Dove hunting - What gun are you taking?

[crs]

Parker repro 20 gauge in picture to the left with pheasant.
Going on Dallas Woods and Waters Club annual hunt near Rule, TX,

Update: I just read some of the previous posts and was reminded of why I do not hunt on public land or with large groups any more. In fact, our DWWC hunt is a subset of the total club and is comprised of older and more experienced shooters. The total allowed is 12 hunters - after that the shoot is closed. If you sit out a year or two you may not get back in for a while. This tends to guarantee compatible attendees, good sportsman ship, mostly good shooters AND good accommodations and chow at the outfitters lodge. Sometimes a taste of the dew and a cigar before bedtime.

PS I do not take my grandson on the above hunt, but to Hidden Lakes or other preserve or property controlled by friends.

[Mills]

Had my son pull the dove tower for me. One of the more fun clay presentations, once you get used to it.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Tom Flanigan

Being a New Yorker, I wasn’t a dove hunter. Doves are considered song birds there. But when I moved to Maryland about 25 years ago I decided I wanted to try it. Not having any contacts for private land yet, I went to McKee-Beshers WMA on opening day. I had trepidations. I had never before hunted public land and had heard horror stories from those who did. But I decided to grab a 12 bore DHE with 28” modified and full tubes and give it a try. It was worse than I expected. It was a real carnival atmosphere. Yelling and screaming from one end of the field to the other. Every bird that was hit, elicited loud hurrah’s from the clowns in the carnival. I had my setter with me to retrieve my birds and he seemed confused by all the shooting and hollering. The third bird I shot, a yahoo ran out and grabbed the bird before my dog could get to it. He set up way to close to me. He pocketed the bird. I told him exactly what I thought of him and left the field, vowing never to hunt doves again.

But I later met a guy who had access to great private land in Virginia and I shot doves with him there for a few years. I enjoyed it but never fully got into it. I guess my sub-conscious New England upbringing still considered them song birds. But I can fully understand why folks like it so much.

The shooting of Mr Dove is not as important to me anymore as is the EATING of Mr Dove 😉

[Bill Murphy]

I have hunted (shot) the preserve described by Tom Flanigan for many years, including the 1960's when wild quail were a closely guarded secret. To be honest, Tom and I gunned "wild" quail there not too long ago. A couple of years ago, a friend and I situated ourselves in a shady area on the fringe of the main field. Our compatriots in the sun baked center of the field were phenomenal shots and killed dozens of birds while we killed one. I have killed hundreds of birds over the years and did not begrudge the young guns in the middle of the field shooting their autoloaders? No way. It was very entertaining to see that today's young shooters know which end of the gun the shot comes out. I may be on a walker, but I will probably be in that field September 1, unless I get a better invitation. My first hunting license was my Pennsylvania resident license #434, issued at the State Capital office in Harrisburg in 1958. I should have showed up earlier to get a lower number.

[Mills]

The worst hunt I have been on was so bad, it was almost comical. Shooting over the limit, shooting birds that weren't doves, lots of beer consumed during the hunt and cans just left on the ground. Won't go back to that. Beyond that, some hunts attract people who don't hunt, but want to be seen hunting. They show up with brand new hunting clothes, probably Orvis, brand new gun, and have no clue about things.

A friend has invited us opening day for years now and it is always a good hunt.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

I have hunted (shot) the preserve described by Tom Flanigan for many years, including the 1960's when wild quail were a closely guarded secret. To be honest, Tom and I gunned "wild" quail there not too long ago. A couple of years ago, a friend and I situated ourselves in a shady area on the fringe of the main field. Our compatriots in the sun baked center of the field were phenomenal shots and killed dozens of birds while we killed one. I have killed hundreds of birds over the years and did not begrudge the young guns in the middle of the field shooting their autoloaders? No way. It was very entertaining to see that today's young shooters know which end of the gun the shot comes out. I may be on a walker, but I will probably be in that field September 1, unless I get a better invitation. My first hunting license was my Pennsylvania resident license #434, issued at the State Capital office in Harrisburg in 1958. I should have showed up earlier to get a lower number.

Bill, I sure hope you get to go. It's nice to read of a hunter with a year or two on his resume that understands and appreciates the hunt like you obviously do (as you describe here). Good hunting, Sir!

