What Chokes for Dove Hunting

Renny · March 3, 2008, 06:49 PM

What Chokes are best for Southamerican Dove Hunting? And what kind of Shotgun would be a good Dovegun? I Have a Turkish Zafer, single shot 12 G with a fixt choke but i am lookin to get a pump or a O/U with chokes.
What would you recomand?
Thanx

waterhouse · March 3, 2008, 07:12 PM

I like modified or light modified for doves. My modified choke throws slightly lager patterns with the promo dove loads than it does with better shells . . . I find it to work well on doves.

If you are talking high volume S. American dove hunting I'd look for a soft shooting semi.

Renny · March 3, 2008, 07:32 PM

Is the Barrel lenght important for Dovehunting?

waterhouse · March 3, 2008, 07:49 PM

Longer barrels balance and swing better for me for pass shooting doves. I would go with 28".

Polishrifleman · March 3, 2008, 07:49 PM

You definately want more than one shot, pump or semi auto will work. I am partial to 16 gauge for nostalgia but 20 or 28 gauge is more readily available and plenty of gun. Doves are small and quick so a wide pattern is best. You normally won't see a dove by itself, they usually come in 2 or more at a time. My first time Dove hunting I shot over 40 times and killed 4 birds, fast and furious is the way of Dove hunting.

Full-choke · March 3, 2008, 10:26 PM

Well, it's not doves but the pigeons around the farm die to 12 gauge shooting out of a Modified or my nice Pattern Master Full choke tube. I use a Franchi now, but many of pigeon lost their lives to my Stoeger Condor which shot an IC and a Modified...and it's only a 20 gauge. I believe both of my shotguns are 26 or 28 inch barrels as well...but don't quote me on it, I would have to look.

F-C

Renny · March 4, 2008, 05:16 AM

Thanks for trhe response

What ammo are you using, nr. 5 or 7 ?

Art Eatman · March 4, 2008, 08:43 AM

I've always used #8 for mouring doves, #7-1/2 for whitewings.

Yellowfin · March 4, 2008, 11:51 AM

My setup for years has been a Remington 1100 with improved cylinder chokes and #7 1/2 or 8 shot.

Full-choke · March 4, 2008, 02:59 PM

All of the pigeons get cheap 7 1/2 game loads...nothing spectacular or expensive for them.

F-C

LHB1 · March 4, 2008, 05:48 PM

Depends on your setup. I like an O/U shotgun with interchangeable chokes and single selective trigger. For close range with incoming birds I like skeet and improved cylinder chokes. For moderate range passing birds I like improved cylinder and light modified. I prefer not to shoot at long range passing birds but would use modified and full chokes in that situation.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

Renny · March 5, 2008, 03:21 PM

Thanx for the help

I got the Turkish Pump 7+1 shot Zafer, with chokes and a 28" barrel, i live in Loma Plata, Chaco Paraguay and the Dove season is starting, iwill try Nr 7 with a M choke and or a C choke, see what happens.

Thanx

williamd · March 5, 2008, 08:33 PM

A quick handling, well fitting shotgun. I like a 20 and usually go IC / M but will take a Skt / Skt at times. 7.5 or 8 shot. They die easily ... but they are FAST. My 28" Berretta BL-4 in 20g does it. BSS 26" 20g IC / Mod. SKB 24" 200E 20gSkt / Skt.

Renny · March 12, 2008, 03:33 PM

I had to return the Turkish Pump 12 G, i had around 20 missfires in 50 shots, i ordered the IZH 27 ME now, i think it should be a reliable O/U for dove hunting.

slick slidestop · March 12, 2008, 10:41 PM

Normally for me its a Remingtom 11-87 Premier 28" Barrell and Modified choke for dove with 7 1/2 shot.

45Dave · March 13, 2008, 08:33 PM

The few times I have gone in Ohio we used improved cylinder with good results but we only shoot maybe 50 or so times in a day. Long ago I read an article about some fellas dove hunting in SouthAmerica where they were shooting like 600 rounds a day. The gun they liked was a 20 gauge gas operated improved choke. One of the guys had a 28 gauge that worked well but ammo was hard to find at that time.

