With all due respect treblig....to follow your logic, no one should hunt geese without using a ten gauge with 3 1/2" 1 3/4 oz. shells....as it would definitely throw out more density then a twelve, and be more responsible. A 12ga. is considered a sub gauge to the ten....is it not?
I've posted many a photo of my sixteen's ability. Not 'much' gets shot within 25 yards fearing destruction of the meat I'm trying to harvest. The deeks are set at 30 yards, and they get taken either just inside the last deek, or as they flare, just outside....most of the time.
Your point is well taken though, as most here will agree....get them within range of your gun and shell's capability. No argument there.
I disagree with king on 'needing' to use a dog. Where I hunt, one can always walk out to the area of a downed bird (which at Long Point can be a few hundred yards or so, or more), or a boat is readily available to chase down any cripple. Since I have never hunted a coastline, I'll take kings word on that.
I see your point but feel that the 12 gauge throws effective enough killing patterns at distances that the average shot, which most people are, can kill a bird as tough as a geese cleanly. The ten gauge is overkill. Plus shell availability further negates the ten gauge slight pattern advantages. There is just too much chance for error in sight distance, in judgment, in overconfidence, when dedicated goose hunting with the subgauges.
All I'm saying is yes the "Queen" of shotguns is the 16 gauge but the "King" is the 12 gauge.
