Shot size and choke for crows?

P

Pyd

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Location
Ontario
I do a lot of solo hunting for crows, usually close shots and a modified choke, tonight I am heading out with two other guys and there is a good chance that we are going to stir them up a bit so I may need to tighten the choke up to a full for the longer shots, but I really don't know what to expect.
What do you guys use for chokes and shot size?

Thanks!
Pyd
 
i've always used full on the top and mod on the bottom with a 4 shot

in the 870 i use full and a 4 shot

i'm considering going larger than a 4 shot but it's not common in lead
 
I am going to be using a Beretta semi, with a full choke, and I have a box or two of 6's. I really want to bring my O/U, but it is going to be a rough walk and I am not a terribly good wing shooter, so that third shot may be the one I need.
 
Crows are not hard to kill but are often very challenging targets. This time of the year when there is plenty of cover they will offer close shots as well. IC or light modified is more than enough choke and fine shot such as 7 1/2 or 8 shot in a 3 dram trap load will kill them graveyard dead out to 40 yards. During the spring or fall when cover is sparse you might have to tighten up with the choke to modified or even full but I never shoot any shot size larger than 7 1/2's.
 
M12shooter said:
Crows are not hard to kill but are often very challenging targets. This time of the year when there is plenty of cover they will offer close shots as well. IC or light modified is more than enough choke and fine shot such as 7 1/2 or 8 shot in a 3 dram trap load will kill them graveyard dead out to 40 yards. During the spring or fall when cover is sparse you might have to tighten up with the choke to modified or even full but I never shoot any shot size larger than 7 1/2's.
Click to expand...


Right on! Perfect.
 
This may sound goofy to you all but my go to crow slayer is a 20 gauge 870 Express Youth with a 22" barrel and IC choke tube. Out to 40 yards not too many get away. No. 6 shot seems to be best for me. I've also shot a few in the 50 yard neighborhood.
I've killed ALOT of crows in the Essex ON area.
12 gauge and Mod is the ticket too, but that little Express I've been trying to sell fits me just right.
I think people that go full choke on crows are putting themselves at a real dis-advantage. Their flight and size are really decptive and are alot harder to hit than you think. Open that choke up and learn the lead for the days wind conditions and thats the ticket.
 
No 7-1/2 heavy trap loads are just about perfect out of modified choke, as M12 shooter previously stated. However, I have used 6's and full choke to good effect when pass shooting at a roost, but anything bigger will just allow the crow to pass through holes in a thin pattern.
 
cath8r said:
This may sound goofy to you all but my go to crow slayer is a 20 gauge 870 Express Youth with a 22" barrel and IC choke tube. Out to 40 yards not too many get away. No. 6 shot seems to be best for me. I've also shot a few in the 50 yard neighborhood.
I've killed ALOT of crows in the Essex ON area.
12 gauge and Mod is the ticket too, but that little Express I've been trying to sell fits me just right.
I think people that go full choke on crows are putting themselves at a real dis-advantage. Their flight and size are really decptive and are alot harder to hit than you think. Open that choke up and learn the lead for the days wind conditions and thats the ticket.
Click to expand...


Full choked shotguns IMO put most shooter's at a great disadvantage for 90 percent of their shooting. I have killed thousands of crows with 1 oz. of #8 shot out of a 16 gauge pump choked modified. A 20 choked IC would be just fine out to average crow range....but I would shoot 8 or 9 lead shot. Also the sub gauges seem to have a much softer report thus incomers are not spooked as much by shots. Not uncommon to have crows following their shot and dropping comrads into a blind when I shoot my 16's as if they are diving in for some kind of attack.:D
 
Pyd said:
I am going to be using a Beretta semi, with a full choke, and I have a box or two of 6's. I really want to bring my O/U, but it is going to be a rough walk and I am not a terribly good wing shooter, so that third shot may be the one I need.
Click to expand...

