What choke and shot size do you prefer for dove hunting? Why?

I prefer an improved cylinder and #6 1 1/4 oz. shot.

My reasoning for the improved cylinder is that I try really hard not to take shots out of range, meaning more than 30 yards, so why not increase the pattern size to improve my chances. I like the 6 shot because it has more "downing power" due to the size of the pellets.

With that being said, I wonder if I could accomplish the same by going to a full choke and #8 shells?

Typically for dove I shoot #6 and modified choke because where I hunt the birds fly high and fast. I do not put a full choke in because when I do get that occasional close shot I do not want to destroy the bird. I shot #8s when I hunted where there was less wind.

IC and 7 1/2# 1 1/8 oz sporting clays-- whitewings. Rarely go to modified choke if all high flyers

IC and whatever is cheapest #7 1/2 or #8 for mourning doves over Mojo

Modified choke and whatever ammo is on sale that year.

Skeet, IC or modified.

7.5 or 8

Don't overthink it, keep it simple.

Early in the season when there are lots of birds and lots of hunters with you so that your field of fire is limited I shoot IC and 8 shot, usually through a 28 gauge. After a few weeks when there are fewer hunters and fewer birds i switch to a 12 gauge with 1 1/8 7.5 shot with a full choke. Doves can be killed from quite a distance when need be. It would suck to be peppered with a pheasant load of #6 shot on opening day, but later in the season i'm sure it works fine, however there are about 100 more pellets in 1 1/8 of #7.5 than there are in 1 1/4 of #6.

full choke - if they are in the field, I am shooting.

7-1/2 shot

IC with fiocchi spreader 8s. I get a few doubles that way.

IC/MOD in O/U or SxS, IC in my Ithacas

Usually 20 gauge, always #7-1/2 shot

Sometimes 12 or 28 gauge

Been doing it that way for 60 years

Skeet/Skeet
1 oz #8

7.5 or 8 - choke doesn't matter much, just shoot what ya got

I shoot 20 or 28 ga for dove. I like the challenge, and the feel and handling of the sub gauges in the field. So for those guns, either 1) Mod and light mod or 2) improved mod and mod, depending on if it looks to be mid range or close up shooting. One step tighter on the 28 if I'm going to be taking 40 yard shots or longer. I almost always choke my bottom barrel tighter and shoot it first on incoming birds, just as they enter range. Then the more open choke is available for a closer follow up shot if needed. I usually shoot 7.5's, 1 oz shot in 20 ga, 7/8 oz shot for 28.

On high incomers, most folks wait too long to take their first shot. If you shoot them as soon as they come into range they fall in front of you, and you have good footing/stance and balance for the second shot before they get over your head. You guys know what I'm talking about, how many times have you ended up contorted around and shooting straight up and then behind you (ole!!! As you whip your barrel all around like a bullfighter), and if you are lucky enough to hit the bird (straight above headed behind you is a low percentage shot) it falls across the fence or in the brush behind you and then you spend 15 mins looking for a down bird while everyone else is hammering away.

So try to shoot those incomers waaaay out front. You'll be surprised how easy they are to kill that way. Much easier shot and the bird is closing face first into your pellet load. When you connect they are almost always lethal, very few cripples.

Having said all that, just my opinion, folks get way too caught up in choke selection for dove. I took some shooting lessons in Houston years ago and the instructor had me smoking clays at 45 yards with a 20 ga IC, so that got my attention and he was the one to comment that for most folks (recreational shooters and hunters), choke selection wasn't as huge a deal as many make it.

Modified choke kinda guy for decades, in either a 12 or 20 ga (20 gauge preferred)....then a friend convinced me to go to IC choke for doves...and I'm glad he did. Shooting style didn't change, but the number of downed birds went up!

Too frugal to buy a second IC choke for my O/U, so it still is M over IC....for that second shot after the first didn't connect


Oh...almost always 8's, 7-1/2 if not.

Mod #8. Thinking of moving to #6 because I'm tired of getting feathers and no birds on the ring necks.

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Too frugal to buy a second IC choke for my O/U, so it still is M over IC....for that second shot after the first didn't connect

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Haha. This is ridiculous. My Dad does things like this and it drives me crazy.

Spend 40 dollars and buy a second choke.

OR

Miss with the first shot and spend an extra 20 dollars a year on shotgun shells for the rest of your life.

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Too frugal to buy a second IC choke for my O/U, so it still is M over IC....for that second shot after the first didn't connect

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Haha. This is ridiculous. My Dad does things like this and it drives me crazy.

Spend 40 dollars and buy a second choke.

OR

Miss with the first shot and spend an extra 20 dollars a year on shotgun shells for the rest of your life.

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Hey, it's not like I always miss them using a modified choke.... this year on one trip I used my Dad's 1954 Rem 870 16ga, fixed modified choke. He was very lethal with it, and it also worked well in my hands.


I bought my 20 ga Citori used...someone had Mod over Mod in the barrels (we know what choke they preferred!). So I did spring for one IC choke tube

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Too frugal to buy a second IC choke for my O/U, so it still is M over IC....for that second shot after the first didn't connect

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Haha. This is ridiculous. My Dad does things like this and it drives me crazy.

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Ridiculous? Hardly.

Unless you just BELIEVE .010" of constriction change and whether 70% of the pellet count stays within the-rule-of-thumb 30" inch circle at 30 vs. 35 yards determines whether or not you hit a dove.