What size shot is best for ducks and geese?

2, No. 3 or No. 4 shot sizes for ducks. The general rule of thumb is to go two shot sizes smaller (meaning pellets are bigger) for waterfowl.

What size shot for duck and geese?

Choke and Load Recommendations

Size 2 shot is a versatile load for situations in which you might encounter geese as well as ducks; otherwise 3 shot is a good all-purpose duck pellet. At ranges inside 40 yards, BB, 1, or 2 shot are good for geese; 2 or 3 shot works well on ducks.

Is BB or #2 shot better for geese?

For most hunting situations, BB or BBB shot is the most effective shot size. Both have plenty of pellets, but still enough energy to bring down a goose. Guns are usually 10- or 12-gauge. Because steel shoots tighter patterns than lead does, the best chokes for geese are modified and improved modified.

What shot size is good for ducks?

#3's and 4's are the best shot sizes for ducks. They meet the minimum 3 foot-pounds of knockdown power, and the most pellets present within a 30” circle when reaching the distance of the target.

Is 2 shot or 4 shot better for ducks?

The general consensus is to choose #4 shot for ducks over decoys at ranges inside 30 yards for better pattern density up close. For longer shots, 2 shot is the clear choice since the larger pellets can penetrate deeper and excel at ranges between 30 and 40 yards.

What Shot Size To Use For Ducks And Geese | Waterfowl Wednesday

Can you use 4 shot for geese?

A #4 shot has small pellets and a 0.13-inch diameter. This provides a dense pattern when shooting waterfowl, but it doesn't give you enough energy to take down geese. While you can use a #4 shot for hunting geese, you shouldn't rely on this shot size whenever you head out to hunt these birds.

What do you use #4 shot for?

By far, the most common animals hunted with #4 shot are turkey, pheasant and geese. The #4 lead is one of the best lead shot sizes you'll ever find for medium to large game birds. Lead flies very well and can keep a tight pattern for quite a long range, making it ideal for large birds in flight as well as runners.

Is 6 shot too small for ducks?

Use a #6 Shot in Steel or Tungsten

For medium-sized ducks, a #6 steel or tungsten alloy shot can give you 115 hits per 30-inch circle. For larger ducks, however, the amount of hits that you can achieve drops down to 85 per 30-inch circle. Therefore, a #6 shot size isn't ideal for larger ducks.

Is 6 shot ok for ducks?

Stay Deadly On Ducks

If smaller ducks like teal are on the menu and shots of 30 yards and in are expected, it's hard to go wrong with 1 1/8 ounce of No. 6 steel. And when small ducks are in close, an improved cylinder choke is hard to beat. If you opt for a 20-gauge, up your shot size to No.

Is a 12 gauge too much for duck?

What gauge shotgun do you prefer while duck hunting? The vast majority of those who responded to the survey preferred using a 12 gauge rather than a 20 gauge. In pattern density and shot stringing, the 12 gauge offers a slight advantage over the 20 gauge, especially with larger steel pellet sizes.

Can you shoot geese with #2 shot?

Note: Steel #BBB (. 190") & HEVI-Shot #2 (. 150”) have exhibited the best all-around performance for taking geese; steel #3 (. 140") & HEVI-Shot #4 (.

What choke to use for geese?

For ducks and geese that are close, improved cylinder or even skeet constriction choke work well. If the birds are farther out, a modified choke tube is better.

Is #2 big enough for geese?

For close shooting I would suggest that you might move to #3 or #4 steel. I've used #2 3 inch and they seem to work fine for both ducks and geese for field shooting.

Can you use 7.5 shot for ducks?

Hunting Use

Doves, grouse, pheasants, ducks (with decoys), squirrels and rabbits are perfect for 7 1/2 shot because it won't destroy the meat or ruin a trophy. Some hunters even say that inside of 35 yards, this shot size is great for turkey as well, while other hunters speak of its effectiveness on crows.

Are 2 3 4 or 3 inch shells better for ducks?

For ducks and most other geese; shoot at reasonable range and 2 3/4 are just fine.

Is 4 shot good for mallards?

A #4 shot is an effective all-rounder for hunting ducks. It especially shines when used to hunt smaller ducks, such as the mallard bantam because of its smaller pellet size.

What is the hardest duck to shoot?

Bluewings and greenwings share many maddening characteristics, including twisting, turning flight patterns. But greenwings get the puddler trophy because they seem to have an extra burst, and their habit of skyrocketing straight up when spooked or shot at makes them the tougher target.

How far do you lead a duck when shooting?

In this article, I'll talk about the science behind how far to lead a duck, and how much margin for error there is. A shooter needs to lead a duck by . 24-5.16 feet to make a clean shot.

What size choke is best for duck hunting?

A modified choke tube (0.020”) is the best choke size for duck hunting. It allows for all-around performance for both decoying and passing shots. All types of shot and shot sizes can be put through a modified choke tube with no issues.

Where do you aim when duck hunting?

Aim slightly below the bird, raise the gun up into its flight path, and pull the trigger when the gun barrel blots out the bird. Or, if the duck is descending to land, aim at its feet and shoot. By the time the shot charge gets on target, the duck will have dropped into the middle of the pattern.

What's the difference between #4 buck and #4 bird?

Buckshot shells have larger pellets in lower numbers while birdshot shells have smaller pellets in much higher quantities. Buckshot loads have high penetration while birdshot typically has lower penetration ability.

What is the difference between #4 shot and #4 buckshot?

As the names suggest, #4 Buck is intended to bring down a large deer, and so is often used as an effective home defense round, especially at close range. #4 Shot, on the other hand, is much smaller at about 3.30 mm (0.130") in diameter and is primarily used for hunting ducks and turkey.

What size shot for 12 gauge duck?

Three-inch shells are most common, while 3½-inch shells hold the most shot, but also generate more recoil for the hunter. Both of the larger loads deliver the best patterns when fired from a 12-gauge or 10-gauge.

Will geese come back after being shot at?

After you shoot into a few flocks, though, things get dicey. Geese might return to an especially tempting food source, but they often wait a few days before doing so and are exceptionally wary when they do. Otherwise, birds might simply relocate to another field.

How far is too far to shoot a goose?

How far away can you shoot a goose? The furthest away you can shoot a goose with a shotgun is close to 100 yards. At this range, it makes it difficult to hit a fast-moving bird and also judge the lead required. Additionally, shot drop at longer ranges may require aiming 5-10 feet higher than the bird is flying.