From scouting to decoy spreads, blind placement to shot selection, dedicating yourself to mastering sub-gauges can actually help make you a better duck hunter. (Photo courtesy of the author.)
July 30, 2025
By Scott Haugen
Late last season, two buddies and I hunted ducks in a little creek. High water saw bird numbers quickly build. Trail camera scouting revealed ducks trickling in at first light, with a big push coming between 8:00 and 11:00 a.m. They preened and slept until late afternoon.
Because no more rain was forecast, we knew the water wouldn’t maintain its ideal level for long, three days, max. We planned to go in with six decoys and sub-gauges, shoot quick limits, then return two days later to hopefully repeat the hunt. It worked. Here’s why.
The creek was small, no more than 15 paces wide where we set the decoys. The small spread emulated the first-arriving ducks. We mimicked what scouting and trail cameras taught us. Be simple.
I shot a .410 while my buddies fired 28s. With the reduced noise, we hoped to get in and out fast, before alerting too many ducks. In less than 45 minutes, we were headed home with 21 mallards.
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Two hours after we left, the trail camera showed the creek loaded with ducks. Two days later, we duplicated our success in the same spot, but with a dozen mallard decoys, one of which was on a jerk cord.
For my buddies and me, the choice of duck hunting with a sub-gauge comes with a purpose. Usually, it’s driven by close-range shooting and a desire to finish quickly, disturbing as few birds as possible so another hunt can soon be enjoyed there.
There are many factors to consider before duck hunting with a sub-gauge. We're here to help you learn how to use a sub-gauge for consistent success and lots of continued fun! (Photo courtesy of the author.) But what works for one hunter may not work for others. One of the most frustrating duck hunts out there is taking a .410 or 28 gauge with a handful of buddies shooting 12 gauges. Usually, their guns are empty before ducks even get within sub-gauge range. I know, I’ve been there.
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Which Sub-Gauge is Right for You? I hunt a lot with a 20 gauge. I don’t classify a 20 as a sub-gauge. That’s saved for the 28 and .410. I’ve shot several 28s. They’re fun, but I keep going back to the .410.
For me, the sub-gauge experience is about up-close interactions with ducks and precision shooting. It’s about selecting specific decoys and intentionally arranging them to get ducks close. It’s about calling and being patient, letting the decoys do their job. And it’s about discipline, not shooting too soon or too long after birds have turned. That’s why a .410 is my sub-gauge of choice. But that’s just me. A few buddies tried .410s and went back to 28 gauges. It’s great that we have choices and can pick what suits us best.
Why Use a Sub-Gauge I prefer to hunt alone with a sub-gauge. The experience is more enjoyable when I’m in control of every decision. I do have a few friends I’ll hunt with when we’re all shooting sub-gauges. We know each other well, are patient and choose to shoot sub-gauges for the same reasons. If I’m going on a hunt with someone I don’t know, or in a new place where I’m unsure of shooting distances and wind conditions, the 12 gauge comes out, maybe the 20.
Where to Use a Sub-Gauge The decision to hunt ducks using a sub-gauge is purpose-driven and can take your skills to another level. (Photo courtesy of the author.) Most of my .410 shooting is done in tight places. Shots range from 15 to 30 yards. Creeks, flooded sloughs where the edges can be hunted, sloughs with low water levels that concentrate birds, and open places of choice when the wind is perfect, are settings I look for.
Where I hunt most, rarely do I shoot a .410 on public waters, especially on weekends. Not only are birds edgy, but many times they’re circling just outside the decoys when someone shoots and flares them. Often, they’re in 12 gauge range when this happens, but rarely reachable with a .410.
If planning to hunt big, open water with a .410, monitor the weather. Wind direction and intensity dictate decoy and blind placement, which will impact shot distance. Have a backup gun in the truck—if an unexpected storm kicks up, winds change direction, or other factors keep birds from working the way you’d hoped, swapping the sub-gauge for a 20 or 12 gauge can make the difference between a good hunt, or going home empty-handed.
When hunting late-season birds in open spaces where there’s a chance of getting a prized Eurasian wigeon or cinnamon teal, I’ll leave the sub-gauge at home. More pellets and more power boost kill rates, it’s simple math.
Choosing the Right Choke and Load TSS isn’t cheap, but it can make a big impact when shooting sub-gauge shotguns. Invest wisely, in both shells and your shot selection. (Photo courtesy of the author.) One of the biggest mistakes I see sub-gauge shooters make is not taking the time to learn what loads and chokes work best in their gun. Not all loads perform equally in every gun. To see what works best, shoot paper targets. Start at 20 yards, then go to 30 yards. I rarely shoot farther than that because it defeats the intent of electing to use a sub-gauge. I can just about guarantee that no inventor of a .410 or 28 gauge set out to make them match the killing distance of a 12 gauge. Sub-gauges have a purpose, and it’s not long-range shooting.
Steel kills close. Bismuth performs well, all-around. TSS is the pinnacle, but pricey. Based on pattern testing and shooting lots of ducks, bismuth is my go-to load for the .410. I only shoot one or two brands of bismuth in my 20 and 12 gauges, as it doesn’t pattern well when under pressure with the chokes I use. But it’s under less pressure in my Browning BPS .410 with the factory full choke, bismuth patterns extremely well in all of my tests, and I’ve killed a lot of birds with it. I’ve been happy with bismuth in the 28 gauges I’ve shot, too.
For the past three seasons, HEVI-Bismuth has been my top-performing .410 load. The 9/16 oz. payload of 6 shot moving at 1,300 fps is a consistent killer. Swat birds on the water with this load, and it’ll impress you even more than the paper testing results.
Enjoying the Sub-Gauge Experience Author, Scott Haugen, with a strap of greenheads taken from a skinny creek with a .410. Haugen loves hunting with a sub-gauge, but the situation has to be right. If hunting a hole with fat, late-season mallards or targeting pintails in open spaces, I’ll bite the bullet and shoot HEVI-XII. This 1/2 oz. load of 5 or 7 shot isn’t cheap, so choose your shots carefully. I like the XII when hunting alone, where I’m in total control of the situation. When hunting creeks where speedy teal, wood ducks, and dive bombing wigeon are the target, Federal Speed-Shok in 6 shot performs well and carries a less painful price tag if you’re trigger-happy.
If eager to see what the sub-gauge experience is all about, do it for the right reasons. It’s not a passing fad. It’s a dedicated experience that can take a while to master.
Hunting with a sub-gauge is about finding the precise fit with your hunting desires and skill level. It’s about being patient and letting birds work and taking the shot when you know ducks are in range. Some days you don’t fire a shot, when you could have limited out with a 12 gauge.
The sub-gauge experience brings a learning curve that might be unfamiliar, even frustrating at times. It may take seasons to become adept, but this next level of learning is where the ultimate reward lies.
Sub-gauges force you to study ducks more closely to observe their behaviors and understand why they do what they do, when. This forces you to closely evaluate every move you make. From scouting to decoy spreads, blind placement to shot selection, dedicating yourself to mastering sub-gauges can help make you a better duck hunter.