UniversalFrost · March 13, 2008, 08:42 PM

well I use a pattern master choke, but they run in the $80-100 range. but you can use them for anything. I also use no 8 shot in 3" 12ga.

of course your aim for wing shooting is a must have skill that only comes with lots of practice at the range.

or you can be like me and pick them off with a .22lr (actually took my limit many times when I was a kid and didn't know you weren't supposed to shoot them while they were sitting on power lines

) Now I am much older and know much more, but bag less with my 12 gauge and fancy choke than when I was in my teens with a cheap stevens single shot bolt action 22 that cost about $30 bucks.

Renny · March 14, 2008, 10:25 AM

UniversalFrost, we do that a lot over here in Paraguay, the doves like to rest on the palosanto trees on the sides of the corn fields, i use my magtech 22 semiauto, but i like the chalange on taking them with the shotgun out the air.
My Baikal 27 EM came yesterday, it has fixt chokes, top barrel is full and bottom barrel is a mod. choke. It has dobble trigers. gonna try it this weekend.
We use to shoot onley the amount of doves we can clean and eat. I have seen people that shoot them only for sport and dont bother to pick them up.
i dont like that. If they aint gonna eat them they should at least pick them up and give them to peaple who would eat them.

45Dave · March 14, 2008, 02:39 PM

Your right Renny, doves are excellent to eat, easy to clean what a waste to leave them lay on the ground. They freeze well so what you don't eat today will serve up a great meal later. A fella I know from TX has some way he cans the doves, it makes great spreads and stews.

Renny · March 17, 2008, 03:07 PM

I shot 75 shots this weekend wit the new O/U. Got 27 Doves, the gun fits me well, it wus somewhat stiff at first but after a 100 times opening and closing and the 75 shot its just fine. i have to practice on my aiming but i guess every 3 shots a dove is not so bad for the first time with the new gun.
thanks for all the adwise.

publius · March 25, 2008, 07:52 PM

Most people like a improved cyl. or modified for their larger patterns. I like a full choke. It's a little harder to make the close shots but you can make longer shots. You do not want to take that hard kicking single shot. Look into a gas autoloader. I went to mexico several years ago and some of the guys shooting o/u's had literally blood soaked shoulders after a couple of days.

Yellowfin · March 29, 2008, 01:22 PM

A Remington 1100 with improved cylinder is your best bet. They point and swing well, don't cost a lot, are easy on the shoulders, and last forever. I've had two in my lifetime and both are still running great and take anything out of the sky I can find.

aerod1 · March 29, 2008, 05:24 PM

I shoot a 12 ga. Ruger Red label with a 26" barrel. Because I have a hard time hitting them thar critters, I use skeet chokes

If going to South America, I recommend something that has a reduced recoil, such as a gas operated semi-auto. The reason is because you will be shooting a lot of birds and there is no need to beat yourself up. Some people have gone to the 20 ga. semi auto for South America dove hunting.

March 3, 2008, 06:49 PM	#1
Renny Member Join Date: May 16, 2007 Location: Chaco Paraguay Posts: 96	What Chokes for Dove Hunting What Chokes are best for Southamerican Dove Hunting? And what kind of Shotgun would be a good Dovegun? I Have a Turkish Zafer, single shot 12 G with a fixt choke but i am lookin to get a pump or a O/U with chokes. What would you recomand? Thanx

March 3, 2008, 07:12 PM	#2
waterhouse Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2005 Posts: 169	I like modified or light modified for doves. My modified choke throws slightly lager patterns with the promo dove loads than it does with better shells . . . I find it to work well on doves. If you are talking high volume S. American dove hunting I'd look for a soft shooting semi. __________________ FFL transfers in Pflugerville, TX for $10.00, email me

March 3, 2008, 07:32 PM	#3
Renny Member Join Date: May 16, 2007 Location: Chaco Paraguay Posts: 96	20" or 28" Barrel? Is the Barrel lenght important for Dovehunting?

