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Q:
What choke should i use for farm pheasant hunting? I have a 20 gauge Nova and will be using 3" #6 shot for the hunt this Sunday.
Question by Waterfowlhunter05. Uploaded on March 18, 2010
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Answers (14)
I would use a modified or full, they will both get the job done. I just would'nt take any long shots.
If the birds are going to be flushing close such as when using a pointer and you can be right on top of the flush I'd use modified. For longer away flushes such as using a flushing dog or just walking an area out and you might have birds flushing a little further out then I'd use the full choke and Hi brass shells.
I have a 20 gauge Nova.
Use full choke.
Shoot at 25 yards.
not IC i will be hunting with two other people and a dog and guide. it is my first pheasant hunt
Modified choke...best all around choke by far.
im not a very good shot but ill try mod. hopefully with my brother and dad also shooting we can get a couple and a good experience
not IC?
Most use a full choke for wild pheasants since they tend to get up at 30 yards or so. If you are hunting on a pheasant farm where the pheasants are accustomed to people feeding them and really don't know how to fly a modfied choke will work fine. I use #4 shot as well so I don't have to eat as much shot and I can drop a fat rooster at 50 yards. If you shoot with a full choke or with #4 shot you need to make sure they are about 30 yards away before you shoot.
Waterfowler,
IC is a little too open...I have a choke in my lower O/U barrel called light modified...between a IC and a modified, then an improved mod. for the upper. I consider full to be too tight, but for the longest shots, and if you are taking long shots, say 50 yds. and farther, my thinking is they are bad shots with any choke. With new modern wad cups, the patterns thrown at 45 yds, let's say by a modified choke are quite adequate, and now they aren't too tight for a 20-25 yd shot. IC would be perfect for those 20-25 yd shots, but you have to consider the comprimise, and what distance you might expect to get shots. And the bottom line is the heavy consideration has to gu to can you shoot where you are looking? Choke differences are slight, and the heavy weight has to go to shooting accuracy.
Firehawk was bang on! Absolutely. I wouldn't use imp cylinder with 20 guage for anything but a grouse sitting in a tree.
Ontario Hunter,
The guy is using 3" shells...that is 1 1/4 oz of shot....the same as in a 12 ga. pheasant load! IC is very effective for 20-30 yd. shots with a 20. A 20 is considered a big ga. especially when using 3" shells.
so... i am going tomorrow and it is farm pheasants. i am using 3 in. shells. i have never hunted pheasants or any bird before so i dont know how long the shots will be. i will be hunting with two other guys with 12 gauges. plus i am not a very good shot
Sounds to me like you'd better leave the gun home, and be the bird dog....practice, practice, practice...learn how to shoot, and then go live bird hunting.
i got one and we got seven total! it was a great trip and i will definately do it again. i hit it and killed it with my first shot plus I did it totally for the experience.
Post an Answer
If the birds are going to be flushing close such as when using a pointer and you can be right on top of the flush I'd use modified. For longer away flushes such as using a flushing dog or just walking an area out and you might have birds flushing a little further out then I'd use the full choke and Hi brass shells.
I would use a modified or full, they will both get the job done. I just would'nt take any long shots.
I have a 20 gauge Nova.
Use full choke.
Shoot at 25 yards.
not IC i will be hunting with two other people and a dog and guide. it is my first pheasant hunt
Modified choke...best all around choke by far.
im not a very good shot but ill try mod. hopefully with my brother and dad also shooting we can get a couple and a good experience
not IC?
Most use a full choke for wild pheasants since they tend to get up at 30 yards or so. If you are hunting on a pheasant farm where the pheasants are accustomed to people feeding them and really don't know how to fly a modfied choke will work fine. I use #4 shot as well so I don't have to eat as much shot and I can drop a fat rooster at 50 yards. If you shoot with a full choke or with #4 shot you need to make sure they are about 30 yards away before you shoot.
Waterfowler,
IC is a little too open...I have a choke in my lower O/U barrel called light modified...between a IC and a modified, then an improved mod. for the upper. I consider full to be too tight, but for the longest shots, and if you are taking long shots, say 50 yds. and farther, my thinking is they are bad shots with any choke. With new modern wad cups, the patterns thrown at 45 yds, let's say by a modified choke are quite adequate, and now they aren't too tight for a 20-25 yd shot. IC would be perfect for those 20-25 yd shots, but you have to consider the comprimise, and what distance you might expect to get shots. And the bottom line is the heavy consideration has to gu to can you shoot where you are looking? Choke differences are slight, and the heavy weight has to go to shooting accuracy.
Firehawk was bang on! Absolutely. I wouldn't use imp cylinder with 20 guage for anything but a grouse sitting in a tree.
Ontario Hunter,
The guy is using 3" shells...that is 1 1/4 oz of shot....the same as in a 12 ga. pheasant load! IC is very effective for 20-30 yd. shots with a 20. A 20 is considered a big ga. especially when using 3" shells.
so... i am going tomorrow and it is farm pheasants. i am using 3 in. shells. i have never hunted pheasants or any bird before so i dont know how long the shots will be. i will be hunting with two other guys with 12 gauges. plus i am not a very good shot
Sounds to me like you'd better leave the gun home, and be the bird dog....practice, practice, practice...learn how to shoot, and then go live bird hunting.
i got one and we got seven total! it was a great trip and i will definately do it again. i hit it and killed it with my first shot plus I did it totally for the experience.
Post an Answer