The shotgun is very popular for upland game hunting with bird hunting the most popular. A shotgun hunter must pay close attention to the type of shot used in shotshells and correct choke selection to ensure an effective and humane kill shot on wild game.
The shotgun will place 70% of shotshell shot in a 30″ circle at various yardages and this is the idealistic pattern kill zone, no wounding, no over-kill which destroys the usable meat, this means the 30″ circular pattern will cleanly kill anything in this 30″ zone. The shotgun achieves this for the hunter with the following choke selection and yardages:
- Full Choke, 30″ kill zone at 40 yards.
- Modified Choke, 30″ kill zone at 35 yards.
- Improved Cylinder Choke, 30″ kill zone at 30 yards.
- Cylinder Bore, 30″ kill zone at 25 yards.
Below is a list of game that can be hunted with the shotgun along with recommendations as to proper shot and choke tube selection for various ranges for humane hunting practices with shotgun use.
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For Doves & Pigeon Hunting:
Use #6, #7 1/2, #8 & #9 Lead Shot.
For normal ranges, use #7 1/2 or #8 lead shot for light shooting.
For longer ranges, use heavier loads of larger shot.
Modified Choke is the most effective.
For Ducks & Geese Hunting:
Use T, BBB, BB, #1, #2, #3, #4 & #6 Steel Shot.
For ducks at normal ranges #2 and #4 steel shot are the most popular. BBB steel shot is the most effective for geese.
Improved Cylinder Choke, for small ducks up to 45 yds.
Modified Choke, for medium and large ducks.
Full Choke, for geese and large ducks beyond 45 yds.
For Fox & Predator Hunting:
Use BB & #2 Lead Shot.
Full Choke is the most effective.
For Grouse & Partridge Hunting:
Use #5, #6, #7 1/2 & #8 Lead Shot.
On smaller grouse or partridge, use the smaller shot.
Use larger size shot for heavier ounce loads and larger birds.
Improved Cylinder Choke or Modified Choke, for brush.
Full Choke, for open ranges.
For Pheasant Hunting:
Use #4, #5 & #6 Lead Shot.
Use #4 Lead Shot, for field shooting where long shots are typical.
Use #5 Lead Shot, for over dogs shooting.
Use #6 Lead Shot for average hunting conditions.
Improved Cylinder Choke, for close cover.
Modified or Full Choke for long field shots.
For Quail Hunting:
Use #7 1/2, #8 & #9 Lead Shot.
For early season shooting on small quail, use #9 Lead Shot.
Larger Quail and longer shots, use #7 1/2 or #8 Lead Shot.
Improved Cylinder Choke or Modified Choke are the most effective.
For Rabbit Hunting:
Use #4, #5 & #6 Lead Shot.
Improved Cylinder Choke or Modified Choke, for brush.
Full Choke, for long, open shots.
For Squirrel Hunting:
Use #4, #5, #6 & #7 1/2 Lead Shot.
Modified Choke is most effective and least destructive.
For Turkey Hunting:
Use #2, #4, #5 & #6 Lead Shot.
The longer the range, use heavier ounce and larger shot size loads.
Full Choke – Super Full Choke are the most effective.
For Woodcock Hunting:
Use #7 1/2, #8 & #9 Lead Shot.
Use Improved Cylinder Choke in heavy brushy areas.
Use Modified Choke in more open woods cover.
Lead And Steel Shot Ballistics:
| Relevant Lead Shot to Steel Shot Shotgun Ammunition Ballistic Equivalency Conversion Chart For Small Game Hunting Applications: | |||||
| Steel Size # 6 # 4 # 3 # 2 | Shot Count 1 1/8 oz. 335 212 175 141 | Energy 40 yds. 1350 f.p.s. 1.3 ft.lbs. 2.4 ft.lbs. 3.4 ft.lbs. 4.0 ft.lbs. | Lead Size # 7 1/2 # 6 # 5 # 4 | Shot Count 1 oz. 350 225 170 135 | Energy 40 yds. 1350 f.p.s. 1.3 ft.lbs. 2.3 ft.lbs. 3.5 ft.lbs. 4.0 ft.lbs. |
| Steel Size BB | Shot Count 1 1/8 oz. 80 | Energy 60 yds. 1350 f.p.s. 5.6 ft.lbs. | Lead Size # 2 | Shot Count 1 oz. 87 | Energy 60 yds. 1350 f.p.s. 4.9 ft.lbs. |
Slugs, Choke & Game Guide:
The smooth-bore shotgun can be used quite successfully when hunting larger animals such as deer. A little knowledge goes a long way here. Most smooth-bore shotguns using full-bore lead slugs will group shots, at 50 yards, under 4 inches, which is good enough for deer hunting in thick or heavy cover.
Shotgun lead slugs are big and heavy, not very conducive for flat trajectories, however, at only 800 foot pounds of slug energy when it makes contact with a deer, yields very good tasting venison. The following retailers have decent selection in terms of choke and shotshell selection:
For Whitetail Deer Hunting:
Use Improved Cylinder, Modified, Improved Modified or Full Choke.
Rifled slugs can be somewhat difficult at times to gain accuracy, usually, by trying various choke tubes good, reliable accuracy can be achieved. It is not unusual for rifled slugs to produce groups under 2″ at 50 yards by simply finding the right choke tube.
The smooth-bore shotgun will shoot with reasonable accuracy different saboted slugs with the use of a rifled choke tube, however, by adding full-length, full-bore rifling in the barrel, accuracy is better and useable slug distance is greater for deer hunting.
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The smooth-bore shotgun will shoot with reasonable accuracy different sabot slugs with the use of a rifled choke tube, however, by adding full-length, full-bore rifling in the barrel, accuracy is better and usable slug distance is greater for deer hunting.
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For more information on steel vs lead shot, click that link. Learn more about shotguns, here. Finally, for more info on how much shot drops, click that link.