What load?

[Alaskan Yoter]

Fellas,

This year will be my first attempt at water fowl, but I'm not even sure what load I need to bring down Sandhill Cranes, Geese and Ducks. I have an 835 Ulti-mag. Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks,
Todd

 

[Moosie]

Yoter, I'm not the Best at guns.. Or Waterfoul. I can Tell you what I shoot and Do and Hopefully you can Compare.

I shoot a 3 1/2" Bennelli Nova. I use T shot (Or BBB) for Big Birds like Geese, and I use 2 Shot for Ducks. I'll go to 4 shot for smaller birds like Pheasant, Ect.

Hope that helps !! And I'm guessing you'll be shooting AK birds ? Take some pictures man !! I'd love to see what's in your Mixed bag up there !!!!

 

[Alaskan Yoter]

Thanks Moosie. I'll being going after cranes foe sure.

Todd

 

[Moosie]

Hey, How do you Hunt a Crane ? Is that Spot and Stalk or do you set up construction workers to see if a Crane Shows up

Seriously though, Whats your plan ?

 

[Alaskan Yoter]

Well I what I was planning on doing is spot and stalking, and or sitting in the fields an wait for them to fly out or in. Alls I know is they don't tumble like geese they come down like yard darts I hear.

Todd

 

[AZHUNTERR]

i use 2 3/4 #4's for ducks an 3 inc # 2 for geese i use an mossberg 835

 

[Alaskan Yoter]

Thanks AZ,

That laod for geese will probably work for the Sndhills too.

Thanks again,
Todd

 

[Moosie]

HUMmmm Do you eat Cranes ? I'm guessing so ? Or is more of just soemthing to go out and Shoot for "Population" control ?

 

[Alaskan Yoter]

I'll be eating mine. I guess you breast them. I think your allowed two a day too.

Todd

 

[Oak]

Do you need a couple of sandhills for the corner in your living room, Oscar?

Oak

 

[Moosie]

OAk, I think I'll do without the Cranes.... Although, Coem to think about it, I could have a Beaver [pond mount with a muskrat/mink and a crane with a Bass jumping out the water... I think I might just have a corner for that

 

[MEATHEAD]

BBB for geese and they will kill cranes. 2's or 3's for ducks. Wood ducks or teal 4's work good for me.

 

[brokfut]

I shot 835 Mosburg last year and used 31/2" T's on geese and #2 and #4 on ducks. This year I'm gonna shoot a Remington 870 using the same loads. But the way I shoot, it probaly won't make much differnce.

 

[brokfut]

I've never done Sand Hill Crane but my Father-in-law said that you can fix it just like you would a turkey and it is pretty good.

 

[mtmiller]

I just bought a case of 3" #2's and am ready to punch some holes in the sky. I still have quite a few T's and BBB's from last year. Bring on the birds.

 

[BuzzH]

I like 3 inch 1's the best if I dont know what I may encounter. The 1's seem to have a much more dense pattern than BBB or T. I've killed ducks, canadians, and snow geese at some pretty long ranges with 1's. For some reason, they also pattern the best of any shot size I've used...other than the old days when I shot 3 inch #2 lead.

Personally, I dont like T that much, BBB, only slightly better than T, although I've shot both quite a bit. The patterns are thin at longer range with T and BBB, I think a much better choice for geese is BB. Probably the best goose hunter I know shoots a ten guage, and he shoots exclusively #1's.

 

[Alaskan Yoter]

Fellas,

Thanks again. I think I'm going to buy several boxes this week of several differnet kinds to try out.

Thanks,
Todd

 

[mtmiller]

Good advise from Buzz. Try different loads and see what shoots best in your gun and try different chokes as well.

On another note, don't shoot "canadians", it is against the law.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 08-23-2003 17:24: Message edited by: mtmiller ]</font>

 

[BuzzH]

Miller, you're right, they're CANADA geese, not Canadian Geese.

I have met a few canadians that could have used a good dusting....

 

[Alaskan Yoter]

Well fellas Fred Meyers had 3" T's and 3" BB's on sale for $7 a box so I loaded up. First time out I missed the first three birds due to leading to much then I relized someone said they move like tanks up there. I re-adjusted and aimed right at the head and the next two came down. With the short barrel on the 835 I need to make sure they are tree top level before taking a shot. Thanks for all the advice.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 09-05-2003 23:06: Message edited by: Alaskan Yoter ]</font>