a few pheasant hunting questions.
 

1.) which barrel do you shoot from first on an o/u first.

2.) what size choke tubes do you use on your o/u when pheasant hunt.

3.) what shot size do you use. ( I use a 20 gauge )

4.) can you recomend an orange upland game vest.

Thank You

1. I shoot the lower first. Personal preference on that one. Generally are coming up on a bird and I tend to shoot high if I shoot top first, gives me a little compensations shooting the under.

2. Improved on bottom and modified on the top, both in my 20 and 12

3. 7 1/2 and know your limitations.

4. I use a Carhartt vest and love it. Many quality vests out there. Try a few on and see what you like.

Totally agree on the barrels. Totally disagree on shot size. I go with one ounce of #6. 7-1/2 just seems to tickle them at any range above 25 yards. #6 makes a kill much more likely & doesn't beat up the meat too badly.

1) under is traditionally shot first due to recoil jump reduction
2) modified on the bottom full on top
3) 3" #6's will give you more range out of a 20ga
4) try a couple on and see what you like best. i really like my bob allen

Barrel selection usually depends on the choke needed for the distance you are from the flush. If you have a close hunting dog and birds are not flushing wild you may try Mod on top and Imp. on the bottom and shoot the Imp first. For the early part of the season I use 6's and as the birds come into full plumage you may want to move to 5's or even 4's if 5's not available. Kent makes reasonably priced 5's- at least in 12 gauge. Late season birds will get up farther away so you may want to switch to Full/Mod. Keep your talking to a minimum when hunting in the late season. As for vests, if you hunt with dogs or with friends with dogs a vest with a water bladder is always appreciated. There are lots to select from.

I would like to add, if during the early season pheasants are holding, it doesn't matter which barrel you shoot first. A good fitting shotgun remains key but always shoot the most open choke first.

Steel shot: if you have to use steel; a good general rule is use shotsize two sizes smaller, ie. #6 ~= #4 steel. Also, remember to check to see if your gun can handle steel.

My Franchi Renaissance has selective triggers and after trying a few different ways, I've gone to bottom first, then top. I know it's mentioned by some to shoot top first, but I feel the need to get a better bead on a 2nd (further) shot and do better that way. I also shoot 6's or even 5's depending on where I'm hunting and how late or early in the season it is. I'll have to shift to non-tox soon, so stay tuned for that experiment. I also bought a Mother brand upland vest last year. I will never buy another vest...ever.

1) bottom

2) imp cyl bottom/ mod top

3) 5 or 6 depends on the wind. sometimes 4

4) Thats something you have to figure out yourself. I like the ones with lots of pockets.

1) Under barrel first. More in line and lower to your shoulder which helps you recover from recoil a bit better. On O/U's without a selective trigger, the UNDER barrel always fires first.
2) IC/M over a pointing dog. Early season I sometimes use SKT/MOD. When birds flush wild or out a ways, switch to MOD/FUL
3) 6's. You'll get less cripples. I prefer #5's later in the season. Over a pointing dog I get away with 7/8 oz. loads. Will switch later in the season to one-ounce loads.
4) A lot of vests and coats out there to choose from. One's with many cavernous pockets to carry lots of stuff are best. You carry more than just shells afield threse days. I.E. Water, first-aid kit, compass, etc. It's nice to have something to carry them in comfortably.