Duck hunting shotgun question...

[roverandbrew]

Maybe you need a better place to hunt? Effective range doesn’t change just because it’s late season and birds are more difficult to decoy. With good shells you can kill birds efficiently out to 40 yards and beyond, not only in 12 gauge but 20 guage. I typically limit 28 gauge shots to 35 yards or less and birds die just as dead as when shot with a 12.

I will stand by what I said about for the average person using 2 3/4" shells on late season geese. While good shells help, I personally would recommend a client to not use 20 or 28 gauge unless we are bringing them in low over a lay out or pit. I have seen way too many birds absorb shot and keep flying.

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

You have really good answers in this thread. The gun camo or wood or synthetic black won't matter. The minute you move any of them (or yourself) assume the ducks see it.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Most of the Left Handed shotguns off the shelf I saw have been Camo; including Beretta, Benelli, Winchester, Browning. Not to say you won’t find a Left Handed black Beretta A400 Extreme Plus or can’t order it.

To each their own…

 

[Altitude sickness]

Rover, I think a great shot using a 20 or 28 that limits shots to close head shots only will be ok. And pass on those exiting, going away tail shots.

Also there can be wounded birds that either dive or run. If everyone is carrying a 28gauge who is shooting those wounded birds at longer range?

Birds with the wings folded while swimming or running have a lot more armor than when the wings are extended.

How many would be using a 28 Ga without a 12 Ga backing them for the cripples? Dogs can get dangerously exhausted swimming bigger water for wounded diving birds.

 

[Firebird]

Funny how many different opinions there are on this thread and they all seem to be correct. I disagree with most of them but that’s just one more correct opinion isn’t it. . .

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Rover, I think a great shot using a 20 or 28 that limits shots to close head shots only will be ok. And pass on those exiting, going away tail shots.

Also there can be wounded birds that either dive or run. If everyone is carrying a 28gauge who is shooting those wounded birds at longer range?

Birds with the wings folded while swimming or running have a lot more armor than when the wings are extended.

How many would be using a 28 Ga without a 12 Ga backing them for the cripples? Dogs can get dangerously exhausted swimming bigger water for wounded diving birds.

I'm a better than average wing shooter and I do not claim to have enough skill to definitively hit a goose on the wing in the head at 40-50 yards. Or even half that range. As to shooting at geese with a 410 or 28 gauge, that is foolishness. Should be criminal. Like hunting Cape buffalo with a 30-06. Sure, a goose won't kill you if it's wounded (though I've experienced a few who tried!), but they still deserve the same respect.

I know guys who foolishly hunt out of layout blinds with 3.5" twelve gauge. And they regularly turn geese into a cloud of feather confetti. And laugh about it (many videos online). 2.75" is sufficient for that kind of hunting. Often the shots are very close. Personally, I can't stand layout blinds. Hate shooting off my butt and they are VERY cold. I just don't need to shoot geese that badly. Fortunately, here the farmers are all into dairy. Their crop fields are typically small with adjacent brushy fence lines or timber. I use cover on the edge of the field and set the decoys out at least 55 yards (geese won't come any closer). Several fields are usually available so I can utilize the wind. Hide downwind of the decoys and the birds have to come into them over me. Pass shooting is more fun than blasting them point blank from a layout in the middle of the spread. Shots are not close but I regularly shoot triples or limit in as many shots. There's also a few brushy sloughs I can jumpshoot with the dogs. Very hard work and lots of stalking through terrible stuff. If more jump shooting was available, my decoys would go to the Salvation Army bin. I love it!

 

[Arty0802]

I don't know if this has already been mentioned, but another (and in my opinion, very important) aspect of the camo coating on waterfowl shotguns is that it helps them mitigate damage from water, etc. I have a Stoeger M3000 which is very inexpensive but punches above its weight in my experience. Fully coated from butt to muzzle, and cleanup is a breeze if it gets wet, muddy, bloody, etc. I also have a Benelli SBE3 which has a Cerakote-type (might actually BE Cerakote, I'm not sure) coating on the metal which serves the same purpose.

If you want to buy-once-cry-once.... get a Benelli. You'll be happy you did.

 

[jeanes]

This is an interesting thread so I'll chime in with my two cents worth. In my VERY limited experience hunting waterfowl gun cammo makes no difference. I use a black synthetic Benelli ( Nova), my hunting partner uses an older Auto 5, blued & wood. We manage to kill ducks. We do, however, cammoflage ourselves. My advice, buy whichever gun suits your fancy.

 

[coreydb]

Shotgun selection is personal preference, just no shiny surface. Camo is just a marketing gimmick, and I do love my camo.