20 gauge steel shot

I hunted wild South Dakota Pheasants with factory (Federal) 16 gauge steel #4 15/16 oz. If the birds got out past 30 yards it did not work well at all. Cripples and actually hearing shot hit the birds was common place. I switched to the same load in #2 and it made all of the difference. Now back to you #2 steel is really only viable in a 3" magnum 20 bore cartridge. A buddy shot lots of the same wild pheasants with 3" magnum #2 and it worked well. Long story short, steel #4 in factory 20 bore loadings is cruel and irresponsible in my opinion.
Darryl
 
madtrapper143 thanks for your reply . a little back to my question I hunt an area for waterfowl that does hold some pheasants . the waterfowl tends to be wood ducks and green wing teal . I have been shooting 3" 7/8 oz #4 steel on the ducks and it does very well as the distances are short inside of 25 yards . occasionally I will put a pheasant up while navigating the series of ponds where the ducks hang out . these flushes are generally a bit longer 25 to 30 yards . this year I intend to go back looking specifically for pheasants with your advice it will be with 1oz of #2 steel I was able to buy recently . 7/8 oz 20 ga steel seems to be the most available pay load weight around here . also this year I bought some 3/4 oz #6 steel to use on a couple of conservation properties where I have permission to hunt ruffed grouse .
 
While I won't use steel on pheasants my experience is similar as above but with ducks. #4 steel kills them in the dekes inside 25. yards. 30 yard shots often don't fold the ducks especially divers. It does bring them down. #2 steel cracks them pretty good to 40 I tried #6 shot for raking cripples on the water and past 30 yards it wouldn't even kill a crippled canvasback swimming away. You could see where the pellets even hit the head and beak but lacked the power to penetrate.
As for chokes I use cylinder and ic as they patterned better than most and improved mod
 
the spank said:
Well I kill mallards no problem with Federal Speed Shok 2 3/4" 3/4 oz #4 steel so I imagine it would be plenty on roosters.
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When I first started shooting geese ad ducks steel out of a 20 , my friends and were surrised that the Federal Premium and Speed shok 2 3/4" ammo worked far better as far as patterns and killing goes than the Winchester 3" stuff I had brought along - both in #4.
I also use Kent Fassteel in 2's and 4's and really like it.
Cat
 
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