Swan loads?

will tell us how you plan on hunting them. decoying ,pass shooting? IF youa re shooting 3inch i would get some bismuth or any of that stuff and you should be fine. shot size i would go with number two's or one's or you could go no smaller then 4'. I dont know how the hevi shot comes in. If you going to decoy them and dont want to spend that kind of maney you could shoot what brand you liek and just get some bb's or bbb's. they both will do the job. just dont shoot them in the body and you will be fine. i have kiled swans with 3inch bbb's pass shooting them. have fun and good luck hope this helps you out.

If I had it to do again, I'd go Kent TM in #2's. There is a guy named Bug Doc that could tell you all you'd ever need to know about shooting out of Remington shotguns with different loads. I'm not sure if signed up here yet or not. 8)

I will be decoying them (hopefully)! Last year we had a few opportunities at pass shooting, but no permit, so no swan. That may happen again this year and you can bet it will be when I have the wrong shell in the chamber! I was wondering about the tungsten matrix and the bismuth. I guess I need to get out and pattern some different loads, huh? Thanks for the advice!

I have shot a few Swans and all I have ever used is a 3" #2s.

Just make sure the bird is in range and shoot for it's head.

In my opinion if the bird is in range there is no need for any of the other non-toxic loads. That being said you can only kill one swan so the cost wouldn't be to much of a factor.

Side note= A 3 1/2 inch shell does not hit harder then a 3 inch or a 2 3/4 for that matter. It just has more pellets.

if you are decoying them then you would be fine with some feds or winchsters,kents any of the other brands.Just get any shot size from bb,bbb's or number 2's and you will kill your swan. yes do aim for the head. there is a crap load of feather in there body and they will take the hit in the body pretty good. Yes the 3 1/2 dont hit hard and yes they do got more bbs in them. but you cant shoot them so dont worry about them. have fun and injoy your swan hunt. it awsome to see them decoy.

Last year I saw two swan's go down. The first with 12 ga winchester 3" 4's. The second 20ga rem 3" 2's.

Gettem' close enough most loads will do the job.

Mallardpin said:

Side note= A 3 1/2 inch shell does not hit harder then a 3 inch or a 2 3/4 for that matter. It just has more pellets.

Click to expand...

+1... I think thats a HUGE misconception that is widespread among all the waterfowl hunters regardless of what bird they're chasing. There is this whole love affair with 3 1/2s that I just don't get.... At the distances I shoot most of my ducks or plan on shooting them this year, 2 3/4 will do me just fine. For some hunts though, I'll step up to 3" shells just as "insurance". 8)

Guess I should have put that this will probably be 3 inch for geese. 8)

there no need to shoot 3inch shells at ducks when 2 3/4 will do the job.