Partridge opened here on the 17th (yesterday). Took my GSP out for the first time in our field and found a small group of them (covey?). He got to them before I could catch up and they flushed out of range. He did his job, I was just too slow :-) Currently I'm shooting a Benelli Nova 20 gauge. It has worked great for me, and I've had no trouble knocking down grouse and chuckar with it. I intend to try waterfowl as well this fall, but would prefer to have a 12 gauge for that.