My favorite for dover is my 16 ga. Parker Trojan. J.J.

I have now changed my mind a couple of dozen times!!

I have decided to start out with the Darne Halifax sliding breach 16 I bought a couple of months ago. I have been harassing the grackles with it of late, and need a legit hunting outing with that gun....for the second half of the limit, or an extended limit of Eurasian Doves, I am taking the 1 frame restored VH 16 I got a few months ago. I have never even shot that gun!

Awesome. An old fashioned head to head study. Since sport betting is now legal, wonder what Vegas has the odds set for which gun you will shoot better with and or like best.

Well I'm really just hoping t avoid a run to the emergency room! I have run a couple of boxes of shells through the Darne, but it is low volume shooting, I usually stick a couple in the gun and walk out of the house and confront the car crapping intruders! Even still, I have narrowly avoided taking off my thumb at the knuckle with that receiver sliding back! It reminds me of my Grand Dad's 1897 Winchester Trap, you have to pay attention to avoid stitches!

I too have changed my mind. After thinking 16 DHE all week,I picked up my 12CHE last night and realized that I had shot it a couple of times since adding the ivory bead but that I had never shot a bird with it ( purchased the gun last winter) So 12 CHE with 28 inch barrels choked improved and full with 2 1/2 RST 7's here we come . May sound like an odd choke combination for doves but I have a 16 GH choked the same way that I used on a shoot last year and it worked well. Will enjoy the opener pray we have some birds.

Yep I get that about the Darne action, which is actually a G rated name or label for that type gun action if your not mindful. That back edge that part that slides back also looks about as sharp as an axe. I hear wearing gloves is fashionably mandatory for shooting that gun. Not certain but also think the guy invented yard darts designed that gun.:)

Anyway enough about that and it may take a little learning curve but if you shoot a high percentage yield of dove/shells then that could be interesting.

I have the strangest fascination for the Darne. When I was around twelve, I got a copy of Shooters Bible for Christmas. I read that thing cover to cover, ingesting all of the articles, and studied the catalogue part incessantly. there was an article in that edition about the Darne guns, and the factory in France. Since then, I have always desired to own one, but until this gun arrived at my door a couple of months ago, I had never seen one "in the flesh". Although well used, it was very well cared for. The dimensions are really nice for a French gun, and so far, the Grackles are pretty upset with my decision to buy the gun! Still has the "Darne" sling swivels though!!

Mark,

I'm glad someone else waivers on which gun to take. It's a heckofa decision...especially when you own more guns than a man has a right to have, but "needs." Good shooting!

Sacre`bleu she magnific!

Hey here is link to learn some French swear words, if you don't know any already. I think it important if your going to own and shoot a French gun you learn to cuss in french as well, especially in a dove field. I like the term "d`gage" which sounds like a great gunning term to yell at that dove that just broke the sound barrier coming from behind right over head. It actually means "piss off", and yet still proper and appropriate to yell to friend giving you hard time for missing a shot. Then it would be "d`gage connard"

https://www.lovefrance.info/french-swear-words/

I remember the first time I ever saw a Darne and it was July 14 of 1995 in the middle of nowhere Alaska. We had just finished a week long backcountry fishing trip and were waiting at a common point where two rivers joined to meet our bush pilot. It was like a mini Rendezvous of sorts since there were other parties coming out of the bush and meeting in same place. This Frenchman that was actually a doctor from France was there and for bear protection he had brought along his Darne. Since it was Bastille Day he was imbibing heavily and shooting his gun in the air.

Doves Guns this yr
 

Mark you should be in a real pickle to decide what to take. I finally have only a selection of 3 guns. My companions will be in shock!! Ok the new EH 10 will be on stage with RST 10 ga 7 1/2 loads plus the 12 gauge mates will be throwing Win AA spt clays loads at those pesky doves. Then most stage time will be an alternation of the 16 DHE 30” bought in May and the wonderful DHE 20 with 30” barrels bought last year. I have already penned an article about these two guns ‘even though they won’t see action in the Dove field until Sat. I hope to get it in the next PP. it’s different!!! Better hope I’m on and can bring some down.

