Dove Hunting??

[target1911]

I have an 870 exp and I wanted to know the prefered choke for dove hunting.

Thank you

[Big Az Al]

target1911 I have an 870 exp and I wanted to know the prefered choke for dove hunting.

The biggest mistake made in Dove hunting is trying shots at to long of range! Well maybe that is second biggest mistake, as I am typing I think of all the Dove Hunters I see wearing Light shaded BRIGHT clothing, the least amount of movement and any dove that can see this is staying far far away!

SO first wear a reasonably dark neutral Shade of clothing, find a shaded place with a good view, being in the shade will make it a little harder to be seen by the doves.

Then pick out some things, a fance line, or trees or low growing plants that are between 35 and 40 yards away from your spot, and wait until the birds are inside this zone to even try a shot! Then minimize your movements until you are ready to shoot at a dove! Why do a say this? Your standing there, looking at a dove on a flight path that will put it into your zone, BUT it is going to require turning yourself and the gun a 100+ degrees to get the shot, so when after you have seen this you move a little to make the shooting move easier, right? WRONG, the dove will see this and stay far enough away to be safe no matter what choke or size shot you are using!

So for me anyway, make all movement you are going to make turn your body 180, and bring the gun to your shoulder all in the same move!

Practicing these few things, and even being just a little picky in your shot selection, you will find that it pretty much won't matter what choke you have
extra tight full or extra open, open choke. The doves will get hit about the Same!

It may bring descussion, but shooting a 30 to 35 yard shot with a choke that gives it's best pattern at 20 yards, has a better chance of bagging a dove then trying a 50 to 55 yard shot with the tightest full choke.

So having said all that, I have generally always have had shotguns with full chokes, my dad likes the full, but for twenty years or more has had IC/mod Sidebys, and all of our favorite spots are well adapted to will marked 35 to 40 yard shooting zones!

[cdrt]

I've had good luck with different chokes depending on how the dove are flying; anywhere from Full to Skeet. For an overall choke, I would probably go with Modified.

[Big Daddy K]

Get a mojo and go IC:D

I would say best all round is mod and 7.5 shot.

[ArmedBear]

Depends on how well you can shoot a shotgun, and the terrain.

No reason you can't take a pretty long shot in open country with a tighter choke, if you're really good at hitting the target.

If you have any doubts about your ability to bust a clay at 50 yards consistently, or hunt in anything but open areas, use IC and shoot 'em closer. More likely to bring home some doves, and it's more ethical hunting.

[Dave McCracken]

Used chokes from None to Too Much. Taken birds with all of them. Missed birds also.

Most of the time Mod will do.

[sm]

I would venture to guess over the years I have used Skeet the most, as I was prone to use fixed choke skeet guns for doves.
Especially 28 gauge guns!

Then again, I quit taking a gun anywhere and just use what is handy.
I have no idea what choke was in the 870 Express I last used for doves, just was not important to me.

Now the H&R Topper Youth 20 gauge I used last year, is like one I have, so I know it has a fixed modified choke. 15 bird limit and it took 13 shells to limit out.

I'd just use hard shot in #8 , check a pattern board, set out some markers (toss/tie a gray shop cloth , looks like a dove decoy anyway) for distance and focus on the bird and not equipment.

I wore jeans, white tennis shoes, and blue oxford shirt last time out.
Standing the middle of the "T" of a farm road.
Just easier to shoot the durn things and have them fall at your feet or in the road , easier to find and it keeps my tennis shoes from getting dirty. :)

I sorta get a kick out of doing what the 'Net and others say you are not supposed to. :)

[waterhouse]

Like others have said, lots of things will work. I use modified, for no better reason than my 20 ga. is a fixed modified choke. If it were fixed IC or full I'd still use it.

[ArmedBear]

I shot a round of 25 yard wobble trap in last Wednesday's trap league night. I'd forgotten that I'd put an IC choke in my trap single, to see how it would shoot.

