[okchunter]

OK need some insight...I am going pheasant hunting and have a choice between modified and full chokes.. Which would you use?

 

[dennishoddy]

Here is my take on the subject.

You can't take too much gun on a pheasant hunt

Been chasing them for 20+ years in Grant and Kay county, and I've always filled up one side of my vest with magnum loads of 12 ga #5 or 4 shot. 2 3/4 or 3", whatever your gun will shoot. The other side is with magnum loads of 7 1/2 or 8 shot. ( I reload both) If a covey of quail gets up take what you can, and then switch to the 7 1/2's to hunt the singles.
For chokes, I go against what all the "gunwriter experts" say. I use an improved cylinder in the top barrel, or right side depending on which shotgun goes with me, and a modified choke in the bottom or left side. For a single barrel, I'd use an improved or modified with the magnum loads.

Here is my personal formula: Spending the bucks on premium loads for a limit of birds = sucess vs wounding and losing a bird. You only have a limit of two birds so, buy turkey loads or whatever and get your birds. A load of # 5's at 1 1/8oz loads pales in comparison to a load of 1 5/8oz in the pattern. I have dogs, and hunt with people that have dogs, and get tired of seeing a huge puff of feathers come off the bird and then spending a half an hour looking for a running cripple and not getting a recovery due to dry conditions, etc. They are a tough bird and really hate watching the "hunting shows" where they put out planted birds and brag about how they can use a .410 to kill them to impress people about how great a hunter they are.
Yep, it only takes one pellet to kill them, but the more pellets you can get in them, the better your sucess.

 

[okchunter]

Yeah I got some 2 3/4 1 3/8 oz #5 shot for the pheasant and some 2 3/4 , 1 1/8 oz #7ish for quail.. I just don't have an improved cylinder so I'll likely stick to modified. Wind will be nothing so should be all good. I have always used the same load on dove as I have on quail so that's no change. I also have some nice size steel shot from ducks I can use if I need to.. I am taking the dove/quail shot so if I get my limit fast and the quail are out I can shoot me some quail as well.

Thanks for the info dennis. I need to get myself and IC choke for next season. Also need a new one for ducks as well. Already have a nice turkey choke. I plan on getting myself a nice semi-auto for waterfowl next year so who knows what I'll have by then. Right now just a pump action mossberg 12ga shotgun.

 

[dennishoddy]

You have plenty of gun. Its just my opinion that a cloud of shot with lots of pellets will do a lot of damage. Experience has proven that. The same as taking dove loads (steel) on a duck hunt

 

[Gauge]

If you hunting on a club... A heavy dove load will work great.
12 Gauge 2 3/4" 1 1/8 oz of 7 1/2s or 6's.
Now if they are wild pheasant 12 gauge 2 3/4" Magnums 1 1/4oz-1 1/2 oz #6's 5's or #4's {Shot Size}.
1300 f.p.s. of faster will work all around for either pen raised or wild Pheasants.

Choke tubes...Your Modified will take you out to 40 yards.
Full choke for anything beyond 40 yards.

Where are you going by chance buddy?
Also..I'll sell ya my Imp.Cylinder for your Mossberg 835 for $20.00 bucks.
I'll never use it.

 

[dennishoddy]

Like you, I use heavy loads on dove as well, for the same reasons as have been stated ;D

 

[okchunter]

We went somewhere up by perry oklahoma. I ended up using modified and took 2 birds but sadly I didn't take pics of just me and the birds. We took pics with all of us with the dogs and birds.. We had 4 people and 7 birds. Only 1 guy didn't get his second. Although we lost 2 that we never could find. We also lost 3 quail. All in all a great day of hunting and all 4 dogs were wiped out.

 

[dennishoddy]

Sounds like a great day in the field! ;D

 

[okchunter]

Sounds like a great day in the field! ;D

Shoot yeah..I love watching the dogs do their stuff..I just wished I had a shock collar for my dog cause she would have had a blast.

 

[dennishoddy]

I have one and for whatever reason, it quit working Sunday. Its hard to keep them in close enough without a little correction. Especially when they get on a pheasant trail and really take off. I can't run near as fast or far as I used to ???

 

[ELIP]

I love watching a good dog work if it is a gun dog or a cow dog. i just love it!

 

[Gauge]

You can't beat a good dog & its thing.
Nice to hear ya shot a few Mike.

 

[tulsahunter]

Sounds like a great hunt Mike.

Michael