How can i improve my waterfolw shooting?

[chele]

I went to the estuary today for my first time this season and i had i great time. However, i couldnt take home any birds despite having the opportunity to do so several times. the clearest opportunity was two geese flying right over me at about 40'.

i dont hunt for waterfolw often since any decent area for waterfowl hunting is too far from home to justify the gas cost but i do enjoy the hunt and i try to go hunting whenever i go to nanaimo. I do pratice at the range whenever i can and i dont suck at shooting clays as much as when i am hunting for birds. I know that trap shooting is not the same as waterfowl hunting, but even when i saw the bird coming from a mile away i couldnt get it.

what would be your suggestions for improving my waterfolwing shooting and hunting success cosidering the following:
- i dont have or want to acquire decoys since i like to walk around te estuary as the tide changes.
- maximum size shoot for trap shooting at the range is #7.5 in 2.75'
- i have a mossberg 535 so i can shot 3.5" shots
- average shooting distance while hunting is 30-50'.
- I use the factory modified choke. The other chokes i have are imp cylinder and full, both factory chokes.
- shot the score steel shot in 3" and #2 shot for the first time today. I have about two more boxes of this ammo left since i got it on sale.

[labguy]

Use 3" number 3 or 4 and the improved cylinder choke and shoot lots. The more you shoot the better shot you'll become.

There is lots more to becoming a good shot than this but the above is a good start. The IC choke is the single best change you can make to improve your success.

[chele]

Thanks for the advise, labguy. I was going to try different choke, but i was going to go on a different direction and use the full choke. Whats the reason for using imp cylinder choke instead of modified or full Chokes? I was under the impresion the modified and full owuld give me a better pattern at longer distances. I didnt go with the full because it is too tight at closer distances and i could ruin the bird meat. I was also under the impresion #2 is the minimum size for duck and BB for geese. Will #3 or 4 take geese down?

[Foxton Gundogs]

Speed kills, it's more about the velocity than the shot size or shell length. I would say 1550fps is the minimum speed for waterfowl loads be it 3.5, 3 or 2.75". That being said size does matter to some extent. I personally am not a fan of #2s but will keep a box around in case of a mixed shoot. I shoot BB/1s for geese(we don't shoot ducks while goose hunting), 3s for ducks and as mentioned before #2s if I am on a mixed(duck/geese) shoot. I find chokes are a personal preference, when you gain in pattern size, you loose in shot density so while IC will give you a wider shot pattern, you will have fewer pellets in the "kill zone". I change chokes to suit the situation from IC to long range after market chokes. I also have 2 guns(A5 and 1100) that I built for waterfowling both sport fixed IM chokes.

[wos]

Switching to #4 s helped my shooting improve. They will take geese down at close range. Also check to see your gun fits you with all your hunting gear on. Chest wader straps or buckles can get in the way, Duck calls getting caught on gun stocks as you shoulder your gun are all things that can throw a guy off. Lastly practice for me it took years to get what I consider good enough. I'm not a crack shot but I can knock one or two birds out of a flock on average. If other guys are shooting with me my average drops drastically.
No amount of trap helped me. Hunting and shooting ducks is the only thing that worked. I guess thats why it took me so long. Also I picked up a lot of bad habits starting to shoot birds at age 11 with a full size shotgun and very poor instructions. I don't know if any of its helps, it's just my experience.
Good luck

[labguy]

Thanks for the advise, labguy. I was going to try different choke, but i was going to go on a different direction and use the full choke. Whats the reason for using imp cylinder choke instead of modified or full Chokes? I was under the impresion the modified and full owuld give me a better pattern at longer distances. I didnt go with the full because it is too tight at closer distances and i could ruin the bird meat. I was also under the impresion #2 is the minimum size for duck and BB for geese. Will #3 or 4 take geese down?

IC will give a wider pattern. After 60 years of shooting gazillions of birds, I use it for everything. There is no difference in effective range but as Foxton said, the mod and full will give a tighter pattern at the longer ranges.

The main thing is hitting them and it is much easier with a wider choke. I've hunted with people who insist on modified or full but they don't get nearly the number of birds down that I do with IC......even at extremely long range pass shooting.

Try it out for yourself......experience is the best teacher.

Oh, and this year, the people I hunt with finally changed to IC after me harping at them how much better it is, and their shooting percentage improved dramatically..........Jim, just ask Rueben how much better he's shooting after the change....

[Sako 75]

I used mod. choke in Beretta 391 and shoot a lot of 3" and #2 shots. Earlier in season I used #3 shots but switched to #2 as season dragged on. On windy days I like #1 because it got little more weight to them. Bucks the wind little better.

[lorneparker1]

I agree, changing to an IC will improve your hitting, assuming you are shooting and following through properly. Butt, beak, boom. Also buy decent ammo and pattern your gun. Once you start hitting some birds you can get an after market choke. A wad restricting/ shot string pulling choke will kill everything you shoot at AND hit. I personally use a Rob Roberts T2 in most of my guns. I don't have one for my benelli and I shoot a black code Duck out of it, and you don't have to worry about cripples with it.

[Foxton Gundogs]

IC will give a wider pattern. After 60 years of shooting gazillions of birds, I use it for everything. There is no difference in effective range but as Foxton said, the mod and full will give a tighter pattern at the longer ranges.

The main thing is hitting them and it is much easier with a wider choke. I've hunted with people who insist on modified or full but they don't get nearly the number of birds down that I do with IC......even at extremely long range pass shooting.


Oh, and this year, the people I hunt with finally changed to IC after me harping at them how much better it is, and their shooting percentage improved dramatically..........Jim, just ask Rueben how much better he's shooting after the change....

Oh no doubt Brian, The main challenge is to know your gun/ammos and above all YOUR capable ranges. Us old timers have the advantage of learning from our mistakes over the years and also we know our guns/ammo. I agree that for in your face shooting, IC is the only way to go. After 60 years of shooting gazillions of birds I have settled on Improved Mod as my go to choke but the I have missed a lot of birds along the way to get "good" at what I do with what I do it with. If we all shot 391s with Mod. chokes throwing 3" #2 Scores, what would us old pharts have to argue about over coffee? Labs or Goldens, Improved Cylinder or Improved Modified it all makes for good discussion. Lab Guy posted the best advice right here. "Try it out for yourself......experience is the best teacher."

[Sako 75]

Yes it true about what your shotgun likes in shotgun shell brands. My Black Eagle, 391 and Peerless does not Winchester Xpert. Can't hit hit them at 20 yards and beyond. Best brand for my toys was Kent's but little too expensive to use. Score is basically what I used all time. Cheap and does the job.