waterfowl advice
 

my name is kevin chacon and i am a big game hunter from colorado, and i would like to go waterfowling (something i never have done) and my question is what gauge should i buy a shotgun in that i could use for both geese and ducks, i know i want a pump action and a remington cuz i happen to love remington but all advice is welcomed even if u dont recomend a remington

Hey Kevin, you've made an excellent choice going with the Remington pump. Very durable, will take a beating and is easy on the wallet. I would go with a 12 gauge. I prefer shooting 3 inch shells but some that have the extra money go with the 3 1/2 for the extra pellet count. Good Luck with the new gun.

Remington 870 SPS



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thanks guys, is there nay calls i should get

First off, buy a 12 Ga. There's really no reason to go with anything else. Sub-gauges aren't nearly as effective, and 10 Ga ammo is just too damn hard to find.

I personally use an 870 Super Mag for everything I hunt (deer, ducks, geese, rabbit, quail, pheasant and turkey). I am, however, saving up for a Versamax solely for waterfowl hunting. I plan to keep the 870 for everything else, but the extra money spent on a semi-auto can't be undersold when it comes to ducks and geese. That split-second difference can mean the difference between limiting out and sitting 2 extra hours and not seeing another bird. If you don't want to spring for a Versamax, my second suggestion would be a Benelli Super Black Eagle, followed by a Remington 11-87.

Get the 3 1/2" model of any of them, but make sure you pattern your gun with both 3" and 3 1/2". A gun with a better pattern is always better than a shell with more pellets. My 870 patterns better with 3" shells, but I usually put in 2 3" shells and then my last shot is a 3 1/2" Hevi Shot for that last crack at an escaping bird.

As far as duck calls are concerned, there's a ton of them to choose from. Make sure you have AT LEAST 1 single reed duck call, the double reeds have a tendency to freeze up on cold mornings after blowing them once, and they're pretty much useless after that unless you constantly blow warm air into them. You'll want to mix and match them as well for certain areas you hunt. You'll want a good combination of loud/soft calls to adapt to different situations.

Goose calls are a bit different. They're very difficult to master, and I'd suggest buying at least 1 instructional DVD/CD as well as a DVD showing actual goose hunts. Pay attention to what the geese/pros do in certain situations to get a feel for when to use which types of calls and get ideas of what may work when the standard option doesn't. In other words, don't just watch them shoot geese, watch what the birds are doing and listen to the calling patterns in those situations.

Good luck, and I can promise you you'll find a great deal of enjoyment out of waterfowling.

thanks again for the advice i will look forward to waterfowling

Just one last note as far as a gun is concerned, if you're heartset on a pump and you're only going to use it for waterfowl, Id suggest getting the 887 in place of the 870. It's built from the ground up for waterfowl hunting. It's got a solid rib, to protect against rusting, and the rest of the gun is tailored to withstand anything waterfowl hunting has to throw at it. As far as cost, the 887 is very comparable to the 870, and some of the models are cheaper. They're all chambered in 3 1/2", which you actually have to pay extra for on the 870. A black synthetic 887 with 28" barrel, 3 1/2" chamber goes for $349.99, while the 870 with a 26" barrel goes for $369.99. $20 cheaper, with a 2 inch longer barrel, I don't know what they're thinking. The 28" barrel is a better option for most people for anything but turkey hunting (where you want a shorter barrel so you're not clipping every tree in the woods) because it swings a little better than the 26".

Don't get me wrong, I love my 870, but if I could trade it for an 887 I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Also, a camo gun is NOT a must for waterfowl hunting. Save yourself the $150 bucks to use on decoys, calls and any of the other expensive items that come with waterfowl hunting. If you're going to use it for turkey as well, you may want to consider the camo, but if it's strictly a duck/goose gun, I'd save the money.

thanks again for the help

my name is jared from wisconsin. i just started waterfowl hunting in the last 4 yrs. i have been a self taught hunter and i would strongly recommend a 12ga with 3-3.5 in chamber. and good luck

I would not recommend getting the 887. They are nothing but trouble. I was going to pick one up also and did alot of research and they havent even worked out the problem yet.