What shells for upland

densa44 · #1 09-24-2017, 08:01 AM

We have talked about the mighty 12 ga. as being more gun than one needs over a pointed bird but I had never thought much about the ammo some nimrods are using.

While training with sns2 and his fine new dog and son, it came time to shoot a bird for the hard working dog.

From my vantage point I saw a huge explosion of feathers and 3 pieces float to the ground. Gunner brought back the biggest one. Father and son gathered up the rest of the pigeon with a garbage bag.

You can't make this stuff up.

I think he should describe what ammo would be better for shooting small birds and trow in how he cooked up all those ducks they got.

Nice dog. Ata boy gunner.

angery jonn · #2 09-24-2017, 08:19 AM

So I don't fully understand the point in this post, are you calling SNS and his son nimrods? Do you normally eat the pigeons you plant?

densa44 · #3 09-24-2017, 09:13 AM

It was for the dog's benefit, so he would have the chance to retrieve a bird that he had pointed and was steady for. By blowing up the bird you deny the dog that chance.

Nimrod was a mighty hunter who was described in the Bible.

If you are training a dog on birds and shooting is part of the training, make sure there is enough of the bird left to retrieve.

angery jonn · #4 09-24-2017, 09:27 AM

Top Definition

nimrod

Orginally from the Biblical Nimrod, a mighty hunter, it has come to mean socially inadequade.

"Oh he's a real Nimrod, he steals the dried snot from under the science teachers desk."

by Niel Webster July 16, 2002

interesting, LOL

FLYBYU · #5 09-24-2017, 09:32 AM

I use 7.5 shot for grouse, 3 for ducks and BB for gease. Never had an issue with those choices. When I had a .410 I used #5 for grouse to good effect as well.

Bushrat · #6 09-24-2017, 09:37 AM

I don't think it is the load or gauge so much as it is the distance the bird is shot at. I've seen birds blown to bits by a 28 gauge with quail loads when they were shot as they rose up a dozen feet away and shot by an excited shooter. They learned quick after they saw what happened and unlikely to do that again. Most guys wont shot a close bird preferring to wait until it is at least 25 or 30 yds out before pulling the trigger, even with magnum goose loads the shot is spread enough it is unlikely to blow a bird to bits and pieces.

Dick284 · #7 09-24-2017, 09:42 AM

If all you've got is a 12 gauge and you are hunting over a dog, I'd suspect something like a 7/8oz. trap load with 7-1/2's would be deadly, and a skeet or IC choke too.

For the most part I think a lot of "nimrods" are over choked and expecting far flushing birds. 1 oz of 6-4's in an open choke would be another path.

bessiedog · #8 09-24-2017, 09:53 AM

So..... you're launching pigeons from a trap....

Perhaps you should tell them to back up a bit or pre position them as their dog is pointing...?

It's a distance thing... not really a size of shot thing.

We do a youth pheasant shoot down here for kids... they are excited to pull the trigger and often shoot the bird a second after they are launched (the birds sometimes don't even get to flap their wings once).....

We teach them about distance from a bird.... and try to teach them how to track a bird for a bit before shooting. Some get it... eventually.

I think we've all inadvertently blown up a bird.

On another note.....
Oh ya!... pigeons do seem to explode in a puff of feathers.

Poor confused dog.
Was he trained to do multiple retrieves?

Lol

sns2 · #9 09-24-2017, 10:37 AM

Just woke up to read this with my coffee. Nearly choked. LOL.

Now to set the story straight...

Densa is an accomplished trainer, and a good friend, so we took our dog down to him to put him through some paces and get some advice from Bob on where to concentrate our training efforts. The dog is bumping birds in the field because it was allowed to get too close to pigeons encased in metal launchers. Anyhow, I wanted to finish on a high note with the dog pointing a pigeon and me shooting it as a reward. We worked the dog on the bird, but he busted in on it and the bird flew in between two sheds in the yard. So we started over. I worked the dog up to the bird. He locked up. I had my son grab the bird and throw it up in the air. I had a trailer, two bird coops, a garage and a house around me

I was not going to give the pigeon the opportunity to go there, so I proceeded to dust it. Red mist and feathers everywhere. Should have been in the horror movies. Nothing short of spectacular. You'd have thought there was tannerite inside that bird. The dog retrieved the largest wing right to my hand. Beautiful. LOL.

I gutted myself laughing. Densa was gobsmacked and warned me the masses would hear about this. My son kept saying, "Dad the pigeon was only about 5' from the end of your barrel!"

Browning BXD Upland ammo 2.75" #6 with an 1 3/8 oz going 1485 does the trick on pigeons. Trust me

We then went to a winding creek that always holds ducks. Over a couple of hours we shot 11. Dog retrieved them all beautifully to hand, including two cripples he had to go after hard in the bullrushes. Super pumped with how the new dog worked them. So much fun to watch that. Then we headed to Buffalo Lake to finish with pheasants. The crowds must have done well, as we only saw one bird, on which the boy made a lovely shot. It was a great day.

DiabeticKripple · #10 09-24-2017, 10:49 AM

I used a 12g with a Winchester target load to swat 2 grouse yesterday. Aimed for the head.

sns2 · #11 09-24-2017, 10:51 AM

Here's a pic I took after the first six ducks or so...

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

catnthehat · #12 09-24-2017, 12:02 PM

I shoot a 12 gauge quite often, never saw much of a problem with it!

Cat

stob · #13 09-24-2017, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bessiedog

So..... you're launching pigeons from a trap....

Perhaps you should tell them to back up a bit or pre position them as their dog is pointing...?

It's a distance thing... not really a size of shot thing.

We do a youth pheasant shoot down here for kids... they are excited to pull the trigger and often shoot the bird a second after they are launched (the birds sometimes don't even get to flap their wings once).....

We teach them about distance from a bird.... and try to teach them how to track a bird for a bit before shooting. Some get it... eventually.

I think we've all inadvertently blown up a bird.

On another note.....
Oh ya!... pigeons do seem to explode in a puff of feathers.

Poor confused dog.
Was he trained to do multiple retrieves?

Lol

baseballs explode'm good too

kujoseto · #14 09-24-2017, 01:15 PM

Hilarious

bessiedog · #15 09-24-2017, 01:25 PM

Someone gets too excited..... and shoots off his load (I'm assuming small shot) too early..

.... I don't have that problem.

Ya got yo take your time bud. Enjoy the moment.

..... sorry I had to....

sns2 · #16 09-24-2017, 03:18 PM

Lol

elkhunter11 · #17 09-24-2017, 05:18 PM

I prefer to let the birds fly a bit more before shooting, and try to place the pattern on the front of the bird to minimize damage to the carcass. If you shoot birds at 20 to 30 yards , with a smaller gauge, they usually don't get beat up. If you use the Prairie Storm loads, which I don't, then don't shoot inside of 30 yards.