[Remmi_&_I]

I have always used 7.5's, but it seems that most people I hunt with shoot 6's............... What do you guys use in the early season?

 

[mach]

#4s Kent fasteel or winchester HV

 

[Dak]

7.5s are fine early. Then I switch to sixes later.

 

[Burly1]

Nickel plated 7 1/2's get the nod from me!

 

[snow123geese]

Either 5's or 7 1/2

 

[huntinND]

I use 5's or 6's but I buy a case for pheasants as well as grouse before season opens. I have shot grouse with 7 1/2's early in the season and it worked fine.

 

[birdbuster_1972]

We were nailing them today with the cheap blue box federal 71/2 all day.

 

[meathunter1]

5's are my all around lead load. 3's if I'm shooting steel. I hunt the sandhills of nebraska for grouse and my average shot is 30 yards. 5's seem to punch through the plummage and penetrate the vitals well.

 

[huntinND]

I could have been using 8's this weekend and it wouldn't have mattered. They were flushing ten to fifteen yards out right under the dogs nose. I better hit em' hard this first couple weeks before they start flushing wild.

 

[mach]

Come mid season to late season you wish you had #4s as you will not be flushng any pairs or small coveys up close and the dog may no longer be an advantage as you must know where they are hanging out to cut them off or do a smart approach for shots out to 45yds. In the prairies habitat is flat and there are not many tree mainly hedgerows and they could sail for at least a quarter section
Where I hunt is usually near some water and I carry steel so the game wardens will leave me be besides if ducks come by I don't have to change

 

[Heavy Hitter]

7-1/2's worked fine this weekend... I had a bag of copper plated so that's what ended up in the barrel. It worked well and I like to use them in the 28 gauge as it ups the pellet count.

I did use some 6's as well and it worked just fine too.

Fun weekend, had to work hard for birds with rain and then wind on Saturday. Sunday went smoother and saw lots more birds.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

 

[kingcanada]

i come to north dakota late enough to have long shots on wised up birds. i usually use a 12 ga. choked mod/imp mod. and have found that #5s anchor them best. when i do hunt with my smaller guns, #6 shot is my top choice.

 

[mburgess]

Anything I can find from 9's to 6's. They aren't very tough, I acutally think 1-2 BB's is all it takes to knock these guys down. For living the rough life out in the plains, they really give up too easy compared to a rooster when hit.

 

[kingcanada]

true, they are weak for their size, but i have often fired on them with 7 1/2 or 7 (reloads) shot while partridge hunting and am usually greeted by a puff of feathers and a bird that slowly regains it's heading. i now pass up those birds over 35 yards if i am loaded with less than 6 shot.

 

[honkerslayr]

Early season grouse i shoot 6's. Huns no matter what 6's, Even though I know for a fact no.1 steels will kill them as I got lucky last weekend. HaHa. Late season grouse no. 4's since they are a little spooky. In that sense depending on their spookiness it goes from 1 3/8 oz. to 1 7/8 oz. for clean kills. :beer: