How do you lead dove?

[hube1236]

I went shooting today, wish I could say hunting. How the hell do you shoot dove?

I am swinging, gun barrel matching speed of bird, a little in front and boom! Rack. Boom! Rack. Boom! Rack. "Click" [no more shells].

I am out shells and the bird flys away or into the circle of the next blind and taken.

I am probably shooting at birds too high but they are near (unlike last year, I am not shooting the 700 yrd bird].

Any hints & what shotgun sports would help the most? I know doves are tough, but I should at least hit one.

[Kingcreek]

keep leading them more until they puff feathers and fall down.
what are you using for load and choke?
try skeet for a clay game warmup.

[Greybeard]

Around 30 yards is "optimum" range with modified choke and #8 shot. If flying at 90 degrees and you have been "leading" them around 4 to 5 feet, try doubling that and you may be "on". Birds often moving faster than you think and it takes shot string a while to get there.

Don't feel lonesome if missing a lot. I understand that typical dove hunter goes through a box of 25 for every 3 or so birds. Generally, if you ain't got 'em with shots #1 or #2, shot #3 is gonna be just turning money into noise ...

[Dave R]

If you get a shot at one flying directly away from you...just put the bead on the bird.

Yeah, I know, that never happens with dove.

But as greybeard pointed out, the closer to 90 degrees, the more you gotta lead. The closer to straight away, the less you gotta lead.

First time I went pheasant hunting, I missed several easy shots by trying to lead birds that were flying directly away from me.

[Art Eatman]

I was quite active in IPSC in 1981-1983. I was amazed at the incredible improvement in my shotgunning which resulted. "Front sight, press." from a Weaver stance has many similarities, and it gets you into a reflex mode instead of trying to aim.

I went from just really poor, to limiting out in well under a box of shells. And that's with an old Model 12 Full Choke, which is more like extra full with modern plastic wads.

Worth a try, preparing for next year.

Art

[MitchSchaft]

Those things can fly upwards of 30mph I believe.

[Thumper]

I went shooting today, wish I could say hunting. How the hell do you shoot dove?

[Southla1]

Hard one to answer.................I kinda swing through em. Start behind and swing faster than tey are flying and as the gun barrel goes past em I shoot.........every now and then one falls !

[Art Eatman]

Hokay, play with the numbers. A shot charge travels an average, maybe, of 1,000 ft/sec in getting to 30 yards. Keep it easy, call it 100 feet out. So, one-tenth of a second.

A 30mph dove is moving 44 ft/sec. So, in one-tenth of a second he's moved 4.4 feet. Fifty inches.

A dove is roughly eight or so inches long.

Real rough, your lead on a crossing dove oughta be around six dove lengths or so, about four feet.

What most folks don't do is get some butcher paper and draw 30" circles. Then back off 30 yards and try different brands and loads to see what gives the most uniform pattern, without "holidays". Murphy's Law sez that a hole in the pattern is where the dove will be when the shot charge gets there.

, Art

[Thumper]

What I don't get are all these doves that keep flying past me with their hearts shot out.

I sometimes think every dove I've ever killed was actually the victim of a coronary from laughing too hard at me.

[Dave R]

LOL, thumper, I know what you mean. It seems every time we return from a successful hunt (i.e. more than a few birds), we find one or more that doesn't seem to have a mark on 'em. No pellets or wounds can we find. They must die of fright or laughter, is all we can figure.

[Guyon]

Art,

Those numbers are helpful. I'm probably not leading my crossing birds enough. Yeah I hit one occasionally, but not with enough frequency to satisfy me. I'm hopefully going on a hunt in a couple of weeks. I'll keep the longer lead in mind. The more I think about it, my crossing hits are probably coming at the very front of the shot spread. Most of the shot is probably way behind.

[CD1]

Hube,

If there is a good shooting school near you, go take a course. It's difficult to benefit from our suggestions, because we can't see what type of form you are using, whether you are shooting with one eye open or both, how you mount your gun, if you are following through, etc. One good day of instruction can help undo a lifetime of bad habits.

If you can't get to a school, buy a video tape. There are plenty out there. And then practice, practice, practice. It has been my experience that there is a strong correlation between number of clay targets busted prior to the season, and number of birds busted during the season. Dove hunting should be fun...not frustrating.

Good luck, and go bust the hell out of 'em.

[Bwana Earl]

Where did the 30 mph come from? I think that is stall speed for dove. If a dove is passing by on his way to food, water or roost I'd figure 40 mph and if alarmed, 45 or 50. Their natural enemies in the sky are fast falcons, so the ones that don't dip, dive, change speed and otherwise alter their flight don't get a chance to pass those straight flying genes along. Thus the nickname "grey rockets".
I shoot at the lead bird, then claim I was after whichever bird falls. Usually number 3 or 4 if any. Seems to convert to a 8 to 10 foot lead at 90 degrees. I only shoot at singles if I'm trying to use up some old ammo and nobody is watching. If they would armor plate power lines, I could get enough for a good mess all by myself.

[Art Eatman]

Bwana Earl, there's "cruise" and then there's "g'bye!"

One thing about shotguns (holds for rifles, too): The stock is your rear sight, basically. So, close your eyes. Mount the gun to your shoulder in the shooting position. When you then open your eyes, you should be looking right down the barrel.

If your eye is notably above the receiver, you'll shoot high. The stock is too short, or it doesn't have enough drop. If you're a bit off to one side or the other, guess what?

Too short a stock, and you'll shoot high on doves. It's not so bad on quail, since they're a "rising" bird. Too long a stock and you'll shoot low on everything.

A little bit of the problem (of whatever sort) can be solved by shifting the positioning of the butt at your shoulder, but this demands working out a whole new set of reflexes and "feel".

If you think in terms of a 20-year gun, it's cheap to spend even $200 with a stockmaker to get a correct fit. That works out to two or three boxes of shells a year, but you'll hit the birds...

Art

[Mr.Wingshooter]

First things first get big peice of cardboard put it up 25 yards away. Aim very carefully and shoot the center of cardboard, put a black dot on it for a good aiming point. See how your gun patterns with improved cylinder, which is my fave dove choke.

Ok, that pattern with a 12 guage is about 8-12 feet long with a 20guage 6-8 feet long. So what your trying to do is put that little dove in the middle of that 30inch by 8 ft long pattern that travels at 1100 feet per second. The shotgun reloading books have great illustrations of this.

Now your in the Dove field mark a cricle around your spot 25 yards out with sticks or rocks, this is your kill circle. It will help you figure the distance of the shot. When you see a Dove coming in first figure his speed fast, medium or slow, for fast dove at 25 yards figure 10-15 feet of lead, for medium speed 5-10 feet, and for slow 2-5 feet of lead. Now for every bit angle he is coming towards you take off a hair of lead, if it is a pure passing shot dong take off any lead. You have to lead in both the vertical and not just the horizontal, this vertical lead is normaly what people forget to factor in.

Some other Tips,

Downwind dove are very hard they really fly fast try to position your self on upwind doves. One time I was Pheasant Hunting and bird took flight about 50 yards away and flew downwind right for me, the wind was gusting to 40mph so I figure the bird was doing 75- 85 mph, I knew I have to lead 20+ feet, but it just seemed so far, but I went ahead and trusted the math and pulled the trigger, boom I hit right in the head neck area, my greatest shot ever. This bird looked like it was moving about mach 1 and just folded it up.

Always swing through the target, never stop swinging.

Find a place with lots of Doves, pay if you have too, to get in a good field and spot.

If you find your shooting longer shots use 7 1/2's. Other than that skeet can help some for confidence.

Good Luck,