Pheasant ammo doesn't exist

[bdg848]

This is so annoying. All I can find is #8,7 1/2 shot for skeet or #2 steel 3inch for ducks. NOTHING geared towards upland. I found two boxes of lead #5 and bought immediately. I haven't seen anything like that since. I have four boxes (2-7 1/2 and 2-#5),and that doesn't even get me through the first two days of upcoming dove season lol. Looks like I'm gonna load 7 1/2 in my first barrel and 5 in the second and pick my shots or else start pheasant hunting with a slingshot. Why don't the manufacturers put some of their supplies into pheasant ammo instead of the two polar extremes, dove and waterfowl?

 

[Dos Perros]

I could have sworn I just saw Prairie Storm on the shelf at Scheels.

 

[5MilesBack]

Pheasant season doesn't open around here until November.

 

[Laramie]

Plenty around my area. People are relaxing a bit on the ammo hoarding.

 

[hntr]

It was hard to find last December even. People need to stop "frantic buying". Them and the resale sportsmen are the problem.

 

[Laramie]

During a quick search online I just found #4, #5, and #6 in stock ready to ship from major retailers. May not like the price but there is some available.

 

[WCB]

You do know there is an unbelievable demand on all ammunition and Pheasant season is months away so main production is not on that....Also for at least the first part of season you don't need anything more than trap loads to kill pheasants.

 

[JMitchell121]

I hunt waterfowl mainly and use Boss 3 inch #4s, they also work great on pheasants. Its a little pricey, but patterns well and way less cripples on waterfowl. I just ordered 2 cases should last me a while and I will always have it,. I am not running to a sporting goods store to look at empty shelves.

 

[KurtR]

steel 2 is killer on pheasants. Its what i shoot them with all the time while hunting public land you never know when the pheasant hunt will turn into a duck hunt

 

[hobbes]

I found some Rio Game Loads, 2 3/4", 1 1/4oz, #6, 1330 fps locally last week. I bought 2 boxes on Thursday and 2 on Friday. There were 4 boxes left and I could have cleared them out by having my wife buy 2 boxes each day but I left them for someone else.

It's definitely not my top pick for pheasant ammo, especially for late season, but #6s at 1330 will do the job. I'll start off with them early and save the hotter shells that I have left for late season. If I can pick up a case of Kent or Federal or the like, I'll use the Rios for grouse.


They had some Kent Ultimate Fast Lead a few weeks ago that I hesitated on like an idiot and it disappeared quickly. I think it was 1 3/8 at 1450 or somewhere in that range. Of course they cost more than the Rio but good phez loads do.

 

[bdg848]

You do know there is an unbelievable demand on all ammunition and Pheasant season is months away so main production is not on that....Also for at least the first part of season you don't need anything more than trap loads to kill pheasants.

Pheasant season is in two weeks now, still not much out there. I picked up a box of #6 and haven't seen anything else suitable for pheasant since... especially nothing nontoxic that's not a 3 1/2 inch goose load

 

[bdg848]

I got a box of those Rios 6 shot. The only other thing was Kent fast steel but it's 7 shot....it had a scene of a pointer and a pheasant on the box so they clearly market it towards pheasant but a #7 STEEL shot seems WAY too light for wild pheasant. What do y'all think? I need some nontoxic because I plan on hunting some waterfowl production areas but I'm not so sure about steel 7s...

 

[spur60]

SGAmmo has two different #5 lead pheasant loads in stock.

 

[bdg848]

Let me check that out, Thanks!

 

[jmez]

Ammo seek.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

 

[hobbes]

#7 steel seems light. I'd think at least #4 and probably #3.

 

[tstith]

I had similar concerns for dove loads when I went to Texas. I thought I had to bring some from home instead of buying local. When I got there, there were pallets of shotgun ammunition at every Academy sports. When I went out for turkey in CO, I had a harder time finding turkey ammo than any other type of ammunition. I spoke with a couple retailers and they told me they try to put focus on getting ammunition in stock before a season starts. It seems as if there is a correlation between ammunition production priority and hunting seasons. I am not saying hold off on buying but shelves should be more stocked immediately before season starts. Too long before season and its not a priority to produce or stock. During season is when demand is at peak. Its hard to time/predict this market, so I tend to buy what I need when I can find it.

 

[bdg848]

I had similar concerns for dove loads when I went to Texas. I thought I had to bring some from home instead of buying local. When I got there, there were pallets of shotgun ammunition at every Academy sports. When I went out for turkey in CO, I had a harder time finding turkey ammo than any other type of ammunition. I spoke with a couple retailers and they told me they try to put focus on getting ammunition in stock before a season starts. It seems as if there is a correlation between ammunition production priority and hunting seasons. I am not saying hold off on buying but shelves should be more stocked immediately before season starts. Too long before season and its not a priority to produce or stock. During season is when demand is at peak. Its hard to time/predict this market, so I tend to buy what I need when I can find it.

I hope so. Just cutting it too close for comfort when your out of state trip is two weeks away haha.

 

[dmoto]

Even in states without pheasants (AZ).....#6 lead shells can't be found anywhere. Been searching for months for quail season starting next weekend. Federal Hi Bird #6 was the absolute ticket on quail last year.

 

[OMB]

I saw a couple days ago there was an online vendor that had #6 Remington Extended Long Range loads in stock to the tune of about 150 boxes for $29.99/box. I'm good for the next season or two for upland stuff but I've been keeping an eye on Ammo Seek to see what's coming available for friends of mine and in the last week there's definitely been more inventory geared towards pheasant/upland type loads. You're going to have to work for it, and pay more, but it can be found if you spend 30-40 mins per week searching around.