doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Avoiding Two Birds with One Shot

I don't think your going to hurt the overall population of Bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus} as long as your hunting these Texas bobwhite

LOL best, Mike

Mike if you went to size 7 1/2 shot and shot the same 5/8 load you would drop your number of pellets from 355 to 211 which should reduce the chance of stray pellets hitting non intended targeted birds. I know after all the shooting lessons given and taken by you and your gang this seems like over kill.

Perhaps you could go in another direction. Start by removing all the pellets and see if your wad is killing the second bird. If not then increase your shell's payload one pellet in the load at a time until you find the ultimate load. Perhaps a shot of your repute needs only one pellet or as you are getting up there in years you need more, like five or six. This should be more fair to the birds and not waste as many pellets with overkill you are experiencing.

Your concern about not killing too many quail is admirable but did you consider what may happen if others had your lease? I have seen too many lease taken by groups who compare number of birds killed with the lengthen of their peckers. Only happy with big kill numbers to brag about their shooting ability and willing to shoot until past dark or until the last bird has been killed on a lease. A good steward, such as your self, should not be too upset about an occasional accidental double. Some claim every bird you kill is the result of an accident or divine intervention, not of the side of the bird. Nasty things some friends say, nasty or envious.

Mike,
If you and Joe switch glasses, I think that will solve the original problem.

GaryW,

The "chemicals' sprayed were a real problem many years ago, not today. The pesticides sprayed today are almost all pyrethrin based, made from chrysanthemums, which are totally harmless to quail, and people as well. There were some bad ones when I first started farming in the early '70s, almost none in use today, and haven't been for many years. It's a hard idea to get out of most peoples minds, tho'. Interestingly, Mexico still uses a lot of the the bad stuff we banned from use years ago, and still has quail. Kinda makes you step back and question the old belief that "chemicals" contributed to the demise of bobs.

I am still very interested in research ongoing, that what happened to quail across the South, and is happening in parts of Texas and Oklahoma according to articles I read, is something completely undreamed of a few years ago ......... a parasite.

Amarillo Mike, I've been "iced in" for about three days with no electricity and had to catch up on this thread tonight. Good reading. I'm with Chuck and Gary on the gun, try the little gun. Guarantee you it will reduce the overall number you put in the game pouch, which in a roundabout way may just bring about the desired result, which is taking less birds inadvertently out of a covey. No. 8s and tight chokes out of a .410. I can't remember ever taking two at one shot with mine, but will admit to not killing as many overall in a season as ya'll today. But we sure did in the old days.

SRH

If your intent is to not reduce the coveys during this cycle, why load poppers. Mount one of the Go Pro cameras on the gun and video tape the popper load going off. Might prove instructive and something interesting to pursue while the coveys are small.

I guarantee you'll take less game with a 410 and will be rewarded greater for the fewer birds you put in your bag.

Mike, take me and if you can learn by example, I will show you how to not only not to take two with one shot, but as a bonus, how to not take one with many shots. Gil

You don't need a new gun or less shot. Just let them rise, then only take the tough shots. This time of year the birds ought to be running and good shots should few and far between anyway. Another way is to knock of earlier in the day. The birds don't start bunching up again until close to sun down when they are covying up to bed down. Instead of breaking up covies, I always used the end of the day to retrace my steps to where I think I might have wounded a bird that is unlikely to last the night. A wounded bird will start calling for help toward the end of the day.

A most enjoyable thread. Here in the Rolling Plains we try and protect any covey we happen to find. We have noticed more birds this year than in the past several years. We seem to think moisture at the right time of the year is the crucial element.

tks,
jcn