Youth season this weekend, regular season starts next Wednesday. Dusted off the 12G a couple weeks ago and made sure I remembered where to hold. This was 40 yards. There's a big Tom in the field behind my house most mornings and evenings. Going to try to set my son up on him.
Opening morning I walked up on a group of wild pigs, killed one, hit another. next afternoon I walked up on a rabid raccoon, dispatched him and made my way to my spot. Set up and 20min later I was walking out with a gobbler over my shoulder. With the new rules in SC you can only kill one bird during the first ten days of April then can kill two more until May 10th. So I was off the gun but called for a buddy that Saturday and was able to get him his first bird.
Snowed here again last night! Had some 60 degree days a week ago or so and the birds were out and about. Now they are pretty quite and still in big mixed groups. Our opener is May 1st so still some time. At least maybe this snow and 20 degree weather killed some skeeters!!!
Had a couple good hunts for youth season, but we couldn't close the deal. Season starts back up tomorrow AM.
Dang look at how tight that pattern is at 40!! You probably have enough pellets over 50 yards. I remember 20 years ago 40 was pushing it. Chokes and shotgun load development has come a long way.
Here is mine from two weeks ago. Haven't been that much this year. Sitting in the woods right now. Birds gobbleing way away on neighbors property.
Anyone see all this new craze with the .410 shotguns? Anyone try one? I’ve got an old single shot .410 that whips a super tight pattern of #6, but not sure I’m going to run out with it next weekend. I see some of the loads you can get are #9 shot and guys are reaching almost 40yds!! I’m pretty skeptical myself....
My cousin filled his third tag about a week ago with his great grand dad's .410. He got those Browning TSS shells and they claim there 70 yard shells. He uses that #9 shot. I saw the target at I think it was 40 yards and it was a kill shot many times over.
Just did some looking since I thought there were restrictions on shot size. We are limited from #2-#8 shot only. I’m going to have to try a pattern with what I’ve got then.
I get so fee opportunities and have killed so few I'm slinging as many pellets at them as I can. Not giving any advantage up. I'm shooting 3.5" 12ga shells
Yes they are!!!. The 3.5's for 12ga are like $50-60 for five!! But granted if they are 70 yard shells, and you generally only shoot one shot per bird in the end it doesn't really matter. A box of five would take years to go through. If I could prove that it turned my 45 yard or whatever gun into a 70 yard effective kill gun it would be worth it. But to find that out you would probably have to burn up about $100 worth of them testing your gun!
