"The reason for this is that you're not going to have the same lead then (with the Magnum loads) that you were shooting with all summer long (with the trap loads). I focus on velocity -- and I'm very conscious about it."

While the velocity numbers on the side of Young's shotgun shell box read 1,280 feet per second, what that number actually is isn't as important as that velocity number consistently staying the same.

"The key is to shoot the same velocity every time you pull the trigger at the range, when you're shooting at pheasant, quail, or grouse," Young said. "I'm shooting basically the same load and 7 1/2s work for all of those birds. This way, I have the same lead every single time and I don't have to compensate. If there's a bird out there, I know what the lead is and don't have to adjust."

If a hunter feels the need to go up in shot sizes, Young says that is certainly acceptable -- as long as one thing stays the same. "You can bump up to sixes if need be, just be sure that you're shooting the same velocity."

For those of you who might think that 7 1/2s are too light for pheasants, St. Pierre -- himself a veteran pheasant hunter who has chased roosters for a decade in six different states -- has seen first-hand proof of their effectiveness from his own upland hunting adventures with Young.

"I can confirm that Rick is successful with this at skeet, grouse, and pheasants," St. Pierre said. "He knows where he's leading them, knocks them in the head, and it works."

While consistent velocity from his 7 1/2 loads is one of Young's shooting keys to pheasant hunting success, there is another.

"If you put the bead in the middle of the bird, you're really going to be shooting at his tail-feather," Young said. "You've got to lead them. I like Mel Gibson's line from 'The Patriot' -- aim small and miss small. If you aim at the beak, if you miss, you'll probably hit them in the head."

GOOD READING
Obviously, if you're reading this magazine, you must be a connoisseur of good reading material. But whether you like my outdoor expertise or not, it pays to learn to read pheasant cover if you want to bag more roosters.

"How do you read a field?" asked St. Pierre. "First, you've got to pay attention to what is happening around you. For instance, if you're hunting in the late season, you need to know where there is winter cover, where there are shrubs that can hold them in when it's really harsh. Second, you need to ask 'Where's the food?' "

When in doubt of where to start focusing his hunting efforts, St. Pierre gets a little on edge -- literally.

"When I'm looking at a plain field on opening day, I'm looking at the edges," St. Pierre said. "Things like ditches or where a cornfield meets a little woody cover, pheasants like to focus on this edge type cover."

The reason for this, according to St. Pierre, is that edges often serve as a transition zone between where a bird is eating and where it is seeking security or rest.

"Between food and cover, that's a good focal point," St. Pierre said. "Pheasants spend a lot of time in edges, the transition habitat between food, cover, loafing areas, and roosting cover."