Geno,

Here in southern Alabama all the hunting clubs that I know of require members to use buckshot while hunting deer with dogs. NO one in our club has ever shot a dog. The state does not have a law for this state wide however the state does require hunters to use buckshot while hunting deer with dogs on any wildlife management area. I think the theory is that buckshot will not travel as far as a rifle bullet. When I was growing up in Mississippi all of our deer hunting was with dogs in the area where I lived. Almost everyone used rifles instead of shotguns. We never had a problem and no one was ever hurt. Of course that was 40+ years ago.

Mitch