Nebraska sharptails.

[Roy B]

I am heading out to hunt sharptail for the 1st time and just looking for a few tips and also wondering if I should plan on light loads or heavier? I will be using a 20 auto but will have my 1187 12 for backup.
I am going to be roughing it in a tent and plan on being out there until at least next Friday weather permitting.
I forgot to add that im taking my 1 year old who has hunted pheasant and quail but never been out west. She is a work in progress but points and no birds get past her nose.She is a lab/wirehair mix.

 

[benelli-banger]

6 shot is my choice…used to use 7.5’s…20 or 12 is fine…I use 28 gauge a lot…IC mostly, will go a bit tighter in my 28 gauges…usually I shoot S x S’s, IC/M….I usually shoot 7/8 oz in my 20’s or my 28 gauges…1 oz in my 16’s…1 1/8 oz in my 12’s, though I don’t use 12’s sharpie hunting.

 

[guf54]

Grouse are fairly easy to bring down so light loads will work just fine...I still prefer 6 shot in case some shots happen to be a little further. If it is windy the birds will be on the leeward side of hills to get out of the wind. Otherwise it comes down to a lot of miles on the boots, especially in the sandhills. You will have great weather for this time of year, we are way cooler than normal right now.

 

[roadscholar]

I second the suggestions above. Sharptails aren't real tough, but they do tend to flush at long ranges sometimes. I have used 7&1/2's before, but I mostly stick with 6's now.
7/8 oz in 28ga, 1 oz for 16ga. When non-tox is required I use bismuth 6's. Not quite as effective as lead 6's, but not far off.

 

[brown dog]

Where are you headed? I thought about heading out to the NW corner.

 

[That1uncle1776]

I do believe the dog and I are heading towards Valentine Friday night.

 

[benelli-banger]

I’m always shocked at how tough Huns are!

 

[Roy B]

Where are you headed? I thought about heading out to the NW corner.

Thought about N.W or down by the big lake.

 

[Roy B]

I’m always shocked at how tough Huns are!

Guf54 said Grouse are fairly easy to bring down so light loads will work just fine..
Im a little confused guys......

 

[roadscholar]

Guf54 said Grouse are fairly easy to bring down so light loads will work just fine..
Im a little confused guys......

He's talking about sharptail grouse, and he's right that they're fairly easy to bring down.

BB mentioned Hungarian Partridge being tough and he's right, they're tougher than sharpies even though they're about half the size.

 

[benelli-banger]

He's talking about sharptail grouse, and he's right that they're fairly easy to bring down.

BB mentioned Hungarian Partridge being tough and he's right, they're tougher than sharpies even though they're about half the size.

I contact huns regularly, and they’re the reason I have changed to #6 lead…not a terrible idea to use 6’s for sharpies, but huns shock me regularly as to their toughness, so I just shoot #6 lead for both…

 

[Al Bonkers]

I’m always shocked at how tough Huns are!

I think they are just tough to HIT!

 

[benelli-banger]

I think they are just tough to HIT!

I try to remind myself to focus on just one and stay with it! When I do, it usually falls…usually!

 

[Al Bonkers]

They're too fast for me to do much reminding.

A couple of years ago I got two in one shot, thot I was really something. A half hour later one of them started flapping crazily in my vest. Turned out its only injury was a pellet that had grazed its skull and knocked it out.