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Doves- according to T. Nash B.- our premiere target awing |
08-20-2010, 04:03 PM | #3 | ||||||
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Doves- according to T. Nash B.- our premiere target awing
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 Last edited by Francis Morin; 08-25-2010 at 08:32 AM.. |
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08-20-2010, 04:21 PM | #4 | ||||||
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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.
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08-20-2010, 04:48 PM | #5 | ||||||
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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. |
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08-20-2010, 05:00 PM | #6 | ||||||
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[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. |
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The Following User Says Thank You to Jay Gardner For Your Post: |
Doves at sun-up |
08-24-2010, 10:07 PM | #7 | ||||||
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Doves at sun-up
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. |
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15 doves and a carton of hulls? Mama Mia |
08-25-2010, 08:31 AM | #8 | ||||||
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15 doves and a carton of hulls? Mama Mia
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? |
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08-20-2010, 03:50 PM | #9 | ||||||
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Jay,
Be prepared to be humbled! LOL |
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The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Jeff Kuss For Your Post: |
08-26-2010, 06:03 PM | #10 | ||||||
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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
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