Upland Birdshot Selection

[canadian hunter312]

That’s one of the things I love about rifle sights on a Turkey barrel, they are adjustable.

I generally set it up so the pattern is a hair high, put the front sight on the head of the grouse/rabbit and I’m head shooting at most ranges. The shot pattern bottom half hits the head and not the meat, if I do get a pellet in the meat it’s just the odd one.

When I’m out at 40y or the odd 50y I aim for the neck/shoulders, you get the odd pellet in the meat but the pattern starts spreading so it’s never much meat damage.

You can crank out headshots on rabbit and grouse at 40-50 yards using a scattergun with only the odd pellet in the meat? I wasn't aware we have the worlds best shotgunner here on CGN.


Personally, I stick to 4's and 5's. They go through brush better and the majority of pellets are pass throughs and prevent the dreaded crunch on pellets while eating. Growing up, I use to hate eating game my elders shot as it was always full of tiny little 7-8 shot.

 

[sillymike]

You can crank out headshots on rabbit and grouse at 40-50 yards using a scattergun with only the odd pellet in the meat? I wasn't aware we have the worlds best shotgunner here on CGN.

That's the only reason I hunt with double's: Bird flush next you, you try aim slightly off to the catch it with the edge of the pattern (to not literally blow them up)... You miss... Wait for the bird to take some distance, shoot and kill it...
- At least that how it works for me... Or why I'll hunt with a single (to save on wasted ammo), wait 2 seconds to get a clean shot and fell the bird.

 

[Butcherbill]

You can crank out headshots on rabbit and grouse at 40-50 yards using a scattergun with only the odd pellet in the meat?

I’ve been known to have it happen out to 40y, with the right choke and pattern. You always end up with a couple pellets in the meat but you’ll still head shoot them. I’m not talking about wing shooting, I’m shooting them on the ground. Rabbits I generally shoot with a .22 but it’s the same poa as grouse if I shoot it with a 12g. You saying you don’t think it’s possible?

 

[Brutus]

I’ve been known to have it happen out to 40y, with the right choke and pattern. You always end up with a couple pellets in the meat but you’ll still head shoot them. I’m not talking about wing shooting, I’m shooting them on the ground. Rabbits I generally shoot with a .22 but it’s the same poa as grouse if I shoot it with a 12g. You saying you don’t think it’s possible?

Chokes can do some pretty bizarre things. I have a discontinued Cation extra full turkey choke. You look through it it has straight rifling(?) The manufacturer info says it creates a very even pattern.
Which is seemingly true. That rabbit previously mentioned, had maybe five or six pellets inside it. (low brass Canuck #4 lead 2 3/4 12 gauge)
Very evenly spaced apart. Strange. But effective.

 

[XTGUN]

You can crank out headshots on rabbit and grouse at 40-50 yards using a scattergun with only the odd pellet in the meat? I wasn't aware we have the worlds best shotgunner here on CGN.


Personally, I stick to 4's and 5's. They go through brush better and the majority of pellets are pass throughs and prevent the dreaded crunch on pellets while eating. Growing up, I use to hate eating game my elders shot as it was always full of tiny little 7-8 shot.

I'm in your boat. Shot a grouse on the wing (flying) with some random 7.5 shotshell i found on the ground, it must have got up and walked away when I was searching the thick brush.
#4 seems to hold its range, knock em down, and pass right through 'em good. I think ive total recovered 2 pellets and they are easy to find. 7.5 in the meat sounds like a pain in the butt!

 

[Redsoilreaper]

i have shot ruffies and spruce hens with everything from max dram 4's to #9 skeet loads , in every gauge from 10 to 410 , black powder muzzle loaders and smokeless cartridges.
If you are on the bird they die, period.
Partridge are very easy to kill .
The birds I killed the other day I was using 7/8 oz of #7 1/5 lead running around 1190 FPS in a 16 gauge hammer gun
Cat

Right there with you, in regards to the #9 skeet loads in .410 to well 12 gauge.

 

[redbirddog]

6 lead

Is the way to go!

 

[stubblejumper]

I'm in your boat. Shot a grouse on the wing (flying) with some random 7.5 shotshell i found on the ground, it must have got up and walked away when I was searching the thick brush.
#4 seems to hold its range, knock em down, and pass right through 'em good. I think ive total recovered 2 pellets and they are easy to find. 7.5 in the meat sounds like a pain in the butt!

If you shoot flushing birds, most pellets strike the back/head/neck area, and #7-1/2 don't often make it through to the breast, while #4 do. If you are ground swatting, use a tight choke, shoot high, and pellets in the breast are rare.