[Bill Murphy]

Thanks for the compliment. My friend and I were equally impressed that a bunch of auto shooting very young wild men could actually shoot. We have never had an experience like Mills did, but a few decades back, we hunted a dove field with a few non English speaking fellows that had a campfire going on their stand and had barbecued doves on a stick all day and didn't have a dove in the bag when they quit shooting at dinner time. Mercifully, they weren't drinking any alcohol during the shoot. This was only a mile or so from the field that Tom Flanigan described. My gun of choice this year may be my Davenport 8 gauge with a 10 gauge chamber insert, 1 5/8 ounces of #8 or 7 1/2, easy to carry, easy to load, and good for a 95 yard shot. I killed one dove on my last hunt, earlier described, and that is a good day in my opinion, especially if it is a 95 yard shot and someone else in the field claims the bird. Years ago, on a goose shoot on the Eastern Shore, I snagged an injured goose on the opposite side of a pond with my second ten gauge barrel at roughly 110 yards after one of my companions put some shot into him. I was congratulated for the great shot, and started walking toward the victim, cane in hand. One of the other hunters, seeing my disability, said, "Sit down. I will retrieve your goose." It may have been the red letter day of my waterfowling career on the Eastern Shore. I wish I knew that fellow's name. He was a true sportsman.

[Tom Flanigan]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

I have hunted (shot) the preserve described by Tom Flanigan for many years, including the 1960's when wild quail were a closely guarded secret. To be honest, Tom and I gunned "wild" quail there not too long ago. A couple of years ago, a friend and I situated ourselves in a shady area on the fringe of the main field. Our compatriots in the sun baked center of the field were phenomenal shots and killed dozens of birds while we killed one. I have killed hundreds of birds over the years and did not begrudge the young guns in the middle of the field shooting their autoloaders? No way. It was very entertaining to see that today's young shooters know which end of the gun the shot comes out. I may be on a walker, but I will probably be in that field September 1, unless I get a better invitation. My first hunting license was my Pennsylvania resident license #434, issued at the State Capital office in Harrisburg in 1958. I should have showed up earlier to get a lower number.

Maybe I was too hard on the folks in that field Bill. But the guy who set up next to me and stole my bird was a real jerk and I told him so. That day was my first experience on public land. And the hordes of people in that field and the shouting back and forth unnerved me. I always speak in hushed tones when I hunt. Hunting alone for much of my life and on private land didn't prepare me for my first public experience. But that WMA is a jewel for quail. I have hunted wild quail there often and always got birds. I rarely saw anyone else while quail hunting. You and I had great fun there Bill. Plus, they hold field trials there and Jeff and I used to go in after the field trials and clean up on the chucker's.


I might just go there on opening day of dove for the heck of it. Especially if you are there. I'll change my attitude about the crowd and sit there and observe and have fun. I probably won't shoot since my retriever is up in Pawling at the moment. I hate to hunt without a dog.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Thanks for the compliment. My friend and I were equally impressed that a bunch of auto shooting very young wild men could actually shoot. We have never had an experience like Mills did, but a few decades back, we hunted a dove field with a few non English speaking fellows that had a campfire going on their stand and had barbecued doves on a stick all day and didn't have a dove in the bag when they quit shooting at dinner time. Mercifully, they weren't drinking any alcohol during the shoot. This was only a mile or so from the field that Tom Flanigan described. My gun of choice this year may be my Davenport 8 gauge with a 10 gauge chamber insert, 1 5/8 ounces of #8 or 7 1/2, easy to carry, easy to load, and good for a 95 yard shot. I killed one dove on my last hunt, earlier described, and that is a good day in my opinion, especially if it is a 95 yard shot and someone else in the field claims the bird. Years ago, on a goose shoot on the Eastern Shore, I snagged an injured goose on the opposite side of a pond with my second ten gauge barrel at roughly 110 yards after one of my companions put some shot into him. I was congratulated for the great shot, and started walking toward the victim, cane in hand. One of the other hunters, seeing my disability, said, "Sit down. I will retrieve your goose." It may have been the red letter day of my waterfowling career on the Eastern Shore. I wish I knew that fellow's name. He was a true sportsman.

Bill,
Take the good when you get it...and have the courage to forget the bad. Post a picture of your opening day if you can. Storms are predicted here. My young friend can’t make opening morning, but my wife says she will go to keep me out of trouble. I am blessed— good wife, good life, good gun (poor, but happy, shot).
Best of luck on your opener!

[charlie cleveland]

bill you make me want to take my 8 ga davenport to the field now...but i would have to use a 12 ga ga mate in mine. phil carr gave me this one...these old guns shoot good with those gage mates....were did you find your gage mate in 10 ga for the 8 ga...watch out and do not get to hot going after them 95 yard shots....charlie