My FFL buddy called and the new gun has arrived. Will pick it up tomorrow in time for Saturday's hunt

aint you luky mills getting to hunt with a new parker.....charlie

I am looking forward to trying out my newly acquired grade 2 hammer gun :)

Mark i think i have the baby brother to yours. Its a 24 gauge.

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It looks like I'll be spending opening day at the WMA I mentioned in a prior post. I don't kmow whether I will shoot or not but if I decide to, I'll bring a newly acquired DHE sub 7lb 12 bore. I'll leave my New England attitude about crowded fields at home and just enjoy the festivities with hopes of somehow running into the venerable Mr. Murphy. I'd love to see him again. We had a lot of fun with our dogs and the quail on that WMA.

I like it!!

GH. 12 gauge with straight grip and 32 inch barrels. Just picked it up today. Also a Filson vest we found and didn't know we had

What a great combination: 32 inch barrels (Wow -- straight grip, too!!) and CC Filson. Enjoy your hunt.

they wont get to high for that new gun....i m going to start off shooting the lifter 10 ga no chokes made in 1874 30 inch barrels not cut....this is one of those plain steel barrel gun i have 2 of these plain steel barrel guns and seen a 3 rd one a while back all made in 1874.... charlie

I have been out 4 days over the last week scouting for birds. Late rains with weeds and grass still green has Really shatter the dove.
I Decided to go with my Remington DEO’s. Guns are packed and are ready to go.

Next week when things quite down I will take out my Parker DH 28 along with my daughters black lab that I have been training.
We have shot pen raised Chucker's and pigeons over him but I want to make sure there will not be any extra distractions on his first dove hunt.

Im really more excited about taking Tucker out and seing how he performs then I am about opening day tomorrow.


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Your wise on getting that dog into game. One of the first labs I trained took him to an opening day dove hunt when he was 9 months old. I was 17 so we were both pretty green. He was awesome. During training that spring and summer his sight retrieves on land were out to 75 yards and we kept his water retrieves to no more than 20 yards and he was already taking whistle and hand commands. Except I had not introduced him to live game yet.

Get off to myself a bit in a corner on that first dove hunt and was able to get an early loafer to cruise by at 20 yards and knock it down. I am sending Rufus on his first hunting retrieve and he has this shimmering intent look as I send him and he just explodes forward toward the dove but stops short and picks up my shotgun hull that ejected from bottom of pump shotgun. Uggh. It tool some more work but he figured it but he either hated litter or loved plastic. It took years for him to quit trying pick up hulls even if he had game in his mouth and coming back if he ran across a plastic hull he would pick it up to. Dang dog had an incredible nose. He could find old plastic shotgun shells that had been laying in fields for years. There was no leaving any plastic hulls around for him, especially if we were duck hunting and if a hull is floating near the blind had to police it up or he would try and pick it up.

Still remember day that he did not try and pick up a hull on cold duck hunt after a challenging retrieve. Knocked a wood duck down but only crippled him and Rufus had to chase him down and even dove down to get him, which was also a first. He swims back with duck and gets close and eyeballs hull but then just swims by it to deliver the duck. He is standing there looking at the hull and then looking at me as if to say, I have done my part, the least you can do is pickup your hulls. We sort of made a bargain about that issue from then on.

Waiting.

Twenty gauge.

Hot and cooling off

Bruce, that absolutely has to be the best use of a cattleman's crown crease on a straw hat that I have ever seen. That is a beautiful gun.

Good hunt if down from usual standards. Our puppy got to chase some wounded birds. All in all fun

Hotter than Hades today. Ninety plus degrees and ninety percent humidity. At noon it started raining. Stopped an hour later and was so hot no one could sit out in the sun. Went to another field and had birds coming in. Set up and just at the prime time a tremendous thunderstorm stole the last three hours of what promised to be a good day. Did get a few with the new to me DHE 16 gauge. Choked cylinder and IM. Not too original but I like it and that is all that matters. Shot 1 ounce of 8.5 right, 1 ounce of 7.5 left.

This weekend and next are “special whitewing season here”. You can have 10 whitewings and two mourning doves. My spots were devoid of whitewings after scouting. So, I loaded up the boat and headed south to the fishing cabin. My weapon of choice a G.Loomis 6wt. And an Abel Super 8 reel!! And two nights of solitude!!!!!

Solitude!

