I've killed hundreds of SD roosters with 7/8 oz 12 ga loads at 1200 fps and #5 or #6 shot. Light loads are all we use until the snow flies. It's all about shot placement. We use Hodgdon Clays. It was always entertaining to dump birds at 50 yds or more with that load while the non-residents next to me were complaining that their 3" magnum #4s couldn't take a rooster down at 30 yds because they were "too tough". I always looked at them and told them to "shoot them in the head". They laughed at me until I explained to them that my birds never go into the pile for the picture at the end of the day and I would show them a couple roosters from my vest with no damage to legs or breasts...
