Load for prairie chicken and sharpies?

[Scott Chapman]

I just got a invite to go to Nebraska to chase the dogs and hopefully find a prairie chicken or sharptailed grouse the second week in September.

I have a few guns to choose from.

Grandpa's 16 gauge Trojan 26" choked open and modified. I have a bunch of RST 1 oz copper #6s.

VH 20 gauge 0 frame 28" choked modified and "close". Don't have anything other than 7/8 oz #7.5 dove loads in hand. I may have a box of RST #7.

I'm leaning towards taking them both. Should I try to order some RST copper #6 for the 20? I was thinking that the shots maybe longer...

[Dean Romig]

Never having hunted those birds myself, I understand they’re not small birds and if it were me I’d be shooting 6’s with the tighter choked gun. If you’re only bringing one gun it’s better to have a bit too much choke than to wish you had.





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[Kevin McCormack]

You will have a big advantage using dogs; nevertheless sharptails even holding at point can come up anywhere from 5 to 20 yards from the gun, and they get away fast! IMO, the same thing holds true for them as for wild TX and OK quail - speed kills! Prarie chickens, not so much. If you only have these 2 guns to take, I would definitely get some copper 6's for the 20 gauge. And if you have a longer barreled 12 gauge, I would take it as a backup gun in case there are any 'surprises.' Good luck and I hope you bag some of each.

[Terry Hobson]

I have used 1 oz #6 shot 1170 fps out of open choked 20 gauge fox for years. This is early season over pointing dogs. Think I will try some 7/8 oz #7 shot this year.

I have also used 1 1/8 oz #6 shot in 12 gauge. Hunted with a friend that was using #7 1/2 out of a 12 gauge, seemed to work ok.

[Dave Noreen]

These must be right by the picture on the box --

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[George Davis]

I use mostly RST 1 OZ # 7 for both my 16 and 12 gauge and they are deadly!!! However in early season I use 7/8 oz number 7 my 16 gauge.

[Paul D Narlesky]

That is a beautiful old box of shells. I bet it is fairly scarce ! Thanks ! Paul

[Scott Chapman]

I'm definitely over thinking this...going to bring the 16 with RST 1 oz. copper #6 and the 20 with RST 7/8 oz # 7.

I would like to shoot a bird or two with my grandfather's 16. Copper 6s did the trick on sage hens a couple of years ago...

[Dean Romig]

Is there a significant advantage of the copper shot over regular high antimony lead shot?





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[Randy G Roberts]

As you alluded to Scott the shots may be longer but that seems to depend on the terrain. Over the years we have hunted Sharpies and Chickens during our pheasant hunt in SD. If we can find the birds in cover you have a good chance of them holding, however they tend to like that open prairie grass where they can see a long ways which can be real frustrating hunting. In order to keep it simple and keep from shuffling shells and guns around I use the same load that I use for the Phez. RST, 1 oz of 5's in a 16 bore VH with tight chokes. One year the grouse were congregated in a huge picked corn field with lots of cover. A skeet choke would have worked that year, never seen it like that since.

[Tom Flanigan]

You will have a big advantage using dogs; nevertheless sharptails even holding at point can come up anywhere from 5 to 20 yards from the gun, and they get away fast! IMO, the same thing holds true for them as for wild TX and OK quail - speed kills! Prarie chickens, not so much. If you only have these 2 guns to take, I would definitely get some copper 6's for the 20 gauge. And if you have a longer barreled 12 gauge, I would take it as a backup gun in case there are any 'surprises.' Good luck and I hope you bag some of each.

I agree with everything that Kevin said except that I never considered the sharptail a 20 bore bird. Shots can be long, even using a good bird dog. I think the 16 bore is perfect with 1 1/8 oz. of shot. I have used this load often on these birds but my go to gun for sharptails is a 12 bore DHE, modified and full shooting 1200 fps, 1 1/4 oz handloads of #6 shot. If you are going to shoot a 20 bore, I would take some shots at paper first. You may be pleased or you may not, but it is never a bad idea to shoot at paper first with a small bore 20.

[Scott Chapman]

We had a successful trip in regards to prairie chickens. Found some bonus doves using a water hole near some wild sunflowers for late afternoon diversion.

We were on the eastern edge of sharpie country. My friend has found them in past years on this ranch but after two long afternoons of running miles of sandhills we were unsuccessful in our quest.

Both Trojan 16 with RST 2 1/2"copper #6 and VH 20 with RST 2 1/2 #7 worked fine. Even shot doves with both guns.

[Bruce Day]

Shots will be between 15 and 65 yards. Wind 0 to 30 or more. Temps then 25 to 80.