25 Tips for Dove Hunters

0
550

Dove season is a prime time to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. Image by Harold Stiver

Dove season sneaks up on you. One day, you’re mowing the lawn, fishing or, heaven forbid, playing golf. The next, you’re up to your ankles in smoking empties. According to an often-quoted statistic, you’ll shoot five to seven shells per dove bagged. At that rate, the hull pile gets deep in a hurry.

It doesn’t have to be that way. There’s not much you can do now about the clay targets you didn’t shoot this past summer. That will be next year’s project. But I can help in the short term. Here are 25 tips to make your dove season better.

1. Pick the Right Gun

Dove hunting is supposed to be fun, and if you enjoy shooting family heirlooms or featherlight .410s at doves, who am I to tell you not to? But if your idea of fun is hitting more doves, choose a 12- or 20-gauge with some heft and at least a 28-inch barrel. A longer, heavier gun swings smoothly, points surely and soaks up recoil. The best dove shooting I did this past year was with a 12-gauge sporting clays gun.

2. Stock Up On Shells

Ammunition is available again, and there’s no reason to run out opening day, which I have actually done. Begging shells from people in the field is just embarrassing. Field or target loads of Nos. 7½ or 8 lead or 6 or 7 steel work. Steel loads kill fine, by the way. Lighter loads, with less shot and lower velocities, kick a lot less than heavy, high-speed stuff, and you will shoot a lot in no more padding than a T-shirt. Be sure your ammo will cycle your semi-auto, but other than that, lighter is better.

3. Improve Your Chances

A more open choke, such as improved cylinder, increases your chances of hitting doves. While conducting a test of lead and steel dove loads in Texas, during which more than 1,100 doves were bagged, ballistics expert Tom Roster recorded data on chokes. Shooters using improved cylinder hit 26% of their shots. Those with modified chokes recorded a 21% hit rate. Full-choke shooters succeeded on only 16% of their attempts.

4. Clean your Gun

The only thing worse than emptying your gun at a dove without touching a feather is not being able to empty your gun. If you put your shotgun away at the end of the previous season and forgot about it, it’s time to get reacquainted. Clean it, making sure to strip off the old oil. Then lightly oil it, and wipe away most of that oil.

See also  .223 Remington vs .30-30 Winchester Ammo Comparison - Ballistics Info & Chart Caliber Ballistics Comparison 07 Dec, 2018 Posted By: Foundry Outdoors The following ammunition cartridge ballistics information and chart can be used to approximately compare .223 Remington vs .30-30 Winchester ammo rounds. Please note, the following information reflects the estimated average ballistics for each caliber and does not pertain to a particular manufacturer, bullet weight, or jacketing type. As such, the following is for comparative information purposes only and should not be used to make precise predictions of the trajectory, performance, or true ballistics of any particular .223 Remington or .30-30 Winchester rounds for hunting, target shooting, plinking, or any other usage. The decision for which round is better for a given application should be made with complete information, and this article simply serves as a comparative guide, not the final say. For more detailed ballistics information please refer to the exact round in question or contact the manufacturer for the pertinent information. True .223 Remington and .30-30 Winchester ballistics information can vary widely from the displayed information, and it is important to understand that the particular characteristics of a given round can make a substantive difference in its true performance. Caliber Type Velocity (fps) Energy (ft-lb) .223 Remington Rifle 3150 1250 .30-30 Winchester Rifle 2370 1890 [Click Here to Shop .223 Remington Ammo] [Click Here to Shop .30-30 Winchester Ammo] VelocityAs illustrated in the chart, .223 Remington rounds - on average - achieve a velocity of about 3150 feet per second (fps) while .30-30 Winchester rounds travel at a velocity of 2370 fps. To put this into perspective, a Boeing 737 commercial airliner travels at a cruising speed of 600 mph, or 880 fps. That is to say, .223 Remington bullets travel 3.6 times the speed of a 737 airplane at cruising speed, while .30-30 Winchester bullets travel 2.7 times that same speed.Various calibersEnergyFurthermore, the muzzle energy of a .223 Remington round averages out to 1250 ft-lb, while a .30-30 Winchester round averages out to about 1890 ft-lb. One way to think about this is as such: a foot-pound is a unit of energy equal to the amount of energy required to raise a weight of one pound a distance of one foot. So a .223 Remington round exits the barrel with kinetic energy equal to the energy required for linear vertical displacement of 1250 pounds through a one foot distance, while a .30-30 Winchester round exiting the barrel has energy equal to the amount required to displace 1890 pounds over the same one foot distance. As a rule of thumb, when it comes to hunting, muzzle energy is what many hunters look at when deciding on what caliber of firearm / ammunition to select. Generally speaking, the higher the muzzle energy, the higher the stopping power. Again, the above is for comparative information purposes only, and you should consult the exact ballistics for the particular .223 Remington or .30-30 Winchester cartridge you're looking at purchasing. [Buy .223 Remington Ammo] [Buy .30-30 Winchester Ammo] Please click the above links to take a look at all of the .223 Remington and .30-30 Winchester ammo we have in stock and ready to ship, and let us know any parting thoughts in the comment section below.Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online.We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo.We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. 1 Comments Bruce Barbaro - Jun 02, 2022Why have a web sight for ammo when YOUR OUT OF STOCK ON EVERYTHING.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Leave a commentComments have to be approved before showing up Your Name * Your Email * Your Comment * Post Comment

