Deer Act 1991 Section 7

[Prospero]

7Exceptions for occupiers etc. of land where deer are.

(1)Subject to subsection (3) below, a person to whom this section applies shall not be guilty of an offence under section 2 above by reason of—

(a)the taking or killing of any deer by means of shooting, or

(b)the injuring of any deer by means of shooting in an attempt to take or kill it,

on any cultivated land, pasture or enclosed woodland.

(2)Subject to subsection (3) below, a person to whom this section applies shall not be guilty of an offence under section 4(2)(a) above by reason of the use, for the purpose of taking or killing any deer on any land, of any smooth-bore gun of not less gauge than 12 bore which is loaded with—

(a)a cartridge containing a single non-spherical projectile weighing not less than 22.68 grammes (350 grains); or

(b)a cartridge purporting to contain shot each of which is .203 inches (5.16 millimetres) in diameter (that is to say, size AAA).

(3)A person to whom this section applies shall not be entitled to rely on the defence provided by subsection (1) or subsection (2) above as respects anything done in relation to any deer on any land unless he shows that—

(a)he had reasonable grounds for believing that deer of the same species were causing, or had caused, damage to crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber or any other form of property on the land;

(b)it was likely that further damage would be so caused and any such damage was likely to be serious; and

(c)his action was necessary for the purpose of preventing any such damage.

 

Apologies, I have just copied and pasted from the Act, but my question is, if someone intended to shoot a deer in this way (b)a cartridge purporting to contain shot each of which is .203 inches (5.16 millimetres) in diameter (that is to say, size AAA), where on the animal would you aim? 

[ditchman]

i would only use a smoothbore weapon for a close range dispatch of a damaged deer by..... (car or other accident) and that would be close as possible to the brain or stem..

[old man]

Forehead, aiming if possible at the brain stem. Muzzle not touching beast.

[alan123shooting]

As above, but you would have to get very close, it’s not the ideal way to take deer, as there is a very good chance you would just wound. Deer are tough I have hit a muntjac with a 30-06 in the heart and lung and it has still run a hundred yards, So if it not for humane dispatch , as I said a shotgun  not an effective way of taking deer unless it’s a solid slug . Sorry but that’s my opinion.  I may have opened a can of worms with my statement  but I can live with that 

[oowee]

You can aim at the shoulder as you would with a bullet. I would (if i had to) use SG (i think its 9mm) for woodland and it will stop deer easily at close range. If its despatch any cart will do the job at the skull to about 4/5m. 

It would most likely be better to acquire an appropriate rifle for the job.

[bluesj]

Somewhere not sure where (Scandinavia I think) use shoot guns for deer but with small shot aimed at the chest, it kills the deer without even breaking the skin!

If you are going to use a shotgun keep the the range down and aim the same as you would with a rifle.

Quote

 

 

Edited August 18, 2022 by bluesj

[alan123shooting]

On 15/08/2022 at 18:02, ditchman said:

i would only use a smoothbore weapon for a close range dispatch of a damaged deer by..... (car or other accident) and that would be close as possible to the brain or stem..

👍

[alan123shooting]

41 minutes ago, bluesj said:

Somewhere not sure where (Scandinavia I think) use shoot guns for deer but with small shot aimed at the chest, it kills the deer without even breaking the skin!

If you are going to use a shotgun keep the the range down and aim the same as you would with a rifle.

 

I have shot  in Sweden, you are correct they do hunt deer with shotgun, only Roe and they have to use 12 bore solid slug 

[bluesj]

10 hours ago, alan123shooting said:

I have shot  in Sweden, you are correct they do hunt deer with shotgun, only Roe and they have to use 12 bore solid slug 

I saw a bit on possibly field sports Britain or may have been you tube about shooting deer with 6 or 7 shoot not slugs

[alan123shooting]

17 minutes ago, bluesj said:

I saw a bit on possibly field sports Britain or may have been you tube about shooting deer with 6 or 7 shoot not slugs

I stand corrected, just found it on field sports channel, how ever it was no2 shot they were using , however it still does not change my views on shooting deer with shot guns 

[enfieldspares]

17 hours ago, oowee said:

You can aim at the shoulder as you would with a bullet. I would (if i had to) use SG (i think its 9mm) for woodland and it will stop deer easily at close range. If its despatch any cart will do the job at the skull to about 4/5m. 

It would most likely be better to acquire an appropriate rifle for the job.

This. Always. With luck and it very much will be luck one of the pellets will go into the heart. With less luck you'll perforate the lungs so that the animal dies that way. That AAA is better than SSG is beyond doubt. Pattern kills. Yet in Scotland Deer (Firearms) 1985 (Scotland) Order 1985 s4 AAA is approved for roe only and SSG on both roe and "other deer". I'd not use SSG by choice the pellet count is not enough.

Edited August 18, 2022 by enfieldspares

[Nuke]

11 hours ago, alan123shooting said:

I have shot  in Sweden, you are correct they do hunt deer with shotgun, only Roe and they have to use 12 bore solid slug 

Mixing it up with fallow deer? If it is a single pipe shotgun you can hunt fallow using slugs/brenneke.

For roe cal 12-16-20 is allowed, in my experience from 32 g no 5 lead in cal 12 works fine within 30 m.

The shots do penetrate the skin and heart/lungs nicely.

/Markus

Edited August 18, 2022 by Nuke

[alan123shooting]

23 minutes ago, Nuke said:

Mixing it up with fallow deer? If it is a single pipe shotgun you can hunt fallow using slugs/brenneke.

For roe cal 12-16-20 is allowed, in my experience from 32 g no 5 lead in cal 12 works fine within 30 m.

The shots do penetrate the skin and heart/lungs nicely.

/Markus

Thanks for putting me right, I did not feel right using a shot gun on deer  whilst there so used a 30.06 instead my choice . The Swede’s shoot black cock out of trees with rifles, my friend and guide Tomas  thought it was marvellous that I shot my black cock whilst there on the wing.

[Nuke]

On 18/08/2022 at 20:07, alan123shooting said:

Thanks for putting me right, I did not feel right using a shot gun on deer  whilst there so used a 30.06 instead my choice . 

Would be same for me if somebody offered me to shoot rabbits with an airgun.

/Markus