Loosing birds

LC Smith said:
Bob, why don't you hunt with the 28? If I can get mine to cycle (total chapter of a book on this issue) I would use it a lot more. I am really starting to like how it carries and shoots. In my 12b and 16b I only shoot a 1oz load of #6 and it does the trick and feel comfortable with the 28ga.
Click to expand...

A larger bore simply does it better. Modern ammo has definitely blurred the lines between the gauges. You can find all kinds of overstuffed shotshells in subgauges now. If you take an ounce of lead it'll pattern better out of a 12 than a 20 if you control all the variables. Will this really make a difference in bird hunting? Yes, but maybe a difference that is negligible. I'm on public land sometimes in pretty gnarly places. Every little percentage I can get in my favor I'll take. The roosters usually have the upper hand.

Goose has admitted he's lost a lot carrying the fairy wand. Just another reason to leave it home unless sitting on a dove bucket or chasing timberdoodles.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gim
I think I've lost one rooster this year but I have only shot 15 or 16. Years ago I decided a bird in hand is better than two in the bush so I quit trying to shoot doubles. I get one bird on the ground and I hunt for that bird until I find it or I don't. The one that I lost landed in tall, thick, very dry CRP and I didn't get it marked as well as I wished. We hunted for about 45 minutes but couldn't find it. I also shoot high quality ammo, not promo stuff and not the 1450 fps stuff either. What I've been using from my 20 gauge this year is the Remington Express XLR #6's at 1220 FPS.
 
That1uncle1776 said:
Only birds I lost this year were with 12 gauge. 28 gauge simply made me kill them better
Click to expand...
Don't get me wrong, when you've got a 12 that fits you like yoga pants on a fat girl, or attempt to "reach out there" with you can lose or miss birds. If you've got two guns that fit equally well the larger bore is better in most every circumstance. The question is by how much. I've got no problem with guys shooting subgauge.
 
Some days it's ditches, an auto chock full of hi-brass magnums and a dusty old hoodie, that's low-bagger.

Others it's a shiny new O/U, an orvis coat, hunt cherry private land and only shoot birds the dog puts up. All while looking down my nose at poor provincial sods and city-slickers alike who stoop to hunting road ditches and public pitches(disambiguation see: pitch, British English). That's high brow.

Some nights after the hunt it's cheap swill in a can and 3 day old ham. That's blue collar.

Other nights it's Guinness from a fancy pint glass and a steak that's $$$ high class. That's blue blood.

I eschew labels for myself. Although I will accept being called a degenerate pheasant hunter at times.
 
Chessie 67 said:
Gotta love seeing the young kids out there enjoying their lives without a device attached to their hands…
Click to expand...

Bob Peters said:
Some days it's ditches, an auto chock full of hi-brass magnums and a dusty old hoodie, that's low-bagger.

Others it's a shiny new O/U, an orvis coat, hunt cherry private land and only shoot birds the dog puts up. All while looking down my nose at poor provincial sods and city-slickers alike who stoop to hunting road ditches and public pitches(disambiguation see: pitch, British English). That's high brow.

Some nights after the hunt it's cheap swill in a can and 3 day old ham. That's blue collar.

Other nights it's Guinness from a fancy pint glass and a steak that's $$$ high class. That's blue blood.

I eschew labels for myself. Although I will accept being called a degenerate pheasant hunter at times.
Click to expand...
870 and pbr- low brow.eell and steinlagger-high brow
 
Bob Peters said:
A larger bore simply does it better. Modern ammo has definitely blurred the lines between the gauges. You can find all kinds of overstuffed shotshells in subgauges now. If you take an ounce of lead it'll pattern better out of a 12 than a 20 if you control all the variables. Will this really make a difference in bird hunting? Yes, but maybe a difference that is negligible. I'm on public land sometimes in pretty gnarly places. Every little percentage I can get in my favor I'll take. The roosters usually have the upper hand.

Goose has admitted he's lost a lot carrying the fairy wand. Just another reason to leave it home unless sitting on a dove bucket or chasing timberdoodles.
Click to expand...
A lot of them were with that old Browning, that was made in the '50s, that's fixed full choke.
 
I usually spot and run up just short of spot and let the dogs go to work, usually they see it go down and have it before I get there. Was in some really deep layed down grass yesterday and my older setter found the bird only to come out with tail feathers, she found it again and I reached in to get it and couldn’t see through the cover and grabbed her snout instead of the bird and the bird was gone again, look another 30 minutes and never found it. Only bird I’ve lost recently.
 
airmedic1 said:
I think I've lost one rooster this year but I have only shot 15 or 16.
Click to expand...

That's a reasonable number - less than 7%. I think 10% is a number that upland hunters should try to attain regularly.

Goose has lost 18 JUST this season. If he's bagged 200 birds, then I can understand that number.
 
Bigdave said:
I usually spot and run up just short of spot and let the dogs go to work, usually they see it go down and have it before I get there. Was in some really deep layed down grass yesterday and my older setter found the bird only to come out with tail feathers, she found it again and I reached in to get it and couldn’t see through the cover and grabbed her snout instead of the bird and the bird was gone again, look another 30 minutes and never found it. Only bird I’ve lost recently.
Click to expand...
There are times when it's walled out, you cannot walk in there. The dog may not be able to get in there.
 
It was like this except blow down more. Dogs were literally underneath and couldn’t see them except for grass moving.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top