[kenster]

Well since bird season around here is just starting up. I figured I'd See hw many other bird hunters are out there, and what the weapon of choice is. Saturday I'll be headed out in search of ruffed grouse and woodcock (eastern timber toodle). In my hands will be my Remington 1100 light weight .20 I like the smaller lighter gun in this case due to the thick cover that we are in, plus the 26 in barrel makes swinging a lot easier! Then is a few weeks it will be duck season. Oh the joys of fast beating wings, and quick pass shooting. For this I have to move up to my Winchester super X2 magnum 12. I have had this little toy for about a year now and i love it. I have to opt for the 3" shells for the pass shooting. Plus the added option for the 3 1/2" goose shells make it an all around great waterfowl gun. This will also be the gun i take to ND for pheasants in the middle of Oct. As I plan of doing some greater canadian geese hunting there as well...

So after all that...Who carries what for what type of birds??

 

[CAV]

I'm a guy that carries one gun for everything. I grew up on the South Plains of the Texas panhandle. Game birds were always in abundance there; dove, quail, pheasant, geese and duck. During the period of November - December, most of the bird seasons overlap. In order to shoot whatever presented itself, a 12 ga was essential equipment. There is nothing worse that missing out on shooting a big pheasant because you're carrying 20 ga quail load!

 

[kenster]

Gary,
I was having the delema of what to take to ND before I knew we were goose hunting. I was thinking of taking my 20, but then I always know there will be the big ole rooster that gets up there a good 40 yards away and in the 35 MPH winds the extra strength of the 12 is the only way to fly.

You being in Texas, you ever do any snow goose hunting?

 

[CAV]

Actually, my old stomping grounds in the Panhandle are the wintering areas for Canadians. Every stock pond or lake looks like the cover of Field & Stream! But I guess I'm just a drylander at heart. I enjoy beating the brush and flushing up quail or a rooster pheasant

 

[kenster]

Well here is the weekend report on the grouse and woodcock. Thanks to the un-godly amount of leaves still on the trees, many birds got away without being seen. The five of us that went did manage to bring home 6 woodcock and 3 grouse. Without the dogs, (2) german short hairs, and my chocolate lab pup, we wouldn't have found half those birds once they were on the ground. Already looking forward to next weekends hunting trip

 

[CAV]

Well thanks a lot, Ken! Now I'll gonna have to get out the old Remington tonight and oil her up!

I must be getting older. For me it doesn't matter any more how many birds I have in my bag, I'm just glad to get out from behind a desk and beat brush.

 

[kenster]

Gary,
Well according to the DNR around here the woodcock numbers are way down. And the grouse numbers are at an all time high. We hunted from about 8-2 and had to of had over 35 flushes total. We put up a group of grouse (4) and not 200 yards further we jumped (7) more. It was unreal. A couple of my buddies had a very bad of shooting. By the end of the trip I could have sold them shells at $1 each

Speaking of oil, i need to spray my gun down. Got a little damp walking through the swamps..

 

[Rich Z]

You know, I really like stainless guns, just for that reason. I don't want to take blued steel guns out into the weather if it's a bit moist out there.

Now I have a SIG 229 handgun that is a blackened stainless finish. Do any of the rifle manufacturers make blackened stainless rifles? I would guess having a bright sun reflecting stainless barrel would be a drawback when trying to be inconspicuous while hunting.

 

[CAV]

Most of my carry guns are stainless. It is too humid areound here to carry blued. I don't know about blackened SS, but I'm sure you could get one combat coated if your wallet is big enough.

 

[kenster]

Yet another trip out today for grouse...lets just say the birds were much smarter than we were! It was raining like no tomorrow and after 10 mins out everyone was soaked to the bone. I shot like Stevie Wonder with a .20. It was the worst shooting i have ever seen. After 14 shots I had one woodcock and one grouse. Although I was happy with the grouse, the first one i had a shot at all year and although it took two, he will taste damn good in the pan

Only a few more weeks to the ND pheasant trip....wooohoooo can't wait!