Wing Shooting Articles - RSS Feedhttp://www.gundogsonline.comWing Shooting USA Column60Beeper Collar - Buyers Guidehttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/beeper-collar-buyers-guide-Page1.htmWhile many sportsmen love the sound of a traditional dog bell while hunting over their favorite upland dog, few can argue that the latest beeper collar technology has many advantages over a bell when hunting. The largest disadvantage of hunting over a pointing dog wearing a bell is that the bell is silent when your dog is locked in on a bird, making it difficult to locate your dog at this critical time. Beeper collars have addressed this limitation and many others. In this article, I will discuss the features which have made beeper collars become the number one choice while upland bird hunting. <a href="https://plus.google.com/114539747415028912499?rel=author">Geoffrey English</a>Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:38:41 GMTGrouse, Pheasants and Old Glasshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/Grouse-Pheasants-and-Old-Glass-Page1.htmWe worked our way through the ancient apple orchard without flushing a single grouse. The cool October morning was giving way to the warmth of the sun, as my female English springer spaniel "Bess" and I climbed over a rock wall and stepped into a field of overgrown broom straw and fescue grass. The sun warmed my face and I stopped for a moment to enjoy the sensation. Rising steam from my shirt collar began to fog my glasses. Removing them, I wiped away the sweat from my brow, whistled to "Bess" and continued along through the field. R. Michael DiLulloSun, 17 Sep 2006 22:04:29 GMTDifferent Kind of Shootinghttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/Different-Kind-of-Shooting-Page1.htmAs certain as sunrise tomorrow, someone is going to come along and tell you that your pals are going out shooting and why not grab your shotgun and join in the fun. Why not indeed? Shooting with buddies is a zero sum game. There are winners and losers; yet to be designated, that's true; but chances are you already have a suspicion of which class for which you'll be nominated. Loser, right?Bill HanusSun, 17 Sep 2006 21:19:06 GMTMossberg Argentina - Torture Testinghttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/Mossberg-Argentina-Torture-Testing-Page1.htmArgentina, the land of great scenery and food, and it is a fact that it is about the world’s greatest location in terms of offering up warm targets for sport shooting. This fact did not fall unnoticed regarding O.F. Mossberg when it was time to test their new line of 2006 field guns. When Mossberg decided to test their new gun by way of a group of writers, engineers, and buyer agents in Argentina it was the logical choice, being the country can send countless numbers of birds over a gunners head. In effect, it holds an endless supply of feathered targets (dove).L.P. BreznyMon, 17 Jul 2006 11:54:50 GMTYou and the 12-Yard Bird - Part IIhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/You-and-the-12-Yard-Bird-Part-II-Page1.htmHelp! Help! . . . you're choking me! The fact is that we're shooting guns that are too tightly choked. In the pre-choke tube years -- say fifty years ago -- the problem could be dealt with simply by taking your trusty hack saw in hand and removing two or three inches off the muzzle of the offending, too-tightly choked shotgun. Viola! . . . you and your cylinder-bored shotgun are ready to take on the world. But times change.Bill HanusMon, 17 Jul 2006 10:20:55 GMTFueling Your Passion for the 28 Gaugehttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/Fueling-Your-Passion-for-the-28-Gauge-Page1.htmSporting clays’ shooters are writing the book on hitting small, fast-moving targets -- so here's your chance to go to school on their dime. And the first lesson is that clays’ shooters use the smallest pellet they can get away with. It's a judgment call, of course, with wind and target distance factored in, but they get to choose from No. 9, No. 8-1/2, No. 8 and, rarely, No. 7-1/2 shot sizes. Generally, No. 9 shot gives "the biggest bang for the buck." There are 439 pellets in a 3/4 oz. load that works well on close targets -- 18 to 25 yards. The compact shot string of the 28 gauge load offers bird hunters chances for multiple hits on soft targets like grouse and quail, as well as dead-in-the-air head/neck shots on close range dove and pheasant.Bill HanusSun, 14 May 2006 13:47:20 GMTHevi-Steel Reviewhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/Hevi-Steel-Review-Page1.htmIn a previous issue of Gundogs Online, I wrote about the lack luster performance of Hevi-Steel shotshell ammunition as applied to South Dakota