Load for prairie chicken and sharpies?
 

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...

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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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 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.

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

Attachment 87602

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.

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

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...

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





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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.