I miss the days of available hunting territory and abundant birds. My brother and I and our cow dogs used to be able to put up 100 plus birds on any day we went out, once we got the trespassers to stay off of the property. We were usually out 4 days a week minimum during season.
I only wish I could have had this Weatherby Orion O/U 20 ga in those days. As to chokes, we did not have the option of replaceable choke tubes. So we carried full choke guns as they were mandatory late in season when the birds became wary. Early in the season, we often waited for a bird to gain some distance before taking a shot.
Today, I would put an IC and a M in the gun for early season. Then switch out to an IM and full for late season. If we still had any birds to shoot.
I never saw a pheasant which would not die as easily in front of a 20 ga as a 12. I came to prefer #5 shot for pheasant. 6 or 7.5 produced a tighter pattern. But #5 produced fewer wounded birds flying away. They did not run away. If they hit the ground, the dogs WOULD stop them.
LOL, the dogs absolutely did not retrieve. The big heeler pointed better than any GSH I ever saw in the field, and they both would flush any birds out of the cattails and brush. They would run to ground and kill every bird that hit the ground, no matter the cover.
But, then they would stand and wag their tails with that look on their faces. "You have two good legs. Walk your nappy ass over here and pick it up".
We did not care, as long as they got the birds up and caught the runners.
Yes, I do miss those days a lot.
So, in summation, my dream pheasant gun is a nice 20 ga O/U.
