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for a 16 gauge when you're pheasant hunting? Released birds. First week. #6 shot. Model 12 shotgun. I thought I'd try IM. What say ye?

Improved Cylinder is perfect for pointed birds or released birds

These are a bit much



These smell GOOD

Jimmy,
Sounds like you need to get into a daily exercise routine.

This is what my afternoon looked like. 47 minutes was all that it took. On public land. Of course, I had a dog. A rather good one, in fact.



The first one dropped 100 yds from the truck after a 70 yd track, the second was only 50 yds further. Don't give up - get out there!

And start moving, every day.

I was wondering how you did. Nice job! It took me about an hour to get my three in your state’s upper reaches. Connecting on roosters with the very first three shots out of my new shotgun made me glad I bought it. The sky was sorta parkerized today, nice northwest wind.

I bought the Federals yesterday. I don't have a reloader to load 16 oz. Just 12 or 20. And I don't have access to #6 shot. Only 7 1/2, 8 or 9. The Winchesters are about 20 years old. I have never hunted with this gun before (only a few rounds of skeet) so I thought I would try it out. It has interchangeable chokes. I can always use my 12 gauge Model 21- chokes are opened to cyl/cyl. 1 1/8 oz. of 7 1/2. That is what I always used before. I won't be using my dog. Just walk up.Thanks

For release birds I’d choose either cylinder or IC at most. One ounce of #7 or #6 shot and about 1175 fps. Out to about 30-35 yards you’ll bag about all of them if you do your part. Good luck!

You're going to try walking up pheasants on a preserve? No dog? I grew up hunting pheasants dogless in Iowa when we had a lot of them. Mostly hunted road ditches, which is legal there. But preserves tend to have too much good cover for dogless walk up to be effective. If I were you, assuming the preserve offers the services of a guide and a dog, I'd spend the extra bucks.

I have recently discovered, in shooting sporting clays, that I score more hits with light Mod. (.015") tubes in both barrels, at all range targets from 20-55 yards, than any other choke combo. That being said, I shoot a Kolar shotgun, which has .740" oversized bores, and the forcing cones are minimal, which I'm sure evens out the patterns. I ask my fellow shooters, especially the ones who hit targets consistently, and they almost all shoot IC/Mod fixed chokes, or light Mod as I do. The sole exception is one fellow who shoots a Zoli O/U 12 that has .027" fixed chokes top & bottom, and crushes targets at all distances up to 60 yards out. My ability is such that I probably couldn't break anything with his gun. Don't know if this helps you at all, but there it is. Sandlapper

Somebody uses 1 1/4 oz in a 16? Whew.

Released birds, 1st week, I’d think an ounce of 6s with an IC choke would be more than adequate.

Have a safe trip.

Best,
Ted

No reason not to take a nap if that's what feels good. After all, this is about enjoying yourself. Gus and I have been known to do that on a sunny day in thick stuff.



It gets thick where we hunt. Sometimes REALLY thick


Which is why Gus always wears colors

I know. Where I was first hunting there was absolutely nothing for them to eat. Even though they had released birds there. Just weeds. There are about 4 hunting areas at that location, and when I drove past the second area, there were corn fields that had been harvested all around. That is where I should have hunted. I'll know better next time.

Just got back to reality! 5 weeks in MN hunting Ruffs and Pheasant. What a great year for Grouse, outstanding at least where I was. To the OP's question, shot all grouse with a Cyl. choked 1100 and a SKB 100 choked SK/Mod, both in 20Ga. Shot wild pheasants with the same guns. Number 6 shot for all. High end copper plated 1 Oz. for the Pheasants though. My usually pointing sometimes flushing dog at least stayed close enough, mostly! Was excellent on retrieves, the best part!
Ted, no need to wait for a freeze, slews are dry, leather boot dry. Now the Vikings? Well, you know.

Chief

There’s no solitude quite like late season pheasant hunting under the gunmetal skies of December.

NICE!

I only needed 3 shells as well. Not the norm for me.

Skies here were brighter than the best nitre blue. At 47 degrees F, a perfect day.

Glad to hear you had a good trip. I had a most enjoyable 1 week trip for grouse up near the Canadian border. Been years since I’ve seen bird numbers like this year.

I’ve hunted a spot in Steele and Waseca counties for most of my life. The slew on that property runs 6-8 feet deep, with islands of cover that are unreachable unless it is frozen. After the corn is out, you know exactly where the birds will be, and few bird hunters have the gumption to walk the ice and cat tails to get out there and do it. It is spooky if it isn’t well frozen, but, nirvana if the conditions are right.

I thought I’d get across it in hip waders one time, when I was younger, and got a cold surprise.

Deer season is in full swing at the moment, I’ll get the property cleaned up and take care of the paperwork to keep my son in his last year of private, catholic school this weekend. Pheasant season doesn’t really begin in my world until deer season is over, and it cools down.

Best,
Ted