Re: shot size on quail

Like most things it depends. Most preserve quail are bare shadows of the real thing. They are usually larger, slower, and poorer flyers. Any shot size and any ga is adequate for them if you are a good shot.

Wild birds depend on how good a dog you have and/or what kind of quail you are hunting. For runners like Blues and wild flushing birds, 7 1/2s are a good choice. For flushed birds over dogs, many hunters use 9s or 8s. Many quail hunters use 20s, more quail are killed with 12s. Trap load 1 1/8s of 7 1/2s or 8s are excellent quail (and dove loads).

I am using a 20ga on Quail. I have found some #9 #8 and some #7.5. The 20ga is an 'ol 311 Steavens that is really fun to shoot. I have been going to the trap range regularly. So far I am shooting an average of 20 of 25. They keep their machine at 60mph or above for us down here, and it is a woble trap.

Now I haved tried the Johny Stewart with the crow attacking an owl tape and it works. I would rather use tapes and found out that these Crows are very smart. It is kinda like the movie Hamburger Hill. If you see the crow one time you call him CROW. If you miss and see him again then you call him MR. CROW. If you miss twice and see him again let some one else shoot him. I will say one thing though the first time I used this tape I called in about 10 crows at a time. Now I am lucky to see one.

Ray

Hey if you're shooting 20/25 on a wobble trap with a 20 ga 311, all you need is a better gun. That's darn good shooting considering the ga and the gun.

Yep, those crows smarten up on Mr. Stewart's tapes in a hurry. You need to keep changing tapes and areas hunted. If you hunt an area, let it "cool" for at least a month. The problem is, you aren't the only one who knows Mr. Stewart.

Good luck and good shooting.