What shotgun choke is best for pheasant hunting?

[AlaskaHunter]

I shoot improved/modified with a Citori 20 gauge, 1oz of steel 3 shot. I always hunt with a lab.
With wild roosters, my shots get closer as they move into riparian winter cover.

 

[tormenter]

I have to laugh - I don't want to shoot pen raised birds as they ruin me for wild pheasants. Pen raised birds come up and fly at a fraction of speed of wild birds. I use 3" 5's in steel with a modified choke for wild birds and ruin the few pen raised birds if actually hit them.
My buddy used to invite me to work with his dogs on pen raised birds and I now decline as it just ruins me for the wild birds. I either destroy the pen raised birds or truly miss them.

Enjoy your outing.

 

[OntarioHunter]

A couple of years ago I watched a local "TV celebrity" hunting a club in Eastern Ontario. Here's how it went. Celeb shows up early and checks his gun shooting a couple of clays thrown out of the trap house. Then goes into the lodge for a seven course feast they call lunch. While celeb is feeding his face, the owner goes to the pheasant pens and loads up the mobile multi coop unit on the trailer behind his ATV. Then he heads out to the hunting grounds. A small clipboard is attached to center of steering wheel. At various spots the game keeper stops, pulls out a bird, hypnotizes it (Google "hypnotize chicken"), sticks bird's head under wing, and sets it down. Then he returns to the ATV, marks a way point on his GPS, and records the coordinates (presumably in case GPS craps out). After all the birds have been placed, he returns to the lodge, dumps the trailer, picks up the dog (some ultra expensive exotic white thing they breed that frankly wasn't worth a shit), loads up the client, and they head out for the "hunt." It only got worse. The birds were of course each right where he left them. Most would not fly. Owner had to kick them in the air or sometimes bend over and toss them in the air. A few just landed immediately. Thankfully (I guess?) the dumb dog didn't go grab them. I'm not saying all clubs are like this but I've certainly seen enough videos of released bird hunts to conclude very close shooting is usually expected. For truly wild birds, especially late in the season, exactly the opposite is usually expected. If I'd been on the above adventure, I would have been very comfortable shooting big roosters with a 28 gauge ... maybe even a 410. For a big bore, I'd DEFINITELY open up the choke as much as possible. One ounce #5 shot would be way more than needed.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Skeet with hv 1-1/4” 7.5 shot…

 

[BrentD]

Hello fellow hunters,

This Saturday my father is treating my brother and I to a pheasant hunt in Northern Utah at one of theI

You will be just fine with an IC or M for your first barrel. Both are great and given the variance in bird-flushing distance and wind, reflexes, etc. your choke will be the least important issue barring anything extremely open or tight.

Best is to concentrate on that bright white ring around their necks, and shoot that. If you see the white you will shoot the white, and it will drop. Over thinking chokes is always fun, but don't lose sleep over it. You got this easy.

 

[Sask hunter]

I use a pattern master code duck for everything that choke never leaves my gun. Over decoys or shooting pheasants

 

[BrentD]

I use a pattern master code duck for everything that choke never leaves my gun. Over decoys or shooting pheasants

YOu might find this video interesting. Pattern Master shows up around the 17 minute mark, but the entire video is worth watching if you like shotgunning.

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[Sask hunter]

YOu might find this video interesting. Pattern Master shows up around the 17 minute mark, but the entire video is worth watching if you like shotgunning.

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Interesting video. That gun seems to pattern better with factory modified vs the pattern master too. Guess every gun is different with mine my patterns tightened up and I literally shot better overnight.

One thing I have been trying to do is a bit slower steel loads. My gun seems to like any that are 1 1/8 or 1.25oz at 1450. All the lead seems to pattern good but its much slower and way more pellets

 

[BrentD]

Interesting video. That gun seems to pattern better with factory modified vs the pattern master too. Guess every gun is different with mine my patterns tightened up and I literally shot better overnight.

One thing I have been trying to do is a bit slower steel loads. My gun seems to like any that are 1 1/8 or 1.25oz at 1450. All the lead seems to pattern good but its much slower and way more pellets

If it works for you, it works. Might be all in your head, but it works and that's all that matters. I don't shoot steel myself, but I've always wondered about shotstring and it's effects. Now, I know more and guess less.

 

[OntarioHunter]

YOu might find this video interesting. Pattern Master shows up around the 17 minute mark, but the entire video is worth watching if you like shotgunning.

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Thanks for that! Joel does a nice job of scientifically debunking what many of us have long suspected: short shot string really doesn't matter. But then he went further and proved Patternmaster actually LENGTHENS shot string instead of shortening it "up to 80%" as the factory claims. Nice to also see proof that steel shot behaves better for shot string (if one is still convinced that matters at all). I'll have to watch the next video to see if Patternmaster actually patterns better. From what I could see in this video, it may have an edge there. Fine, then that's the angle the company should stick with and toss the short shot string BS. I am more than a little hesitant to buy a product that is built on lies. Zero credibility.

 

[Sask hunter]

If it works for you, it works. Might be all in your head, but it works and that's all that matters. I don't shoot steel myself, but I've always wondered about shotstring and it's effects. Now, I know more and guess less.

No changing it now the choke must have got a bit wet and rusted or something and now I can’t get it out lol

 

[88man]

top mod
bottom light mod

 

[OntarioHunter]

top mod
bottom light mod

Soak the muzzle overnight in brake parts cleaner. If that doesn't do it, heat the end of the barrel and try penetrating oil.

 

[MThuntr]

As usual info offered seems to check out but FYI guys, the original post was Nov 2017. The OP hasn't been on the forum in 4 months.

 

[Don Fischer]

Used 7 1/2's on chukar years ago and got a lot of cripples. Went to it was either 6's or 5's and cripple's disappeared. Can't remember between 6's and 5's been a long time. But can say this. The larger shot killed chukar and huns as well as the 7 1/2" did! Every pump I ever bought came with either a mod choke or a cutts. Only auto I ever had came with an IC choke, Browning double auto and 26" barrel. Until my two CZ SxS's all my SxS's and one OU came either mod/full or my 410 came F/F.

 

[manitou1]

Improved modified is my go-to for pheasants.
Between modified and a light full choke.

 

[TheJason]

No changing it now the choke must have got a bit wet and rusted or something and now I can’t get it out lol

PB Blaster penetrating oil.