These annual pre-season 'load, shot size, choke for pheasants' threads are usually entertaining and occasionally illuminating (or worth eliminating by flushing smile ).
I recall the debate between Bro. Larry and the gentleman from Alaska (who is currently inflicting himself upon trapshooters.com) on the Shooting Sportsman Forum. He had never hunted east of Washington State, and mostly guided for pen raised birds, but was an expert in Great Plains big country pheasant hunting and confidently believed 1 oz. of 7s would bring down any pheasant at 40 yds laugh

A well known gun writer claimed in the Shooting column of Shooting Sportsman in 2007 "In 11 seasons and thousands of birds, we lost a sum total of one (pheasant)" and "I can't tell you how many hundreds of pheasants I've shot with a 28, but I can tell you that I've never lost one..."
Journalistic hyperbole aside, he then doubled down in response to a Letter to the Editor challenging these claims.

I've been in South Dakota doing the mass push and block military exercise mostly as a social event. Not what I enjoy. Most of the low life philistines had Benellis - Montefeltros and SBEs and were using Federal 1 3/8 4s which the guide almost demanded. We also had 12 and 20g SxSs with lighter loads. The best shot (by far) was an orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee arthroscopy who grew up in Ulysses, KS and had incredible eye-hand coordination. He was using a SBE and I asked what choke tube he had in and he didn't know; turned out to be Mod from his last duck hunt.
Point is, everybody killed birds, with every gun and choke and load combination. The experienced guys of course did much better than a couple a first timers. And I think that is the key. Technology will never triumph over talent, or the lack thereof wink And whatever allows the hunter to cleanly kill and harvest a (edible) pheasant within the distance limitations he chooses is what works, and arguing 'my way is the best way' is silly. But it gives us something to do until we can get out with our pups. And as an inspiration, the oft posted image from Presho, S. Dakota smile



And an unpleasant annual reminder. Some friends were in Russell, KS for opening weekend staying in the motel just off I-70. The parking lot was filled with hunting vehicles including pickups with aluminum dog boxes in the beds. In the middle of the night, the local meth addict and his buddy dumped out the dogs and stole a bunch of the loose dog boxes. I heard all but a pointer were found the next day. BE CAREFUL OUT THERE.