Is a 12 or 20-gauge better for dove hunting?

Is a 12 or 20-gauge better for dove hunting?

More people shoot 12-gauge shotguns than anything else, but a 12-gauge is hardly necessary for doves. If you hunt everything, including waterfowl and turkeys, with one shotgun, 12-gauge is the way to go. Otherwise, 20-gauge is more fun and still effective.

What do I need for dove hunting?

What Equipment do I Need for Dove Hunting?

• A properly fitted shotgun in any gauge that you can shoot well.
• Shotgun shells for your gun in shot size 7 ½ or smaller (the national average is five shots per dove harvested so figure 75 shells per limit of 15 doves)

Can you hunt dove with a semi-auto shotgun?

Any gun you enjoy shooting can be the best dove gun for you. At the same time, there’s no question that if you define the “best” dove gun as the most efficient and effective, the 12-gauge semi-auto is it.

Is 7.5 or 8 shot better for dove?

7.5 shot resulted in less wound loss than No. 8. “The 7.5s carry more mass. There are not as many of (the pellets), but it doesn’t take as many 7.5s to kill a dove as it does No.

Can I use a 20-gauge for dove hunting?

Many wing shooters consider the 20-gauge to be the perfect gauge shotgun for almost all upland shooting, and regard this as the ideal choice for the dove fields. Its light weight, quick maneuverability and wide range of dove loads offered make it a favorite for September doves.

Can you use a 12 gauge for dove hunting?

Dove hunters should stick to smaller shot sizes – No. 7 ½, 8, or 9. Perhaps the best all-around and most common 12-gauge shot shell used in the dove fields is a 1 or 1 1/8 ounce load of 7 ½. During the early dove season, a good shot shell is No.

Where should you aim for dove hunting?

You want to aim over six feet in front of the bird. As a general rule, one inch of barrel movement equals one foot of lead for the bird. If you shoot like you are going to miss in front of the bird, you will likely put the dove right in the center of your shot pattern.

What time is best for dove hunting?

▶ The best shooting is during those times when the birds are flying between roosting and feeding areas. In the morning, that’s generally between 8 and 10, and in the evening from 5:30 until about 7.

What is the best barrel length for dove hunting?

28 inches
Long, light guns are easy to shoot. So are long heavy guns, but long light ones are a little easier to handle when doves are the quarry. Barrel length: 28 inches. Barrel length primarily affects a gun’s balance, and this gun has a lively feel with a 28-inch barrel.

Can you hunt dove with a 12 gauge?

When selecting a dove-hunting shotgun, you can go as plain or fancy as your budget allows. A good all-around choice is a 20-, 16- or 12-gauge autoloader with screw-in choke tubes. Always remember, however, that repeating shotguns must be limited to holding only three shells (“plugged”) while dove hunting.

Can you shoot dove with 8?

8 pellets are perfect for mourning doves, while 6, 7 or 7 ½ make good on knocking down the larger white-winged doves and Eurasian collared doves. Hunters carrying a light 20 or “Sweet Sixteen” gauge should consider a 7/8 load, but a 1-ounce load of shot may fare better.

How many feet do you lead a dove?

What is the best ammo for dove hunting?

Light hunting loads with 3/4, 7/8, 1, or 1-1/8 ounces of shot are adequate for dove hunting. Ammunition loaded with steel shot in size #6 or #7, or lead shot in #7½ or #8 are excellent choices.

What is the best shotgun shell for dove hunting?

Perhaps the best all-around and most common 12-gauge shot shell used in the dove fields is a 1 or 1 1/8 ounce load of 7 ½. During the early dove season, a good shot shell is No. 8 , followed up with a 7 ½ for longer shots. Many dove hunters shy away from the 8 and 9 shells as they believe the loads aren’t enough to bring down doves.

What shotgun choke is best for dove hunting?

Stick with a 16 or 20 gauge shotgun if you have a young or small-framed hunter you are introducing to the sport. The “kick” from these guns is very modest. Most hunters will be happiest with the 12 gauge. Use the right choke for dove hunting: There is no single best choke for dove hunting.

What is the best choke for dove hunting?

The best choke for dove hunting is the Carlson’s sporting clay choke in light Modified. Carlson’s choke tubes are one of the most popular brands around. Their sporting clays line of tubes is one of the best chokes for dove hunting you can find.