12 or 20ga

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Axis II

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Going to Michigan in a few weeks to rabbit hunt and going to try and get on some snowshoe hares. So…20ga with #6 low brass, #5 high brass or low brass #6 12ga shells?
Any tips from guys who have hunted hares? We will have 2 dogs that do pretty good on cottontails in farmland. One dogs bred from hare dogs.
 
I like 20 for rabbits, I don't think you need more maybe for longer shots a 12 will help. I like #6 the few more in the smaller 20ga shell I think is nice over a 5 shot. I like a full chock, round dogs that's probably a good idea to. For close shots I'd aim off the rabbit by the head to not riddle it with so much shot.
 
I have always preferred 20 gauge for cottontails. Never hunted hares. On my side by sides and over and under's Improved Cylinder the first barrel and Modified the second barrel. If I were only to pick one choke for bunny rabbits it would be Modified. I tried full choke and it destroyed too much rabbit. 1 oz of #6.
 
If you're in the woods, I'd recommend a 20 gauge. Your shots won't be that distant. Thing is though, there's a lot of farmland too.

This is where you can really geek out on shotguns. Whatever you take, have fun!
 
Longer shots I’d say go 12ga but if they will be in close 20 is fine. I prefer the biggest shot that still gives me a good pattern, I use #4 and #5 for all my small game except small birds I prefer the shot to pass all the way through instead of trying to pick it out and #4&#5 fit the bill there. I like a full choke. Have fun I’ve only ever gotten one snowshoe but they are the best tasting rabbit I’ve eaten. They require braising to get them tender though.
 
WisBorn said:
Of the two I would go with 20 gauge. I like a Savage 22/20 for rabbits. Most of of the rabbits I have shot was with the 22lr.
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A combo gun is really nice for rabbit hunting, 22 for when you can get close and shotgun for if they get jumped. I have taken quite I few on the move with my rossi 62 but I used to be very good with that 22. A 22 handgun is fun and a small 32-36 cal muzzleloader is a great time to.
 
Armored farmer said:
I think the gun is more important than the gauge.
Pick the one you like best.
I hope you have a great, successful hunt....and post lots of pics.
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I am torn on that one too. I usually use a Stoeger Condor 20ga when running them around farmland country. We kick up pheasants too so I usually have a high brass #5 until either the coyotes eat them all or season goes out and then its low brass #6. I have a brand new, never been hunted with and only about 50rds through, Beretta A300 12ga waterfowl gun that's lighter to carry but also longer. We took the 4-5hr drive to the tip of the thumb last year in March and ran with a local and his 3 dogs and did pretty good. If I remember right the 4 dogs put up about 8-9 the first day by around noon and we landed 2-3. The next day a single dog got us 2. Some big cottontails up there too. Had lots of races but cover is so thick, lots of holes, and big public land areas the dog would run them 500 yards and back. Just hard covering that much area with 2-3 guys. Saw lots of bald eagles on the bay and flying over fields when there.

This year we are going to try and hit the mitten area and hunt the national forest up there for the hares. That's if I can hire a new person at work and not get stuck working.
 
Roverguy said:
Take the lighter gun. You’ll be walking more than shooting.
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That's kind of what happened last year. We would get on public land areas 500-600 acres and walked a lot. Its weird, that area goes from pines, thickets, blow downs, bush looking things to big trees and open woods and then back to thick stuff again. I bet in one day I did 3-4 miles. My 12ga is lighter, never seen a hare before and was just wondering if the extra pellet count and velocity would be beneficial.
 
Axis II said:
My 12ga is lighter, never seen a hare before and was just wondering if the extra pellet count and velocity would be beneficial.
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I’d say a snowshoe is easily twice as big as a cottontail, sometimes larger. Keep that in mind.
 
Both will do the job; use the gun you like and shoot best.

There is a bunch of overlap in the capability of 12 and 20 ga shells. You can get basically the same number of pellets in the pattern with either a 12 or 20. At least up to a point, but 1 to 1 1/8 oz of shot is plenty, and you can do that with a 12 or 20. Recoil (from equal weight guns) is the same (with equal loads). A 20 ga shotgun is usually lighter and easier to carry, which can mean more recoil, not less.

But 20's are not always lighter. There are a lot of lightweight 12's out there. I have a couple of 20 ga youth pump shotguns with short 21"-22" barrels that I use for turkey. They weigh 6 1/2 lbs each and are great for carrying all day. I sometimes walk 9 or 10 miles in a day. But they are aimed like a rifle, not swung like most upland game shots.

I also have a couple of 12's that are only 7 lbs, but with longer more traditional barrel lengths. That 1/2 lb isn't a deal killer for carrying and adds just enough weight to make hitting moving targets a little easier. Plus, I do have the option of using heavier shells and getting loads you can't duplicate with a 20. But those loads won't be needed for what you're going to do.

Given MY options, I'd carry one of the lightweight 12's. My 20's aren't really set up for the type of shots you're going to take. But I'd have no doubts about a 20 ga, from the right shotgun doing the job.
 
I don't think the gauge is important as is how well you shoot it. Many times, even with dogs, snowshoes will be a standing shot, so a smoothbore than shoots to POA is a good thing. I prefer larger pellets like #5s, not because you need them for penetration, but because there are fewer of them to make holes and shot trails in the meat(but then, the meat on snowshoes is questionable anyway).
 
buck460XVR said:
I don't think the gauge is important as is how well you shoot it. Many times, even with dogs, snowshoes will be a standing shot, so a smoothbore than shoots to POA is a good thing. I prefer larger pellets like #5s, not because you need them for penetration, but because there are fewer of them to make holes and shot trails in the meat(but then, the meat on snowshoes is questionable anyway).
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I can shoot the 20ga pretty well at cottontail on the run. I watched a few videos and it showed the snowshoe running super fast so I figure they were a runner.

Why is the meat questionable?
 
As has been said, standing shots are common.

For hares, #6 shot is fine and a 20 will work great

I have shot many more hares with a rimfire than a shotgun though.
 
Why not 22lr? More challenging but far more fun in my experience.... best part being that there's no worry about busting a tooth on bb's at the end of the day!
 
Takes about one #5 pellet to hurt a bunny. Shot many with a cylinder bore 12 GA muzzleloader. Had to look hard to find the hit(s) on some.
 
If you have the option of 12 or 20 ga I would hunt with the one that I can get the best hunting ammo for.
The 12ga will give you a slight more distance & a little more shot but the 20 is easier to carry, lighter to swing & won't knock your shoulder off.
 
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