Dove, Dogs, and Shotguns

Mounting your shotgun is vital to successful shooting. It is also vital to being able to shoot numerous rounds. I’ve found myself with bruises on my shoulder and cheek bone from not placing the gun in the shoulder pocket correctly, or not holding the shotgun tight enough. My article on shooting fundamentals goes over this in detail.

In an article in Field & Stream I came across a picture worth a thousand words about properly mounting your shotgun. The guy was shooting sporting clays with a cheap over/under shotgun. He noticed something was seriously wrong about half way through……..

I’d say something went wrong, many times. Although we don’t know what kind of shells he was shooting, we do know that he wasn’t mounting the gun correctly. For a list of his injuries go to Field & Stream’s article about this

The bottom line is, unless you want this to be you,  mount your gun correctly, everytime. This guy won’t be shooting anything for a long time.

• Extreme Dove Hunt If you've got the funds the you should check out LCHunting.com. They are offering some serious dove hunting for a serious dove hunter. Just check out what is included for the price: Ground transportation from McAllen Texas Beretta AL390 Shotgun Deluxe Accommodations** Delicious meals included Open bar daily Field transportation......
• Left-Handed Shotguns Left-Hand Shotguns are few and far between. Finding one that has any style can be hard and expensive. I'm in the market for an over-under 20 ga. or 28 ga. and am getting frustrated. I listen to my brother going over all his options and I'm stuck choosing between plain......
• When To Start Training I'd like to introduce you to Layla. She's six weeks old and I just brought her home two days ago. Soon she'll be retrieving my dove but for now I have to start the training process. Let's face it, at six weeks old her attention span is short and......

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Infringe is putting it mild. There are two bills in the Texas House of Representatives that are aimed directly and Texas hunters and gun owners. If passed, we could find ourselves needing some legal counsel.

The following is from Texas State Rifle Association’s website:

Bad Bills~Bills to Stop

HB 736 by State Rep. Chente Quintanilla (D-El Paso) amends the Local Government Code to give counties the authority to regulate noise.  This noise regulating authority extends to firearms; and makes no allowances for hunters, sporting shooters, or shooting ranges.  This bill has been assigned to House Committee on County Affairs.

HB 736 is a danger to all Texans.  It could end hunting, and sport shooting.

Please contact your Texas State Representative today!

HB 1395 by State Rep. Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) Another animal cruelty bill, only this one directly attacks hunters .   It removes the word “Exception” which means “not against the law” and inserts the legal phrase, ”defense to prosecution”.   If HB 1395 passes, Texas Hunters could be charged with animal cruelty and forced to defend themselves in court. 

Stop HB 1395 before it stops hunting.

Please contact Texas State Representative today!

As you can see, these bills are no joke. Elected officials are actually trying to destroy our 2nd Amendment rights, a little at a time. Let’s unite, and let them know how many of us there really are. Click the above links for information on how to contact the state reps.

Time to RELOAD!

• Father Charged in Hunting Accident From BullsandBeavers: St. Johnsbury, Vt. (AP) - A 44-year-old Lyndon Center man is being charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of his son while the two hunted for turkeys earlier this month. The Vermont State police say that Kevin Kadamus was processed Thursday at the state police barracks in......
• Schwarzenegger a Rebublican???? I'm not sure how that can be? California is going bankrupt with all their "green" laws, and yet somehow they are the example our great president is trying to model our nation after. Schwarzenegger was on a path early in his political career  to have the constitution changed so he......
• TPWD Sets Hearings on Lastest Proposals In a news release from Steve Lightfoot with Texas Parks and Wildlife, he announced the the department would conduct 21 public hearings. The hearing would cover the topics of increasing fees and yhe new dove season propsals. Changes proposed for the 2009-10 Texas dove season include a 70 day season......

