My first dove shoot - what to expect?

[Jay Gardner]

Sun-up on September 4th will find me in southern Indiana between a cut feed corn field and a pond and anxiously awaiting flights of doves. Needless to say, I'm pretty fired up.

When I was growing up in Indiana, doves were protected and so except for the occasional bird taken with my pellet gun, I have never hunted them officially. I am aware that dove hunting is heavy with tradition and is revered and so I am coming to the board to ask for guidance and direction. I certainly don't want to offend anyone when I get there.

For gun, I plan to take my 20 ga DHE with 30" barrels (.43/.44) and/or my 28 ga Repro with 28" barrels (.008/.018). The 20 seems a little more appropriate for the occasion.

Thanks,

JDG

[Peter Clark]

Jay, As someone who has hunted doves for 47+ years, take whichever gun you can shoot well. Expect a frenzy, confusion at picking out one bird when they are all over the place and expect many misses until you figure them out. I have shot them with everything from 12ga to .410 and everything in between but I especially enjoy the 28 repro or even my M42 when I feel like a challenge. For all the guns I have and have had, my best ever performance remains 15 for 16 shots with my old 870 SC skeet gun, purchased new in 1969. Open chokes are swell if hunting a water hole.
I love hunting them and eating them and will do so as long as I can shoulder a smoothbore.
-plc-

[Jeff Kuss]

Jay,
Be prepared to be humbled! LOL

[Francis Morin]

Boy do I even you- We tried twice here in MI to get a legal dove season, and the antis-aunties-and Audubonistas shot us down in flames. I get second best- no season and no limits, barn pigeons, and see some doves on occasion when after the "Sky Carp" on area dairy farms.

If you consider pigeons and mourning doves to be "cousins" I can tell you this, from almost 60 years of shooting them-- birds in flight can maneuver like a F-16 fighter, but when flushed from a bare branched tree or a power line, both dove and pigeons will drop down to load their wings before they begin a power climb. I have never shot snipe or railbirds, but would imagine a walk-up hunt in a sunflower patch for dove would give you some real zig-zag maneuvers to test your gunnning abilities.

I remember reading in Bob Brister's fine shotgunning book about a Texas dove event, a social event that turned into a big money bet between a young 100 straight skeet shooter with a 28 gauge and an old man (I'm in that category now) and his old well worn 12 bore side-by-side (make and grade unspecified)-- Bob Brister also mentioned the need for tan and air vented camo type clothing, and cool drinking water, not just for the shooters but also for the dogs, and staying in the shade- and to bring plenty of shells.

I'm 99% a 12 bore man, so I'd take either my Smith Grade 2 or my Parker PH- both have 30" barrels, DT, extractors (I reload) and are choked Mod. and Imp. Mod or Full- BUT- at my age, I don't get on the birds as fast as younger men might, so the tighter chokes and longer barrels suit my pass shooting style best- I use RST 1 oz. No. 8's or Rem light RST green 1 &1/8 oz. also no. 8's

It is fine that you have two Parkers, a 20 bore and a 28 from which to choose-I only own 12 bore "Old Reliables" so the choice is easy in my case.

I have read and re-read Nash B's "The Dove" more than any other of his "How To" stories- and have benefited from his sage observation that: for a right handed shooter (me) when you swing a shotgun from right to left, the muzzles climb slightly, but from left to right they tend to drop a tad- Words of wisdom--IMO:bigbye:

[Bill Murphy]

I would be using the Repro. I think the 20 has too much choke. The birds won't be that far away. Don't use #9 skeet loads whatever you shoot. Be fair to the birds and use 7 1/2, or, at the least, #8.

[John Truitt]

Jay,

My advice would be to take both guns. You never know how the birds will be flying that day. IMHO a 20 ga with that kind of choke is a perfect dove gun. I totally agree with Mr. Murphy #7 1/2 is great for doves.
I hope you guys get into them. Great shooting to you.
PS:
Pick your shots.

[Jay Gardner]

[QUOTE=Francis Morin;22969]We tried twice here in MI to get a legal dove season, and the antis-aunties-and Audubonistas shot us down in flames./QUOTE]

Don't kid yourself - the problem was that not enough hunters here in Michigan cared enough to weight in and support dove hunting. Apathetic/ambivalent hunters are the only reason we don't have a season here in Michigan. The blame is all on us, not the antis or anyone else.

[John R. Richards]

Jay:

You will have a great time no matter which gun you shoot. I noticed you said "sun up" which is a great time to shoot since they are coming into feed and it will make it a little easier to hit. Shooting starts at noon on opening day here in Georgia so it is generally hot and birds are resting in the pines or trees to stay out of the sun...which makes them smarter than most dove hunters. Ditto the earlier comments, 7½ to 8 shot are best, depending on whether they are incoming or passing by. On the long passing shots a lot of folks go to field load 6's. AND as said before, prepare to be humbled..the average is 1 bird per 8 shells (12%) but a fantastic bird to shoot and eat.

