what load for dove?
- Thread starter Morgoroth
- Start date
Select your loads according to your anticipated shooting environment. Opening day, the dove may be dense and so close you can almost bring them down with a flyswatter -- light and slow loads are appropriate. Later in the season, the survivors will have smartened up and you'll likely need to take longer shots.
As far a seeing your leads, you are best served by using the same velocity shells you practice with. As BigJimP noted, he uses 1200 and 1225 loads where I use loads a little slower than his. I'm happy using my target reloads for dove (assuming an area where lead is allowed). For opening day, I'd select a small gun and some of my "windy day" skeet loads in 8s or 8-1/2s. For later in the season, I'll go with my 7-1/2 trap loads.
The best way to get dove is to be well practiced before the season starts. As our moderator, Dave McC, says in is signature, BA/UU/R… (Buy ammo, use up, repeat). I don't know how many times I've seen casual dove hunters practicing the weekend before opening day: Their gun handling looks clumsy and they miss the majority of their practice targets. After a round, or two, of shooting holes in the sky, they figure they are up-to-speed and depart muttering something like, "I hope we're luckier this year than we were last year."
As far a seeing your leads, you are best served by using the same velocity shells you practice with. As BigJimP noted, he uses 1200 and 1225 loads where I use loads a little slower than his. I'm happy using my target reloads for dove (assuming an area where lead is allowed). For opening day, I'd select a small gun and some of my "windy day" skeet loads in 8s or 8-1/2s. For later in the season, I'll go with my 7-1/2 trap loads.
The best way to get dove is to be well practiced before the season starts. As our moderator, Dave McC, says in is signature, BA/UU/R… (Buy ammo, use up, repeat). I don't know how many times I've seen casual dove hunters practicing the weekend before opening day: Their gun handling looks clumsy and they miss the majority of their practice targets. After a round, or two, of shooting holes in the sky, they figure they are up-to-speed and depart muttering something like, "I hope we're luckier this year than we were last year."
oneounceload
Moderator
Ain't THAT the truth!......they're starting to show up here for their annual "blow the cob webs out of the barrel practice" and then mutter as you said ......