Turns out, the clays broke hard out there, even though most people would say that IC at that distance (40-60 yards at the break) won't work consistently. Granted, I was using my handicap handloads that pattern really well, but still I was surprised at how well the clays broke. And the ones I missed, I still missed.:)

This rings true: I use modified, for no better reason than my 20 ga. is a fixed modified choke. If it were fixed IC or full I'd still use it.

[Quoheleth]

Depends on your terrain. If you'll be taking lots of close in shots (i.e. lots of trees/brush), you may want to go with the more open chokes. If you'll have opportunity for the longer shots - 40-50 yards - then go the tighter chokes.

I'll go along with the "modified" as the general purpose choke. I keep that one screwed in my Mossy 500 20 ga unless I know for certain I'll be going into a place where I would significantly benefit by changing.

Come to think of it...it's been so long since I've changed chokes, it may be stuck by now!!!

Q

[Bravo11]

As a general rule I think modified is the choice. Shoot 7.5's. I have shot 6's and 8's.
Wear dark green camo, it's still going to be green out. I agree with staying in the shadows. Get a dove stool, take a seat, and have fun.
If you've never hunted doves before you would think they could dodge shot.

[ArmedBear]

If you've never hunted doves before you would think they could dodge shot.

If you have a semiauto, bring it. If not, a pump will work fine, but practice shooting multiple shots before you go. Make sure you're quick, and the action bars have some oil on 'em.:) An 870 will shuck fast enough with a little practice.

Really experienced, jaded dove hunters take single shot .410's, etc. for the added challenge, but you won't need any added challenge. I don't.

Doves "jink." You'll see what that means.

[Deer Hunter]

I hunted dove last year in Uvalde, TX with a Stoeger 20" coach gun 12 gauge. IC and Modified barrels. I did better than most guys out there with full-chokes. They all were overchoking. Doves arn't always 40 yards away, and if you are in the right spot and hunt right, they'll come right over you.

[ArmedBear]

What have your experiences been?....

Like I said above, my 34" old model BT-99 with Invectors, with my IC accidentally left in it, did fine at 25 yard Wobble Trap at Wednesday's league night; it broke birds with authority. Didn't look notably different from Full.

Invector IC is .005" constriction, AFAIK, not even standard American IC, which is .10". Invector IC is a Skeet choke.

That was using my handicap handloads, 1 1/8 oz. of #7.5 STS Magnum Grade shot in a Windjammer wad going a bit over 1200 fps at the muzzle.

If anything, I think that the value of quality, consistent, round hard shot is UNDERstated. STS shot bounces and rolls on my floor like a steel ball bearing ball. It's ROUND, and it's HARD. Doesn't even seem like shot.

On the other hand, when I'm hunting, I don't generally use handloads. I use disposable bulk ammo. Maybe that will change this year...:)

[Jorg]

My father and I have taken a fair number of doves in our time. Until last season, both of us used fixed modified chokes (my 870 and his 1100) and usually 7.5 shot. We wear whatever we happen to put on that morning. However, as you can tell by Big Al's post, the ones that survive Utah are a bit more wary when they get down to Arizona.

Don't forget to get do whatever method of signing up for HIP your state requires.

[Dave McCracken]

Bear, see other thread.

[748]

"Especially 28 gauge guns!"
For some reason my 28ga/mod. choke/No.6 seamed to kill doves better then any thing else. But I would hunt them by walking along a dirt road and when they would fly I would blast them. Hunting dove like ducks with them flying over you, a bigger shot gun bigger might be better.

[Larry Ashcraft]

I usually use my 12 ga Citori with IP and Mod. Last year, just for fun, I used a 28 ga SXS with fixed IC and Mod. My percentages were just as good, if not better. I've used full in the past, but with that I seem to either miss or blow them to bits. In the 70s, I used a Rem. 11-48 with fixed modified to good effect.