ring necks. I indicated at that time that Hevi-Steel in a #4 pellet size just didn’t have the needed punch required when taking on tough old ring neck pheasants. Well folks, I think I overstated the situation to some degree, and now I need to set the record straight.L.P. BreznySun, 14 May 2006 13:09:57 GMTUnderstanding Payload vs. Gauge Sizehttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/Understanding-Payload-vs-Gauge-Size-Page1.htmOver the years, and that adds up to quite a few, I have observed the game harvesting phenomena that reflects on both shotgun gauge, and the overall shotshell payload sent aloft. This past early fall I got the chance to set up a detailed experiment that involved gauge offerings from 410 bore through heavy 12 gauge as applied to South Dakota dove shooting. While dove are not waterfowl they need not be as applied to this observed ballistic exercise. Because I was hunting an area that retained targets that were consistent in numbers day by day, and always flew the same general patterns overhead, I had a ready made test base to work from. All that was required was to change the gauge used afield day by day, watch and record the payload of each shotshell chambered. L.P. BreznyWed, 15 Mar 2006 20:17:13 GMTYou and me and the LOP - Length of Pullhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/You-and-me-and-the-LOP-Length-of-Pull-Page1.htmWith a world awash in acronyms, society allows us to speak in this kind of verbal shorthand, hence the title of this column. In the hunting biz LOP refers length of pull -- the measurement, in inches, between the curve of the trigger and the edge of the butt stock. The "standard" length of pull for most American-made shotguns was 14" for many years. But, times are a' changing and the foreign-made shotguns now on dealers' shelves often offer LOP's -- seemingly at the whim of the maker -- all the way up to 14-7/8". This suggests two questions for the birdhunter: Bill HanusWed, 15 Mar 2006 19:35:34 GMTUnderstanding Payload vs Gauge Sizehttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/Understanding-Payload-and-Gauge-Size-Page1.htmOver the years, and that adds up to quite a few, I have observed the game harvesting phenomena that reflects on both shotgun gauge, and the overall shotshell payload sent aloft. This past early fall I got the chance to set up a detailed experiment that involved gauge offerings from 410 bore through heavy 12 gauge as applied to South Dakota dove shooting. L.P. BreznyMon, 16 Jan 2006 13:50:57 GMTI Love Small Shothttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/i-love-small-shot-Page1.htmHere's a bumper sticker every bird hunter can display. The changes that have come about in the last few years in the small gauge shotshell business give new meaning the phrase: Little things mean a lot. Boy, do they ever!Bill HanusMon, 16 Jan 2006 13:35:36 GMTNon-Toxic Pheasant Loadshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/non-toxic-pheasant-loads-Page1.htmOpening day of the South Dakota resident pheasant hunt was full of optimism. The weather was great, even though the winds were building all morning, and had reached almost gail force gusts by high noon. Our party of four hunters had rolled east from Rapid City, which was located three hours west of the real pheasant belt as it were. We had reached the large state game management area we had intended to hunt with about 30 minutes to burn before shooting time. Everyone was excited to get that first drive moving and those first roosters up and into the stiff head wind for that going away trap shooters shot.L.P. BreznyTue, 15 Nov 2005 19:38:10 GMTHow to Be Luckyhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/how-to-be-lucky-shooting-Page1.htmMaking your own luck -- The knowledge which follows has been artfully concealed from you by a generation of rifle-shooting writers who would have you believe that rifle marksmanship technology is transferable to shotgun use. It is not. These guys think that the sun rises and sets with windage and elevation -- which limits their perceptions to pretending that by staring at shotgun patterning boards and imagining they are performing some useful function. Bill HanusTue, 15 Nov 2005 19:34:07 GMTGearing Up for 2005 Hunting Seasonhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/2005-hunting-supplies-Page1.htmThe excitement of fall and the arrival of cold air have hunters pulling together their gear just waiting for Opening Day. These days hunters need to squeeze every last drop of efficiency from their gear to stay on the cutting edge. This year’s gear helps with everything from training your dog to cooking a meal to laying out your decoys efficiently. So as