• 10 Things to do without in 2010 [/caption] Ten years ago, most homes relied on dial-up connections to access the Internet and iPods, flat-screen TVs and the Nintendo Wii didn't exist. In 2010, consumer should expect to see more revolutionary products supplanting old mainstays. In media, DVDs, books, newspapers and magazines will continue to lose ground to......
• This Politician Controls Your Tax Agenda - Be Very Afraid Don't let the jovial, goofy face fool you.  This man - Charles Rangel (D. NY) - is scary. Let me explain.  As specified in Article I, Section 7, of the U.S. Constitution, all laws for raising revenue (e.g., taxation) must originate in the House of Representatives.  House rules extend initial jurisdiction......
• Save Time, Money and Space in Over 80 Ways If you're looking for handy gadgets, tools and various items that can save you time, money or space (or all three!) this list of more than 80 top products is just what you need. Everyone's got saving money on their minds these days. Some of us are always looking to......

News Release
Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us

April 28, 2009

AUSTIN, Texas — In addition to public comment on proposed fee increases and dove hunting seasons, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is inviting input on a series of scoping issues related to migratory game birds during public hearings around the state.

TPWD is presenting proposals for adoption by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission in late May that could increase certain license and boat registration fees. In addition, agency officials will present general waterfowl season framework options for the 2009-10 seasons and gather feedback on issues related to migratory game bird seasons in the future.

Changes proposed for the 2009-10 Texas dove season include a 70-day season and 15-bird daily bag statewide, pending adoption of federal guidelines. Additionally, the department is advancing a proposal to move the South Zone opening to the Friday nearest Sept. 20, but no earlier than Sept. 17, which means it will open on Sept. 18 this year if approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in late June.

The proposed dove season in the North and Central Dove Zones would run Sept. 1-Oct. 25 and reopen Dec. 26-Jan. 9, with a 15-bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves.

Also during the public comment period, TPWD will be scoping calendar options for the additional 10 days of hunting in the North Zone for the 2010-11 seasons and beyond.

Because hunters in the North Zone have in recent years seen an uninterrupted 60-day season, the department wants public input on where to place the 10 additional days awarded under the Service’s new adaptive harvest framework. Would hunters prefer a winter split and if so, when and for how long?

The proposed South Zone dove season would run Sept. 18-Nov. 3, reopening Dec. 26-Jan. 17 with a 15-bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves. Possession limit is twice the daily bag for all migratory game birds except light geese, which currently does not have a possession limit.

The department will be scoping opinion on standardized closing dates for the South Zone, using the Sunday before the Martin Luther King Day national holiday.

TPWD is also seeking feedback on the dove bag limit increase in the Central and South Zones from 12 to 15 birds.

The Special South Texas Whitewing Area would open to white-winged dove afternoon-only (noon to sunset) hunting Sept. 5-6 and 12-13 and reopen Sept. 18-Nov. 3 and again from Dec. 26-Jan. 13. The daily bag limit is 12 birds, not more than four mourning doves during the first two weekend splits and 2 white-tipped doves. Once the general season opens, the aggregate bag limit will be 15.

TPWD wants to find out if hunters prefer a Friday or Saturday opener during the first two weekends in the special whitewing area or a combination of the two.

The Service is also reviewing a proposal to give TPWD the option to adjust a portion of the boundary of the special whitewing area. This potential change would remove portions of Jim Hogg and Starr counties. These areas are not as high a quality white-winged dove habitat as other portions of the area. If removed, these portions would fall under the South Zone dates and bag.

TPWD is proposing no changes to other early migratory game bird seasons other than to reflect calendar shifts.

If Texas gets a 16-day September teal season, the dates would be Sept. 12-27, while a nine-day season would run Sept. 19-27.

The proposed season for rail and gallinule is Sept. 12-27 and Oct. 31-Dec. 23; for snipe, Oct. 31-Feb. 14; and for woodcock, Dec. 18-Jan. 31.

Texas will likely revert this fall to the standard season and bag limit framework for the general waterfowl seasons, although there is a slim chance the Service could retain the Hunters Choice option. The department is presenting dates and bag limit possibilities based on the general framework under a liberal season package, as well as what the Hunters Choice season would resemble, however, one issue being scoped is the option for taking the duck season to the end of January or returning to the Sunday nearest Jan. 20.

The department will also scope public sentiment regarding the snow goose season structure for 2010-11 and its relation to the Light Goose Conservation Order, as well as bag limits on snow geese.