I usually wear jeans and whatever shirt I have on at the time, plus maybe a shell vest. Then I go stand behind my barn and I get plenty of shooting.

Last year, I hunted with my son and son-in-law. When I got the 28 out, my son said; "I'm, going to use something that will actually kill the doves".

Him and SIL walked down to the river with their 12 gauges, I stayed at the barn. When they got back, they had three birds between them. I had five. :D

[target1911]

WOW.... thanks for all the info. It is very helpfull. I have done my share of bird hunting, most of it with a single shot NEF 20 or 12, when I was a young teen. I just wanted to know what the prefered choke was. It seems as tho MOD has wan the vote. I think the one that is in my 870 is IC. I mat spring a few bucks for a MOD tho.
Thanks again

[Big Az Al]

The working range of a shotgun does approach 60 yards, The way I was brought up the best range for pattern, density, and effect is right around 40, and with modern Ammo it should be hard to tell the diferrence between open and tighter chokes, with the exception of every barrel is a law unto itself.

Now when you trying to tell how far away a bird on the wing is, Can you truly say that is a sixty yard attempt or an 80 yarder? With markers, ie trees, cactus or a fence line, and I was taught 40 yards give or take a little. This gives you an Idea of where your best range is!

The few times I get into area that has a crowd, I spend more time LMAO, at hunters attempting 100 yard shots or longer, With a shotgun! and they don't have clue that it would take more then a shotgun to make that shot! The odds of hitting am 80 yard shot is only slightly less then winning the POWERBALL!

So in closing there is a reasonable chance of hitting 60 yard shots and sometimes a little longer, but 40 is palying to the strength of almost any shotgun!
If you have a way help you judge the optinum range for making shots, with a little time you can know how long a shot is reasonable, and what is making water into the wind. Or put another way, And this well be most of us, When you look at a dove past the range that you have learned is max efective, "I am just wasting that shot"! and pass on it your shell comsumption will go down!

I like to shoot, It is more fun to hit!

[target1911]

OOPS...I got curious and checked....I already have a MOD in mine. Looks like I am ready to go.

[MCgunner]

I've had good luck with different chokes depending on how the dove are flying; anywhere from Full to Skeet. For an overall choke, I would probably go with Modified.

Same here and I usually go with modified not knowing how they're going to fly or the situation I'm going to be in, pass shooting or flying up my muzzle over a pond.

This season I'm going to be a little better prepared with an IC choke in the open barrel and a full in my long range barrel. I'll hit those passing shots with the full and the IC for the normal 25 yard shot over the tank. I'll be shooting a new side by side double that swings a little quicker on those little toots than my Winchester 1400. We'll see how it all works out. :D All I've shot with it so far is a pattern board. I'll pack my cylinder and mod chokes along and make adjustments if I deem necessary, but I think the IC/full combo might be ideal. Mine's a 20" coach gun, too, a Remington Spartan.

[Grayrock]

sm- Falling at your feet? WOW- You da man!!

[MCgunner]

Now the H&R Topper Youth 20 gauge I used last year, is like one I have, so I know it has a fixed modified choke. 15 bird limit and it took 13 shells to limit out.

sm, now you're braggin'! :D LOL! Wow, best I ever did, and I am the first to say this was a highly unusual day, was 10 birds/11 shots fired. Normally, I'm about 1 for 2 1/2 or so shots fired on a good day. I ain't gonna say what a bad day's like!

Now, duck hunting once, back when the duck hatches were hurting in the early 90s and the limit was 3 birds, I fired one shot a few minites after shooting time and caught two teal crossing, knocked 'em both down. About 5 minutes later I shot a widgeon high about 35 yards. Done, limit in two shots, was drinking a cup of coffee maybe 30 minutes after sun up on the way home, ROFL! Hardly worth rollin' out of bed for!