The heat was brutal on the Oostanaula River yesterday. About 70 shooters on about 120 acres of sunflowers.Over cast until about 2pm and then the sun popped out so I went to shade until about 4:30. My shooting was off and when my Old Reliable started doubling I got out a Gh Damascos 30in. 12ga. I don't shoot it as well but did to kill a few. I didn't count the birds but it was short of a limit. The most birds I have seen in many years. Many shooters started leaving around 5pm. I assume they had limited out. Around 6pm the birds were pouring in and lighting in the field. Needed more shooters. The birds seemed faster than I ever saw. Getting old is not what it is cracked up to be. Don't be in a hurry to get there. Thankful to be able to do it again. Going again in the morning with my grandson so keep me in your prayers. The Lord is good. Gerald

PS. Some people think I am crazy.

our hunt yesterday was a good one..i got up at 4.00 am and was on the field by 5.30 first bird came in and i got him with the old lifter 10 ga...i shot a box of shells and got 3 birds for my morning hunt...one fellas lab tried to retrieve ever bird shot down it was funny he had his limit in about 5 minutes...we quit shooting at 9.30 and headed for the spring our cooking campsite...we had bolonia french fries 120 doves on the grill fresh killed rabbit chiken baked beans and poodle sop gravey wow....i ate to much for sure.we went back to the field at3.30 boy was it hot only 2 of us crazy enough to set in the sun i got in the shade of a light pole...there was a gentle breeze that helped...i took the 20 ga v grade gun with factory 27 inch barrels i got 5 birds with it..i had really good shooters around me and i did not get many shots......it was really good hunt i was tired but contented and slept like a baby....tommorrow we are going to a new field at a friends house i m takeing the v grade 20 and i m takeing a d grade damascus 20 ga that once belonged to robert wood johnson the founder of johnson and johnson products.....gun has clyinder and full chokes the way it was ordered in 1901....charlie

Sounds like a great hunt Charlie. A 20 ga. Parker is just about perfect for a dove hunt!

we went back hunting to a new field this morning a soft breeze and a good shade was the spot for me but not much shooting from this spot...the other fella s done really well most got there limit...saddy the lab dog went into this big lake at least 15 times after doves...she was wore out by 9.00...i left at 9.00 i rekon i was tired from all the git up and go s....they will shoot again this evening after another big meal at dinner time...hope every one that likes to hunt doves had a good weekend shooting i know i have...charlie

Sounds like the weather shaped most people's hunts. We also had not-so-good weather for our opener. We got up extra early and headed to the closest WMA. The sky to the north was dramatic with intense displays of lightening. We waited for a couple of hours in the dark hoping the storms would miss us. They didn't, and so we were rained out of the morning's hunt. Went back the next day and pretty much had the field to ourselves. Not much flying, but the 126-year old PH did its job well (when I pointed it correctly!). Ya gotta love the choking done by those late 19th Century craftsmen. We got a few birds and enjoyed the sunrise. Hallelujah, the hunting season has finally started, even if the weather feels like mid-July.

Thanks to all of you who shared your hunts. My best to you all for the upcoming bird seasons.

Dove numbers were way down, but it was still a great hunt. Just not like Argentina. Probably 300 birds on a 30 acre field instead of 1500. This was our new puppy's first hunt and he enjoyed it, although he was mostly trying to figure out what it was all about.

A young fellow {9} made my weekend even though I had never met him. Gerald

Mills, both your son and that puppy are getting bigger.............!

Yes, Eric. The puppy has tripled in size since we got him. And feisty as ever. Basic training is going slow, but gun shyness is no problem at least

I saw some pretty good signs of a wonderful future in those photos! Always nice to see another generation -- both dog and "boy" -- beginning an upland life.

I didn’t go Saturday Sunday or Monday .

A friend puts on a big shoot in Madison County VA and on the first day out of thirty guys they killed a dozen birds I think .

Another friend puts on a paid shoot down in the Northern Neck of Virginia , they killed 10 or 12 birds out of I think forty guys in maybe three hours so he refunded everyone’s money .

And the place in Culpeper that’s managed exclusively for dove and my gunsmith buddy has been damage control popping the deer this year had forty hunters and they ALL limited out , that’s 600 birds .

We had a nice little shoot on the side of the house.

Todd thats my kind of hunting. Gerald