by Simon Lusk
Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon with the only bird we shot at one day on the Wairau. The covey was breaking early and a long way out from the dogs, and I didn’t get another shot.
Regulations in New Zealand require waterfowl to be taken with non toxic shot if within 200 m of a water way. Upland birds may be taken with lead. This only applies to twelve gauges, so I got a twenty gauge so let me to shoot ducks that flush out of creeks when I am chasing upland. Paradise Ducks are particularly stupid, and will often fly around squawking at close range even when I have a blaze vest on.
My Remington 1100 is a ruthlessly efficient gun, and there are times when I want to take out a gun I shoot less effectively so I dont take out too many birds from a covey.
I picked up a Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon Twenty gauge a couple of seasons ago. It is a gun I have to be balanced and have good technique to put birds down, as it is a small, light gun that doesn’t fit me perfectly like the 1100 does. Quail shooting becomes tricky, and I need to be a bit closer to Pheasants to be confident I will put them down.