Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game 2017 Upland Hunts

Yeah, I looked awhile for that ImpCyl in 26". It cost me more than it should have too, but it's a very nice gun for carry and shooting both. I plan to hunt it for a couple of years than give it to my youngest son. It's supposed to be his but he's letting me "borrow" it for now until he gets bigger.

Dammit! Murphy sucks... Hope the pup heals well.

My M37 20ga showed up in the mail today. I couldn't be happier with it.

That's a beauty. Should be a mid-70s gun with the flat front forend, I think. They are a joy to carry in the coverts.

What will you use it for?

Grouse and woodcock. There are no pheasant here.

If you get a chance, what's the actual weight on your 20 gauge?

6.25 lbs ........ Yours?

6.75 in 12 gauge @ 26". The magnum versions are actually over 1/2 pound heavier (actually about 10 ounces more @ 28" barrel). That difference makes all the difference when walking around in heavy cover. The original 2 3/4 inch receivers are the nice ones.

Though, an Ultrafeatherlight 12 gauge goes 6.25 like your 20 gauge.

6.75lb is a good weight for a 12ga. I wouldn't be interested in a 28" magnum. Too heavy, too long. Are the 12s prefered for pheasant?

I with they would offer 24" bbls in pumps and semi autos. Be about the same length as a 26 or 28" SxS

Last year, I had a very good year on pheasants with a 20 gauge Ithaca Ultrafeatherlight shooting 1 ounce #6 copper-plated. I only noticed a drawback when I got past 35 yards. So late season, it seemed prudent to switch back to a 12 gauge. The 12 is definitely a better all-around choice. If you have a 3" mag 20, then the Federal Grand Slam load will make it mimic a 12 but with a lot of recoil.

Wild pheasants can be amazingly tough to kill with any sort of peripheral hit, and going-away shots require a lot of penetration. #5 nickel or copper works well, while #4 works even better but then the patterns start to lighten up if not using a tight choke. #4 copper through a really tight choke can make incredible kills at ranges to 75 yards, but chews up birds at normal ranges.

The biggest problem is that any sort of not-immediately-dead pheasant is going to run/crawl into cover and then underneath the grass and cattails, where you can never see them even if you are literally standing on top of them. That's where a good dog that will hunt "dead" is invaluable.

BTW--Ithaca did make a 24" vent rib barrel for the 37, and the Benelli M2 is commonly available in 24" also.

Big snow dump coming today so went out out early this morn to a spot close to town. More of a dog walk than serious hunt. 4 flushes, no birds in hand. Dog is flopped out now so all good.

As much as I like a lightweight pump, there is nothing that comes close to a SxS for upland hunting, at least for grouse anyways.

how is the woodcock populations doing up in NB?

I sure saw a lot of them bear hunting and salmon fishing up there.

Always though about returning for woodcock and grouse. I know you need a guide uo there to bird hunt . Ive done waterfowl solo up in Canada but I think the upland is guide only if not mistaken

lucky to find in IC!!

I have one in mod. Thought about getting re-choked

Woodcock was a bit slow where I was this fall in S. NB. I did get a few flushed early this fall but it did peter off as is the norm.

The dog needed exercise and my neighbor wanted to try bird hunting so we hit a local preserve on Saturday morning. Not nearly the same as wild birds, but they were strong flyers and had their running shoes on. Hank only really fudged up the first by flinching/creeping too much after the point flushing the bird too early. He tightened up after that.

Untitled by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr

Nice work Hank!

Any hunting is better than TV.. Good pic..

On our last hunt we went for 5 days. Pretty slow, then we hit a bunch.. Limited out this afternoon.. Kate and Maggie had a ball. Great work.. The next day they were completely nuts.. Out of range, but that day we only move one rooster.. so they came out ok.. No punishment tank..

A limit on 3 wild Pheasants is a great day. Give the crew a well done ear rub.

Congrats!!!!