Quote:
Originally Posted by yarcraft91
For my snow goose hunting, #2 steel has been ideal for shots to 75 yards. I shoot either cylinder or improved choke 3" 12 gauge.
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I call BS on this, I have watched hundred of folks shoot at ducks, geese, doves, pigeons, and clay targets and NOT ONE can hit anything with any consistency much past 40 yards, myself included. Some always get a lucky shot in, but its not normal or consistent.
Steel #2 lacks enough energy to do much to any goose at 75 yards. In all reality you were probably shooting in the 40-50 range if you were knocking birds down. Go out and pattern with a full size bird target at 45 yards, you will see what I mean, it looks like a long **** ways.
I have literally worn out two shotguns over the last few years shooting thousands of rounds at game and clays, I just got back from a snow goose beatdown in SD.
For all around performance on geese its really hard to beat BB sized shot (steel). I prefer 3.5's for extra pattern density, but when the decoying is fast and furious I use 3 inch shells. I use quite a bit of 2 shot in Canada each year but we havent taken a bird over 30 yards in 4 trips.
Federal did a patterning testing a few years ago and found that BBB, T, and F shot lacked any usable patterns to consistently kill birds, as a result they dropped T and F shot from waterfowl offerings.
White geese are the most annoying bird to hunt IMO, they either give you the finger as they fly by or decoy to your bootbags at an unbelievable rate, this makes load and choke choices important.
For chokes steel acts almost opposite to lead, super full chokes tend to blow out patterns and create tons of wasted pellets (reported in other peoples findings and my own patterning testing). IC has shown the most potential for me, with good patterns to 35 yards in my guns.
I personally use a patternmaster for a choke tube, some call it bull**** and maybe its just confidence in my weapon and ammo/choke combo, but that thing flat out whacks birds, it produces far less cripples than standard chokes for me and about 5 friends.
How far you can shoot depends on a ton of things, going out and shooting a few rounds of clays can bring you confidence that translates into extra distance. For me personally I dont like shots past 35 yards, and I prefer decoying birds to be 10-15 yards before we lay into em, your shot percentages go way up when there good and close.
The non-toxic shot offerings mess up things, 2's and 4's kill geese like the finger of doom, the combination of small pellet size and higher energy per pellet makes for an awesome combo.