March 3, 2008, 07:49 PM	#4
waterhouse Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2005 Posts: 169	Longer barrels balance and swing better for me for pass shooting doves. I would go with 28". __________________ FFL transfers in Pflugerville, TX for $10.00, email me

March 3, 2008, 10:26 PM	#6
Full-choke Senior Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 617	Well, it's not doves but the pigeons around the farm die to 12 gauge shooting out of a Modified or my nice Pattern Master Full choke tube. I use a Franchi now, but many of pigeon lost their lives to my Stoeger Condor which shot an IC and a Modified...and it's only a 20 gauge. I believe both of my shotguns are 26 or 28 inch barrels as well...but don't quote me on it, I would have to look. F-C __________________ TC Encore -6mm Rem Rifle; Ruger 10/22; Ruger 10/22 Ultimate; Stoeger Condor 20; ; Remington 1100 12; Stoeger 22 Luger; Taurus PT1911; Ruger SR40c God gave us the gift of life. It is the most precious gift ever. To be unarmed is to be helpless to protect that gift; that is outright irresponsible. - Ted Nugent

March 3, 2008, 07:49 PM	#5
Polishrifleman Member Join Date: June 10, 2005 Location: Puget Sound Washington Posts: 77	You definately want more than one shot, pump or semi auto will work. I am partial to 16 gauge for nostalgia but 20 or 28 gauge is more readily available and plenty of gun. Doves are small and quick so a wide pattern is best. You normally won't see a dove by itself, they usually come in 2 or more at a time. My first time Dove hunting I shot over 40 times and killed 4 birds, fast and furious is the way of Dove hunting.

March 4, 2008, 05:16 AM	#7
Renny Member Join Date: May 16, 2007 Location: Chaco Paraguay Posts: 96	ammo Thanks for trhe response What ammo are you using, nr. 5 or 7 ?

March 4, 2008, 08:43 AM	#8
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	I've always used #8 for mouring doves, #7-1/2 for whitewings.

March 4, 2008, 11:51 AM	#9
Yellowfin Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2007 Location: Lancaster Co, PA Posts: 2,311	My setup for years has been a Remington 1100 with improved cylinder chokes and #7 1/2 or 8 shot.

March 4, 2008, 02:59 PM	#10
Full-choke Senior Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 617	All of the pigeons get cheap 7 1/2 game loads...nothing spectacular or expensive for them. F-C __________________ TC Encore -6mm Rem Rifle; Ruger 10/22; Ruger 10/22 Ultimate; Stoeger Condor 20; ; Remington 1100 12; Stoeger 22 Luger; Taurus PT1911; Ruger SR40c God gave us the gift of life. It is the most precious gift ever. To be unarmed is to be helpless to protect that gift; that is outright irresponsible. - Ted Nugent

March 4, 2008, 05:48 PM	#11
LHB1 Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,545	Depends on your setup. I like an O/U shotgun with interchangeable chokes and single selective trigger. For close range with incoming birds I like skeet and improved cylinder chokes. For moderate range passing birds I like improved cylinder and light modified. I prefer not to shoot at long range passing birds but would use modified and full chokes in that situation. Good shooting and be safe. LB

March 5, 2008, 03:21 PM	#12
Renny Member Join Date: May 16, 2007 Location: Chaco Paraguay Posts: 96	Thanx Thanx for the help I got the Turkish Pump 7+1 shot Zafer, with chokes and a 28" barrel, i live in Loma Plata, Chaco Paraguay and the Dove season is starting, iwill try Nr 7 with a M choke and or a C choke, see what happens. Thanx

March 5, 2008, 08:33 PM	#13
williamd Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 801	A quick handling, well fitting shotgun. I like a 20 and usually go IC / M but will take a Skt / Skt at times. 7.5 or 8 shot. They die easily ... but they are FAST. My 28" Berretta BL-4 in 20g does it. BSS 26" 20g IC / Mod. SKB 24" 200E 20gSkt / Skt. __________________ "Outlaw guns and only outlaws will have guns!" Unfortunately, we may be moving in that direction. NRA Benefactor, Conservative!, VN '64-'65. Never sell a gun or a car ... and retire rich!

March 12, 2008, 03:33 PM	#14
Renny Member Join Date: May 16, 2007 Location: Chaco Paraguay Posts: 96	Not happy with the Pump I had to return the Turkish Pump 12 G, i had around 20 missfires in 50 shots, i ordered the IZH 27 ME now, i think it should be a reliable O/U for dove hunting.

