rodburner72

Hey guys, lots of good posts but couldn't find info on what I was needing to know. I have hunted quail for several years. I always hunted with a 12 ga. and never had a problem with birds if I could hit them. I got a 20 ga. and can hit a lot better with it but I'm not killing a lot of birds. I knock them down but unless I'm real close to them I only wound them and have to rely on my dog to track them down and catch them. I was wondering if I changed loads if it would make a difference. I am using 7 1/2 now but was thinking about trying 6's or maybe even 7's. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks for all the great input.

JW

Have you patterned the gun?
What chokes you have in it now?

You say you used a 12 ga and if you could hit them younever had a problem. Then went to a 20 - you can hit alot better but are not kiling them real well. Well the 12 has more pellets to the shot load compared to a 20. So it makes me wonder what choke you are using. A more open choke you will cripple more birds.

You can use 6s but for close shots that might be a problem on quail. I use 6s as in the area I huntas I also have pheasant. But - Quail those littlerockets will sure fool ya. Many timesI was sureI whacked em good only to find they burrowed down real well which made it harder for the dog to find.

JW

rodburner72

I did pattern the gun.I was shooting a I/C but changed it to skeet. It's a Benelli Montefeltro. The pattern is still pretty small but I have hit more. With the I/C I couldn't hardly hit one. It was a very small pattern. At least it looked like it to me. I shot an old house and could see the bb impressions in the wood. I changed chokes and it widened out a little but not much. I may need to close the choke down and just get to be a better shot. Those little quail are hard for me to hit. I never have been a good shot but I love to go and watch the dog work. I usually bring home two or three birds. Thanks JW!

JW

hey RD - shoot trap or skeet more or both.
Trap teaches you angles and skeet teaches you how to swing the gun. For quail and pheasants as I run into both in the areas I hunt I use #6 2/34 in a 20 ga. Chokes - IC and Mod in my O&U

On very windy days I change to Impr Mod and mod or mod and full. On birds that sit real tight that day I change to cyl and IC as it is all close range shooting........wider is better

JW

rodburner72

Thanks JW but I don't have any place I can shoot skeet. I live out in the booney's and there's not much that goes on around here. I could probably find a place but would have to drive quite a ways. I do have a thrower and I shoot clay pigeons but don't have any problem hitting them. I think the angles is what gets me. I might not lead a bird or I might lead too much. Also, when they are flying away, I have trouble and I thought that was supposed to be the easiest shot. I don't know, I love to go and will not quit even though I get frustrated at myself sometimes. Thanks for all the info. I just thought I might try some bigger shot or something. I noticed that mine are 2 1/2's, would that make a difference? Thanks again!!

rodburner72

I was wrong on my shell they are 2 3/4 but I think I found the problem. I need to put a different shim in my gun to drop the barrel down. I've been shooting over the birds and I guess I get just enough of them to wound them. I'm going to change the shim and see if that helps but there are only four more days in the quail season here in OK so I may not get to see if it works this year but will be ready next year. Thanks again JW!

MosesLakehunter

I would stick with the IC and shoot more clays to get comfortable with the gun. Stick with 7 1/2s IMO. I personally rather miss a bird completely than cripple it so I tighten my choke and spend more time on the trap range.

rodburner72

Well I went out and tried my gun and I killed four in an hour. I did miss one but it was my fault. I got hung up on my coat when I was raisng my gun. The change seemed to work very well. I didn't wound any and my dog found them all. Season is over now so I'll have to try it again next year. Thanks guys for the greatinfo!!