5. Shoot

Even shooting a box of shells before opening day is much better than not shooting at all. Concentrate on two things: keeping your eyes on the target throughout the shot, and matching your gun speed to the target’s speed. With most hunters, that means slowing way down.

(Don’t Miss: How to Build an Awesome Dove Hunting Field)

One shot, one bird down. Image by Bill Konway

6. Bring an Extra Gun

The best emergency repair kit is an extra gun. Pack an extra of the same gauge into the field. Breaking out the spare gun is much more convenient than going back to the truck for it or trying to fix your gun, and it’s more dignified than asking other hunters if they have a gun you can borrow.

7. Scout Late

Unlike shooting practice, which should start after turkey season, dove scouting is actually best put off as long as possible. Doves react quickly as sunflowers are cut or harvest begins, and their patterns can change in a day. Birds won’t necessarily be where you saw them a week ago.

8. Watch the Wires

When you scout in the morning and late in the day, look for doves on power lines, where they gather before feeding. Here’s my rule of thumb when I’m scouting cut cornfields: If I see 10 doves sitting together, the field might be worth hunting. If there are 20, it’s definitely worth hunting. A lot more than 20 means I’m calling my friends.

9. Find Water

In addition to food, look for water, especially ponds with some bare dirt around the edges where doves might come to drink. If you find a waterhole, you can have some very good close chances during the last hour of shooting light as doves get a drink before roosting.

10. Check the Crop

Not all dove fields attract birds equally. Sunflowers might look good to us, but for some reason, doves prefer one field to another. If you show up at a dove field without scouting, you might not get much shooting.

(Don’t Miss: No Dove Field? No Problem)

Wait for a good shot. Don't take long shots with long odds. Image by Bill Konway

11. Watch the Harvest

A harvested or cut field can attract just as many doves as a managed sunflower field. Where I live, I’ve had my best hunts in cornfields that have been chopped for silage. In other places, it might be a harvested canola or sunflower field. Look for recently opened fields and doves sitting on wires on dead trees around them.

12. Look for Flight Lines

Every dove field has its hot corners where the shooting is better. Before the season starts, watch a field to see where birds are flying in and out. This past year, I found the best dove field at a nearby public area and watched it long enough to see that most doves were cutting across one of the far corners. I was there the next day and had a good shoot.

See also  338 Win Mag vs 338 Lapua: Loaded for Bear

13. Look for Trees

The right bare tree on the field edge or sometimes in the field might attract doves that want to perch in the branches before flying down to feed. If you find such a tree, you’ll get easy shots at birds coming in for a landing.

14. Take Good Shots

During opening day in a good field, you’ll get lots of chances, and at first, you’ll want to take every one. Calm down. You’ll get shooting. Keep your shots within 30 yards. You’ll hit a higher percentage, use fewer shells and cripple fewer birds, and you won’t have to spend time looking for birds you knocked down and can’t find.

15. Look at the Eye

Where your eyes go, your hands take the gun. Looking at the whole bird increases the chance of a miss or hit too far back in the body. When doves are close, try to see the bird’s eye or beak, and you’ll hit it in head. If the bird is farther out, look at the head, and you’ll hit it in the front end.

