Pheasent shotshell recomendations??

[PriestEG]

im a first time pheasent hunter and have a trip planned in a few weeks with my girlfriend. i have been doing some research about shotshell choices and have found a few then seem to get good reviews but wanted the INGO .2 cents. i narrowed it to either prairie storm by federal or winchesters super pheasent loads. any opinons or thoughts would be great!!

 

[iChokePeople]

So you're going to use a shotgun instead of a pistol or a bow, huh?

 

[hooky]

I've only gone pheasant hunting on purpose twice and each time I and the majority of the others used #5 shot in a 12 guage. As a kid when I could flush pheasant, quail and rabbits in the same afternoon, I used 6 or occasionally 7.

I can't speak to either of those specific loads in your OP, but make sure you're not going to a steel only area. I doubt that one is significantly better than the other, so I'd vote for whatever is on sale.

 

[PriestEG]

So you're going to use a shotgun instead of a pistol or a bow, huh?

The idea of using my smith and wesson 500mag crossed my mind, but i figured it be more difficult than i want

 

[Zoub]

So you're going to use a shotgun instead of a pistol or a bow, huh?

+1

Both loads you listed are fine. Since you are a rookie, I would buy both some 6's and 4's. When you get to areas that have more pheasants you can actually find 100 round bricks of 5's.

Choke and shot selection will be more important than expensive ammo. What guns will you be using? Does your GF has experience? Will you be hunting over a dog?

 

[VERT]

Early season pheasant out west. - For 12 gauge go with a 1 1/4 oz of number 5 shot. I especially like the Federal WingShok or Fiocchi Golden Pheasant. For 20 gauge I used the 3" 1 1/4 oz loads. IC or Modified choke should do you just fine.

As the season gets colder - switch to 4 shot and the modified choke.

If you are not hunting wild birds the 6 shot should work fine.

Used to live in the Dakotas and have killed a lot of birds. I found that the heavier loads with 4/5 shot worked the best.

 

[Thumper]

I use 7 shot.

 

[gunrunner0]

It kinda depends on whether your going after pen raised birds or wild. Pen raised ussually are not as tough and 6s or anything bigger is fine. For wild birds I would not use anything smaller than 5s.

I used federal #5 pheasant loads out in SD this year and was pleased with their performance. If you can find them, Fiochi Golden Pheasants are also a superb pheasant load.

Good Luck, I'm sure you"ll have alot of fun.

 

[PriestEG]

i will be using a mossberg 535 12ga and she'll have her o/u in 20ga and have all the standard chokes at hand to use. we both have lots of trigger time shooting clays at and she is pretty good if i do say so(she averages about 17/25 and i 23/25 last few rounds we went) and i have been waterfowling. it will be a mix of pen raised and wild birds. im just wanting to make sure and get the best load/choke combo possible to maximize the fun. i also reload my own shot shells so creating a load for this had crossed my mind. one yahoo i talked to told me to try 00 buck cuz its more of a challange... wow right

 

[clfergus]

I went to Flat rock a few weeks back and used #6 shot, 1330 fps from a light modified choke. Father in-law used modified choke.

We took 5 phesant, 3 rooster and 2 hen. 4 took 2 shots each, we could see the feathers fly from the first shot but they kept going. 1 of the Roosters took a full on shot at close range....fell and started running around with the dog in chase.

I would prob go with #5 shot next time. The #6 did the trick but that was on Pen raised birds and I would think I would ahve needed something bigger for wild.

FYI..gander on Southside of Indy has Fiocchi Golden Pheasant in the clearnace bin right now...#5 shot. Not sure at what price but i glanced last time i was there.

 

[Smokepole]

I usually go with a group out to Kansas each year and am usually using #4 shot in 3 in. mag shells with improved cylinder choke in a 20 gauge. Rarely fail to bring a bird down. Tears the hell outta quail though.

 

[VERT]

i will be using a mossberg 535 12ga and she'll have her o/u in 20ga and have all the standard chokes at hand to use. we both have lots of trigger time shooting clays at and she is pretty good if i do say so(she averages about 17/25 and i 23/25 last few rounds we went) and i have been waterfowling. it will be a mix of pen raised and wild birds. im just wanting to make sure and get the best load/choke combo possible to maximize the fun. i also reload my own shot shells so creating a load for this had crossed my mind. one yahoo i talked to told me to try 00 buck cuz its more of a challange... wow right

Mix of wild and pen raised huh. Go with the 5 shot in 1 1/4 oz or heavier. So you will want 3" in the 20 guage. I used to kill a lot of birds with a 20 but the magnum shell sure helped. 2 3/4" in the 12 will be fine.

In the O/U go modified over improved cylinder or something similar. In the 835 a modified or light modified would be about right. Use the choke that patterns best. Trap is good practice but even better would be a sporting clays course.

 

[Zoub]

+1 on everything Vert said. Use one shot size and focus on your choke selection.
Take the full choke tubes just in case, leave the buckshot at home.

PS if you are driving to the hunt, budget some time to shoot sporting clays along the way. My GF does not hunt but she loves to shoot clays and also uses a 20 gauge. It is something we share and enjoy doing together and have shot in some great locations together on road trips.

http://www.claytargetsonline.com/index.php

 

[jonny4523]

I love to pheasant hunt. I just patterned my Beretta with different loads including some expensive Rem Nitro pheasant. The best pattern I got were from Federal #4s that I got from Wally World for $11/ box. I used these last year and was very happy with them. So my advise, go to Wal-Mart and buy yourself a few boxes of that. Then, go to a tarp range and practice with what you are going to hunt with.

 

[dbd870]

I used to hunt them back when I was a teen; always used 5's