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.