doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The perfect choke combination for quail

Sounds like a fun trip, CZ. What comprised the rest of the "slam"?

I know cylinder is likely enough for covey rises, unless they won't hold for the dog and get up "wild", which happens often. I just can't make myself ream out all the choke in that right barrel. I'm leaning towards what Joe W. likes, just a little choke in the right, and no more than .010" in the left. I can always drop in a spreader that will negate several points of constriction. I use spreaders a lot.

Thanks, SRH

StAAAAaaannn

Spreader loads over pointing dogs is a no no to some.....

Just saying

The Nebraska Upland slam comprises:
Ring neck pheasant
Northern Bobwhite quail
Greater Prairie Chicken
Sharp tailed grouse

You get a patch and a poster for completing it.

Lots of flooding in the Sandhills.
Very strange seeing cactus sticking out of ice.

That's nice, CZ. Thanks.

In the old days of wild bobwhites there was seldom a quail gun used in the South that was more open than IC. Men used what was sold and, unless someone ordered special chokes in a gun, very few were more open that that. With the old paper shells and no plastic shot cups the IC probably delivered something on the order of what today's shells would out of a .005", or skeet, choke.

My use of a spreader would likely be limited to flushes on woodcock. I've never seen a woodcock flush yet that would endanger a dog with a spreader load. They don't get up like quail. They go UP first.

SRH

Stan,
As a Michigan grouse and woodcock hunter, I've been doing very well with .003 right and .011 left which is how my Churchill came choked, and I have been very happy with it. My shell of choice has been RST's #7's in both barrels.
I hope this helps,
Karl

A happy and peaceful Thanksgiving to all!

That sounds like a great combination, Karl. Thanks.

Is that in a 20, or another gauge?

SRH

When I hunted quail a lot, I would pace off the distance of many of the birds I shot. The majority were between 17 and 21 yards. Thirty yards would have been a very long shot for me. My 20 gauge fox is .005 and .012.

With a little lightweight gun like this one I have a tendency to get on a quail too quickly, occasionally. Not everytime, of course, but enough to know better than to have too much choke in the first barrel.

Woodcock ......... now that's another story. I'm still in the novice stage with them. Gil (GLS) is coaching me, but I'm afraid he's gonna give it up as a lost cause before we see much improvement. Maybe this gun will help ............ anyone ever heard that before?

SRH

Stan,
The gun I mentioned is a Churchill 2 1/2" 12 gauge. It was purchased because it was light and quick, perfect for grouse and woodcock hunting all day. Early season finds me using a #8's/#7's combination right and left, switching to #7's and #6's when the leaves drop.
When I shoot for hunt tests that plant quail, I use #8 1/2 and #7's.
Best of luck for your woodcock hunting, they are certainly addictive little birds, one of my favorites!
Karl

Best bird shot I ever hunted with shot a Browning A-5 16ga with a cylinder fixed choke. He often dropped three on a covey rise. He in fact was my maternal Grandfather and I shot the gun for a while after his demise, but was never as good with it as he was. My son John has the gun now...Geo

Screw in chokes are of course the correct answer to Stan's question. Conditions dictate choke need.

P.S.: Personally, my favorite bird gun is a Reilly sxs with M&F chokes. I shoot it with spreaders.