you are gathering up your gear for the season; take a few moments to review some innovative hunting accessories to help make this year's hunting season fun and rewarding.John Dean, Jr.Sun, 30 Oct 2005 19:58:29 GMTYou and the .410 Shotgunhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/410-shotgun-Page1.htmThe .410 shotgun gets short shrift in today's hunting journals -- not that its anyone's first choice as a game gun -- but because people who write about shotguns start with the premise that their readers "need all the help they can get" -- so better they should go afield maxed out in armament.Bill HanusThu, 15 Sep 2005 21:39:01 GMTShooting Glasses Reviewhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/shooting-glasses-buyers-guide-Page1.htmDon't take your eyesight for granted. Many of us do, none of us should. As you head off to the range or into the field shooting glasses are a must. When you stop to think about all that is going on in close proximity to your face and eyes, it becomes clear - you just cannot do without the proper shooting eyeglasses. Just the normal act of mounting a semi-auto shotgun and pulling the trigger puts your eyes in harms way of debris leaving the chamber - "blow-back" and ejecting shells. Never mind environmental factors such as wind, dust, chips from incoming target or ricochets. In fact, if you think about it, your choice of shooting eyeglasses could be one of the most important decisions you make before heading into the field.<a href="https://plus.google.com/114539747415028912499?rel=author">Geoffrey English</a>Thu, 15 Sep 2005 17:04:42 GMTThe Great American Sporting Ammunition Crisishttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/American-Sporting-Ammunition-Crisis-Page1.htmOn the day I sat down to write this story CNN had just announced that China was making a bid for a takeover of a major American oil company. While everyone was running around in a fuss about the whole thing, I was somewhat amused by the fact that foreign interests, like China poking their noses into American business, are far from anything new. I have been watching this element of the new so called world trade structure (China) walk away with the world metals market, and as such, gain a solid foot hold on the basic price of steel, tungsten, lead, and many other basic materials required to manufacture the rifle cartridges and shotshells you use in the field.L.P. BreznySun, 17 Jul 2005 20:57:00 GMTThe Screw-In or Fixed Choke Challenge - Decisions... Decisions... Decisionshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/Screw-In-or-Fixed-Shotgun-Choke-Tubes-Page1.htmThe main rap against screw-in chokes is that . . . . .. they add a couple of ounces at the muzzle. Barrel walls have to be thicker to accommodate the threading that screw-in chokes require. The extra weight is going to make a 26" barrel with screw-in chokes feel like a 28" barrel with fixed chokes -- and a 28" barrel with screw-in chokes feel like a 30" barrel with fixed chokes. That's no bad thing of and by itself. The extra weight will help build momentum in the swing, which can be very helpful for dove, ducks and sporting clays targets. Bill HanusSun, 17 Jul 2005 20:49:32 GMT2005 SHOT Show Report http://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/2005-SHOT-Show-Review-Page1.htmThe underlying theme of this year's annual exposition in Las Vegas is the continuing decline of the dollar's value against the Euro and the increase in commodity prices. Lead costs, the principle ingredient in shotshells, have skyrocketed. The net-net to bird hunters is that shotguns and shotshells from Common Market countries, mainly Spain, Germany and Italy, will probably cost more in 2005 than in 2004. But on the other hand, shotgun makers from around the world have reached into their bag of tricks and introduced half-a-dozen side-by-side models, with retail prices under $1,500, that will appeal to the bird hunter with budget constraints.Bill HanusSun, 15 May 2005 20:51:20 GMTThe Case of the Reluctant Eye http://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/Reluctant-Eye-Shooting-Page1.htmWhile a dominant left eye is an annoyance to any right-handed shooter, the curse falls especially hard on the birdhunter. A pistol shooter just has to use a two-hand hold -- the dominant left eye takes over -- and he's in the black without any fuss or bother. The same with a scoped rifle, which can be shot effectively with either eye since the opposite eye is excluded in the sighting process. But with wing shooting there is no way around the fact that a shooter with a dominant left eye is going to shoot three feet to the left of the bird. Or is there?Bill HanusWed, 16 Mar 2005 19:56:28 