Had to chuckle the other day.

Al Hansen

Al Hansen

Well-known member
Last week on the 29th of January, I did some jump shooting on one of the local ditches. Chili was carrying the gadwall I had shot and all was well. As we continued our walk back towards the truck, I came upon five empty shell casings left by a couple of hunters, so I picked them up and examined them. They were all 3 1/2 inch shells---BB's! That is what made me chuckle. I tried to picture the two young duck hunters who were crawling along, then suddenly jumping up to send their barrage of 5 shots after what ever ducks were there. It made me wonder if they actually hit any and or how many. I put the shell casings in my shirt pocket to dispose of later. I really abhor careless hunters and will always clean up after them because I don't want hunting to have a bad name.
I once had a farmer tell me about jumping off of his tractor because he spied a spent shell on the corn field that he was plowing. He, too, didn't like what he saw. He said, "You know, when you see things like that, it just makes putting up a "NO HUNTING" sign that much easier."
Most of the jump shooting I have done is normally within 20 to 30 yards and that is why my shell of choice is 7shot Dove loads, 2 3/4 inch. Why did I laugh, because I was just like those two young men who shot those five shells. I thought I was invincible shooting 3 inch magnums 2 shot. I used them on ducks, geese, pheasants, and pigeons both live and clay. My lord it took me a long time to finally figure out that there is actually a shell that is better than a 3 inch 2 shot.
Now when I sit on the Rio Grande and or by the little beaver pond that I visit once every 8 or 10 days, I find myself shooting 7 shot at the ducks. I love seeing outstretched feet and backpedaling wings over my decoys before I shoot. Very seldom will I ever shoot the third shell in my gun. If I do, I back it up by using a 3 inch 6 shot. Taking long shots promotes crippling ducks. I don't care to do that.
I'm glad I finally woke up. It sure took long enough.
Al
 
Al

You mean you don't shoot 3 1/2" mushroom cloud shells. Sure are handicapping yourself. You ought to pay attention to those twenty somethings. Just listen to the numbers they put up. They know what it's about.

Eric
 
Good story about the farmer picking up empty hulls. Sometimes the simple truth is a little scary.

For the last couple of years I have been shooting 3", #3. This year I decided to use up a couple of older boxes of 2 3/4" shells and was pleasantly reminded of how they shoot. I would love to take your approach Al but it would only work when I hunt alone in an area without much pressure. Most folks won't let the birds work the way I like.
 
If they were like My boys they shot what ever Dad gives them. I gave My boys all the 3 1/2 " roman candles I have ever bought. So I would not have to shoot them. I still use 3" #3's but never take a third shot. Cant open my O/U that fast and still get off a third shot. One GREAT thing I have found with the O/U is it is VERY easy to find the empties and put them in Your pocket.
 
It is sometimes very difficult to find shells that come out of my auto loader. I know I've missed some over the years. I pick up any shells that I can find - mine or otherwise. My BPS made finding them easier, but a break action is unbeatable.
 
I found a new spot this year to hunt. Paddled my canoe in way too early. Set up with birds flying everywhere. Shooting time came, 4 greenheads and a black duck. Done by sunrise! Picking up the decoys and gear I noticed an empty shell. 47 shells later I stopped counting. I guess it wasn't the 1st time someone hunted there!? I must have looked like I shot a lot for 5 ducks when I came in, but luckily no one saw.
And yes Al, they're were 3.5's bb's mixed in for the skybusters. Great topic.
 
I almost got in trouble picking up others garbage. One slow day hunting a spot that is frequented by fisherman and hunters, I picked up all the trash I could find. beer bottles, old shoes, donut packaging, and lots and lots of old shells. Got to the landing and was met by the warden who upon checking my shells noticed that there were some lead casings in among them. This and the empty beer bottles I picked up didn't look too good according to the CO.

When I showed him all the shells I had (Kent 3" #4's) and showed him that there wasn't one among the spent casings, and told him he could check my barrell and see that it was completely clean, he started to back down. I told him I would gladly take a breath a lyzer test but it would be a complete waste of his and the other deputies time.

First time I met this warden. We've since become friends.

Mark W
 
Al; I recall when I was about 16 or 17 when we had a MOm &Pop sporting good store here in delaware called Slicer's Mr. Slicers had given me advice that I'll never forget,rest his soul he was a very nice man to the younger hunters.He told me to shoot 7 or was it 7 1/2 shot at ducks and that was all I needed, when I asked how come he said look at it this way take a sharpend 2-H lead pencil with an eraser head ,now push the rubber end into the palm of your hand real hard{sample of BB} ,and then turn it over try doing the same with the pointed end the penetration is easyer ,thus the shot can penetrate thru heavy feathers that much faster and with less resistance,plus more shot per load and less feathers pushed into the wound.At my age 15 it was all jump shooting the ditches with a double barrell 20 ga stevens with modified and improved barrels I believe I bagged more ducks with that gun than any other ,except in my later yrs I used an Ithaca 12 ga pump slide {dam good Gun} with a poly-choke compensater.
 