(Don’t Miss: How to Plant a Killer Dove Field)

The crew participating in the post-hunt duties. Image by Austin Ross

16. Own the Overheads

The overhead shot is one of the most common you’ll experience in the dove field — and they’re frequently missed. Bring your gun up behind an incoming bird, moving just fast enough to pass through it. Shoot when the gun blocks out your view of the head. If the target is high, block out the head, keep the gun moving for an instant, and then shoot. Keep your head on the gun until after the shot. Yes, overheads really are that easy.

17. Crush the Crossers

We know crossing targets require lead, yet most are missed several feet behind — not as a result of too little lead but by shooters stopping their swing. The main reason shooters stop their swing is because they look at the gun to check their lead, and looking at the gun makes it stop. Focus on the bird, and swing through it, moving just a bit faster than the target. Keep your focus on the bird’s head, and let your hands take the gun in front of it. Trust your eyes and hands, and pull the trigger.

18. Mark the Falls

Watch every dove you shoot at. Some might sail and then fall dead. Any time you hit a dove, get a good mark, and walk straight to it if you’re hunting without a retriever. Dead doves can disappear in the sparsest of cover and can be almost impossible to find if you drop them in long grass and don’t go to right to them, keeping your eye on the spot all the way. Always bring a loaded gun, as dead doves sometimes flush and fly off.

See also  Head to Head: 6.5 PRC vs. .308 Winchester

19. Skip the Doubles

Unless I’m hunting over bare ground and birds are close, I rarely try doubles. Finding both birds can be surprisingly time-consuming and can cost you shots because you’re not sitting on your bucket looking up.

20. Stop at Two

Most third shots are wasted. Unless you know you hit a bird that’s still flying, stop at two shots, and you’ll still have a third ready for that dove that comes floating past after you empty your gun at a screaming crosser.

(Don’t Miss: 10 Tips for Better Dove Hunting)

A successful dove hunt and a fine meal to come. Image by Austin Ross

21. Hide in Plain Sight

The best way to hide from doves is to sit still in the shade. When I hunt sunflowers or cornfields, I’ll find a seat with the sun at my back and standing corn or sunflowers behind me, and I can be invisible to doves. Earth-toned clothes or the right camo help, too. Doves can see color, and although they aren’t the wariest birds, they will flare if they see you move.

22. Don’t Go Low

In crowded dove fields, don’t take low shots that might endanger dogs or other hunters in the field picking up birds. See some sky below your gun barrels before you take a shot.

23. Protect Your Ears

You will shoot a lot during a dove hunt. After my first dove hunt, during which I shot five boxes of shells, my ears rang for three days. Since then, I have always worn foam plugs for hunting, and although I’m not getting less deaf, I hear better than a lot of my friends do.

24. Protect Your Eyes

Not everyone abides by tip No. 22, and shot-proof glasses can save your eyes from an unsafe shooter. And while you’re at it, choose a lens color that will help you bag more birds. On a bright day, a bronze tint lets you see and still brings out colors on the birds. Rose works, too, and you should always choose the lightest tint possible. Dark-gray sunglasses make everything dark and harder to see and are a bad choice.

25. Don’t Hang Your Gun Up After Opening Day

There is so much more to dove hunting than Sept. 1. Keep at it. You might have to scout harder or lean on your network of friends to see who has birds and what you have to do to wrangle an invitation. Remember, too, that doves are migratory birds, and more will come. Whatever you have to do, it’s well worth it for a chance to keep hunting doves long after opening day.

(Don’t Miss: Dove Hunting, the Perfect Family Sport)

Previous article3 Glassing Tips For Western Rookies
Next articleHow Deer Sleep: 11 Highly Interesting Sleeping Habits
Ethan Smith
Ethan Smith is a seasoned marine veteran, professional blogger, witty and edgy writer, and an avid hunter. He spent a great deal of his childhood years around the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Arizona. Watching active hunters practise their craft initiated him into the world of hunting and rubrics of outdoor life. He also honed his writing skills by sharing his outdoor experiences with fellow schoolmates through their high school’s magazine. Further along the way, the US Marine Corps got wind of his excellent combination of skills and sought to put them into good use by employing him as a combat correspondent. He now shares his income from this prestigious job with his wife and one kid. Read more >>