March 12, 2008, 10:41 PM	#15
slick slidestop Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 394	Normally for me its a Remingtom 11-87 Premier 28" Barrell and Modified choke for dove with 7 1/2 shot. __________________ Be insensitive....tell the truth

March 13, 2008, 08:33 PM	#16
45Dave Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Location: South East Michigan Posts: 109	gage more than choke? The few times I have gone in Ohio we used improved cylinder with good results but we only shoot maybe 50 or so times in a day. Long ago I read an article about some fellas dove hunting in SouthAmerica where they were shooting like 600 rounds a day. The gun they liked was a 20 gauge gas operated improved choke. One of the guys had a 28 gauge that worked well but ammo was hard to find at that time.

March 13, 2008, 08:42 PM	#17
UniversalFrost Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,300	well I use a pattern master choke, but they run in the $80-100 range. but you can use them for anything. I also use no 8 shot in 3" 12ga. of course your aim for wing shooting is a must have skill that only comes with lots of practice at the range. or you can be like me and pick them off with a .22lr (actually took my limit many times when I was a kid and didn't know you weren't supposed to shoot them while they were sitting on power lines ) Now I am much older and know much more, but bag less with my 12 gauge and fancy choke than when I was in my teens with a cheap stevens single shot bolt action 22 that cost about $30 bucks. __________________ Lifetime member VFW and NRA "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (when all else fails play dead) -Red Green

March 14, 2008, 10:25 AM	#18
Renny Member Join Date: May 16, 2007 Location: Chaco Paraguay Posts: 96	22LR UniversalFrost, we do that a lot over here in Paraguay, the doves like to rest on the palosanto trees on the sides of the corn fields, i use my magtech 22 semiauto, but i like the chalange on taking them with the shotgun out the air. My Baikal 27 EM came yesterday, it has fixt chokes, top barrel is full and bottom barrel is a mod. choke. It has dobble trigers. gonna try it this weekend. We use to shoot onley the amount of doves we can clean and eat. I have seen people that shoot them only for sport and dont bother to pick them up. i dont like that. If they aint gonna eat them they should at least pick them up and give them to peaple who would eat them.

March 14, 2008, 02:39 PM	#19
45Dave Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Location: South East Michigan Posts: 109	your right Renny Your right Renny, doves are excellent to eat, easy to clean what a waste to leave them lay on the ground. They freeze well so what you don't eat today will serve up a great meal later. A fella I know from TX has some way he cans the doves, it makes great spreads and stews.

March 17, 2008, 03:07 PM	#20
Renny Member Join Date: May 16, 2007 Location: Chaco Paraguay Posts: 96	Tryd the IZH 27 EM I shot 75 shots this weekend wit the new O/U. Got 27 Doves, the gun fits me well, it wus somewhat stiff at first but after a 100 times opening and closing and the 75 shot its just fine. i have to practice on my aiming but i guess every 3 shots a dove is not so bad for the first time with the new gun. thanks for all the adwise.

March 25, 2008, 07:52 PM	#21
publius Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2005 Location: Mississippi/Texas Posts: 2,505	Most people like a improved cyl. or modified for their larger patterns. I like a full choke. It's a little harder to make the close shots but you can make longer shots. You do not want to take that hard kicking single shot. Look into a gas autoloader. I went to mexico several years ago and some of the guys shooting o/u's had literally blood soaked shoulders after a couple of days.

March 29, 2008, 01:22 PM	#22
Yellowfin Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2007 Location: Lancaster Co, PA Posts: 2,311	A Remington 1100 with improved cylinder is your best bet. They point and swing well, don't cost a lot, are easy on the shoulders, and last forever. I've had two in my lifetime and both are still running great and take anything out of the sky I can find.

March 29, 2008, 05:24 PM	#23
aerod1 Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2000 Location: Garland Texas U.S.A. Posts: 734	I shoot a 12 ga. Ruger Red label with a 26" barrel. Because I have a hard time hitting them thar critters, I use skeet chokes If going to South America, I recommend something that has a reduced recoil, such as a gas operated semi-auto. The reason is because you will be shooting a lot of birds and there is no need to beat yourself up. Some people have gone to the 20 ga. semi auto for South America dove hunting. __________________ NRA Life Member, TSRA Life Member, C&R 03 FFL, Texas LTC Recreational Reloader U.S. Navy Veteran (USS Midway V-1 Division)