EcoRover and Phillip, you both bring up the subject of deflection verses fragmentation. I am aware of the problem of deflection and where it happens – close in or near our target makes a difference. Fragmentation is another animal. 30+ years ago my bro. shot an elk that rolled down a hill close to where I was so I walked to within 40 yards of it to find it laying down looking at me. There was grass right in front of it, but I shot anyway, and it was the killing shot. I was shooting 185 gr. and I think Hornady bullets were being used to factory load Weatherby at the time. Shortly after they started using Nosler. Anyway when we skinned that elk out I have no idea what killed it as it was like it had been hit with a shotgun with #8 shot. Just peppered it over a rather large area, but something hit a vital spot. I had always thought the heavier bullets were slower and therefor would hold together better. This is one reason I decided ‘why not go to the 139 gr, its faster, gets better distance and it can’t shatter any worse then the 185 gr.
After my debacle in the above story, to satisfy my curiosity about the scope possibly being off, I picked out a knot on a fairly new windfall about 10 inches in dia. and drilled it. The exit hole was about 4 inches. It blows me away that a bullet that can hold together hitting something solid disintegrates so fully when it hits grass or small limbs. I guess I just don’t understand whats going on and why.
So this is the reason I keep thinking that a slug gun could be my answer (or as Phillip said, maybe a muzzleloader.) I can understand deflection and feel I can live with that, but its this instability of the bullet itself when it comes in contact with the smallest theng that has me in a funk. Great for open country, but its tough on the confidence in the woods.

Thanks again everybody for the imput.

Definitely agree that the 7mm was a bit “too much gun” for the area, but honestly, the whole myth of the “brushbuster” bullet has been well shattered. A shotgun slug will still deflect, as will a Barnes bullet… but of course neither of those will fragment on a limb.

A nice slug gun or a muzzleloader would be perfect in that kind of area, though. The Ithaca and Browning pump guns eject from the bottom, and except for the safety, they’re pretty much ambidextrous, by the way.

Slugs: grew up in the Alleghenies on the PA/NY border. NY was slugs only. Had a peep sight mounted on a M-12 12 ga featherweight and it was deadly accurate (4″ groups–better than some M-94 30-30s I’ve shot) to 100+ yards. Killed many white tails including some big bucks and never lost one. Nowadays you can buy special rifled shotgun barrels, and they shoot even better.

Note that brush deflection is primarily a function of sectional density, and NOT bullet weight or speed. E.g. a 220-gr bullet in an /06 is far more directionally stable than a 12-ga slug. As you point out, however, the bullet also needs to hold together.

I shoot a Remington model 870 with a slug barrel, and have taken quite a few deer with it. My son-in-law bought a Remington 12 gauge made strictly for deer hunting, and I think its called a slugster (not sure.) Its all black and very accurate. If hunting real thick brush I will put a buckshot round in first followed by slugs. Test several brands to see which ones shoot in your gun the best.

That last picture is beautiful.

Mini series on slug guns starts Friday the 27th.

Check out my blog, I am starting a series on slug guns this Friday. It might help.

http://whitetailwoods.blogspot.com

All of us have had experiences like this, though. It really is too bad you didn’t bring your bow.

And the last picture is absolutely gorgeous.