GMTFederal Cartridge & Wing Shok Plus BSA USA & A New Breed of Smooth Boreshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/federal-cartridge-and-wing-shok-plus-bsa-usa-Page1.htmHarpoles Heartland Lodge, located in Nebo, Illinois, was the opening act regarding the introduction of Federal Cartridges faster upland load offerings for 2005. Federal has been in the middle of some massive redesigning in terms of load offerings of late, and their attention has not turned away from upland hunters and their specific needs to be sure. L.P. BreznyMon, 17 Jan 2005 21:39:30 GMTSpeed Killshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/shotshells-speed-kills-Page1.htmBack in the 1990’s, when steel shot became the law of the land for waterfowlers, the ammunition companies discovered that in order to give lightweight steel shot (compared to heavier lead shot) any sort of killing capability you pretty much had to crank up the velocities to the 1300 to 1500 FPS range. Regular lead field loads are in the 1100 to 1200 FPS range. Bill HanusMon, 17 Jan 2005 20:59:30 GMTHevi-Steel - Low Priced and Effective in the Fieldhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/hevi-steel-low-priced-and-effective-in-the-field-Page1.htmNo, it is not Hevi-Shot, the very impressive non-toxic shot that has been out gunning everything on the market of late, but it is manufactured by the same people, Environmetal Inc. I am talking about Hevi-Steel and what it amounts to is a lower grade non-toxic shot product that will still outgun steel shot, but not burn a hole in your pocket as you try to pay for the stuff.L.P. BreznyMon, 15 Nov 2004 22:51:40 GMTThe Quail Hunterhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/the-quail-hunters-guide-to-non-toxic-shot-Page1.htmWhen nontoxic shot became the law of the land a decade ago, a whole new learning curve was created for waterfowl hunters. Now, with more and more public and private upland hunting land coming under nontoxic shot requirements - not to mention our own personal environmental concerns - we all need to get ahead of the curve on our nontoxic shot options. Bill HanusMon, 15 Nov 2004 22:26:12 GMTThe 16 Gauge-- It is Deja Vu All Over Again, Baby! http://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/The-16-Gauge-Deja-Vu-Baby-Page1.htmDon Zitz had it right when he said: "If we started from scratch to reinvent the ideal shotgun shell - - it would end up looking a lot like the 16 gauge." Phoenix-like, the 16 gauge has risen above 50 years of benign neglect and corporate rejection to regain its rightful place as America's premier upland game gun. Bill HanusWed, 15 Sep 2004 22:13:10 GMTHevi-Steel - It is New, Low Cost, and Effectivehttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/hevi-steel-it-is-new-low-cost-effective-Page1.htmWith the exception of some of the more common iron, or as we know it steel shot, non-toxic shotshell ammunition designed as an advanced pellet system is not what anyone would call a bargain. Poly plastic bonded types of shot are costly to make, as are the tungsten iron shot products that shoot well, but cost up to $ 2.00 per round. As we move into the fall of 2004 there will be one difference at the ammunition counter of some outlets, and that change will be a new type of shotshell called Hevi-Steel. L.P. BreznyWed, 15 Sep 2004 21:47:13 GMTFirearms Safety Firsthttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/Firearms-Safety-First-Page1.htm1. Always Keep The Muzzle Pointed In A Safe Direction<br>This is the most basic safety rule. If everyone handled a firearm so carefully that the muzzle never pointed at something they didn’t intend to shoot&#44; there would be virtually no firearms accidents. It’s as simple as that&#44; and it’s up to you.Wed, 15 Sep 2004 20:56:03 GMTAbout Water and Quailhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/about-water-and-quail-Page1.htmMany years ago, as a student, I remember listening to one of my wildlife professors lecturing our class about some of the animals he had worked with in the arid regions of Africa. He showed us a picture of an Oryx antelope. This critter has long sharp horns, weighs about 400 pounds and looks as if he just came out of a Dr. Seuss book. The professor said that it was possible for this animal to live out its life without having to drink "free" or standing water. It survives by modifying its habits during the day and utilizing the moisture it obtains from the vegetation it consumes. Wed, 15 Sep 2004 20:48:08 GMTRemington Hevi-Shot "B" .017 Calhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/remington-hevi-shot-b-017-cal-Page1.htmIn a pellet size just under buckshot, BB is classed as the last of the