That is the main reason I ordered my O/U with extractors over ejectors. Much easier to put spent shells aside to throw out at home.
 
After how many years, a thread devoted to itty bitty shot, it warms my heart. The quote I use is "It aint the arrows it's the indian" Work them close, shoot them right and you'll have twice the fun.
 
i have converted quite a few people to 2 3/4 #6's and close shots over the years. my father was a BB or even T shot guy till the day he died. I am still trying to find a use for some T's. I have shot a couple pigs with them, but a man only wants to shoot so many pigs.
 
After all those years of reloading every possible hull I could find, picking hulls is second nature. Then there is the PR factor too, nobody likes a slob. Skybusting is part of being a slob. If I load some trap rounds even for their last hurah they go into my pouch by habit to be "properly disposed of" at home. Throws my game off if I just let them fly.
 
Al
You lead by example. Hunting back in the "40's" with my dad the last thing we did was police the area. I guess the only time we didn't was getting out of the Armistice day storm. We do the same with my son and he with his son. Hunting with other hunters they usally see you doing it and follow the lead. If they don't finish that connection.
wis boz
 
Al,

Growing up we did not have much money so the cheapest 2 3/4" #7 1/2 shot dove style loads is what we used for everything....seems many birds met a sudden and quick death with those loads... One occasion I did spring for a box of 2 3/4" baby mags with #5s thinking that they should kill flying elephants and charging rhinos with one fell swoop out of my single shot Steven 12 gauge, they did not out preform the 7 1/2s...

Yes the trash is all around, just not hunters are responsible, drives me nuts. I live on a major state highway and people think my front yard is some sort of dumping ground.

Matt
 
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After how many years, a thread devoted to itty bitty shot, it warms my heart. The quote I use is "It aint the arrows it's the indian" Work them close, shoot them right and you'll have twice the fun.
Click to expand...

Al,

I too am glad for a thread like this. A long time ago Mark mentioned the 7 shot on this forum and at first I was hesitant, but bought a box originally to dispatch cripple divers. As I debated with friends about the close range shooting I started using these 7 shot loads, on Mallards, Brant, Buffle heads. I was killing birds close range.

Now all these years later, I look for 7's on sale if possible. This year I hunted with a friend in a new spot, he was shooting 3 inch 2's and I told him to use 2 3/4 inch 7's they work great because we are going to let the birds work. Four mallards cirled 3 or so times and finally committed, all 4 went down. The birds that he shot head popped up; one hit the tall frags and was lost. My birds were stone cold dead, my friend saw the light. I shoot both O/U and autos depending on my mood I swear on 7's and letting the birds work the spread. Pick up any shells, mine or those before me (lead shot shells too, some folks reload steel in lead shot casings).

I hunt public lands too, not saying it's easy, but I don't change the way I hunt... toe draggers! take them! In the past Mark would show those "in your face Mallards" that's hunting!

-Jack
 
Speed Kills! Whoever coined that phrase in the marketing world has to be proud. It made tons of money and continues on today doing the same. How many times have we heard that two word phrase as duck hunters?

I was just looking at the shells I use and wondering about the fact that at 25 yards, what is the difference of 1275fps verses 1600fps? It also made me think of when I first started to hunt back in 1954 when the only two differences shells had were color and the way the crimp looked. Since my favorite color is blue, I always tried to buy Peters. Back then Federal had the old style crimp so I guess I leaned towards the other brands just because I didn't know any better.

One day I'll never forget. I was in the commons at Mankato State College in the fall of 1959, reading the Minneapolis newspaper. Inside I found an ad that Dayton's had placed. They were running a super special on shotgun shells. Heck, I don't remember how much a box they were but in today's world not bad----maybe somewhere around $1.29 or $1.39 a box. Well, I got a friend of mine who owned a car and he took me to the Greyhound bus depot. I brought along my large suitcase. I then hopped the bus to Minneapolis and hoofed it to Dayton's which wasn't all that far from the bus terminal.
Upon arriving at the downtown store, which was kitty corner from Donaldson's, I got up to the 2nd or 3rd floor to the sporting goods department and bought 30 boxes of shells. I had been saving my money for such an occasion and now it was paying off in big dividends. The clerk helped me stack the 30 boxes into my suitcase plus he even got a piece of heavy string to tie around the outside. I then started back towards the bus depot.
My gosh that was a "Long Way" to go trying to carry 30 boxes of shotgun shells in my suitcase.
I'll never forget the bus driver when he was checking my suitcase and stacking it in the belly of the Greyhound bus. "Say there, young man," he said, "how come this suitcase weighs so much?" I told him that I was in college and was transporting text books to school.
It was an interesting day. I still remember not feeling too sorry about missing my classes----after all duck hunting does have its priorities.
Al

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I know what you mean Al

I shot 2 3/4 in number 4 0r 6 shot steel and thats it.

To me its about being close enough to see a ducks breath before the shot

I was never in to the anti air craft shells. LOL
 
How about that nagging feeling that you were messing up when you swapped out the full choke for cylinder bore when going to that wood duck hole?
 
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