The public is invited to comment on the proposed fee changes and early migratory seasons at any TPWD public hearing, by visiting the TPWD Web site online comment section or by writing TPWD Public Comment, attn. Robert Macdonald, 4200 Smith School Rd., Austin, TX 78744 or email robert.macdonald@tpwd.state.tx.us.

Comments on scoping issues can be made at the public hearings, online or by contacting Dave Morrison, TPWD Waterfowl Program Leader, 4200 Smith School Rd., Austin, TX 78744 or email dave.morrison@tpwd.state.tx.us.

For hearing dates and times click here.

Time to RELOAD!

• Quail Season is Right Around the Corner Quail Forecast 2009-2010 Perspective Statewide surveys were initiated in 1978 to monitor quail populations. This index uses randomly selected, 20-mile roadside survey lines to determine annual quail population trends by ecological region. This trend information helps determine relative quail populations among the regions of Texas. Comparisons can be made between......
• Entries Available for Big Time Texas Hunts AUSTIN, Texas — The Lone Star State boasts some of the finest hunting anywhere in the country, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Big Time Texas Hunts offer hunters a chance to experience the best of the best. The Big Time Texas Hunts program offers the opportunity to win......
• New Season Hunting, Fishing Licenses Go On Sale Aug. 15 AUSTIN, Texas — Texas hunting and fishing licenses for 2009-2010 will go on sale Saturday, Aug. 15. Sportsmen are reminded all current Texas annual hunting and fishing licenses (except for the year-to-date fishing license) expire Aug. 31. Most fees for recreational hunting and fishing licenses have increased by five percent;......

• Good Bottom Fishing is Still Available Some bottom-feeding fish fishermen were afraid that until the liberal blackfish season opened, there will be little to fish for, but this fear has been proven to be without grounds, as after an excellent weekend of fishing it has become clear that good fishing for sea bass, porgies and ling......
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• Rapid Growth in Telecom & VoIP Employment Opportunities U.S. Department of Labor forecasts show that the second fastest growing occupation through 2014 is that of Network Systems and Data Communication Analysts. Jobs in this category are expected to increase by 55% compared to the employment level in 2004.Ranked 5th in this time horizon were jobs for Computer......

Do you miss a lot? Have you ever wondered what the difference between a Modified cylinder and an Improved Cylinder is? What about the difference between a 7.5 or 8 shot load? All these questions can be answered with a couple of boxes of shells, some paper, and time. Patterning a shotgun can be very valuable to any bird hunter. Let’s look at how.

First off let’s be clear, I’m not trying to show you how to pattern for gun fit, I’m trying to help you identify how to make your gun, as it is, the most effective when dove hunting.

1. Get set up: Find a place that you can shoot without being pressed for time. Acquire some 4′x4′ poster board or sheets of paper (no less than 40″ squares) and put one on a sheet of plywood for a backstop. Make sure to bring the chokes and shells for the type of game you will be patterning for. Set yourself up at a distance that you normally shoot from. For dove, probably 20-25 yards will be your best bet.
2. Start Shooting: Unfortunately, you can’t do this by shooting one time with each variation and think you are done. You can shoot the same choke and same load five times and each will be different, but there will be significant patterns to pay attention to. Label each shot and mark the area where the pellets are most concentrated and then draw a large circle around the rest of the pattern (12-15 inch radius depending on how tight a pattern you are shooting). Shoot at least four to five times for each variation you wish to evaluate, i.e. four shots with modified 8 shot , modified 7.5 shot etc. etc. After you’ve wore out the plywood, it’s time to study the results.
3. Evaluate: As you begin to look at these pieces of paper look for consistency. Everyone will be a little different but there wiil be patterns in each variation. Imagine or make an outline of a dove a put it inside the circle in various places to see if you have places that would have only landed one or two pellets or  missed completely. If so, use smaller shot, or a heavier load. When looking at the difference between chokes, pay attention to how deadly the pattern is on outer quadrants. Chokes can go bad. If you notice a significant void in the same area of the shot, shoot a few more times to be sure. If it’s still there, replace the choke. Better to replace the choke than miss the dove and start the mental war that comes with missing. For more on shooting, click here

I know. this sounds like loads of fun, yeah right. However, you might thank me on the next hunt if you find a problem before you go. Knowing how your gun shoots is vital to being consistent in field.

