“7 shot”

Mike Roux considers the conventional wisdom on chokes and shot for turkeys, pondering whether the tightest constriction and heaviest pellet is always the best move.

Many swear off a chukar hunt out West because they don’t want any part of the challenging terrain the birds call home, but there is a method to this upland madness. And if you unlock it, you just may find yourself hooked on the “devil bird.”

The Turkish-made Viper G2 Camo offers great value in a dedicated turkey autoloader. It fits well, carries easy, and is wonderfully effective.

Fiocchi has expanded its Golden-series line of hunting shotshells with the introduction of Golden Turkey TSS.

Hevi-Shot's new Hevi-Hammer Upland loads feature 15 percent high-density bismuth and 85 percent precision steel pellets, delivering nearly 50 percent more downrange energy than loads consisting of all steel at 40 yards.

Hevi-Shot's new Hevi-Hammer Dove loads feature 15 percent high-density bismuth and 85 percent precision steel pellets, delivering nearly 50 percent more downrange energy than loads consisting of all steel at 40 yards.

Thanks to advancements in ammunition and new, moderately priced shotguns, the once-obscure 28-gauge is now a top choice for hunts ranging from pheasants in CRP fields to bagging a trophy tom.

Iowa and other states are opening shotgun-only deer seasons to straight-walled cartridges like the .45-70 Gov’t., .444 Marlin and .450 Bushmaster. Here’s how to wring the most performance from their rainbow-like trajectories.

Primarily hunted in September, dove seasons generally extend well beyond those for popular big-game species. To maximize your chances of success, however, you’ll need to reconsider your gear and techniques.