Top 3 Quail Hunting Chokes for Fast Flushing Birds

The most important thing in quail hunting is being able to hit a fast-moving bird, but second is having the right choke in your shotgun when the bird eventually flushes. In this guide, we’ll take a look at the three choke tubes widely considered best for hunting quail and what makes them so popular.

Selecting a choke tube diameter for hunting is usually dependent on distance and shot size, and with quail it is no different. Lead #7.5 shot and steel #6’s are popular quail hunting shotshell loads, so it’s important to find a choke that patterns this ammo well.

Best Choke Tubes for Quail Hunting

Whether you hunt Bobwhite quail, Scaled quail (blue quail), or Gambel’s quail, these are the three chokes you should consider that can deliver consistent patterns with lead and steel shot. As always, patterning your shotgun is extremely important to find out which choke tubes and ammo work best out of it.

1) Carlson’s Modified Choke Tube

Carlson’s is one of the most trusted choke tube brands in the industry and their extended modified choke is perfect for quail hunting. It delivers a dense pattern out to 30 yards with lead #7.5’s and makes for a versatile all-around choke tube for most situations.

The Carlson’s modified allows you to hit medium to long range birds, without having to sacrifice the close in shots. This is great for those quick action hunts where you don’t have to second guess your choke or stop to change it out. This is the TOP pick.

Carlson's Modified Choke Tube - Extended

30 YEARS WORTH OF PATTERNS: No other...
HIGH-QUALITY MANUFACTURED: Our high...
HIGH PERFORMANCE: Carlson's Choke Tubes...
LIFETIME WARRANTY: We back all of our...
MADE IN THE USA: All our Carlson's Choke...

2) Carlson’s White Wing Dove Choke

The White Wing dove choke by Carlson’s is another option for added range in high winds or days the birds are flushing prematurely. This choke comes in Improved Modified and paired with 6 shot steel is a good combo for shots to 35 yards.

This choke is perfect for hunting open areas such as hillsides where it may be hard to sneak up on birds and they flush at longer ranges. If you already have good luck with Carlson’s chokes in other sizes, check out this IM choke. This is the pick for MAX range.

Carlson's White Wing Choke Tube - Extended

The NEW White Wing Dove choke features...
Our White Wing Dove choke is...
For all ranges, when hunting doves we...
Available in Decoy (LM) or Extended...
These chokes can handle steel, lead,...

3) Browning Improved Cylinder Choke

Browning manufactures their own extended choke tubes from cylinder all the way to full, and the improved cylinder is a great choice for short range quail hunting on wild birds inside 25 yards. You could even go down to a cylinder choke if needed. If you have a Browning shotgun that accepts Invector +, this is the choke to get.

Browning Invector Plus - IC Choke

Constructed of highly polished, 17-4...
Available in constrictions ranging from...
Knurled portion extends beyond the...
Longer choke taper inside Invector-Plus...
Produces excellent patterns with...

Why a modified choke works best for Quail Hunting

Modified chokes are the middle ground of choke diameters (0.705”) and because of this are versatile in many different hunting situations. Chokes in modified can handle quail flushing close as well as long fast-moving passing and crossing shots.

Modified choke tubes work especially well with #7.5 lead shot and it’s not uncommon to pattern this choke and ammo combination and receive 80% coverage in a 30 inch circle at 35 yards. Steel shot also works well with a modified choke tube like the Carlson’s extended choke mentioned above.

Hunting wild quail vs pen raised birds

Wild quail are a lot harder to hunt than pen raised and released birds. Your choke setup will likely need to be tailored to which of these types of quail you will be hunting.

Pen raised or released birds tend to be slow and flush late. This means most of your shots are going to be within 20-25 yards where an Improved Cylinder (0.716”) which opens the shot up quicker will be the top choice.

For wild quail, the Modified (0.705”) or Improved Modified (0.695”) are the top choices that will keep your pattern together for shots between 25 and 35 yards.

Quail Choke Tubes and Ranges

Improved Cylinder (10-15 yards) – Up close flushing shots
Modified (15-30 yards) – Flushing and long range flushing shots
Improved Modified (30-40 yards) – Long range flushing shots
Full Choke (40-50 yards) – High flying birds over 40 yards

The chart above shows the recommended choke tube and range in yards for quail hunting. Modified is the best choke for typical quail hunting shots that include close flushes and bird exiting scenarios. Improved cylinder is the best for close flushing shots just as the quail rises. Improved modified (IM) and full chokes are best for longer range shots after the bird is exiting and gained full momentum.

Long Distance Quail Hunting

In some hunting situations, quail can flush over 35 yards away, requiring longer shots. These birds usually flush somewhere out of sight or crosswind but end up right over you at a high rate of speed. They can be one of the most challenging shots in upland bird hunting.

Choke and ammo combinations for these high-flying birds need to be able to hold together up to 35 yards. A full choke can even be a viable choke size in this situation. Increasing shot size to lead #6’s or Steel #5’s is also warranted.

Quail Hunting Field Tips

Get a set of improved cylinder, modified, and improved modified chokes
This will let you switch chokes as conditions change
Lead #7.5’s and an IC choke tube work well on pen raised birds
Keep shots below 40 yards, know your ammo and choke limitations
A full choke may be needed for those days where birds are flushing prematurely
Wind days, especially those with cross winds, you may need to up your pellet size
Pattern your shotgun to find out what choke and ammo work best
If using a tight choke, allow a bird flushing close to get distance before shooting

Modified choke tubes can take a lot of the guess work out of quail hunting. They usually work well with most ammo and won’t damage the birds at close ranges.

Having a set of choke tubes in your hunting vest or backpack is the best option that works well for changing conditions. You can tailor your setup to how quail are responding while in the field and changing a choke only takes seconds with a good choke wrench.

What to expect

When it comes to choosing the right choke tube for Quail Hunting, Carlson’s Modified choke stands out from its competitors. The Carlson’s Modified choke is engineered with a unique design that provides consistent and even shot patterns, resulting in better accuracy and a higher precision. Unlike most of its competitors, the Modified choke ensures that the shot is evenly distributed, reducing the chances of having holes or gaps in your pattern. Overall, the Carlson’s Modified choke is a top performer, delivering outstanding results that set it apart from the competition.

Bottom Line

Quail hunting requires a choke size geared toward the situation at hand. #7.5 Lead shot and #6 steel shot are popular pellet sizes most quail hunters use. Naturally, finding a choke tube that patterns these loads well is key to finding success in the field.

A modified choke such as the extended chokes that Carlson’s offers work well for an all-around quail hunting choke tube. There are several other options including the White Wing choke and the improved modified from Browning.

Hunting wild quail or pen raised birds can help determine which choke size you may need. Shots on wild quail tend to be longer where a modified or improved modified are best. Pen raised birds may only require an improved cylinder for shots inside 15 yards.

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