BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[VaScout]

anyone have an idea what is the best round for geese. or do you know where i could find the chat saying what round for what animal?

[King Evil]

any 3 1/2", around 1550 fps. i use winchester xperts.

[ChesterGolf]

remington hevi-shot in 3.5" works very well. :thumbsup1:

[jim muir]

might want to go on duckhuntingchat.com, this subject comes up once a month. 3" or 3 1/2" 1's, bb's and bbb's are my favorite loads for geese. kent or winchester. only three things realy matter to me in a shotgun shell, boom, boom and boom.

[hunter101]

I had clients last season kill geese cleanly at over 40 yards using Hevi-shot #6. These rounds are so powerful and dense that they consistantly break the wing bones on these big Birds! # 4 hevi shot will do more damage but have less pellets.

Good Hunting!
HUNTER101

[ChesterGolf]

hunter101 wrote: I had clients last season kill geese cleanly at over 40 yards using Hevi-shot #6. These rounds are so powerful and dense that they consistantly break the wing bones on these big Birds! # 4 hevi shot will do more damage but have less pellets.

Good Hunting!
HUNTER101

#6 hevi-shot is my choice as well. I use the #4 later in the year on the ocean coast when the fat layers are thickest and the wind most severe.

[hunter101]

i agree. Good choice!

[WesternHunter]

Asking what the best shell is, is really a pretty broad open ended question. There really are lots of best shells out there for geese. I've settled for using 12 ga in either Winchester Xpert, Remington Hi-Velocity steel, or Federal steel (basic). I like the high velocity loads (1500 ft/sec). All 3 inch magnum steel loads in size BB or T with 1 1/4 oz shot. Because these are the least expensive and these shells drop geese every bit as well as all the over-priced and over-hyped exotic ammo on the market these days. These work for me, but a lot of my buddies use 3 1/2 inch shells too. The benefit of the longer shells is more shot load per shell. I've never actually seen any seasoned waterfowlers who actually buys or uses those over priced exotic shells. I've seen a lot of novices who think they need them though. Of course none of the best shells will help you much if you don't do your part as a shooter.

[ChesterGolf]

WesternHunter wrote: Asking what the best shell is, is really a pretty broad open ended question. There really are lots of best shells out there for geese. I've settled for using 12 ga in either Winchester Xpert, Remington Hi-Velocity steel, or Federal steel (basic). I like the high velocity loads (1500 ft/sec). All 3 inch magnum steel loads in size BB or T with 1 1/4 oz shot. Because these are the least expensive and these shells drop geese every bit as well as all the over-priced and over-hyped exotic ammo on the market these days. These work for me, but a lot of my buddies use 3 1/2 inch shells too. The benefit of the longer shells is more shot load per shell. I've never actually seen any seasoned waterfowlers who actually buys or uses those over priced exotic shells. I've seen a lot of novices who think they need them though. Of course none of the best shells will help you much if you don't do your part as a shooter.

I have been hunting waterfowl for 24 years now (since I was 14) with great success so I don't consider myself a novice. With 24 seasons under my belt I still learn new things and techniques every year so I guess I'm not seasoned either. My shotshell of choice was lead in the past and then the winchester dryloks or the xpert when they became available and lead was outlawed. I know how potent lead shot was to waterfowl and am not here to talk about the lead poisoning debate. But what I have observed is the lack of killing power the steel shot has compared to its old lead counterpart. The hevi-shot I use brings back that on target energy and inertia that lead used to have and steel can only dream of. It is simple physics. A BB size steel shot going at 1500 fps is not going to have the same impact as a BB hevi-shot going at 1500 fps. I use #4 and #6 hevishot where I would have used BB and #2 steel. I use less follow up shots now as well. The one side benefit is I don't chew on shot pellets as often now because most of the shot goes through. Is it overpriced... you bet it is. It is highway robbery. Is it hyped up too much... probably, but it is in my opinion superior to steel at every level except price. IMHO

[WesternHunter]

Don't get me wrong I wasn't calling you a novice chesterGolf. But, I do have you by 1 year more waterfowling, 25 years total ::neener: Well......okay...I'll admit there was a three year stretch there in my college days when I didn't do any hunting :D . I agree all the way with ya about heavier denser metals delivering more superior hits. I agree that the denser exotic loads on the market are superior to steel ballistically in every way. But are they worth the money? For me, no! Back in those days lead wasn't a ripoff like todays exotic ammo shot shells. It was reasonably priced and something we forget is that many lead magnum loads in those days were much slower in velocity, but packed a heavier shot load. Magnum for shot shells back then meant more shot ounces per shell, not more powder with higher velocity. All I'm saying is that I see a lot of novices paying high dollar for shells and then feel ripped off when they go through one box for 3 geese. If someone is a good enough shot in the field (not talking trap range) to drop every bird they shoot at with only one shot then I say those exotic loads may be worth buying. Even with all those years duck and goose hunting I have to admit that I'm not always that good all the time. I'm just saying that I cleanly drop just as many ducks and geese with todays steel loads than I did with the old lead magnums. And, it's just my observation with the circles I hunt with that the newer folks tend to be the ones buying the expensive exotic stuff. Not trying to say settle for less, just saying that inside 40 yards over decoys I see not need for the exotic stuff as high velocity steel has always worked fine for me and most of those I hunt with. But, like I said, it doesn't matter what you shoot, you still have to do your part as a shooter.

[Widux]

At price of hevi Shot and number of shells i shoot in a season- I go with Kent Fasteel-I opt for weight of shot over speed(max) so take 3.5" loads at 1525 fps.

[WesternHunter]

Widux wrote: At price of hevi Shot and number of shells i shoot in a season- I go with Kent Fasteel-I opt for weight of shot over speed(max) so take 3.5" loads at 1525 fps.

You just clarified my whole point Widux. I just assume that the poster asking the question or anyone asking what the best shells are probably is fairly new to waterfowl hunting. I must clarify that yes I agree the heavier denser loads (todays exotic stuff) is the best stuff on the market as far as ballistically and use in dropping geese. Mass delivers more energy on a target, the higher velocity we can safely get behind that mass, the better. However, high velocity steel works just as well for me when it comes to waterfowl magnum loads, for the types of waterfowl hunting I do. For the price, and as much time as I spend duck and goose hunting, it's hard for me to chose anything else. I'm not at all financially poor. I just work for my money and try to be smart with my money, and believe in getting the best value for the buck. Sometimes the best stuff just doesn't make sense cost wise. Coupled with the idea that sometimes the best is not always nessesary for certain applications. That's all.

[Widux]

Westernhunter--i agree- same appies to guns-I had a Ruger #1 in n416 Rem for backing hunters--I guess a Dakota or Euro Dbl would have been "BETTER" but I'm not into name dropping nor willing to spend price of another hunt on a gun-- same for shotguns etc--at last count i had about 14 cases of shotshells under my reloading bench-imagine price of them if they I had an equivalent amount of all Hevi- Shot-hell I'd have the price of a new Boat

[VaScout]

ok so number 4 or 6 hevi steel shot 3.5 should do te trick then from what i understand. thanks for all the advice and keep it coming if you are enjoying it :D

[ChesterGolf]

Did you shoot it with the handgun strapped to your leg? :laugh:

BTW, nice goose. Just use whatever you used on that one. :thumbsup1: