Pheasant Loads

[Fins-n-feathers]

I am going pheasant hunting on a game farm this coming Saturday with a couple of relatives. I am going to be using a twenty gauge. What would be the best shell to get without hitting the pocketbook too hard?

My hunting buddy is going to use a 12 gauge. What would you guys recommend for him?

[zzammon]

Don't cheap out. If you're paying the money to have birds placed, you sure don't want to loose one that you would have had with better shells. I shoot the fastest brass plated #5 shot I can find. Usually $15 a box.

[raymondk]

all game farm require steel shot if you are hunting behind a pointer 2 or 4 shot is plenty good .I usally shoot winchester expert which cost about $10 a box

[Jarrod32]

Yeah...if you can use lead, go with a #5. If you need to use steel, I'd suggest going to #2. I tend to like the Federal Speed Shok in steel shells, but like the previous post mentioned, Winchester X-Pert are a good value.

[tracker x-2]

last season I tried out fiochi (I think is how you spell it) 12g. 4 and 5 shot. Its nickle platted so maybe you would be ok have to check, but eversense I shot the first bird last year thats all I have used and been happy with it.

[wildmanp]

fiochi #5 or 6 nickle plated

[charliepete]

Game farm birds are no where near as hardy as a real rooster. I usually shoot them with 7/8 oz of 7.5's out of my 20 gauge. I only use the game farms to train my dogs when they are pups, but I still don't ever recall losing a knocked down cripple at a game farm. I'd say use what ever shell you have. Also....contrary to what was posted here, plenty of game farms allow lead shot.

[Fins-n-feathers]

Thanks for all the input you guys. My hunting buddy and I looked fiochi and it seemed a little spendy so we ended up getting kent fast lead 5 and 6.We are going tomarrow and I will report back to you guys on how we did.

[Fins-n-feathers]

Sorry it took so long but we went to the game farm and out of four of us, we only got three out of the twelve we ordered. We found out our new puppy is a prime hunter, though.

[Tom7227]

So maybe you should hold the next event at a trap range?