The real perfect load would work at all ranges. There is no load that works well at distance but does not ruin birds hit too close. For that matter if you hit any bird too close you'll just wish you didn't shoot in the first place. For shot size I pick what has worked well for me over the years. 7 1/2 in 12 and 20's and 8's in smallbores work well for anything I need from 20-35 yards. To me it's what will quickly and properly kill birds. Killed everything from teal, wood ducks, quail, rail, dove you make it. I just never found 9's to be effective at anything past 25 yards on birds and inside 15 it just destroyed them too often.
Big birds require larger shot and late seasons birds are wilder, smarter, bigger and more heavily feathered. It take larger shot to get through the feathers and into vitals.
