In my younger days, I spent a great deal of time in the duck marsh. Showing up late to my first class in high school was not unheard of, neither was disappearing from my last class. Where I come from, if the weather is right, nothing can stop a determined duck hunter from getting knee deep in cold, icy and muddy waters in hopes of a limit of birds.
My swamp was on the shore of the inland sea that is Utah’s Great Salt Lake, the smelly mud-bowl surrounded by marshlands is a waterfowl’s dream come true. To this day when the wind blows out of the west, and that familiar pungent smell is carried in on a breeze, it takes me back to those early mornings and late evenings trying to ID ducks against the pale gray backdrop as the sun set.
Shotgunning was my first love affair in firearms, I was drawn to the excitement of connecting with speedy birds skimming across the water. The skill involved was as much instinct as anything. It didn’t matter if you carried a hand me down .410 single shot, or an Italian double you traded for a family sedan, the guy who got the lead right got the birds.
With all that in mind, I’d like to share a few of my choice selections for a day in the marsh.
Simplicity
For many of us, shotguns are more of a utilitarian tool than anything. And its hard to get more simple and inexpensive than with perhaps the most common and widely used shotguns, the 12 gauge pump. I grew up using the Remington 870, as did millions of other duck hunters. The 870 is perhaps one of the most well known and used pump shotguns, and for good reason. It is available in a wide variety of configurations to fit nearly any use.
For duck hunting I would prefer to get the synthetic version, with a protective finish. Duck marshes can be harsh on firearms, so a well lubed and all weather shotgun is just the ticket for the salty waters we hunt in. My younger brothers chose two different but equally useful shotguns, the Mossberg 500 and the Winchester 1300. All three of these guns are a great place to start, and will take down more ducks than most people are willing to eat.
Wing-busters
Though most duck hunting is easily accomplished with the standard two and three-quarters chambering, you may want to go for something with a bit more power. Especially if geese might be in your forecast, something with at least a three-inch chamber like the Benelli Super Black Eagle 3. Or if that’s a little rich for your wallet something like the Beretta A300 might be a better choice. These wing-busting magnums might be just the ticket to getting your limit of birds, and with semi-automatic function they make those followup shots and doubles even faster. Again, if saltwater and bad weather are part of your duck hunting experience, you may want to get all-weather models. And keep those thing cleaned and oiled!
the Beretta A300 is a great choice
Pure-Flapping-Class
Do you get all tweeded up for your hunt? Are you as likely to have a cigar to your lips as a duck call when sitting in the blind? Then perhaps you may want to check out some of the classic double-barreled guns like the Browning Citori. You can feel right at home whether your in a duck blind, or striding through a soy field after pheasants. While they may provide less shooting opportunities due to their lack of a magazine, you can stand there holding your empty chambered double looking classy as feathers when you miss.
I feel much better about my poor shooting when I shoot my Fathers Rizzini over/under, the fine European craftsmanship does much to soften the blow of a missed shot. Obviously you’ll want to consider the conditions before taking a fine Italian double into the weeds, but maybe its a good enough reason to get a couple great shotguns on Guns.com.
Whatever you choose, make sure to take the time to get proficient and properly trained with it. Use it as an excuse to get some outside criticism on your shooting perhaps. Bringing home a limit of birds is great, but even better is being a responsible hunter and firearm owner. And don’t forget to bring a kid along!
-CBM
My swamp was on the shore of the inland sea that is Utah’s Great Salt Lake, the smelly mud-bowl surrounded by marshlands is a waterfowl’s dream come true. To this day when the wind blows out of the west, and that familiar pungent smell is carried in on a breeze, it takes me back to those early mornings and late evenings trying to ID ducks against the pale gray backdrop as the sun set.
Shotgunning was my first love affair in firearms, I was drawn to the excitement of connecting with speedy birds skimming across the water. The skill involved was as much instinct as anything. It didn’t matter if you carried a hand me down .410 single shot, or an Italian double you traded for a family sedan, the guy who got the lead right got the birds.
With all that in mind, I’d like to share a few of my choice selections for a day in the marsh.
Though most duck hunting is easily accomplished with the standard two and three-quarters chambering, you may want to go for something with a bit more power. Especially if geese might be in your forecast, something with at least a three-inch chamber like the Benelli Super Black Eagle 3. Or if that’s a little rich for your wallet something like the Beretta A300 might be a better choice. These wing-busting magnums might be just the ticket to getting your limit of birds, and with semi-automatic function they make those followup shots and doubles even faster. Again, if saltwater and bad weather are part of your duck hunting experience, you may want to get all-weather models. And keep those thing cleaned and oiled!
I feel much better about my poor shooting when I shoot my Fathers Rizzini over/under, the fine European craftsmanship does much to soften the blow of a missed shot. Obviously you’ll want to consider the conditions before taking a fine Italian double into the weeds, but maybe its a good enough reason to get a couple great shotguns on Guns.com.
Whatever you choose, make sure to take the time to get proficient and properly trained with it. Use it as an excuse to get some outside criticism on your shooting perhaps. Bringing home a limit of birds is great, but even better is being a responsible hunter and firearm owner. And don’t forget to bring a kid along!
-CBM