My empirical testing of shot smaller than #7 1/2 is in dove fields where others are shooting and I am shooting with no interference from other shooters. Quite a few years ago, I opened up a quantity of doves and found that many had been hit with #9 shot, very common in dove fields. Many of the shot were just under the skin. I had been shooting #7 1/2 and shot only strong flying birds, by myself. The birds with #9 shot in them were flying to be shot at another day. That was enough for me. Today, I won't even shoot a quail in front of pointing dogs with #9. A couple of days ago, I shot a pointed quail, the third or fourth on a rise, at probably 35 yards or more. Contrary to popular (magazine) opinion, not all pointed quail are shot at 15 yards. Small shot lose velocity very fast and don't penetrate even at close range. Yogi accuses us of working off of a "chart" of shot sizes. Contrary to his flawed statement, we are working against the "chart". It is the "chart" guys that are shooting the #9 shot.
