so lucky and only shoot one animal at a time, you won't need as many shells.
Some people are afraid to use up their shell supply before they've killed everything they want to take. This is a bad idea because you don't want to be stuck in a place where you can't find any more animals to shoot.
Even if you plan to kill only one animal, it's best to keep an extra shell or two around in case you encounter problems or get caught in rainstorms where you can't shoot.
Many fish and wildlife rules restrict the amount of rounds a shotgun can carry when hunting. Usually, the limit is three shells. Many "police" or "riot" shotguns, depending on design, can contain 5–8 rounds for defensive purposes. Other types of shotshells are limited to 2 or 3 units.
When hunting waterfowl, limit yourself to 3 shells per bird. The reason for this limit is that most ducks will fly off after the third shot, leaving you nothing to shoot at with your fourth shell. If you exhaust your ammunition while still in pursuit of game, switch to another gun.
Limit yourself to 3 shells when hunting small animals like squirrels or rabbits. These animals can be killed with 2 shots from a shotgun, so if you have more than 3 shells left, look for other game or move on.
No limit on rifle ammo. But remember, the more expensive your ammunition, the more bullets it can handle. 9mm and.40 caliber ammunition is best for long-range shooting because these guns can handle more of it.
Rifles are also limited by bullet weight. Most bullets available for rifles are designed to fit specific models of firearms. So make sure you know what type of weapon you have before buying ammunition. 870 Winchester Ranger cartridges fit both rifle and shotgun models made by that company.
You cannot hunt migrating game birds with a shotgun that holds more than three shells unless it is fitted with a one-piece filler that cannot be removed without dismantling the rifle. The limit is three shells any number of times because it is difficult to reload quickly when you are taking time to hunt and not shoot all day.
The majority of shotguns sold today are overshot guns, which means they have a shell protruding beyond the end of the barrel. An underhanded shooter can use this to his advantage by positioning himself so that when he shoots, the gun will kick back toward his shoulder. Because an overshot gun has space for more than three shells, it is possible to hunt migrating game birds with one that is not a double barrel if you use only three shells at a time. However hard to load, these guns are easier to manage when shooting birds in tight quarters.
Double barrel shotguns have two sets of barrels and chambers attached to one handle, making them much easier to carry than single barrel models. These guns can hold four or five shells at a time. Double barrel shotguns are used for hunting game birds that require more firepower such as turkeys, geese, and ducks.
Slugs can be used to hunt elk, goats, sheep, and moose using 10-gauge and 12-gauge shotguns. Waterfowl shotguns must use non-toxic shot ammo that has been certified.
You can only use slug ammunition for hunting deer with a shotgun. Slug ammunition is designed for shooting targets at long range or for taking large game like elk and moose. It is not recommended for hunting deer because it is too dangerous to use properly. The slug's high velocity will blow apart the skull of the animal without penetrating deep into its body. This makes it excellent for hunting animals that are far away from cover where normal ammunition would have trouble reaching them.
Shortening the barrel of a shotgun decreases the gun's power and accuracy. A hunter who shortens his/her barrel does so to make the weapon more maneuverable on the trail or field. This type of modification should never be done by someone who knows nothing about guns. A gunsmith should perform the work on your shotgun so as not to damage other parts of the weapon.
A hunter cannot shoot birds with a shotgun. Only firearms designed for this purpose can be used for hunting birds. Shotguns are not meant to hit a small target such as a bird. If you want to shoot birds, use a firearm designed for this purpose.
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