 Time to RELOAD!

• Twitter Updates for 2009-06-27 RT @DoveHunting101: New blog post: Man Fined Over Migratory Bird Treaty http://bit.ly/dHVQM FOR BEATING A SEAGULL # Swine Flu declared pandemic, 1st in 41 years http://bit.ly/CnWqt # Using positive reinforcement training yo train your hunting dog. http://bit.ly/Zt81d # Tips on Starting Kids Out Hunting http://bit.ly/jdFYt # Just broke 100......
• Getting Started (part II) WHAT TO DO? Okay, you've acquired everything you need to begin dove hunting, NOW WHAT!?!? There isn't too much to it, but if you take a few steps prior to taking the field, you'll have a lot more fun and a lot less stress. Let's begin. Get familiar with your......
• Getting Started How to get started Dove Hunting A step by step guide to get you in the field! Dove Hunting is a great sport for all ages. Whether you are 12 or 50, it can be rewarding. I started at age 17 and haven't missed an opening day since. As the......

• Understanding what Birdshot Is Birdshot can be described as a type of metal shot that was designed to be packed into shotgun shells. Birdshot consists of a number of metal spheres that are milled so that they are all the same size, and so that they can be easily packed together into a shotgun......
• How to Load Your Own Shotgun Shell Hunters and sportsmen alike that would like to save money should look into reloading their own shotgun shells. Not only can shell loading be a hobby within a hobby, it will also give the hunter or sportsman a chance to make their own custom shells to match whatever game or......
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Who hasn’t done it, shown up for a big dove hunt and put yourself in a bad spot. It is simply miserable to listen to all the blasting around you as you contemplate everything from moving spots to what you did to deserve this. The best bullets, most expensive shotgun, and best trained dog cannot make up for picking a bad spot when dove hunting. Let’s look at how we can prevent singing the ‘no dove blues’.

First we will look at the three basic ways to get a good spot when dove hunting and then we’ll breakdown what to look for when scouting.

1. Scout the field: If you don’t have a sixth sense like my dad does, then it will pay to do a little scouting before you show up for the hunt. You can learn a lot about the dove in just one afternoon. Pay attention to their flight patterns, the sun, and the time they start to fly. Pick a few spots that look promising, just in case someone beats you to your first choice.
2. Early bird gets the worm: And the early hunter gets the spot and the birds. It’s really not a good plan to scout out your spot and come driving up too late to get it. Surely, if you’ve picked a decent spot it won’t last long. Whether you are hunting the morning hunt or afternoon, don’t dally, get to the field, take your spot and prepare to be the one making everyone else jealous.
3. Be still: If your new to dove hunting, then you probably haven’t witnessed a pair of incoming dove break into evasive maneuvers on the slightest movement by you. After a dove has been shot at a couple of times or, as Tim Lilley from Game & Fish calls it, educated, they become very jumpy and will change course on any ground movement. This can be devastating to even the best spot. Expert dove hunter, Will Jester, thinks that being still and keeping your dog still is more important than the fanciest camo you can buy. Sure, you’ll want to wear some camo but if you are jumping up to shoot way to early the camo won’t help.

Those are the basic steps to getting a good spot to hunt. Now let’s look at what actually look for when scouting or looking at a field for the first time.

1. The sun: Get your bearings and figure out east from west and then position yourself with the sun at your back. The sun can really hinder your ability to spot dove much less shoot dove. If having it at your back is not possible try to face where it is not directly in your eyes.
2. Structure:  Dove structure is basically something other than food or water that attracts birds. These structures effect the dove’s flight patterns in a field. It could be anything from a group of trees to an old barn in the field. These structures will be a staging area for the dove to hold at until they leave to feed or water. Finding a position within range of these structures can make for some prime real estate in the field.
3. Bare Spots: A bare spot in the field can be a great place to find holding dove. Dove need to have a certain amount of gravel and sand in there diet. Will Jester says, “These areas can be ideal, food on the ground all over the field will obviously scatter and disperse the doves. A hunter sitting near a visible patch of grit will often get a concentration of birds headed for one place that offers more than one of the things they need.” Of course you don’t want to sit in the bare spot, just in shotgun range of the spot.
4. Watering Holes: Dove  usually go to water after they eat. Keep this in mind if your considering setting up near water. If there are many hunters set up where the food is, they will get the first crack at the dove. Don’t get me wrong there can be some fantastic shoots by water, but if it is a large field with many hunters, I wouldn’t reccommend it as your primary spot.

