Codydawg - good posting and good advice. I train labs for upland hunting and have four of my own very good flushers/retrievers, and yes, an occasional bird still gets away. Codydawg makes a solid point about shells and that is what I want to address. Wild roosters are very tough and can, and will, get away if not hit with the proper load. Of all the shells I've tried, the Winchester DoubleX Magnum, 3", copper plated #5 shot knocks 'em hammer dead every time (assuming decent shot placement). The other key is to not take a shot that you know is too far. Yeah, you may be able to 'hit it', but you want to hit it good. Respect the animal you hunt, always use a lethal load and do not cripple if at all possible. That goes for big game as well as the birds. Just my 2 cents...