ORIGINAL: iloveto4x4innc
Three of us are hunting a small pond. 2 of us are using 12ga. 3" with #4 steel, the other is using 12ga 31/2" with #4. None of us are able to kill a duck with one shot. 2 of us hit the same duck 5 times before we got him killed. We're only shooting at 30-40yrds. Should we switch to a heavier shot, like #2, switch to a tighter choke, what? It's getting frustrating throwing so much shot at one bird to kill it. The only time I've managed to kill one with less than 3 shots was with BB which was the last round in the mag on the previous duck that I missed, so it was in the chamber when I reloaded with #4s.
I think all 3 of us are using mod. chokes in our guns. Should we go to full or even tighter?
This won't help us much on this season since it closes in 2 days, but the next season opens Dec. 16th.
Thanks in anvance
Nobody will probably agree with what I'm about to say, but I like #2 steel with a steel rated full choke. I guess I'd rather hit em hard or miss em completely that to hit em with a more open pattern 3 times and watch em fly off limping. Now I do realize some folks use IC and MOD with success and that's great but it doesn't work for me.
BTW I have felt the frustration you speak of and I almost quit duck hunting because of it.