Waterfowl (goose) hunters

dannymat

dannymat

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Hamilton, Ontario
I've used a few different brands of ammo but find that my gun and myself both seem to like the Federal Premium Black Cloud (BB). Some of the guys that i hunt with think I'm nuts for spending $30 a box, when their stuff is half the price.

Well what do you guys shoot?
 
I've heard from dozens of hunters that had problems with other brands and use nothing but Black Cloud now.
Silverado and I had a conversation about this this very morning as a matter of fact.
A guy came into the store and bought all the Black Cloud he had there!:rolleyes:
We are not sure weather it is the special wad used, or the design of the pellets, but it seems to work for some guys.
Another common statement besides it's killing power is that Black Cloud really tears up goose breasts.

I shoot #2 or 4 steel myself - either 2 3/4" or 3", and have never had a problem killing geese or ducks - I shoot a 20 gauge.
The thing is however, is that I RARELY kill downed birds that are shot in the breast as I swing using the head as a target on my birds, not the body. I don't pass shoot, I decoy them into about 25 yards - but have killed some at over 40.
Cat
 
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Winchester 3" BB 1 1/8 shot, when it is on sale for a 100 pack. ($47.99 at Cabelas)

Other times, Challenger for $14.99 for 25.

IMO, shoot what you like. Try out a few different things to see what works.
 
My 870 does well with Federal Speed-Shok 3" bb's Either 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 oz. It's quite cheap, and I once jumped some geese and killed two with one shot!

This season I've been playing with Remington Sportsman Hi-Speed Steel bb's in 3". Pricier, but the box is cooler :p

The expensive Wingmaster HD's in #4 for ducks kept jamming when I tried to spit spent shellls, so they are now banished. They were the most expensive shells I've ever used, as I've never tried hi density loads - only lead and steel.

I guess I am lucky that my shotgun like cheap ammo, I can blast as much as I can carry.
 
We can't keep BlackCloud on the shelves. Every hunter that comes in swears that it kills better than other steel shot hands down.

Cat mentioned this, but with steel, head shots are key.
 
I have patterned a few loads in my gun and the best of them was cheap 3" Win X-pert 1-1/8oz BB (got a flat of them on the EE for $100 earlier this year). No problems bringing birds down with them either. I wouldn't mind trying the Blackcloud, but can't see myself spending that kind of money when I already have an effective load.

Jim
 
i just recently used remington high speed #4 and it works great even on body shots although there only bout 30 yards away when i shoot but it works good haven't tried blackcloud as my old 12guage 870 wingmaster only takes 2 3/4
 
shoot any brand of ammo that you and your gun like... for shot size, i personally use anything between #2 and #4... i prefer the #4 though... i think at that high speed, the smaller pellets have better penetration... first goose this season, i shot with #3, and got the pellets after cooking from the heart and liver...
 
I'm still experimenting with my new semi to find the perfect waterfowl load, but I've knocked a few down with black cloud 2&3/4 #4's and remington #4's.

I will never be a fan of steel though... most ducks aren't dead when they hit the water, and if you don't get them quick enough, they can get away.

I miss lead sooo much.
 
I use the 3'' win expert BB cheapos killed quite a few geese this year with it cant go wrong for 9.99 at gander mtn.
 
Hmm, I was typing a reply when all of a sudden it disappeared..........:confused:

And I am a two-finger typist so that really screws with my head. :mad:

Anyways, what I was saying is that I have tried a lot of loads since we had to switch to steel, but have not tried Black Cloud (yet). What I have found is a HUGE difference with high speed ammo.

With the high speed ammo I aim at the goose's beak on shorter shots, and only lead about a foot for longer shots. It really gets on target very quickly.

I have been hunting geese for the last three seasons with Winchester XPERT Hi-Velocity (1550 fps) steel BBs, and they work exceptionally well for me in my 12 ga 3" Remington 11-87. I never shot a triple before I switched to this ammo, but have done so a number of times since, and have taken some long shots (with confidence beforehand) and watched the goose fold like a cheap suitcase. We have been buying it for about twelve bucks a box (25), which is more reasonable than many of the other ammo we have tried.

But as always, MOST shotguns (and most rifles) have a preference for one type of ammo over another. Choke choice makes a difference too of course, and I am shooting through a Wad Wizard, which works like a charm.

We take the breasts and legs off the geese we shoot, and the XPERT shot does not tend to stay in the meat and nor does it tend to cause too much damage.

Anyways those are my observations from quite a bit of goose hunting. I do not have any opinion about duck loads, not having shot enough ducks with steel shot to form an opinion yet. A buddy of mine who does hunt a lot of ducks has been using steel #2s in a Federal offering, and reports good success.

Doug
 
I agree with Doug, I love the speed stuff. However I did try both the experts and the Kents in my gun and found both patterned pretty much the same. But on a previous post a while back, some people were saying the Kent is built a little better internally, Im not sure. So bottom line I shoot the Kent. Now I shoot the 3 1/2, just because I like the idea of lots of payload, (1 3/8 oz.) with lots of speed. It does however boil down to whatever patterns the best in your gun!!
 
back to Cletus, what are you paying for the Kent? I agree they make excellent shotshells, but for a long while we could not get them here, and when we could they were quite expensive. (Kent Fasteel)

Doug
 
tried out some 3" BB black cloud out of a mod choke last week. got 5 birds with 6 shots. all pellets were in the head/neck area except for ONE of the slicer pellets that left a big blood shot area in the breast. id hate to see a bird get whacked in the breasts at closer ranges...

birds went down with authority which i consider quite good since i was jump shooting. think ill stick with black clouds for now.
 
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