If you take these points into consideration when scouting, or heaven forbid, just showing up to hunt, your chances of a successful hunt will improve greatly.

Time to RELOAD!

• What is gun fit? I was doing some research on gun fit and came across this article at shotgunworld.com. It contains an excert from an article in The Caller, from Corpus Christi. I'm positive I couldn't explain it any better, so here it is... Anybody who thinks a new shotgun might be the answer for......
• Do Dove Decoys Work Every year I see hunters placing decoys around the dove fields. I've always wondered if they were worth their salt. Let's find out... Ducks, Geese, Turkeys are all susceptible to decoys. With ducks being the most social of the game birds. These flock oriented birds find safety when they spot......
• Texas Migratory Bird Report Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February. North Zone Dove: Wet weather continues to plague the dove flight, making access to fields tough. Muddy roads and soggy fields have not been conducive to hunting. Most of the birds have left the bottoms and staged......

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I know this site is mainly about dove hunting, but hunting quail is a lot of fun also. Last Christmas, my brother took me and my oldest son, (Dad couldn’t make it unfortunately) to the Walton Ranch  just outside of the small town of Navasota, TX. The Walton Ranch is a hunting ranch where you can hunt quail, pheasant, and chukar. What a Christmas present that was….

It was my son’s first quail hunt and I really wanted it to be a good one, and it was awesome, After I got over the embarrassment of forgetting his 20 gauge shells in the back of my truck, back at home. The guys at the ranch helped me out of that jam and the hunt was on. It was a damp, overcast morning so the quail were hunkered down pretty good. My brother’s lab. Darla, helped remedy that problem as she worked to flush them out. And flush them she did, the first one that flew by me looked like a chicken it was so fat, one down 35 left to go. Seth, my son, got off to a slow start, missing the first couple that spooked him when they flew, but he settled down after hitting the next two and really had a knack for finding the covies. My brother got out of the gate the fastest, jumping out with 6 quick quail. I was able to catch up after running into two large covies and some quick shooting. All in all, in our half day hunt we brought home 35 out of the 36 quail they released. Seth is hooked on bird hunting, it was great to see Darla work, and my brother and I had some serious fun. Below is the review:

The ranch is spread out and divided into large sections for each hunting party. We probably walked three miles that morning, and it was worth every step. The sections we were on was mostly thick grass with a dry creek bed and some scattered trees. The quail had plenty of places to hide. I think they also have lodging for out of towners, but seeing how we live about a hour away, we didn’t utilize these facilities.

The people running the show were helpful and made us feel right at home. After the hunt they prepared us  some home cooked chili with all the fixings. They cleaned and bagged our quail and provided the ice to put them on. They were very friendly folks and that goes along way.

Pricing is about $160 per person per 1/2 day hunt. It’s not too outrageous compared to some other places I’ve looked at, but still expensive enough. It was our first time to hunt pinned quail. The good thing is we  knew there were some birds (unlike some public land leases), but it is a little less exciting than hunting them in the wild.

The quail themselves were fat and tasty. We made some fajitas when we got home which were delicious. My wife even ate them and that is saying a lot.

Hunting the Walton Ranch was very fun, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a sure bet on quail hunting. As for my family, we’ve started a new tradition over Christmas, I just dread when it’s my turn to buy. Thanks again, bro.

Time to RELOAD!

• Bird dog training (part I) The following is the first article, written by my brother, in a series on how to train your bird dog. Darla. his lab, is an awesome bird dog. He has trained her since she was a puppy. Not only is she awesome hunting dove, she's great hunting quail also. If you've......
• 6 New Texas Dove Leases If anyone has hunted these leases, feel free to leave a review on them. Thanks for posting them, and keep them coming. Below are the details: NAME OF LEASE: Carol Knutson EMAIL: info@muysecoranch.com CONTACT NAME: Carol CONTACT PHONE NUMBER: 830-363-4281 PREFERRED METHOD OF CONTACT: Either LOCATION INCLUDING CLOSEST CITY OR......
• Waller County Complex, #2438, Public Land My dad, boys, and I hunted the Pattison road unit this drizzling Saturday morning. All I can say is get on the north end. There was a lot of shooting there, but also a lot of hunters too. So go early, if you go. We were out of position to......

