Poll....who is hunting with small gauge for up-land birds?

[Brett Hoop]

I’m a dummy, I shoot 7/8 oz in both 20 and 16 gauge. I decide what gun I want to hunt depending on chokes and weight, sometimes barrel length. For the grouse and woodcock hunting over a Setter, 90% of the time it’s a 26 3/4” cut barrel open choked 20. In part because I can handle it with my right hand and move cover out of the way with my left. Inevitably the places we find grouse are thick and a deer trail is a luxury.

Pheasant with a flushing Springer Spaniel a 16ga with full and improved mod barrels 28”.
Or a 20ga full/mod.

For me it’s sort of a 308 vs 30/06 thing and more than likely comes down to what gun I feel like using that day. Sometimes the weather plays a part also.
Or I can get real scientific and see my choice made by how many and what gauge are still in the vest.

[Harold Pickens]

I used to hunt exclusively with 16's. My first 2 SXSs were my VH 16 1 frame and a Fox SW 16. Lately, I've gone over to the 20 ga for grouse, and will take 3 20's with me to the UP. I will take 16's for wild pheasant, bit will use both gages at home for pheasant. I've just never been bitten by the 28 ga bug, and rarely shoot my little Ugartechea 28.