How to Hunt With a Winchester 1200 Shotgun
- 1). Understand how your firearm works. The Winchester 1200 is a smoothbore, pump-action, 12-gauge shotgun. Shotgun shells are loaded into the magazine and are manually pumped into the chamber to be fired. The pumping action will eject an empty shell once the round has been fired and load a new round into the chamber.
- 2). Select your 12-gauge ammunition. Shotgun shells have many components. Brass caps house the primer and gun powder and comprise the bottom end of a plastic case loaded with "shot." Shot are balls of lead or steel of various diameters. Hunters use smaller shot sizes (2 to 6) for ducks, and larger shot for geese (BBB-1). Only use the proper ammunition for your shotgun. Failure to do so could result in injury, explosion or death. Your Winchester 1200 can only safely fire 12-gauge ammunition.
- 3). Decide what you want to hunt. The shotgun has traditionally been used to hunt waterfowl, turkey and pheasant. Travel to a designated region where birds migrate, preferably a wetland or grassland area. Study maps and plan your trip ahead of time. Hunting laws and license regulations vary from state to state, so be sure to consult your state's department of natural resources to ensure lawful compliance.
- 4). Load your shotgun. Ammunition is fed into the magazine. It is illegal to load your shotgun with more than three rounds when hunting, even if the magazine can accommodate more. Install a plastic magazine plug to ensure your shotgun conforms to this standard. Use the pump action to feed rounds into the firing chamber.
- 5). Assume the proper firing stance. The Winchester 1200 generates considerable recoil, so be sure to hold the firearm correctly. Stand with both feet firmly planted on the ground. Raise the Winchester with both hands, keeping the stock tight against your shoulder. Your body should be aligned sideways with the target. Raise the gun only as you are about to shoot, making sure the bead sight at the end of the barrel is at eye level. Your cheek should rest against the stock. Maintain a forward leaning and aggressive posture. This will prevent the shotgun from kicking and provide the most control.
- 6). Fire the shotgun. Turn the safety off only as you are about to fire. Establish a viable target, stop breathing, and use your index finger to gently squeeze the trigger. This will fire the weapon. Birds must be shot "on the wing." It is unsportsmanlike to shoot nesting birds, or birds that are not in flight. Be mindful of a flying bird's following distance and rely on the bead sight of your Winchester to improve accuracy. Shooting accurately is the only way to be certain a bird's death is humane and instantaneous. Retrieve game promptly, and never let a bird suffer needlessly.