Just curious, what is everybody using to harvest pheasants? I'm new to the game but I use 12 gauge #5 shot at 1 1/4 oz at 1220 FPS or (handload #5 shot at 1 1/2 oz at 1150FPS). Just wondering if I'm close or completely out of the ball park?

Are these preserve birds or wild? If they’re wild birds you should be good with the 5’s. If they are pen raised I’d go with 71/2’s.

Wild birds

Your 1 1/4 oz #5 is a classic pheasant load. Pattern the 5's and some 4's and go with what your shotgun patterns best.

yep

I kill pheasant with 5's and 6's. Some years help my buddy harvest wheat with a JD 9600.

I use these in my Beretta O/U Whitewing.........

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#5 shot, nickel plated

dead birds

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harvest

b : to gather, catch, hunt, or kill (salmon, oysters, deer, etc.) for human use, sport, or population control

I use a 20 gauge O/U and just normal high brass #6. Never had a problem killing pheasants and I'm not grossly overgunned for the quail.

Your load and intuition are both good. Go shoot you some pheasants.

12 gauge. #4,5 or 6 high brass. Just browned on what I can find.

Depends on what part of the season

12ga Golden pheasants 3” 7.5’s
20ga Golden pheasants 3” 6’s ... in a pinch I will use hypersonic #3’s (be careful steel will wreck a tooth)
26ga Hand load 5’s
410 hand load 3” 4’s

Biggest thing be careful not to crush a rooster that holds tight. With a restricted limit, it’s a shame if you ruin a bird

16 Ga #5 Golden Pheasant and they are DRT

#5 shot

Where do y’all buy lead shells in #4 and #5? I can’t bring myself to pay more for a box of lead than steel?