[M.T. Pockets]

Welcome back to hunting, hope you get to catch up on the last few years. I agree that a 3" Remington 870 will handle everything that you're going to ask it to do, and at a very reasonable price. May I suggest getting one with interchangable choke tubes.

As far as ammunition goes, don't stay home if all you can afford are the cheaper loads, just be more selective with your shots. I hunt quite a bit of ducks. I hunt small sloughs over decoys, and some river/ditch jump shooting. I don't intentionally shoot beyond 40 yards and most ducks I kill are around 25-30 yards. I just won't shoot further than that. I almost hate to admit it, but I have very good success with Winchester Xpert loads. I use 3" #2s or #3s. Again, I think the reason I have success is that I limit my shots to 40 yards, maximum and try to keep shots much closer. The main reason is that in the thick sloughs I hunt in you've got to get them close so you can find them. Plus, it's a lot more fun.

If you're going to pass shoot ducks, then I agree that you'd be better off with better, heavier loads.

Back when lead was legal my favorite duck load was 1 1/2 oz of #5 shot. It was just poison at close range over decoys.

I fully agree that for geese you should have heavier shot. I get a couple geese every year that fly into my decoys and it takes more firepower than those Xperts deliver. I keep a few heavy shot BB's in my pocket and change loads if I have time. I have shot some geese at close range with those Xperts and you better be ready to keep shooting.

Have fun.