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This year many popular brands have came out with new models that will make out goal of limiting out on dove a little easier, and we’ll be doing it in style. Let’s look at some of the different models unique features.

Benelli’s Cordoba Performance Shop Edition:

• Automatic, Available in 12 and 20 gauge.
• Designed for high volume shooting, can withstand 3000 rounds per day.
• Lengthened and highly polished forcing cone.
• Comes with color coded Briley extended chokes, skeet, IC, and Modified.
• Comfort Tech Recoil Reduction System.
• Two weights of forearn caps.
• 28″ barrel.
• 12 ga weight = 7.7 lbs., 20 ga. = 6.7 lbs.
• MSRP = $2470 (20 ga.), $2600 (12ga.)

Beretta 12 ga. SV10 Prevail with new Q-stock: 

• Over-under.
• The new Q-stock can be removed by using a tool (supplied) to reach through the bottom of the grip to turn out a threaded fastener. No longer do you have to remove the recoil pad. Works really well when using Kick-Off recoil reduction system.
• Trigger components machined out of titanium.
• Optima-Bore barrel with three inch chamber.
• Comes with five chokes: Cylinder - Full.
• Automatic or manual safety.
• 7.7 lbs.
• MSRP = $2740 without Kick-Off, $2940 with.

Browning Maxus:

• Automatic, The Maxus replaces Browning’s Gold model.
• Forearm attaches with a latch instead of the typical screw top and also has sling quick connect.
• Magazine cut-off.
• Easily removable Turnkey magazine plug.
• Speed-Load Plus system.
• 3″ or 3 1/2″  chamber.
• Available in black or Mossy Oak Duck Blind camo.
• MSRP = $1199 with 3″ cyl., $1379 with 3.5″ cyl.

Franchi Renaissamce Sporting 20 gauge:

• Over-under.
• Inrended for target shooting but would be great for dove hunting.
• 30 inch barrel.
• Tapered ventilated rib with fiber optic sight.
• Engraved stainless steel, walnut stock. (very nice)
• Height adjustable comb with Twin Shock absorber pad.
• Interchangeable pads in three thicknesses.
• 7.4 lbs.
• Comes with extended chokes Cyl, IC, Mod, IM, and Full.
• MSRP = $2199.

Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight 28 gauge:

• Pump action.
• Beautiful black walnut stock and forearm.
• Available in three grades, A, AA, & AAA. (nice, real nice, and amazing)
• Available with 26 or 28 inch barrel.
• Bottom ejection.
• 6.25 lbs.
• MSRP = $999 - $3,499 depending on grade.

Ithaca is reportedly going to introduce an over-under made in Ohio, and said to be affordable.

Remington 887 Nitro Mag:

• Exterior steel surfaces are coated with ArmorLokt polymer. Scratch prrof, dent proof,and rust proof.
• Available with 3 or 3 1/2 inch chambers.
• Comes with screw in Modified Rem choke.
• 28 inch barrel with fiber optic sight.
• 7.5 lbs.
• Available in black or Mossy Oak Obsession camo.
• MSRP = $350-$500.

I’ll take one of each, I wish. I wonder what Ithaca calls affordable. These are some great shotguns and makes me  wish the season started tomorrow. ShootingTimes.com has a full write up on all the new guns for 2009.

Time to RELOAD!

• Finding Good Dove Leases - Easier Said Than Done There are hundreds of dove leases advertised on the Internet and in newspapers. Just about everyone tells you that they have the best dove hunting in Texas. How do you know which ones actually have dove on them? IF you have a large bank account and can afford to hunt on......
• Shotgun Ammo & Chokes Choosing shotgun shells and choke tubes can be confusing to say the least. Just go to Academy and look at the variety, 1oz., 1 1/8oz., 7 shot, 7.5 shot, 2 3/4", 3", lead, tungsten etc, etc, etc. If your not careful you could spend a fortune on the wrong stuff. Let's......
• Walking the field Perhaps my favorite way to hunt dove is to walk the field for those dove that  have lighted in the field. Of course, if you are in a big shoot with many other shotguns, you can't do this for obvious safety reasons.  However, later in the season this method can be......