[Francis Morin]

Here's the "True Word" from the Master himself: How many cartridges will the reputed "top shot" require to bag today's Federal limit of 12 to 15 doves? Anytime you can kill 15 doves with a carton of hulls (I assume Nash meant 25) you have just about run competition ragged. With a 50% average you can walk out of any dove field with your head high"!!

Just curious, living in a "No Kill" dove State (we raise 'em for our pals down in Dixie, y'all be's welcomed)-- how the one dove for 8 shells stats came about.
Comparing mourning (or in your case, Sir- afternoon doves) to mallards zipping down the river in late October or even bluebills and ringbills straffing the long string of blocks on lake Ferschullinger in mid-Nov is like comparing a fire hydrant to a 155 field gun) BUT if I only averaged one dead mallard for every eight shells (and at the high price of non-toxic shot today) I'd give it up and learn to love golf more- WOW

Do you have to use steel shot in legal dove States, as they are migratory. If I wanted to use my "Slim Boggins" 20 bore on a dove shoot (the 20 M12 my Dad and Grandfather gave me on my 11th. birthday) does it have to have a 3 shot plug?:whistle::whistle:

[John R. Richards]

Mr. Morin:

Sir, that count of 8 for 1 was handed down from my gandpappy to my pappy and to me and I have, of course, now handed it down to my grandsons (4). Now, in all seriousness, virtually every article I have read over the years refers to about a 12% success percentage on the "winged acrobat". I will see if I can find some current sources to provide you with, but I think one of the reasons the success percentages are so low is that dove hunting, particularly Opening Day is quite a social event, complete with barbeque, cole slaw, sweet tea (no alcohol until afterwards by most), banana pudding, Lord, I'm getting hungry, baked beans, and everything else that is guaranteed to make you drowsy while you patiently wait for the birds to start flying. People that haven't fired a shotgun more than once or twice a year show up to shoot doves, and of course a lot of young men and women start some of the shooting lessons on dove. All in all those things bump up the misses.

So far, your President and his environmental nuts have left dove hunting off the required non toxic list so lead is fine. However, since it is a federally regulated game bird I expect steel shot or non toxic will be a requirement soon and that will cause most of us great pain. All of my hunting partners and friends despise steel shot and find the other non toxic loads very expensive.

All said, I am sorry that some states still have a closed season on doves, they are a wonderful challenge for the wind shooter and put on a charcoal grill with about a ½ strip of bacon toothpicked to the breast, well, you have a tasty treat. Of course a good bottle of red wine doesn't hurt...........

PS. A Parker 28 or 20 gauge is just about the perfect weapon for dove hunting, and yes your gun has to be plugged for no more than 3 shells

[Gerald McPherson]

Jay; Be very very careful. Dove shooting is a thing that will really get in your blood. I don't know how many years I have hunted them but it is one of the most enjoyable things I've done so far. About this time each year I start soaking my trigger finger with WD40. My hunting buddies start saying LOW BIRD instead of hello. Have fun and don't worry about the numbers. Enjoy. Gerald

[charlie cleveland]

...its a day of good fun and sport...a day to remember how bad a shot we really are...what the heck take a shot at that dove thats not in range...forget aboutcounting the number of shells youve shot..just keep up with the numbers of doves youve shot down in case wardin comes by.... a safe and good hunt to all...... charlie

[Andrew Thompson]

We go to great lenths to manage an area of our farm for doves and opening day is a celebrated event. It's the kick-off!! The first season of the year!! Time to take the guns out of the cabinets and brush up on our excuses for missing. I love the 20 for doves. My VH (32" F/M) and I will be posted at my designated spot. My father and I have an arragement that if after one box of shells either of us need another box to kill a 12 bird limit, the price is $50 for that second box. I have never left the field with my $50 bill. If you are shoting birds at distances greater that 25 yards, I recomend using tighter chokes with smaller gauges. Many of the birds you will be shooting are yearlings and they are small. The denser patterns serve well. Enjoy!!

