16ga.com ~ View topic - Wild Bird Gunning percentages -

Gentlemen,

How good are you at gunning wild birds with your 16 gauge gun?

1. What percentage of the wild birds that you gun, are killed out right?
2. Do you shoot more than 20 wild birds each season.
3. Do you own and hunt with a Gun Dog? If so what breed or breeds?
4. What percentage of wild birds does your gun dog/bird dog retrieve each season?
5. What percentage of winged wild birds, is your gun dog/bird dog unable to retrieve?
6. What kind of shells do you use when hunting wild birds? (Manufactuers/size)
7. Do you pattern your shotguns, with the different shells you hunt with?
8. Are you a member of RGS/AWS, Pheasants Forever or Quail Unlimited?
9. How many years have you been hunting wild birds?

*Last edited by skeettx on Sat Apr 13, 2019 3:41 pm; edited 1 time in total*

Do you consider a dove a wild bird?
How about ducks or geese or sandhill cranes?

OR are you limiting this to Upland Birds including sharptail, chuckar, and huns?

To the query of "gunning"....middlin', sometimes lucky, often undeserving.

1) Probably none...most take a second or two...or three.

2) I have and I haven't....health and Life matters.

3) No, I use a birddog.

4) Depends upon the birddog.

5) Never reckoned the %.

6) 12s & 16s, mostly.

7) Sometimes, not normally too important ...just depends upon a host of particulars.

Eight) NO(tho I have taken the Kool-aid upon occasion), Yes, No

9) This will be my 55th season re gamebirds.....squirrels and rabbits weren't as lucky.

Skeettx,

Mike I consider Doves and Woodcock wild upland birds. All different kinds of Grouse & Quail also.

No Ducks or Sand Hills

Tramroad28,

For #6 Manufacturer & shot size of 16 gauge shells.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Ok, sorry.....does not much matter.

Basically tho, I would be happy with 7 1/2s or 5s, each appropriately choked and placed on birds with a serving of respect.

Manufacturer?...does not much matter.

Basically tho, I would be happy with any of the main brands of here and abroad which we all know and love.
I do like hard shot, regardless, and shiny is a plus, esthetically.
I will admit that box graphics can play a part in my purchase.

1. 80+% RARELY lose a bird, we are MOST careful to mark each others birds.
2. Yes, last 5 years 249, 274, 129, 124, 91, drought having an effect and
city encroaching on hunting area.
3. No
4. N/A
5. N/A
6. Reloads #9 on Sept 1 through #6 in January
7. No, but do alot of skeet shooting
8. No.
9. 55 years

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2012 Posts: 1113

1. Probably, 20% dead in the air, 80% dead when the dogs gives them to me. A lot flop and flutter after they hit the ground.
2. Yes.
3. Hunt with dogs. Two male 70 pound German Shorthaired Pointers. #3 arriving in July (5 years between dogs).
4. Close to 95%, Some monumental ground tracking of wounded birds for over 1/2 mile. Awesome retrievers.
5. Probably less than 5%.
6. Mainly Fiocchi Golden Pheasant #6 & #5. Handloaded nickel #7's on wild quail.
7. Yes.
8. Quail Unlimited.
9. 12 years. Late to the game after many years of big game hunting. I fell in love with pointing dogs and never looked back.

1) 75%+
2) Yes
3) Yes, GSP
4) 90-95%
5) Rarely lose more then 1-2 birds a year, some years none.
6) Reloads. Doves #7 1/2, Desert Quail #7, Mountain and prairie grouse #6, Pheasant #5.
7) Sometimes.
Cool

Pheasants Forever
9) 55

Joined: 16 Jul 2015 Posts: 2125 Location: Hudson,Wy

1. What percentage of the wild birds that you gun, are killed out right?

-It depends on the day. Day in, day out long term average, I will say 70%, Long shots on prairie birds and "all thumbs" day sure hurt the average and get that second barrel playing back up.

2. Do you shoot more than 20 wild birds each season.

-Yes

3. Do you own and hunt with a Gun Dog? If so what breed or breeds?

-Yes. I'm a Border Collie man...probably for life.

4. What percentage of wild birds does your gun dog/bird dog retrieve each season?

-Upland: just about every one. Waterfowl: I don't take him out in the marsh that often...when he get's muddy, much of it makes it to the truck seat!

