My first dove shoot - what to expect?

[Feathersjr]

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.

[Old and Reliable]

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?

[Feathersjr]

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