Goose Hunting Loads
Choosing the suitable goose hunting loads is not a very hard thing to do even if you are an inexperienced hunter. In order to obtain clean and consistent kills, you should know that the pattern of the shot must have a density that is sufficient to place three pellets into the forward half of the goose by penetrating its chest cavity through its feathers, the chest muscles, and the bone into the vital organs.
This proven formula has demonstrated its effectiveness over the years to be a lethal load, whether it was tried on goose or other similar specie. The concept of a "lethal waterfowl load" has been made based upon the personal observations of more than 1,000 goose kills during the last ten years, assisting in a complex government study of the lethality of the steel shot on the large birds.
What hunters have learned is that if a 10 #6 steel pellet will only broke the belly skin of the goose, then they should use a larger shot that retains more of the energy at the same distance. In other words, use a #2 or a #3 for example and you should obtain good results.
If the normal gun to bird distance usually produces only one single pellet in the goose, it is highly recommended that you should try a denser pattern of a smaller shot by not using BB and trying a #2 shot that has the same velocity and payload.
When taking into consideration the goose hunting loads, you will have to think about picking a cartridge that has a smaller shot size and velocity, but a higher pellet count in the critical strike zone by increasing the shot's load from 141 pellets to 169 pellets, or even 197 pellets if you want to.
You will also have to take into consideration the costs that come with waterfowl hunting as well as the hunting conditions when picking out the right goose loads.
It may sound reasonable to pay more than $2 per round for a 3 1/2-inch load of bismuth or tungsten in order to pass-shoot a one goose limit from 60 yards.
You should pick out a 1 1/8 oz. of #2, 3 or 4 steel shot if the hunt is for a bag of 10 early season teal at 20 yards.
For most of the situations, a BB or BBB shot is without any doubt the most efficient shot size as both of them have plenty of pellets and enough energy in order to take down the bird. The guns should be either a 10 or a 12 gauge. Due to the reason that steel shoots tighter patterns in comparison to lead, the recommended chokes are modified and improved. However, taking into consideration that each choke of a shotgun is unique, hunters should be able to pattern their particular guns.
The best goose loads come from well-reputed manufacturers like Remington, Winchester and Federal. Here is an example of a reliable configuration that has been used for years by goose hunters: 12 gauge 3 1/2 Federal steel, with 1 9/16 oz. BBB and a claimed muzzle velocity of 1,300 fps.
If the normal gun to bird distance usually produces only one single pellet in the goose, it is highly recommended that you should try a denser pattern of a smaller shot by not using BB and trying a #2 shot that has the same velocity and payload.
When taking into consideration the goose hunting loads, you will have to think about picking a cartridge that has a smaller shot size and velocity, but a higher pellet count in the critical strike zone by increasing the shot's load from 141 pellets to 169 pellets, or even 197 pellets if you want to.
You will also have to take into consideration the costs that come with waterfowl hunting as well as the hunting conditions when picking out the right goose loads.
It may sound reasonable to pay more than $2 per round for a 3 1/2-inch load of bismuth or tungsten in order to pass-shoot a one goose limit from 60 yards.
You should pick out a 1 1/8 oz. of #2, 3 or 4 steel shot if the hunt is for a bag of 10 early season teal at 20 yards.
For most of the situations, a BB or BBB shot is without any doubt the most efficient shot size as both of them have plenty of pellets and enough energy in order to take down the bird. The guns should be either a 10 or a 12 gauge. Due to the reason that steel shoots tighter patterns in comparison to lead, the recommended chokes are modified and improved. However, taking into consideration that each choke of a shotgun is unique, hunters should be able to pattern their particular guns.
The best goose loads come from well-reputed manufacturers like Remington, Winchester and Federal. Here is an example of a reliable configuration that has been used for years by goose hunters: 12 gauge 3 1/2 Federal steel, with 1 9/16 oz. BBB and a claimed muzzle velocity of 1,300 fps.
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