5. What percentage of winged wild birds, is your gun dog/bird dog unable to retrieve?

-Exceedingly rare that he looses one unless it crawls where he can't fit. He gets an amazing amount of field time and is tops with trailing ground scent. The only time he has trouble is with that "ocean of scent" situation where 100+ pheasants erupt from a prime patch of Dakota cover. That one's a gamble and I guess it is a bit much for a dog to know which scent trail to follow. Strangely, dogs pull it off far more than we deserve.

6. What kind of shells do you use when hunting wild birds? (Manufactuers/size)

-WyoChukar brand. Nitro Chukar, or when the chips are down and chukars need a lesson in manners, Neutron Obliterators. 16 ga. of course.

7. Do you pattern your shotguns, with the different shells you hunt with?

-Yep, at ranges appropriate to the intended use, not just 40 yards and guess the rest.

8. Are you a member of RGS/AWS, Pheasants Forever or Quail Unlimited?

-Currently Pheasants Forever. I also plan to sign on with Quail Forever soon (I think Quail Unlimited is no longer in business).

9. How many years have you been hunting wild birds?

-Not counting the pellet gun salvos of my youth, 31 years.

Joined: 14 Mar 2017 Posts: 12 Location: NW Wisconsin

1. Most, dependent upon species hunted, weather, and many other variables.
2. Yes, can't remember a year when I didn't
3. Yes, Brittany, since 1972
4. Nearly 100%, don't keep records, but it's rare to lose one when he or his predecessors were involved. Some days it seems scent conditions just aren't right and the dog struggles to find a cripple, but not often. All upland: Huns, sharptail, Pheasant, ruffed grouse, woodcock, chukar.
5. An occasional loss due to a poor shot and a bird that sails on for hundreds of yards, or poor scenting conditions, or pheasants in cover that is rich with the scent of many birds. Infrequent.
6. B&P on plains birds (Huns, sharptails) in 7 and 6 shot; Fiocchi Golden Pheasant #5 on pheasant; any good target load 8, 7.5, and occasionally 6's late season on grouse.
7. I pattern them all, with the the loads I hunt with.
8. RGS and PF
9. To the point I was a serious threat to the the birds - since I was 15, now 54 years, virtually all wild birds, 15 species over dogs in 20 states. Pen raised birds are for dog training - it's not hunting!

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1837 Location: Central ND

1) 80% (some years are better) mostly pheasant and quail with some prairie grouse. I work at one shot kills. I shoot Sporting Clays every chance I get.

2) Yes

3) Yes, German Shorthaired Pointers.......got another coming in a few weeks.

4) I can’t remember when my dog(s) didn’t retrieve my birds. Since 1993 I have lost 2 wild birds. 1 pheasant, 1 quail.

5) See above. Less than 1%

6) Reloads 100% of the time. 1 1/8 oz. #6 for pheasant sized birds. 1 oz. #7 for quail.

7) Yes to patterning.

Cool

Pheasants Forever.

9) I have hunted wild birds (ruffed grouse and woodcock) since 1981. Wild pheasants, quail, prairie chickens, sharp tails, etc since 1993. So 38 years.

I was hunting put and take pheasants starting in 1974.

1. What percentage of the wild birds that you gun, are killed out right?
I'm guessing about 60-70%

2. Do you shoot more than 20 wild birds each season.
Yes, and I have for the last 15 years

3. Do you own and hunt with a Gun Dog? If so what breed or breeds?
We have six, four GSP's and two Welsh Springer Spaniels

4. What percentage of wild birds does your gun dog/bird dog retrieve each season?
60-70%.

5. What percentage of winged wild birds, is your gun dog/bird dog unable to retrieve?
Last year was my worst year for a long time, I lost seven. Almost 15%. I don't shoot as well as I used to.

6. What kind of shells do you use when hunting wild birds? (Manufactuers/size)
#5 and 6 shot. Fiocchi Golden Pheasant, Fiocchi High Velocity, Kent Fast Lead, Herter's Pheasant loads and Remington Express

7. Do you pattern your shotguns, with the different shells you hunt with?
Not like I should

8. Are you a member of RGS/AWS, Pheasants Forever or Quail Unlimited?
Pheasants Forever

9. How many years have you been hunting wild birds?
This fall will be my 51st year

*Last edited by Chicago on Sun Apr 14, 2019 8:43 pm; edited 1 time in total*

1. What percentage of the wild birds that you gun, are killed out right?
I have no clue but the vast majority are dead when they hit the ground.

