Chokes. Which to use?

[The Yeti]

Hi. Opinions on what your recommended chokes are for pheasants? Modified or improved cylinder? I will be hunting edges and fence rows near harvested corn and bean fields. Thanks much for any replies.

[springerspeed]

Yeti-

I use nothing but Modified with 3" 4 steel. You can always let them fly away a little.

Brian

[lawdog]

I shoot almost all modified. With a pointer you can probably get close enought to a few to use I/C, but late season without snow you will want full sometimes too. I say modified is the best option as it is a good compromise.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

Agree with above posts. Many flushes are close enough for improved but very often they are not. I would use full second to mod.

[Norsky]

You need to pattern your shotgun. Set up a paper target about 4 feet high and 4 feet wide, shoot it at 30 yards with both chokes and see how spread out the pattern is. It should be about 30" at 30 yards. It also depends on what #shot your using. I use a I/C in my Browning Gold with 3", #2 steel for pheasants, best pattern for that barrell, very deadly on pheasants.

[knoppers]

I also use modified, but I would like some opinions on shells.

I am using, or going to use winchester high velocity 7 1/2 shot. they are a high brass shell, but was woundering if the shot size is ok. any experiences with this load for pheasants?

[riverrat56]

I would use a larger size shot for this time of the year, the 7 1/2 will be ok early season if you have a pointing dog but now i would switch to 6's or maybe 5's for late season birds.

[mamohr686]

I agree that patterning your gun is the first step. I've had much better sucess with aftermarket choke tubes. For liability concerns with the invention of non-toxic shot like tungsten several gun makes have been opening up their chokes. Briley is a "true" choke and the most favored among competition shooters because of the great patterns. The light modified (between IC and M) is my favorite and followed up by my modified (beretta O/U shotgun)puts birds in the bag. Early season birds usually get the 5 shot and later get the 4 out of my 20 guage 3" shells. I step up to 3" #3 shot when I'm required to use steel.