[james van blaricum]

We have been driving the roads of south central kansas looking at the dove populatin:cool: Up until last weeks cold fronts and rain it looked pretty good then all of a sudden we didn't seem to have the doves in fact it was looking pretty bleak. We went out this evening to our usual pond and set up our decoys and the roto dove and got settled in. Had my 20 bore repro and plenty of shells. At approximately 6;30 all hell broke loose. The doves were coming in by droves. In fact, I was just standing out in the pasture and shooting as fast as I could load my 20 Parker. Finally at about 7;30 we called it quits and loaded up three limits and headed for the house and a glass of
whiskey. What a time.:)

[Peter Clark]

I still can't shoot :crying: due to recent shoulder surgery but took my 11 year old son Wyatt out last night to a favorite spot on our farm for the dove opener. (he has been featured on this site before with ducks and his first turkey) He had his M12 16 ga with the Cutts compensator and his spreader tube installed. Our limit is 15 and he did his best ever bagging 14 using a whopping 3 boxes of shells. When we got back to the house he kept saying "if I only had one more shell" he could have had his limit. Being that he is only 11 numbers in the bag are important to him. Of course when he emptied his pockets he found he did indeed have one more shell!
I had fun working our dog, helping Wyatt and moaning about the many shots I could have had. A good time was had by all. :)

[james van blaricum]

Peter; it sounds like you got your limit by watching your grandson. That is great. I wish my sons were close. Have you ever used the roto dove? it has batteries and the wings go in circles. It is amazing how it attracks doves. Hope the shoulder gets better.

[Tom Holcombe Jr.]

Just remember to follow through and have fun!!!!!!!!!

[charlie cleveland]

sept. 4 is opening day for us here in mississippi...i wiull be shotting a 20 ga parker with 26 inch barrels an cly and cly chokes...for back up i will have the lc smith 16 ga... the wait is killing meall time having nightmares that all the doves have flown farther south....hope to hear some good stories from you fellas..good shooting and be safeeveryone......charlie

[Mike Stahle]

My first opportunity for Dove will be this Sat. afternoon.
I’m very anxious to give this BP loading a try on Dove.
It is a very enjoyable load to shoot from a #1 frame.
Kind of wish MAGTECH would make a 2” brass short shell for my light load.
But the 2.5” gives me much versatility. :)

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l308/mountaincreekphotos/Guns/Brassshotshells01.jpg

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l308/mountaincreekphotos/Guns/Brassshotshells02.jpg

[Jeff Kuss]

Why don't you just cut a box of them down to 2"?

[Jeff Kuss]

I missed the opener yesterday, but I got out tonite around 5. I got 10 over my sunflowers. My 16 ga. Vh 1 frame did well.

[John R. Richards]

Peter:

Our opening day in Georgia is tomorrow, September 4, at high noon. The excitement always builds since this is not just a dove shoot but a social event as well. However this year it will be really something for us since I will have 3 of my 4 grandsons shooting with me in the same dove field and I can imagine the conversation when the day is done. Memories for a lifetime..

Glad you got to watch your son shoot and you know he will remember that shoot for a lifetime. By the way, three boxes, 75 shells for 14 dove is not bad at all for your first hunt. Hope the shoulder gets better soon. I warmed up yesterday, just for grins on a 20 gauge Beretta 391 semi-auto, with virtually no recoil. You might consider it. Opening day I will be shooting my Parker 20 gauge, DHE Reproduction which I dearly love shooting.

[Mike Stahle]

Why don't you just cut a box of them down to 2"?

I am thinking of doing that Jeff.
As soon as I have a little extra cash, I intend
to order 3 or 4 more boxes of brass.
Be kinda cool having a few boxes of 2" brass shotshells. :)

[Jay Gardner]

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/Doublegun_2006/Sept42010.jpg


Epilogue: At dawn I was standing along an irrigation system in 200 acre freshly picked corn, a cool breeze from the north, temps in the mid-50’s and not a cloud in the sky. Perfect! Took three before the birds stopped moving. Moved to another field and took two more before moving again. That third field was probably 300 acres next to a grain elevator. Every time a grain truck drove back to the elevator flocks of birds flew over the field. It was crazy – took ten more birds and limited out about 1030. I really did not expect the hundreds of acres of picked corn fields nor did I expect to be sitting on a bucket in the middle of fields with no cover, whatsoever. Everyone else was shooting 12’s but did not feel under gunned with my tightly choked 20 (.041/.042) DHE. Probably better to have too much choke than too little when shooting on windy open fields. The LOP is a little short for me so it took a some time for me to get into the groove but when I did birds fell.

When we wrapped up we walked back to the truck. Ten guys, camo t-shirts, camo cargo pants and camo ball caps. Plenty of chew, ever one of them had that southern Indiana “twang”. Farmers, a local doctor, a judge, three engineers and me; a slice of Americana and there was something very right about it. No one stood out, you couldn’t pick out who was who. I really enjoyed being there.

In time I’ll probably forget most of the details from the hunt, but I doubt I forget the sunrise. Born and raised in Indiana, I’ll always feel at home watching the sun rise (or set) over a cornfield and the company of a good friend or two.

Cheers,

JDG