This seasons dove gun?
 

I'm thinking of using the late Remington double trap for doves this season. I don't expect any close in shots. I'll throw the VHE skeet in the truck just in case they decide to do that.

Spin

Michael, it's a sign of the season when a guy starts to plot out what gun he'll use come the opener. I'll been doing so myself. Thanks for the reminder...not that I really needed one as this has been a long summer for us, and I've been dreaming of cooler days and hunts for weeks now.

Good luck -- post some photos!

“IF” I find a place to shoot it’ll most likely be a VH 28 ga 26”F&F or a DHE 20 ga 30” M&F .

12 gauge GHE for me.

Long barreled small bore, 20 or 28 gauge, choked full & full!

I'll be packing two. 26" 20ga. VHE straight grip M/F which has been my go to dove gun since 1970 and a 30" 28ga. VHE M/F which was just built for this sport and will finish my limit if all things go right.

Can't just bring one gun you know.:)

My plans were to take a 12ga. GHE Damascus 32" gun and the new to me 20ga. 30" VH. Thats not happening thanks to UPS. Two delays since Monday. Now sounds like it might make it by Monday but I have to wait 3 days from the time I sign for the gun. (Illinois wait period)

So, I guess I'll take the 32" GHE Damascus and a 28" M/F GH Damascus gun instead. I am sure the 20ga. will get some dove time before the first season is over but thats not what I wanted.

I am lucky to have a fair stash of RST 8's so I can feed both guns. The next problem is going to be what the storm in the Gulf does. Some models have it reaching middle TN, where I'll be for the 1st, by that time and be dropping heavy rain through Tuesday and Wednesday so the opening day shoot could be called off or really diminished.

Time will tell. Hope everyone has a great opening day. Shoot well and enjoy your guns and dogs.

No dove shooting in NY but I've seen more than ever around my duck club. You boys in the south should have plenty of northern born doves late season. So we resort to blackbirds leaving the cattail marshes and raiding the corn fields. Don't roll your eyes:rolleyes: they are a difficult target that fly like doves. Taking out the duck guns this weekend #3 frame DH 12ga/34" and 12ga #3 frame 30".

Now blackbirds (are we still allowed to use that terminology?) would be one of the uses for that #9 shot that was discussed earlier in a thread.:)

Oh boy how that 3 frame full choke would leave a ball of feathers in the air.

Daryl Yea Mark K was dropping the underprivileged feathered targets ,aka blackbirds, at 60 yards with his #3 frame BHE 12ga last Saturday ---impressive! Big fun and our farmer appreciates it.

Be nice Harry. I know you are not PC but that's why we love you.:)

And no limit and no season. Win/Win. You should video Kirch doing them in.

Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are considered pests in most regions. Grackles, (Quiscalus quiscula) larger "strutty" birds, are also considered "black birds" and may be protected in some areas. The Red winged Black bird (Agelaius Phoeniceus) is considered a song bird in most of its environs and is not open to "shooting".

We are infested here in southernmost Illinois with grackles and Starlings. They rob feeders in bad weather and will hit crop fields such as sorghum/milo with a vengeance.

As a side note, years ago market hunters shot black birds as they roosted in the marsh grass and cattails in the lower New York harbor on the Jersey side where the Meadow lands now sit (NY Giants Stadium, et al.) by the thousands and sold them to the NY market.

Just an FYI

schwarzer Vogel

I'll be shooting my 28ga repro 28" DT English splinter that I had the chokes opened on.

My choice of gun in part was determined by having a s**t pot load of AA 28ga ammo in 8.5 shot.

Like last year, I'll rely on my set of Parker 20s. The top is IM/IM 28", and the bottom is IC/IC 26". Depending on how they're flying, high or close, I'm covered.

Chris, AZ

There is no such thing as a "season's dove gun" for me. I change from one shoot to the next. I begin the season with .410s....... the 30" Dickinson, the 30" FAIR Iside, and the 30" FAIR Verona. Then I go to the 20 gauges.......... the 32" DHE Parker, the Fox Sterlingworth Ejector, or the Beretta 30" 687 SP II Sporting. Later, when the birds are more mature, tougher, and warier I go to 16s, the 32" Parker DHE and the 32" L C Smith FWE. Lastly, in the waning days of the last season when the birds are really tough, "fast and furious", I may use the long barreled 12s, the 32" L C Smith, the 32" HE Fox, the 30" BSS, or the 30" San Georgio hammergun. Jus' for fun .........

Hey Stan. You may be interested to know that Rich Cole, Cole Gunsmithing, is advertising 32" barrels for any 680 series Beretta O/U.

That would be for any 20 gauge 680 series.

As of yesterday, I have a new 20 gauge Sterlingworth that is begging for a dove hunt. I also have a VH 16 on the way

And what new guns or trips have you bought for Saint Julia?.... she is a saint you know. :whistle:





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We're going quail hunting for Thanksgiving. She is not big on traveling or buying new guns.

We tried to get her to go to Africa and she refused. Every time I buy her a gun, she doesn’t want it. She has 4 Beretta autos and that is what she likes to shoot.

Doesn’t mean you still don’t owe her… :whistle:





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This year the same as last, Poli SxS in 16 ga with M/M chokes and nice, long 32 in tubes. I’m well stocked on 16 and ready for the Florida dove opener on Saturday! For my backup, which will likely get called up for some fun, a Thomas Horsley, snap action under lever, circa 1882. I may throw a little smoke with the 12 ga black powder shells I found at this spring’s Southern.

I'll be out with my VH 16ga 28" IC & MOD this Saturday .