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Choosing shotgun shells and choke tubes can be confusing to say the least. Just go to Academy and look at the variety, 1oz., 1 1/8oz., 7 shot, 7.5 shot, 2 3/4″, 3″, lead, tungsten etc, etc, etc. If your not careful you could spend a fortune on the wrong stuff. Let’s examine what the numbers mean.

Let’s use, say 8 shot, 1 oz, 2 3/4 in lead heavy dove load for an example.

• #8 shot is size of the shot, the bigger the #, the smaller the shot. Remember though, the bigger the number the more BB’s there are in the shell. If you subtract the number of the shot from 17 that gives you the actual size of the BB, i.e 17-8=9, meaning 8 shot = 9/100 or .090″. Every BB is .090″ in 8 shot. Got it, good.
• 1 oz is how many ounces of BB’s there are. So it makes since now the smaller the BB’s, the more that fit into the shell. For instance, in 7.5 shot there are 350 BB’s, and in 8 shot there are 410 (in a 1oz load).
• 2 3/4″ is simply how long the shell is. Some shotguns shoot up to 3.5″, but were shooting dove, not 747’s (the airplanes).
• Lead is what the shot is made of. Lead is the best for inflicting the most damage for the money, steel is more environmentally friendly but sucks in the killing department, and tungsten is too damn expensive.

For more technical data on shotgun shells click here.

Okay, now that you have an idea what all the numbers mean, let’s drill down into the dove loads. You most likely will want 7.5 to 8 shot when dove hunting. If you are new to shooting go with the eight shot / 1 1/8 oz and up load, 2 3/4″ shell(exactly the shell I shoot). This load will give you a very dense pattern (lots of BB’s) and increase the odds of  shooting the dove. If you are a little further along you might go with a 7.5 because the larger shot inflicts more damage. Personally, I shoot an 8 shot still because it’s what I’m used to. The more ounces, the more money the shell costs. If you’ve got the budget you can shoot the heavier loads to add more firepower.  Don’t spend too much time on this because it is much more important to have good fundamental shooting than to rely on a good bullet to make up for what you lack in.

You’ve made your selection on the shells you want to shoot on your dove hunting trip, now it’s time to decide which choke to use. Most modern shotguns have screw in, interchangeable choke tubes. The three most common are full choke, modified choke, and improved cylinder. Contrary to popular belief these have nothing to do with how far shotgun shoots. A Lot of dove hunters will put a full choke in thinking it will allow them to shoot farther, this is really not true. A full choke holds the pattern of shot in a tighter pattern (for a longer distance), for a more concentrated amount of shot entering the target. Great for geese, pheasant and other large birds, but you try to hit a dove coming across you from 25 yards out at MACH 2 with a full choke and you had better do everything right and still get a little bit lucky. Bottom line, unless you are an expert shot-gunner a full choke will cause you a lot of frustration (and misses, especially in the closer ranges). Next is modified choke, this is a common choke used when dove hunting. It opens up better in the closer ranges than a full choke will, but holds a little tighter pattern than improved. Considering most shots on dove should be 35 yards and under my vote is improved cylinder. Improved gives you the widest pattern that is still deadly at 35 yards. I shot modified for years and was fairly successful, but when I made the switch to improved my accuracy improved dramatically. My philosophy is put a heavy 8 shot in the air with an improved cylinder and you’ll spend less time cussing and more time looking for dove and bragging about how great of a shot you are.

Time to RELOAD!

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I was looking through some past articles on Field & Stream’s website site and came across an article with some very good tips on five tough shots for dove hunters. It covers:

1. The Incomer You See Forever
2. The Dove With Its Jets On
3. The Long Crosser
4. The Dove That Comes Over Your Head From Behind
5. The High Overhead Dove

The full article  gives some detailed advice on each of the above types of shots.