normal waterfowl shot sizes, Remington Hevi-Shot "B" at .017 caliber is coming into the market place for 2004, and its effective range is just about unlimited. "Unlimited" is not a misprint here and I mean the B shot can be lethal on waterfowl to ranges as great as 90 yards based on early computer ballistics reviewing.L.P. BreznyThu, 15 Jul 2004 22:11:55 GMTWhat in the World is a British Game Gun?http://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/what-in-the-world-is-a-british-game-gun-Page1.htmIt turns out that the English and American shotguns and shooting techniques are separated by more than the Atlantic Ocean. In <i>Game Gun</i>, Rich Grozik defines the English Best game gun like this: "Straight-gripped stocks with slender forearms complement hand/eye coordination like no other design. Pistol grips and ponderous forearms serve only to depress the instinctive response of hand to gun, and eye to target.”Bill HanusThu, 15 Jul 2004 21:38:48 GMTHow To Hit Waterfowl Targetshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/how-to-hit-waterfowl-targets-Page1.htmWaterfowl hunters are often prone to running streaks of missed or fringe hit birds. In almost every case the problem can be traced back to some element of a broken down self reliance system, or basically a general lack of one’s own ability to hit that drake mallard floating over the decoy spread with it’s feet down. There are steps that you can take to overcome some of the creeping mental crud factors as I like to call them, and one big element is taking up your shooting position with care each day in the field or blind. L.P. BreznySun, 16 May 2004 22:41:52 GMTSome Pictures Are Worth More Than a Thousand Words - This is One of Themhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/pictures-are-worth-a-thousand-words-Page1.htmThe FABARM Lion Paradox with the rifled lower barrel is the hottest new product idea on the birdgun market today. Could this be your secret weapon against game birds next season? You owe it to your dog to check it out. After all, more short retrieves and fewer birds that have to be fetched with a spoon are benefits not to be lightly dismissed. Bill HanusSun, 16 May 2004 22:18:44 GMTThat Shot-String Thinghttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/that-shot-string-thing-Page1.htmMany years ago, I spent many happy hours hunting ducks and geese on the Solway Firth in Scotland. During a lull in the activity (somewhere in between fumbling with the top of a Thermos flask with frozen fingers and nudging the dog to make sure it hadn’t succumbed to the freezing temperatures), I would absentmindedly watch the huge flocks of Barnacle and Pink-foot geese flying in to the feeding grounds in the early morning. I have often seen the lead gander, buffeted mercilessly by a strong offshore headwind, drop back and change places with the next in command as he tires. So what have Scottish geese and French guys on bikes got to do with shooting? Something known as shot-string effect.Peter F. BlakelyTue, 16 Mar 2004 20:33:48 GMTYou and the 12-Yard Birdhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/you-and-the-12-yard-bird-Page1.htmShort range targets -- and pen raised quail, grouse, woodcock and skeet stations #1 low house, #7 high house and #8 high and low houses come immediately to mind -- present a different kind of challenge. They come closest to typifying the kind of hunting we get today with more preserve shooting and with better trained, closer working dogs. We are all seeing -- and taking -- more close range shots. Bill HanusTue, 16 Mar 2004 19:13:05 GMTThe Return of the Wood Nut http://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/the-return-of-the-wood-nut-Page1.htmThe first broad exposure most American bird hunters had to good quality wood on a production shotgun came when the Parker Reproduction was introduced in 1984. We also got our first real look at California Claro Walnut. The wood on most of these Parker Reproductions was highly finished "3 Star" (a mid-range grade generally defined as one side, Very Good, one side Good) California Claro walnut. It was beautifully fitted and finished with meticulous Japanese craftsmanship and Italian leather-cased for perfection. Bill HanusMon, 27 Oct 2003 21:56:33 GMTLessons In Shooter Safetyhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/lessons-in-shooter-safety-Page1.htmOK, listen up. Firearm safety doesn’t end with proper firearm handling and care. It also includes hearing protection. This means wearing earplugs or earmuffs whenever you shoot a rifle, shotgun or pistol. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), 10 million Americans have already suffered irreversible damage from noise, and 30 million more are exposed to dangerous noise levels each day. An extreme noise, like the firing of a shotgun experienced at close range, can permanently damage your hearing in an instant. This is known as noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Noise-induced hearing loss can result from one-time exposure to a loud sound like gunfire, and it can also be caused by repeated exposure to harmful sounds over an extended period of time. Just ask any hunter over 50 who has not worn hearing protection!Mon, 28 Jul 2003 16:54:36 GMTSporting Clayshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/sporting-clays-Page1.htmSporting Clays is a challenging clay target game designed to simulate field shooting. On a Sporting Clays course, shooters are presented with a wide variety of targets that duplicate the flight path of game birds, such as flushing, crossing, incoming and other angling shots.Mon, 28 Jul 2003 14:45:47 GMTThe Golden Age of Shotgunshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/the-golden-age-of-shotguns-Page1.htmWithout a doubt, the twentieth century ushered in the "Golden Age" of shotgun development. Small gauge shotshells -- and the small-framed guns to use them -- came of age- Charles Parker invented the 28 gauge. The legendary Moder 1912 Winchester was offered first in 20 gauge. Double gun makers from England and Europe competed with American makers to offer the greatest selection of side-by-side shotguns in history. In Europe, live pigeon shooters pioneered the use of ultra high performance 12 gauge ammunition and heavy guns to handle it. The legends of Parker, Ithaca, LC. Smith, Fox, Lefever, Iver Johnson, Remington, Baker, Stevens and many others were born and live on in gun cabinets of fortunate hunters and -- routinely perform their assigned tasks magnificently every fall. Bill HanusFri, 25 Jul 2003 10:47:12 GMTSkeet The Gamehttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/skeet-the-game-Page1.htmSquads of five shooters fire from each of eight shooting stations arranged around a semi-circle. There is no guesswork as to which house the target will come from and what path it will take. The high house target starts from a point 10-feet above the ground and the low house target from a point up to 3-feet above the ground.Sun, 23 Mar 2003 20:51:06 GMTHunting Prairie Potholeshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/hunting-prairie-potholes-Page1.htmMost waterfowl hunters look with great anticipation at the projected fall flight of ducks, crossing their fingers every year that this may be the one in which we achieve the North American Waterfowl Management Plan’s goal of 100 million birds.Christopher S and Jason A. SmithSun, 23 Mar 2003 19:41:48 GMTCaring for the Prairie Gun Dog Afieldhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/caring-for-the-prairie-gun-dog-Page1.htmThere seems to be an endless array of gear that a dog owner cannot live without. Some things are more necessary than others. One of the items typically billed as critical gear is dog boots. They come in different styles and different materials.The most well-made boots I have used were from the Lewis dog boots company in Enid, Oklahoma. Sun, 23 Mar 2003 19:19:47 GMTThe Light of Pure Heresy.http://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/the-light-of-pure-heresy-Page1.htmWhen a hawk-eyed reader questioned the use of No. 9 hard shot I knew I was in trouble. It meant I was going to have to earn my keep by delving into the realm of arcane knowledge that leads along less-traveled byways, chucking along the way the advice given on ammunition boxes to seek and find true No. 9 Nirvana. I draw sustenance for this view from two sources. Bill HanusThu, 20 Mar 2003 09:55:15 GMTThe Magic of Cast-off http://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/the-magic-of-cast-off-Page1.htmThe concept of a butt stock with cast-off (for right-handed shooters) and cast-on (for left-handed shooters) is a European import. The subject gets little exposure or discussion from American shotgun manufacturers or those who write about hunting. Bill HanusSun, 05 Jan 2003 21:14:47 GMTAcoustic Trauma - How to Avoid Ithttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/acoustic-trauma-how-to-avoid-it-Page1.htmHearing damage is gradual, subtle, CUMULATIVE and PERMANENT. Normal conversation is in the 60-65dB level. The threshold of pain is about 140 dB. A 12 or 20 gauge shotgun blast from 28" barrels is about 152 dB, with shorter or ported barrels even higher. And as the audiologist I spoke to phrased it, we hunters are "moving up on the short list for the `Invisible Badge of Hearing Loss.’" Bill HanusTue, 18 Jun 2002 12:19:17 