Bring the O/U, modified/full #6's...that combo works great. :)

If you are bringing the semi...modified choke would be my choice.
 
Half the posters advocate large shot and full chokes the other smaller shot and open chokes.
#4 buck is way too big for any bird short of an Ostrich.

95% of all wingshooting is best handled with Improved cylinder or modified chokes and 71/2 size shot regardless of gauge. Crows are fragile birds 8's work well and even 9's will work especially if you are using a sub-gauge as they give you better pattern density.
 
Turkeyslayer 1300 said:
Half the posters advocate large shot and full chokes the other smaller shot and open chokes.
#4 buck is way too big for any bird short of an Ostrich.

95% of all wingshooting is best handled with Improved cylinder or modified chokes and 71/2 size shot regardless of gauge. Crows are fragile birds 8's work well and even 9's will work especially if you are using a sub-gauge as they give you better pattern density.
Click to expand...

Got that right! Just pluck out your average crow and it will become very clear that the body is about the same size as a feral pigeon. They have large wing area as compared to body size making your crow's look much more robust than they actually are...and enables them to turn on a dime as well. Those that make claims that crows are "hard to kill" or "can carry a lot of shot" are shooting with larger shot sizes;)
 
M12shooter said:
Crows are not hard to kill but are often very challenging targets. This time of the year when there is plenty of cover they will offer close shots as well. IC or light modified is more than enough choke and fine shot such as 7 1/2 or 8 shot in a 3 dram trap load will kill them graveyard dead out to 40 yards. During the spring or fall when cover is sparse you might have to tighten up with the choke to modified or even full but I never shoot any shot size larger than 7 1/2's.
Click to expand...

look no further then that post...

cheers.
 
sillymike said:
Or we like to see the birds go 'poof'...
;)
Click to expand...

I highly doubt you "poofed" many crows with #4 buck, I don't even really think it would be safe to shoot #4 at aerial targets because it would carry so much farther than regular shot.

You get maybe 30 pellets in a load of #4 buck, compared to 7 1/2's were you would have mutliple hundreds of pellets , you ar far,far ,far more likely to "poof" a crow with an open choke and small shot.


Large shot and a full choke are handicaps and lead to poor patterns and even poorer shooting.
 
Turkeyslayer 1300 said:
You get maybe 30 pellets in a load of #4 buck, compared to 7 1/2's were you would have mutliple hundreds of pellets , you ar far,far ,far more likely to "poof" a crow with an open choke and small shot.
Click to expand...

actually, i believe 3 1/2" shells have 54 #4 buck ;)

if im hunting in an open field ill use my turkey choke to make things fun. let them get close before trying to make feathers fly and then quickly reload before they get away. the tight choke makes it harder for closer shots, but its awesome reaching way out there. at closer ranges i'll miss more with the tight choke, but its worth it seeing red mist and/or feathers flying.

i usually use 6's in 2 3/4", but i always have extra turkey loads from trades and such that ill use on crows. 2 1/4oz turkey loads do quite the number on a crow;)
 
canadian hunter312 said:
actually, i believe 3 1/2" shells have 54 #4 buck ;)

if im hunting in an open field ill use my turkey choke to make things fun. let them get close before trying to make feathers fly and then quickly reload before they get away. the tight choke makes it harder for closer shots, but its awesome reaching way out there. at closer ranges i'll miss more with the tight choke, but its worth it seeing red mist and/or feathers flying.

i usually use 6's in 2 3/4", but i always have extra turkey loads from trades and such that ill use on crows. 2 1/4oz turkey loads do quite the number on a crow;)
Click to expand...



I wouldn't want to fire 75 to 100 3 1/4 inch magnum loads in a morning of crow hunting even if I could afford the expensive ammo:eek:. Much more pleasant shooting trap loads through a lightly choked shotgun. With a tight choke your just going to spend a lot of time chasing cripples around as fringe hits at normal ranges will abound...unless you can point that well...I know I can't;). We all have our own style though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom