What’s everyone use for game loads on stocked pheasant in MA? I have always used low brass no. 5’s but have a hard time finding them this year. I have a bunch of Winchester super X game loads in 7 1/2 that I use at trap. They definitely hit harder than the target loads but I’m still hesitant.
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2024 Upland season
- Thread starter rogerk
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I prefer #6 game loads usually Federal for phez.
I'm hunting over a flusher but he ranges pretty close unless he gets on a running rooster.
I'll switch to #5's during CT's late season in Jan/Feb as the birds smarten up and flush a little further out.
I'm hunting over a flusher but he ranges pretty close unless he gets on a running rooster.
I'll switch to #5's during CT's late season in Jan/Feb as the birds smarten up and flush a little further out.
Sparkey
NES Member
Target sports has a bunch of options in stock
I use 7 usually. Sometimes 6. Mostly low brass because I like to take it easy on my 1918 Ithaca Flues double when i take it out. When I first hunted for pheasant I used #5 high brass and it made too much of a mess. Pheasants aren't hard to put down. I swear I've scared a few to death, I couldn't find a pellet on them
I'm headed to errol with my son this weekend to snoop around some logging roads for grouse or snowshoe hare. We'll be packing #6 and I'll probably use a mod choke. I usually use #4 high brass on hare.....#6 should cover both game.
HorizontalHunter
NES Member
Good luck
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I've used from 5-7.5. #5 and 7.5 only in 12 gauge though.
I like #6 for small gauge like 20 and 28.
Overall #6's really in all gauges for pheasants.
Went out today after the pheasants were stocked - dudes with pointers were bagging their 2 bird limit in 30 mins. I spent an hour all over the place and flushed nothing. Beginners luck. Tomorrow my dog is coming. His first season too so we’ll see how it goes.
Tips welcome!
Tips welcome!
What state r u in?Went out today after the pheasants were stocked - dudes with pointers were bagging their 2 bird limit in 30 mins. I spent an hour all over the place and flushed nothing. Beginners luck. Tomorrow my dog is coming. His first season too so we’ll see how it goes.
Tips welcome!
dixidawg
NES Member
Bring the dog. He will learn the game. More often than not, hunting without a dog ends up being an armed hike.Went out today after the pheasants were stocked - dudes with pointers were bagging their 2 bird limit in 30 mins. I spent an hour all over the place and flushed nothing. Beginners luck. Tomorrow my dog is coming. His first season too so we’ll see how it goes.
Tips welcome!
+1Bring the dog. He will learn the game. More often than not, hunting without a dog ends up being an armed hike.
Pheasants will let you walk literally over the top of them. A dog is a must.
I have had decent success over the years without a dog. Conditions have a lot to do with it, windy or frosty days they seems to hunker down or run rather than flush. No doubt hunting over a dog will yield more birds and is a real treat but I don’t think anyone should totally rule out a day in the field without a dog, just set your expectations accordingly,
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NH started already....some buddies went out to a stocked place in NH already.
MA starts this weekend. I'll be hunting pheasants tomorrow.
NH is basically wrapped up. I missed the first 2 weeks of stocking due to work. Did 3 days this week before, on, and after stocking day. Tons of birds on stock day. Bunch left today but the cover is thick. My dog wasn’t that helpful. He is smart with the instinct but needs training. Did recover some feathers to put on a decoy to train with. He needs to learn the game.
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Started the day at high ridge. Normal sized group for opening day, if not smaller than usual. We took one rooster without a dog in our group of four. It was my BIL’s first time hunting anything and he was fortunate enough to be the one to take a bird. Heard some shooting but nothing like it’s been in the past. None of the fields were cut which is a good thing at that property.
Our group split up after that. My BIL and I headed to Westborough. All the fields are uncut corn. We found one bird in some thick stuff between fields but it wouldn’t flush. I flagged down a guy with a dog and told him he’d have a better chance. Overall everyone we talked to said it was a slow day.
Our group split up after that. My BIL and I headed to Westborough. All the fields are uncut corn. We found one bird in some thick stuff between fields but it wouldn’t flush. I flagged down a guy with a dog and told him he’d have a better chance. Overall everyone we talked to said it was a slow day.
My son and I got stopped by the boys in green today. BOTH cos were on north woods law for years lol......we were headed one way on the logging cut they were headed the other so we had to back up till we got to a pull off so they could go by. Matt Holmes jumps out of the green truck and came over and saw the shotguns in the back seat. Asked for licenses......no prob....asked if we got any grouse told him 1.......he asked to see it but we'd already cleaned it so opened the cooler and showed him the breast meat and the zip lock of feathers my son plucked for fly tying. He said go get em.......and hopped in and drove off. Easy peasy
Went to crane south for the late morning/afternoon. No dog until next summer so just a lot of kicking and dragging through the fields.
Heard some shots in covers I just worked by groups with dogs so that’s encouraging. Glad they were able to put the birds up.
The real fun started at Dunkin, where I sat around for 30 minutes picking these damn seeds off.
Heard some shots in covers I just worked by groups with dogs so that’s encouraging. Glad they were able to put the birds up.
The real fun started at Dunkin, where I sat around for 30 minutes picking these damn seeds off.
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Errol area. Yeah it's grousy where we're at for sure. It's our first time hunting grouse......but I kinda know grouse habitat pretty well....my bs is in forestry and took quite a few wildlife mgt classes and for my masters I took an elective in wildlife mgt and wrote my final research paper on ruffed grouse habitat....so I know what to look for lol. We did pretty f***ing good no dog just beating the alder tickets by hand and flushed 5 shot 1 before noon! Not too shabby.
Tougher to hit on the wing than stocked Pheasant for sure......they take off way faster and zig and zag
I had planned on hunting CT this AM since my 13 year old son was with me so we skipped MA.
I did end up driving by our local MA WMA and at 730 I had expected to see way more trucks. I'm pretty convinced the new laws are keeping hunters from hitting the woods. Maybe I'm wrong. This WMA is right on the border and maybe it's jut CT hunters now wanting to deal with MA BS
We got one rooster this AM down in CT. Came home for lunch and chores then we did end up hitting MA for the late afternoon hunt
My kid missed two shots on a rooster but it's his first year carrying my 20G O/U so we'll give him a pass.
My kid and I got stopped in CT by a EPO too. It was my kids first time. He did good.. safety secured his firearm.. had all his licenses stuff in order.
Proud dad moment for sure.
The cop and I joked about whos laws were worse this year.. CT or MA.
I did end up driving by our local MA WMA and at 730 I had expected to see way more trucks. I'm pretty convinced the new laws are keeping hunters from hitting the woods. Maybe I'm wrong. This WMA is right on the border and maybe it's jut CT hunters now wanting to deal with MA BS
We got one rooster this AM down in CT. Came home for lunch and chores then we did end up hitting MA for the late afternoon hunt
My kid missed two shots on a rooster but it's his first year carrying my 20G O/U so we'll give him a pass.
My kid and I got stopped in CT by a EPO too. It was my kids first time. He did good.. safety secured his firearm.. had all his licenses stuff in order.
Proud dad moment for sure.
The cop and I joked about whos laws were worse this year.. CT or MA.