GMTBig News In Small Gauge And Lightweight Shotgunshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/big-news-in-small-gauge-and-lightweight-shotguns-Page1.htmIt seems like only yesterday that the echoing theme of the SHOT Show was <i>Thunder Over The Marshlands</i> as gun makers saluted waterfowlers with massed 3-1/2" magnums. But at SHOT Show ’02 -- the shooting industry’s annual trade show -- gun makers were on a well deserved diet, as excess pounds and ounces were shed to offer upland hunters good quality, moderately priced, <i>lightweight</i> (under 7 pounds) 12 gauge side-by-side beauties.Bill HanusMon, 08 Apr 2002 17:23:22 GMTThanks, Coach! The Real Secret to Better Shotgunninghttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/shooting-coach-the-real-secret-to-better-shooting-Page1.htmThe point was perfect. Hard and frozen like a rock, my young Brittany had investigated a small clump of brush in the middle of a plowed field and now had been seriously rewarded. I stepped in for the flush and saw a gargantuan pheasant blow out from under my feet. As he turned for the wind, my shotgun found my shoulder and rapidly fired. The pheasant flew, unhindered, to the next county. I can still see him jetting away while Ranger looked at me with an expression best translated as, “Doh! Why am I hunting with a guy who can’t hit anything?”Mark RobertsTue, 05 Mar 2002 06:19:30 GMTThis is the Good Stuff - Baschieri and Pellegrihttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/good-stuff-baschieri-and-pellegri-Page1.htmAlthough not exactly a household name in the U.S., among world class competitive shooters this is the ammunition used to win Gold Medals in the Olympics and other International shooting events. Bill HanusMon, 04 Mar 2002 19:42:20 GMTIt's Not Rocket Sciencehttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/it-is-not-rocket-science-Page1.htmShotgun chokes and patterns can be as simple or complex as one wishes to make it. I prefer the former. In his 1965, <u>The Shotgun Book</u>, Jack O’Connor related that his predecessor at "Outdoor Life", Captain Charles Askins, attributed the discovery of choke to Fred Kemble. Apparently, O’Connor misspelled the choke inventor’s name because Askins’ book, <u>Modern Shotguns and Loads</u>, 1929, lists the name as Fred Kimble, as do several other books in my library. John McGonigleFri, 08 Feb 2002 06:26:37 GMTThe Joy of the 28 Gaugehttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/the-joy-of-the-28-gauge-Page1.htmPlease meet the darling of the grouse covert -- the elegant lady of the woodland and feisty daughter of the 16 gauge. Bill HanusFri, 08 Feb 2002 06:00:25 GMTBasic Field Care for Gun Dogshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/basic-field-care-for-gun-dogs-Page1.htmMany years ago a high school buddy and I spent a Saturday afternoon working his German short hair pointer in a small woodcock covert located in northern New Jersey. Having very little luck, we decided to explore a new area in search of some grouse. Shortly after coming upon an old home site we noticed his dog favoring its front foot which was bleeding. An inspection of the big dog’s foot revealed a large gash just behind the pad. We immediately hiked back to my father’s truck, which was some distance away. R. Michael DiLulloMon, 03 Dec 2001 10:47:19 GMTWingshooting Wisdom 102: Choke Constriction Choiceshttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/wingshooting-wisdom-102-choke-constriction-choices-Page1.htmBack when the world was young, shotgun shells were loaded with chilled shot, which deformed easily so that even though a gun might be "necked down like a rifle" it still threw a pattern larger than what we understand "Full" choke to be today...Bill HanusTue, 13 Nov 2001 07:24:59 GMTWingshooting Wisdom 101: Shot Size Selectionhttp://www.gundogsonline.com/Article/wing-shooting/Shot-size-selection-101-Page1.htmYou can forget shot size recommendations found on ammunition boxes. Shot size is a function of distance, not game. Twenty-yard targets require #9 hard shot. Number 9 shot puts 43% more pellets in your pattern than #8’s, increasing your opportunities for multiple hits and/or lethal head/neck shots accordingly. On small targets, the number of hits isn’t the significant factor -- any kind you can get is what counts. You can go to school free on the experience of thousands of skeet shooters, whose 21-yard target is about four square inches (the edge view of a clay pigeon) going 60 miles an hour! Small, quick targets require large, dense patterns; that’s what No. 9’s are all about! And the necessity for their use becomes more obvious as the gauges get smaller.Bill HanusMon, 08 Oct 2001 12:50:27 GMT