[Lee Lapin]

Around here the early season (opening day) birds seem not quite as skittish, and a little less choke works better than a little more. You can get by with smaller shot too, #8s and some people even use #9s. But the lack of sophistication doesn't last after they get shot at a little bit.

Later on birds fly higher and stay further out, and a few points more choke and bigger pellets seem to help. Finding a place where the birds fly close might help you, for me the easiest shots are still the straight in overheads where all you have to do is blot out the incoming bird with the muzzle and pull. That'll get you the 'fall at your feet' result too, if you time it right and you want to save walking and hunting downed birds.

Pacing off range markers and disciplining yourself to pick shots inside the markers is a good technique. Some days it just seems like doves are nigh onto bulletproof though 8^).

Stay Safe,

lpl/nc

[evbutler462]

Best thing I ever did over 40 years ago was have Polychokes installed on my guns. Absolutely the best device for the shotgunner. It ain't pretty but it by gosh works. With a vent ribbed barrel, you won't see it.

Now that I have bought some newer guns with screw-in chokes, I have the screw-in Polychoke II. Tossed the factory screw-in chokes into the trash and now I am ready for anything from dove to bear, lead or steel, shot or slugs.

Love my Polychokes. On older guns, get Polychoke to do the installation. With newer guns that have those aggravating screw-ins, toss them and get a Poly II. Just screw it in and you have the most versatile gun ever made for all types of game or games.

No I don't work for polychoke. I am a retired detective that loves to shoot. May I add that those screw-in chokes are not very convenient. I can go from cylinder to extra full before you get the tube out of your pouch.

The people that don't like Polys are the ones that haven't tried them. When Polychoke does the installation, it is done right. They got a bad reputation when self appointed gunsmiths tried to install them many years ago and they shot everywhere but where you pointed. Now that these "gunsmiths" have gone back to repairing lawnmowers and cutting grass for a living, Polychoke does the installation and they are right on the mark. The Poly IIs that you buy at Gander Mtn and other big box stores that screw-in are self installing. Just screw it in, tighten it up, and leave it there. What a difference it makes.

[Big Az Al]

I have one it came on a barrel I really wanted, It's there, don't pay it much attention.


Some one brought up How many shots is the best you have done.

One year I had a 20ga with a 20 inch barrel, I was at eight straight when, It dawned me I had two other shotguns I wanted to shoot that day, One shot 410 one shot 12ga. Then it was time to get the BBQ started as for our group, the first day of Dove season, is a celibration of, the friends that are here to hunt with this year, those who have past on, and the joy of the start of the fall hunting seasons!

One I have done twice, and giggle about now, is shoot up the first box of shells without hitting a dove and go straight with the start of the second box!
Well I hit every shot I took with that second box both times, but one took me one extra to bag my limit, the feathers of one bird was all that was left to find! I had been a little put off by that first box of no birds I let the first bird of the second box get a little to close, just to make sure that I would get a good hit, boy was it ever!

[islandphish]

I almost always hunt over small farm ponds or windmills, both with mud flats. the water gets into the prints of the cattle and creates an excellent watering place as the weeds are farther out and the dove can land with less worry of predators and easily drink from the small watering "holes".

That said, we always go improved if possible. But we don't feel too bad if using modified. But the 97 winchester with the super long barrel and full choke doesn't happen very often.

I've found that it is normally best to wait for the good close shots. Often if you don't shoot on the first pass the birds will wheel around and give you the ultimate easy shot as they come in to land.

[MCgunner]

I got rid of an old polychoke barrel on a Mossberg. I figured steel might just blow it off the end of the barrel, LOL. I bought a newer Mossberg screw in choke barrel that was steel shot compatible, necessary in my neck of the woods. I don't know if modern polychokes are compatible with steel, but surely they are? That would be their downfall with me.

But, really, I've never changed a choke in the field. I go to the field prepared sometimes, but have never done it. And, with a double, you can change chokes a whole lot faster than a polychoke, just change triggers. :D