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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 978 Likes: 51
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 978 Likes: 51 |
Okay, I'll chime in. lately I've been killing pheasants at closer ranges over my setter with very light (6k psi) 1oz. loads of #5's, to great effect out to 30 yds. I've also been on a couple duck hunts with Kent's gamebore 2.5" 1 1/16oz #5's and those have likewise done well out to 35 yds, but mostly closer. Almost any reasonable choke/load combo will work out to that range. However, as the season gets longer and the birds get warier, I expect many of my shots to be 35-45 yds, and I won't be doing that with light loads in 6 lb. guns. I have my eye on a 34" heavy damascus fowler, and I expect to shoot some stout loads through it. I think magnums have their place, but certainly not for all around general use.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,462 Likes: 89
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,462 Likes: 89 |
It's evident you know nothing about quail hunting.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 14,033 Likes: 1832
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 14,033 Likes: 1832 |
My shooting/hunting perceptions and skills have changed dramatically over the years. When I started hunting at age 12 and up to about age 35 (It's embarrassing to write this), I was mostly an unsuccessful sky blaster for waterfowl and a 3 shot no matter what for upland game. Friends an mentors took me under their wings and changed my whole hunting/shooting perspective. One guy took me skeet shooting and after a while had me shooting low gun to simulate hunting conditions. Another friend taught me to call ducks and geese to within easy shooting range and as as result of what those two guy taught me I became a successful hunter and not just a bad shot and bird crippler. They also taught me that 1 1/4 oz. of lead, when lead was legal is more than enough for both ducks and geese. I shoot pheasant, Huns, sharp tail and blue and ruff grouse with 3/4 oz. loads. I spend a lot of time on my pattern board when I'm attempting to evaluate a new load or perfecting an old one. A person can use as much shot and gun that they feel is necessary, but crippling birds at extreme ranges makes no sense to me and in the case of waterfowl, when you learn to call close shots are the norm. Does crippling birds at CLOSE range make more sense? Crippling ducks, or any other gamebird that may be occasionally shot at a longer distance, is not exclusive of short range shooting. SRH Good grief, how did you get that I endorse short range crippling? My point is: Know what is coming out of your barrel(s) and how effective it is at the distances you shoot; all of which can be accomplished by pattern and penetration tests. When you know your barrel(s)/loads and their effective ranges, crippling can be held to a minimum. Jim, I wasn't implying that you endorse short range crippling. It's just that no one EVER mentions the crippling that occurs from poor shooting at shorter ranges. Crippling seems to be always blamed on "long range" shooting. I have chased ducks from pits, floating blinds, boats, waded beaver ponds where we shoot woodies at handshaking distances, drifted rivers and creeks jump shooting them, and squatted on the edge of ponds in the bushes.......... and I've seen a whole lot of ducks shot at within 30 yds. that had to be finished. No one ever mentions them. As I stated earlier, crippling ducks is not exclusive of short range gunning. All my best, SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,292
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,292 |
It's evident you know nothing about quail hunting. It's quite obvious you live in a very small circle, or you are stupid.......read the post I left just for you on the Mearns quail thread Sparky......You better stick with slow bird hunting while sitting under a tree.......
Doug
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 100
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 100 |
PA24
When there used to be Quail in VA the dogs played a major role in finding and retrieving the downed birds. A great number would never have been found without them.
Without the use of dogs do you lose many birds in the desert ?
The best hunting is between now and dark.
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,292
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,292 |
PA24
When there used to be Quail in VA the dogs played a major role in finding and retrieving the downed birds. A great number would never have been found without them.
Without the use of dogs do you lose many birds in the desert ? No not many, again as Jack O'Conner wrote for 50 years about quail hunting in the Southwest, mark the spot the bird went down and don't lose sight of it, go right to it.......if a Gambel's quail is only wounded then they will hit, run and go down a badger hole or other hole and you've lost 'em............. Much different type hunting than that of the central flat lands and eastern leafy woods........The desert has lot's of Cholla cactus, a.k.a. "Mexican Jumping Cactus" which eats up dogs and people, horses etc........if you've ever had some barbs in you, you will never forget.....the 3" barbs go in and hook on the end creating a fishook like barb......very painful......Lot's of birds use the Cholla for nesting........obviously safe from predators........ Most of the drainages, what we call "washes" have many species of cacti....we hunt up and down the washes..... We almost always limit out on birds.....been hunting them for over 55 years, nothing new.......  Best,
Doug
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,462 Likes: 89
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,462 Likes: 89 |
I'm sure jump shooting quail is quite productive... 
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 342
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 342 |
Stan wrote, "As I stated earlier, crippling ducks is not exclusive of short range gunning."
I can agree with that, crippling can occur at any range and is caused by many different factors or multiples thereof. Distance, shot size, poor judgement, lack of shooting skills and hunter fatigue.
Jim
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 190
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 190 |
I shoot light small-bore guns at wild Bobwhite over Brittanys. Usually a 5-1/2 pound sixteen gauge. I also have some down to 4-1/2 pounds. When I get into a discussion of sport and gauge here it is usually after someone has disparaged the use of small gauges and they usually state that a 12 gauge should be used from pointed Bobwhite up through pheasant.
The point of being out watching the pointing dogs is sport. The point of using a small gauge is sport. The rational choice is to get your Gallinaceous bird at drive-up window at Kentucky Fried Chicken and be done with it.
One of my customers has a 200,000 acre ranch. He is an avid Bobwhite hunter and has been for decades and spends huge sums of money on habitat and hunting each year. He has studied both the birds and the hunting. I get to go with him now and then. He has a rule that no 12 gauges are allowed - and no shot smaller than #8. It is his opinion that the 42% increase in shot of 12ga over 20ga inadverdently wounds and kills birds besides the intended to a greater extent than a smaller shot charge.
I was in Montana in September. I took an old beat-up eight pound Parker 12 bore because I shoot it well. A pointed covey of Huns flushed and I knocked down four birds with one shot. 1-1/8 ounce of 8s out of a cylinder choke. I only intended to hit one and the rest were behind the targeted bird. I shot several more inadverdent "doubles" on that trip, usually on Sharptails.
My current thinking is that 3/4 ounces of #9 shot out of a modified or full choke might be the optimum combination when trying to limit "collateral" Bobwhite damage. The lighter shot load means few pellets, the #9 shots runs out of energy in a shorter distance, and the full choke lowers the area of the pattern.
Best,
Mike
I rest my case.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,065 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,065 Likes: 1 |
I only intended to hit one and the rest were behind the targeted bird. I shot several more inadverdent "doubles" on that trip, usually on Sharptails.
My current thinking is that 3/4 ounces of #9 shot out of a modified or full choke might be the optimum combination when trying to limit "collateral" Bobwhite damage. Our thinking certainly changes over the years. When wild bobwhites were all we hunted around here in South GA, I was thrilled with any "collateral damage" I was lucky enough to get on a covey rise...Geo As was I - when my Dad was paying for the lease. But now that it is on me and I am hunting the same coveys four or five times a season my priorites have changed. Best, Mike
I am glad to be here.
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