2. Do you shoot more than 20 wild birds each season.
Yes

3. Do you own and hunt with a Gun Dog? If so what breed or breeds?
For the last 15 years English Setters and I hunted Shorthairs for a long time and Setters before the Shorthairs.

4. What percentage of wild birds does your gun dog/bird dog retrieve each season?
Pretty much all of them, it is rare they don’t find the bird, but it has happened.

5. What percentage of winged wild birds, is your gun dog/bird dog unable to retrieve?
If they find it they retrieve it, but one of them likes to take a circuitous route back to me. I feel like I just answered the same question twice. Ah, winged, now I see the difference. It’s quite rare they don’t find the bird.

6. What kind of shells do you use when hunting wild birds? (Manufactuers/size)
RST and size depends on species

7. Do you pattern your shotguns, with the different shells you hunt with?
I pattern a gun when I get it and the range doesn’t allow anything larger than 8’s.

8. Are you a member of RGS/AWS, Pheasants Forever or Quail Unlimited?
RGS/AWS and Pheasants Forever

9. How many years have you been hunting wild birds?
60 years

Member Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 592 Location: Minnesota

1. What percentage of the wild birds that you gun, are killed out right?
Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock: 90%
2. Do you shoot more than 20 wild birds each season.
No.
3. Do you own and hunt with a Gun Dog? If so what breed or breeds?
Yes, French Setter. Over the years have hunted with other pointing or flushing breeds.
4. What percentage of wild birds does your gun dog/bird dog retrieve each season?
Mark, locate and stand over dead birds 95-99%. Retrieve to hand 75%.
5. What percentage of winged wild birds, is your gun dog/bird dog unable to retrieve?
Very rare she doesn't track down a winged bird.
6. What kind of shells do you use when hunting wild birds? (Manufactuers/size)
Reload, RST or Polywad. Early/mid season 7.5 or 8 and late season 7 or 7.5.
7. Do you pattern your shotguns, with the different shells you hunt with?
Yes.
8. Are you a member of RGS/AWS, Pheasants Forever or Quail Unlimited?
RGS/AWS
9. How many years have you been hunting wild birds?
40 years.

Joined: 28 Dec 2017 Posts: 87 Location: Northern Utah

These are all guesses as I keep no data at all. I also hunt 8 species of upland birds regularly.
1. What percentage of the wild birds that you gun, are killed outright?
It is a pretty high percentage. probably 90% plus I admit I am the king of over-kill and tight choked high pattern density. I don't mind picking out a pellet or three.

2. Do you shoot more than 20 wild birds each season?
lol Uh, yeah, more than 20. That's a really low number.
3. Do you own and hunt with a Gun Dog? If so what breed or breeds?
I have three E. Setters

4. What percentage of wild birds does your gun dog/bird dog retrieve each season?
Probably 99% or higher. Almost all.

5. What percentage of winged wild birds, is your gun dog/bird dog unable to retrieve?
I mean we lose two or three roosters a year and not much more. That's somewhere around 7 percent on average of the pheasants I shoot. I know setters are not great at hunting dead. That is why killing is important especially on Pheasants. Other species it's rare. On rare occasion, I sail a bird and it goes over a rise out of site and we don't find it.

6. What kind of shells do you use when hunting wild birds? (Manufacturers/size)
I use different sizes for different species. I like 6s and 7 1/2s from an ounce to 1 1/8 ounce for grouse quail and partridge. For ducks, I shoot 7/8 oz #4 steel at 1460-ish and for wild pheasant a 1 1/4 oz load of #5s at about 1300- 1350fps through a 16 kills. I am one that likes a 1 1/4 ounce 16 gauge load.
I am partial to federal factory loads but shoot hand loads most of the time in 16 Gauge.

7. Do you pattern your shotguns, with the different shells you hunt with?
Religiously. I've killed a lot of paper.

8. Are you a member of RGS/AWS, Pheasants Forever or Quail Unlimited?
Yes

9. How many years have you been hunting wild birds?
I am 48. I was walking out the backdoor hunting birds by myself at 13. My earliest memories are on my father's shoulders following GSPs around. I guess I've carried a gun since I was 12 YO. I have hunted every day I can since I was old enough to drive. I once broke up with a really pretty girl I had dated for 8 months because she was complaining about the next day being opening day of duck season. Out of whack priorities? Maybe, but I'm happy and married to a girl that gets it.