Took two hunting

[hammer]

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My daughter got home from school for Thanksgiving break.

Took her and the youngest son pheasant hunting.

Was a sunny 17 degree day with no wind. Perfect.

The dog worked fine.

My youngest son likes anything with lots of recoil so he used factory loads of 1-5/8 ounce of #5 shot. My daughter used factory loads of 1-1/4 ounce of #6.

All the shots were at short distances in corn or barley stubble that would have been fine with no choke at all.

My son insists that extra-full turkey choke is the answer to all choke questions. He even tries it on skeet. He didn't miss any shots yesterday and all the birds fell like a sack of rocks.

My daughter used an improved-cylinder and no bird required a second shot. She used a Browning BT-99 which has been modified for her small size. She carries it open until the dog is on point.

My son took four pheasant and my daughter took two.

They had a great time.

I shot nothing and had one of my best days hunting ever.


My daughter, who is finishing a combined Law/MBA program, has attended European cooking schools and will try to do something interesting with the pheasants as an addition to the big turkey their Mother is fixing today.


Another son got home about midnight last night from Arizona State. On Saturday will take him pheasant hunting too. He likes low recoil loads so will have a sample of both kinds of shells.

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[Fowler]

It does not get any better than the family getting back together for a little family bonding. Pheasants are not hard to kill despite what many think, hitting them squarely can be a challenge though. I like 1 1/8" of #5 but they need to be shot from a gun with 2 barrels in any configuration....

[kings6]

My best days hunting didn't involve me shooting a shot but like you, being with the kids and seeing them bag their game! I envy you in that none of my kids were able to come home for Thanksgiving this year. The reality of post college life hit them, and their folks, all this year pretty hard.

[hammer]

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It's Saturday morning and my two sons and I are heading back to find them pheasants.

Will have two dogs today.

Supposed to be cloudy early and sunny by afternoon. Mid-thirties. Winds less than 10 mph.


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[hammer]

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My son home from ASU and his younger brother teamed up on three pheasants today.

Both were shooting 12 gauges with 1-5/8 ounce of either #4 or #5 shot. The youngest was using an extra-full turkey choke and his older brother was using a modified choke -- both using Benellli autos.

All three birds didn't flush until the boys almost stepped on them.

Earlier experience in this place would have suggested extreme long range shots.

Someone didn't get word to these three pheasant.

One never knows when hunting.

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