Rammer

I'm willing to put money on the best hunting since the early days 30s-50sif there isn't any bad weather. You have to play dodgeball to avoid them all day long.

huntingbuddy419

i shoot an 870 wingmaster with an mod choke, its the only one I can shoot since the gun doesnt have removable choke (yea its that old still works like a charm) I shoot 4's all season, make sure its the high velocity really doesnt matter what brand just make sure its not russian. I like the federal. A nova is a good gun too. Rammer ever heard of Horse Shoe K Ranch about 20 miles east of kimball. thats where I hunt great place. How did you do after that big storm last year in december. I was there after that it was pretty crazy, and damn cold.

Flairball

What gun? What shot size? What a loaded question? If we can all agree on this one we'll have to start working on world peace next.

I'd say carry the gun you shoot the best. 90% of wing shooting is gun fit, and probably the gun you shoot best is the one that fits best. I like 20's, but 12's and 16's have their place in the field too.

As for shot size, I like 6's, but shooting at released birds here in N.E. so,.... How well the shot performs on the birds will only be decided in the field, so I'd recomend bringing a couple different sizes, and loads, and deciding as you see what works best. Just stick to common shot size/load combinations you can pick up at any sporting goods store.

Enough can't be said about shooting a lot either. Shoot twice a week, and regardless of what you choose you'll put the pellets where they need to be.

good luck

Rammer

I'm not familiar with the place you hunt, kinda out of my area. I do have an uncle that guides in Presho. We actually turned out very well after the big ice storm. We thought that we were going to lose all of our pheasants after it. I actually never found a single dead pheasant after that storm, I'm not sure how they did it, but they survived it. I'm starting to see tons an tons of lil golfball to tennis ball sized chicks following mommy around now. We are kinda waiting for 'em to get a bit bigger so we can put up hay without killing all of 'em.

huntingbuddy419

good glad to see that, hay has pretty much killed all pheasants in Idaho which is where used to hunt we still do a little but not as much as south dakota, where they actually care about the pheasants. we did good after the storm we found the birds all right, but like I said it was just so damn cold

wayomic

"Dad's" Ithica side-by-side 12ga circa 1893, when I can manage to borrow it AND he is gracious enough to let me use some ofthehandloadshe makes for it. His "I don't remember the make" 28ga side-by-side circa 1935 when the Ithica isn't available.
Otherwise it's my old stand-by Remington870 or my Baikal O/U 12ga.

For Pheasants I would prefer to get a nice 20 or 28 O/U or S/S when I can afford one. (missed out on one like Dad's, guy only wanted $300, it was worth at least $500+ according to a gunsmith I know, but I didn't have any cash to hold it and when I got back the next day it was sold)

putyourheadthere

I was in much the same circumstances as you, except I hunted with a trusty 12 gauge remington 1100 most my life, for not just waterfowl, but just about everything. When I decided to get serious about upland last year, I settled on a 20 guage beretta o/u silver pigeon s, and haven't looked back. Why get another 12 gauge? The 20 gauge is perfect for upland. Great pheasant gun, and perfect for grouse (see www.huntinggrouse.com), woodcock (www.woodcockhunting.ca)...etc.

Get the 20 gauge.Make sure it's a true 20 gauge i.e. lighter weight - less than 63/4lbs, and not just a 12 gauge with 20 gauge barrels. As forbrand - it's all in the fit!Shoulder a lotof guns with your eyes closed, and when you open your eyes, see how the beads line up.

DU had a good video on finding the proper fit. I can't find it. Try www.saskatchewanduckhunting.com

moosehunter21

12 guage 2 3/4 in # 6 shot is what I use for grouse.

rexmo435

I use an EAA 20 ga with improved and mod chokes early and then mod and full later. Have had no trouble knocking down birds with 2 3/4 inch loads with no. 6 shot. The option of 3" shells is also nice to have and the light weight feels so good at the end of the day.

Rawhide507

Would love to have a fancy O/U someday, but until then my well worn Mossberg 500 with #4 shot does the job on pheasants. I have seen lots of 20's that do a good job.