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About Kent Staubus
Expertise
Nearly 30 years` experience hunting upland game, big game, and waterfowl in the Upper Midwest and many college level classes in biology. I can answer questions about hunting with rifles and shotguns, and how to hunt mule/whitetail deer, antelope, pheasants, quail, ducks, squirrels, and rabbits. I can also answer questions about outdoor clothing for cold climates. As a licensed therapist, I have helped handicapped outdoorsmen.
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You are here: Experts > Recreation/Outdoors > Hunting/Shooting > Hunting > deer and phesant hunting
Hunting - deer and phesant hunting
Expert: Kent Staubus - 10/23/2009
Question
I am 15years old I use a Remington 870 youth 20 gauge and I am quickly growing out of it and i really want to upgrade to a semi auto 12gauge and I am actully planning on spending about $1500 on a gun because i am having trouble knocking down pheasant with my 20gauge I can kill deer during deer season but im having trouble knocking down pheasant with my 20ga. so I was looking at getting either a Benelli M2 or the Benelli Vinci but if you have a different gun in mind for my situation i am open minded on my decision i may even choose a beretta but i deffinately need a sugestion
Answer
I have no trouble at all killing both ducks and pheasants with a 20 gauge. I shoot the Black Cloud ammo, usually three inch #3 shot, modified choke. The Black Cloud ammo is a little more expensive, but much more lethal than regular steel shot. My favorite shot for pheasant is #5 lead, but I can't use that on public land any more. My other shotgun is a Beretta Pintail, a lightweight 12 gauge that uses the same internal parts as a Benellie M2. Some thoughts on it. Since it's light, it's easy to carry all day. The downside is even shooting very light skeet loads it will tear my should up after just one box. The recoil goes straight to my shoulder and there isn't much weight to absorb it either. This is such a problem when I'm hunting since I don't fire all that many shells, but you do have to shoot trap/skeet to get good. And that brings up another thing. Just getting a new shotgun might not help you. The pattern spread size is about the same for a 12 ga. as a 20 ga., it's just more dense. If you can't hit a pheasant with a 20, you won't with a 12 either. You need to practice, practice, practice. For me, a shotgun is like a pair of boots. You have to try several of them on and see how they feel. I would not get it into my head that just one shotgun I have no experience with is the one I want. Go to a store and try several different ones, on at least two different days. One of them will have a better "feel" than the others. You might even see if they can adjust the stock length so it's a better fit. I generaly buy used shotguns. They work just as well and I get a lot more for my money. With the savings I buy more duck decoys or whatever. As for what model, there aren't any bad ones out there now. Find one that fits you. And, go to Walmart and buy some Black Cloud ammo, #3 or #4 shot. Nobody in South Dakota shoots #2--too few pellets.
Good luck!
Kent in SD
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