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Check out this video as we are coming up on teal season. Look at the difference between #2 and #4 shot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D78VXYQ_Mmo

Good work with the video, my thoughts on this discussion below:

1.) #4 is ideal for early teal season, but so is #5 and #6. You don't need the longer range lethality of a larger pellet, rather a more dense shot pattern for use in wide open chokes at short range. Per your count, there's a 100-pellet difference in those 2's vs 4's, that's not an insignificant disparity in pattern density.

2.) If you're shooting early season teal with shells that cost $23 a box, you're either particularly wealthy, or doing very little actual shooting. In light of this item and #1 above, I've switched to #6 Winchester Xpert steel dove loads, with sample links below, both of which are available in #6 shot and well under $10/box:

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/federa ... =119670933

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/winche ... atid=83810


My own in-hand experience with FliteStopper Steel found them to be far from the razor edge they advertise, and instead were a well rounded ridge around the pellet. Couldn't tell in the video, but what was your observation in the shells you opened?

I shoot 3's at everything. To much fuss to order different loads. When I pull the trigger the last thing I want to worry about it is whether the round I'm shooting is lethal at 35 yards. And I'm hardly wealthy by any means. P.S. I don't shoot shells that cost 23 per box but I shoot good shells that cost anywhere from 18-20 per box all season long.

Rogers is running a deal on them right now. $50 off per case. Ive heard a lot of people using #6 as well. I Like #4 because if I dont use them all I can still use them later in the season for divers.

Everydaylimits wrote:Rogers is running a deal on them right now. $50 off per case. Ive heard a lot of people using #6 as well. I Like #4 because if I dont use them all I can still use them later in the season for divers.

Yep great plan, but when you're only paying $6-$7 a box, it's OK to just hold the leftovers and shoot them the next season.....not like they go bad.

Darren wrote:Good work with the video, my thoughts on this discussion below:

1.) #4 is ideal for early teal season, but so is #5 and #6. You don't need the longer range lethality of a larger pellet, rather a more dense shot pattern for use in wide open chokes at short range. Per your count, there's a 100-pellet difference in those 2's vs 4's, that's not an insignificant disparity in pattern density.

2.) If you're shooting early season teal with shells that cost $23 a box, you're either particularly wealthy, or doing very little actual shooting. In light of this item and #1 above, I've switched to #6 Winchester Xpert steel dove loads, with sample links below, both of which are available in #6 shot and well under $10/box:

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/federa ... =119670933

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/winche ... atid=83810


My own in-hand experience with FliteStopper Steel found them to be far from the razor edge they advertise, and instead were a well rounded ridge around the pellet. Couldn't tell in the video, but what was your observation in the shells you opened?

I've started doing the same thing Darren. Low brass 6s with a skeet choke out of my 20 gauge for teal. Helps me impress my buddies with scotch doubles

I normally only use BB in teal season.

However, I've never actually shot at a teal in teal season, so the BB work better for the the fat park geese. Although, 2's work just as well.

SpinnerMan wrote:I normally only use BB in teal season.

However, I've never actually shot at a teal in teal season, so the BB work better for the the fat park geese. Although, 2's work just as well.

Thats the first time ive heard of that

Everydaylimits wrote:

SpinnerMan wrote:I normally only use BB in teal season.

However, I've never actually shot at a teal in teal season, so the BB work better for the the fat park geese. Although, 2's work just as well.

Thats the first time ive heard of that

I just don't hunt in teal country but I do hunt in park geese country.

Actually, BWT is the one puddle duck that seems to like to screw with me. Most years I get one opportunity at BWT that passes without a shot being fired. We get a few GWT during regular season.

Hey, here comes another wood duck. Oh damn it, that was a BWT.

On the phone with my dad talking about how goose hunting has been good. Oh damn it, there's a BWT back peddling over my decoys looking right at me. Man are they quick.

Usually hunt alone but my wife tagged along and about a dozen BWT hooked around the blind at about 10 yards and then went straight away on my wife's side of the blind. Absolutely gorgeous to see all those bright blue wing patches as they banked around in front but no way I was going to take any chance of ringing the wife's ears.

Usually get one tease each year and still haven't fired a shot at one.

When I finally do get one, people will think I'm nuts all excited about this little bitty duck. I just hope it happens where I goose hunt. Over 10 years of being teased by them. I want it to be there.

My wife actually started hunting a little bit since then. I'm going to be really pissed if she gets one before me. She's got a few geese and really wants to get a duck. One will probably plop down in the decoys this year and I'll have to watch her shoot it.

Ha that’s the way it goes. I’m sure it’d be fun to see her kill one though!

I took my college roommate duck hunting back in 2011. He’d never hunted ducks before but is a great shot. He killed a teal, picked it up, and asked “hey what’s this funny bracelet on his leg?” You could have knocked me over with a feather.

I’ve been hunting ducks for 21 years. Zero bands. Seen several come into the blind. Just never been the triggerman.

Duck Engr wrote:I’ve been hunting ducks for 21 years. Zero bands. Seen several come into the blind. Just never been the triggerman.

My wife's one up on you.

Wasn't her very first goose though. 4th actually.

It helps that I think they band them in the park adjacent to where I hunt. Shot in Plainfield, IL and banded in Plainfield, IL We get a lot of those.

However, I have been crazy luck on "real" bands for the number of waterfowl I have gotten. 4 ducks and one Canadian Canada goose.

Haha she and everyone else! I gave up worrying about it after my buddy shot a banded dove. I didn’t even know they banded doves. He didn’t rub it in either...

I have a buddy that has hunted waterfowl for over 50 years. He had never got a band and really wanted one and was always amazed at my luck. So I rub it in a little.

He finally got his first band a couple years ago. It included the GPS coordinates. It was almost banded at the other end of the field he hunts in

They band just about everything.

https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/attracting-hummingbirds/truth-hummingbird-banding/

According to the North American Bird Banding Program operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Canadian Wildlife Service, about 309,000 ruby-throated hummingbirds have been banded since 1960.

I don't think it would fit on my lanyard.

I also got a banded fish.

Got this picture of a banded hawk yesterday. Pretty sure it's a red-tailed hawk although it did not have a red tail.

Guess that’s one you wouldn’t want to call in...

Look at the duck shredders on that thing.

I got a photo of a banded eagle yesterday lol If I remember ill post when i get home.

Yeah man that’d be cool to see. Post it up.

A little blurry but he was just taking off.

Sitting in the tree

Everydaylimits wrote:A little blurry but he was just taking off.

But the band is plain as day

Beautiful photos!

Cool man!