Thanks for looking,
I've been hunting dove for quite a few years, mainly because thay seem to be the only plentiful game bird out and about. We don't have many Pheasants around here, and I've actually never seen one while hilding a shotgun, of course, I almost always run the fu*kers over on the road during the summer
. They never seem to be out in numbers come hunting season. So I've pretty much stuck to hunting dove around here (and the occasional pigeon that wanders my way
). I've found them to be pretty tough critters when it comes to getting them. Flying at 35mph (just a guess, they're cruising) the little birds are a challenge to hit at times.
I recently was given an old $150 11-48 Remington that my dad bought for me at the local gunshop as payment for helping lay laminate flooring in 2 rooms (I did one by myself......and I'd had NO experience with laminate flooring at this point), tearing down the old ceiling in the kitchen, putting a tounge and groove ceiling in our kitchen, wiring some can lights in the kitchen, wiring the fan in the kitchen, wiring some countertop lights with a central hidden touchpad to turn all 9 of them on, measuring for the countertop, and taking off all 14 cabinet doors and putting them back on for painting......twice. (Man, I must be really cheap labor
)
Anyways, It's in great condition for $150 bargain rack shotgun and it has 28" Full choke barrel on it. I was having lots of fun plugging clays the day we picked it up and figured it would be a great dove gun. Turns out my idea was a little flawed. The clays don't move as fast as the doves and the center section of the doves are a little smaller than the cross-section of the clays. Well, here's my problem. I can't hit sh*t with this baby in the field. Last year, I was drilling 2 doves in 3 shots with my 870, but I've only gotten 3 doves so far this year, 2 of which I dropped into the cornfield and couldn't find. I have shot up about 18rds total so far and am not really happy with my results.
I think I'm gonna whip out my year old 870 and finish off the doves around here. I'm using the cheap $3.27 Winchester 12ga shells from Wally-World in the #6 persuasion. They worked REALLY well last year. From what I've experienced this weekend (been hunting twice so far, and I'm going again tomorrow) the 11-48 might go to clay shooting only. I could probably get used to the full choke barrel, but the 870 has a Modified choke tube in it that worked really well last year.
So, what kind of shotguns and ammo selections do you guys use for dove?
I'm thinking of getting some #7 1/2 or #8 to see if I can still use this baby, but the 870 is coming with me tomorrow to finish up the #6 shells I have.
WIZZO