Favorite shot size for pheasant?

[Bob M]

I voted 6s. If I shoot wild birds I must travel west and I normally shoot Fiocchi GP 6s in my 16 sxs. It patterns them a little better than 5s and we do often find the occasional covey of quail on these hunts.

Pen raised birds close to home will usually get the same though I have taken many with a good load of 7.5s with no problem.

I might add that in the days of lead for waterfowling I have taken a lot of gadwall and big ol Arkansas mallards with 1 1/8oz of 7.5s out to 35yds or so and they dropped like the proverbial rock when well centered in the pattern. I would think it might be more how your gun patterns a particular size shot rather than the size of the shot.
BobM

 

[spoonbill82]

I voted for 5s.

 

[mnmthunting]

I've probably killed more pheasants with 5's then any other, lots with 6's too.
I voted 4's, I use a 12 with full choke. The last couple years that's all I've used on pheasants. Not as many pellets to pick out of the meat and bigger to find.
Been a long time since I've lost a rooster.