shotgun shells debate
12-14-2008, 10:08 AM
#44
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 112
RE: shotgun shells debate
It's been interesting reading everyone's opinions about Black Clouds. I'll agree that they do a very good job of killing ducks stone dead, but I really do not like them and prefer that none of my guests in my blind use them. The reason is that they tear the hell out of the birds. We like to eat our ducks, and pluck them by waxing them. It's harder to properly wax a bird when his breast is torn open, and the birds often have large holes or tears in them with Black Clouds.
Perhaps our shooting is different than most on here do, I don't know. We hunt decoying birds, and 90% of the ducks we kill are 35 yards and closer. For our hunting, I've never seen a need for anything larger than a 2 3/4" gun shooting standard 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 ounce loads in 4s, 5s, or 6s, depending on what we're shooting. If steel, then we use 4s; if shooting Hevishot the shot size really doesn't matter. Heck, the shotgun I've used for ducks over the last 27 years only has a 26" IC barrel on it; so maybemy experience isn't typical.
Perhaps our shooting is different than most on here do, I don't know. We hunt decoying birds, and 90% of the ducks we kill are 35 yards and closer. For our hunting, I've never seen a need for anything larger than a 2 3/4" gun shooting standard 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 ounce loads in 4s, 5s, or 6s, depending on what we're shooting. If steel, then we use 4s; if shooting Hevishot the shot size really doesn't matter. Heck, the shotgun I've used for ducks over the last 27 years only has a 26" IC barrel on it; so maybemy experience isn't typical.
12-18-2008, 08:55 AM
#46
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: down in a hole
Posts: 1,441
RE: shotgun shells debate
Well Luckydog, I bit the bullet and tried out the Blackclouds out of my new 11-87 Sportsman... I couldn't be more impressed! Two mornings ago we had two woodies lightto the north ofour spread. I didn't see them until the last second because of the dense fog, but I threw up put one on the rear duck at about 35 yards and he dropped no problem. (I waded out to him and he had about 15 pellets in him, and the feathers just exploded off of him wheneverI shot.) I was waitin for my buddy to shoot, but he was having safety problems, so I shot one more time at her and hit her, but she kept on flyin... I think this was too far of a shot for my gun anyway. My buddy finally pulled off a shot and dropped her. She was crippled and he had to wade across the "goop" to go get her.
Anyway, the blackclouds killed that bird slap dead! I'm glad you talked me into buyin a box.
Anyway, the blackclouds killed that bird slap dead! I'm glad you talked me into buyin a box.
12-18-2008, 09:48 PM
#47
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Huntin' In Colorado
Posts: 2,910
RE: shotgun shells debate
Chris, I'm glad you did good. I have been switching chokes from improved to modified. I'm kinda of leaning to improved. I still think they are the best shells I have ever used, without spending an arm and a leg.
I only shoot decoyed birds. If they start getting to proud of the Black Clouds, I will quickly switch back to Kent.
Good job on the birds!!!
I only shoot decoyed birds. If they start getting to proud of the Black Clouds, I will quickly switch back to Kent.
Good job on the birds!!!