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In a news release from Steve Lightfoot with Texas Parks and Wildlife, he announced the the department would conduct 21 public hearings. The hearing would cover the topics of increasing fees and yhe new dove season propsals.

Changes proposed for the 2009-10 Texas dove season include a 70 day season and 15 bird daily bag statewide, pending adoption of federal guidelines. Additionally, the department is advancing a proposal to move the South Zone opening to the Friday nearest Sept. 20, but no earlier than Sept. 17, which means it will open on Sept. 18 this year if approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in late June.

The proposed dove season in the North and Central Dove Zones would run Sept. 1-Oct. 25 and reopen Dec. 26-Jan. 9, with a 15-bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves.

Also during the public comment period, TPWD will be scoping calendar options for the additional 10 days of hunting in the North Zone for the 2010-11 season.

The proposed South Zone dove season would run Sept. 18-Nov. 3, reopening Dec. 26-Jan. 17 with a 15 bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves. Possession limit is twice the daily bag for all migratory game birds except light geese which currently does not have a possession limit.

The Special South Texas Whitewing Area would open to white-winged dove afternoon-only (noon to sunset) hunting Sept. 5-6 and 12-13 and reopen Sept. 18-Nov. 3 and again from Dec. 26-Jan. 13. The daily bag limit is 12 birds, not more than four mourning doves during the first two weekend splits and two white-tipped doves. Once the general season opens the aggregate bag limit will be 15.

The Service is also reviewing a proposal to give TPWD the option to adjust a portion of the boundary of the special whitewing area. This potential change would remove portions of Jim Hogg and Starr counties. These areas are not as high a quality white-winged dove habitat as other portions of the area. If removed, these portions would fall under the South Zone dates and bag. TPWD plans to hold a public hearing prior to the May 27 commission meeting to evaluate public support of this proposal.

TPWD is proposing no changes to other early migratory game bird seasons other than to reflect calendar shifts

Here are the dates and locations for the hearings:

All meetings are set for 7 p.m.

April 27

• Lubbock, Lubbock County Courthouse, Commissioners Courtroom, 904 Broadway.

April 28

• Corpus Christi, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Natural Resource Bldg., Room 1003, 6300 Ocean Dr.

April 29

• Waco, McLennan County Courthouse, 1st Floor Commissioners Courtroom, 501 Washington St.
• Laredo, Camp Huisache, E. Hwy. 59.

April 30

• El Paso, State Bldg., Room 179, 401 E. Franklin.

May 1

• Houston, Eddie Gray Wetlands Center, 1724 Market St., Baytown.
• Kerrville, Upper Guadalupe River Authority Lecture Hall, 125 Lehman Dr.

May 4

• Midland, Martin Luther King Community Center, 2300 Butternut Ln.
• Bay City, Bay City Service Center, 2105 Avenue M.

May 5

• Ozona, Crockett County Courthouse, 909 Avenue D.

May 6

• Tyler, Smith County Courthouse, Central Jury Room, 100 N. Broadway.
• Brownsville, Cameron County Courthouse, 3rd Floor, 974 E. Harrison.

May 7

• Abilene, Abilene/Taylor County Law Enforcement Center, 450 Pecan St.

May 8

• Dallas, Bass Pro Shop, (downstairs conference room) 5001 Bass Pro Drive.

May 11

• Amarillo, Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 6500 Amarillo Blvd. W.
• Beaumont, Annex 1 Bldg., Ste. 200, 1225 Pearl.

May 12

• Wichita Falls, Times Record News Special Meeting Room, 1301 Lamar St.

May 13

• Lufkin, Angelina County Courthouse, District Courtroom, 215 E. Lufkin Ave.
• Hebbronville, Jim Hogg County Courthouse, District Courtroom, 2nd Floor, 102 E. Tilley.

May 14

• Alpine, Sul Ross University, Range Animal Science Bldg., Room 130, Hwy. 90 E.

May 15

• San Antonio, National Shooting Complex Clubhouse, 5931 Roft Rd.

I’m in favor of the proposed changes and I hope everyone that is will show up to the hearing closest to them.

Click here for the full news release from TPWD.

Are you in favor of the changes of the new proposals for dove season? Leave your comments.

Time to RELOAD!

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