I've been invited on a chuckar "hunt" (pen raised birds) a couple of weeks from now. Never having shot chuckar before, I have no idea as to load or choke selection. I'd really like to shoot my 20 ga. Benelli but if a 12 is prefered, I can go that way too.

 

I haven't hunted them myself but talking to a buddy he says a 20 will be fine and to use somwhere around 7 1/2 shot.

 

Be a sportsman-stick w/ 20ga.
I sure they will have dogs for the birds because the little buggers like to run on the ground,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

The reason I asked the questions is because I am a sportsman & want to make a clean kill and have something left to put on the table. If I didn't care about the table, I'd shoot #2 magnums & make the birds poof like clay targets.

 

The most fun I ever had was when a Dr. friend invited us to
his little tax write-off bird hunt club.
It was 10 deg & I was freezing when they took us to a trap range to see if we could shoot. I missed every clay.
They took us to the field for the birds & I shot 13 birds in 30 mi. Their dogs were highly trained because a guy signaled
the dogs & we never saw another bird all day ( it was a free hunt ) We did get to take the birds home in a pretty box ( all
cleaned ) It was fun..........
.

 

This particular hunt is a benefit for a scholarship fund. A co-worker has a small farm & "hunt club". He runs a dove shoot in the fall & this chuckar hunt in the spring. He serves lunch & holds these hunts for donations toward a scholarship for a wildlife management major at a local college. After I participated in the dove hunt, he invited me back for the chuckars. Some didn't get invited back.

I think I'll likely shoot the Benelli with 7/8 or 1 oz. of 7 1/2's @ about 1200 FPS but am not yet sure of what choke to shoot. IC or Mod.?

 

If screw in-take em both
If adj. you got it made...........

 

Modified would be best but take them both just incase you don't like the results. I'd be afraid that w/full choke you may destroy a lot of the bird.

 

Depends on reaction time-full-don't blast them at 15-20 yards--let them get out farther............
You will enjoy this trip..........
At the Dr's hunt club I went to--you did not need a choke--these birds were planted &
the dogs flushed them at 10 yards in front of me--turkey shoot-------but fun

 

It sounds like the IC or even Skeet choke will be the ticket. I'll take several chokes & hopefully I won't be in the first group so I can see how these birds react.

 

Just thought I'd report on the "hunt" yesterday.

They got me once, won't get me again. Worst hunt I've ever been on. There was no cover for the birds & most got up wild & out of range. We hunted in groups of four which made me uncomfortable to begin with since two is my rule. The guy handling the dog must have thought he was at a field trial & was about 15 to 20 yards out in front of the shooters. When I saw this, I unloaded my gun & fell in behind one of the other shooters. I was so nervous by the time we left the field I was shaking. I informed the man who invited me, thanked him for the invitation, & left before somebody got shot.

 

B-u-m-m-e-r..................