Single shot 12 gauge.
Slugs! If its rifled it is a deer hunting barrel.
Most folks use a 12 guage shot gun.
#6 shot
I think you are referring to the chokes, which modifiy the spread of the individual pellets. They can either make the spread wide for home defense or bird hunting, to quite tight for target shooting, hunting of deer or other large animals, etc.
For minimal damage but still good stopping power i would say either a 5 or 6 shot 12ga. Although if your not going to eat the animal a 3 shot is the best
You will have to follow your states hunting regulations for mimimum caliber. Best is a relative term that only you can answer based on your skills.
It would probaly not be safe to shoot steel shot or any of the tungsten shot out of a gun that old because it is probaly choked too tight and the older barrels are not designed to handle the harder shot. Lead shot would be fine but as you know you can't legally use that for waterfowl.
most of the time people shot at targets for practice. they then shot at pray for hunting
Lead (the metal Lead). Hunting waterfowl requires the use of non-toxic shot.
It is best to use a compound bow when hunting big game animals like deer or turkey, because of the speed and power of the compound bow. You will get a much faster and cleaner shot.
shot He went hunting yesterday. He shot a deer.
Head!