Ok let's be honest here and take a count. How many
shots on average did you shoot per dove taken the
last time you went dove hunting? For example I shot 2 boxes of (25 shells) and got 10 birds, so
that is 50 divided by 10 = 5 shots per bird! Just
curious because I know some guys last year who shot about 20 -25 shells per bird taken! Just for
grins BLR7!

my average is between 2-3 shots per bird and it's not uncommon to go on some hot streaks with 1 shell per bird.

If I restrict myself to reasonable range, I usually run about 65% with a 12 ga. Someone said I couldn't do it so, choosing my shots I shot 90% on a case (500) of shells in Argentina, but just barely. However, if I haven't shot in a while, or am having a bad day, I might get down to 1 bird in 4, ya never know. I found out long ago to never brag on your shooting until it is done.

I killed the first dove I shot at. My average is way way down from where it started. It is asking too much to expect an honest estimate from me. Let's just say I've gone whole boxes of shells between doves and leave it at that.

H. C.

I believe the average is supposed to be 2-3 per bird. From the piles of shells that I have seen by some people, this is way low.

I fit into that 2-3 range easily when the birds are flying well. When taking longer shots, my percentage drops.

About two years ago, I was next to somebody that likely averaged 2 boxes per bird. The mound of shells next to him was enormous. I had limited in about 15 minutes and had to sit around for a few hours to get a ride back to my vehicle.

BLR7:

I average 1.6 to 2 shots per dove. I have been keeping a log of shots fired for the last five years, and it seems to average out that way.

I mix up the gauges, and I never shoot a twelve, although I do shoot 1oz loads in a model 12, 16ga.

As to the national average, it seems to be 5-7 shots per dove, in a national report I read. But, here in Arizona, with all the empty sheels we find in some of the hunting areas, it must be a case per limit, lol.

Jerry

Here's the first day tally. Shooting a 410, shot a limit of 10 with 29 shots.

The dove changed up on us, and most of the shots turned out to be outside 25 yards or so.

Tomorrow I am going to shot the old model 12, 16 gauge and see if I can do any better.

Good Luck to All

Jerry

I shot 10 with 40 in a 20ga. Superposed. Not bad, but if I can keep my head down on the stock I'll shot much better

I had guests and rain, no shots fired, perfect record so far.

I thought these numbers to be just amazing. Supposedly the average is 4 shots per dove. Given that 20 million doves are shot per year, that's 80 million shells.

By comparison, at the Grand National Trapshoot this year, 2.5 million shells were fired.

Last night, I was one for one. I'm not talking about yesterday morning...... jump shooting dove is challenging! Dutch.

Good dove shooters can do better than 50% -- if the doves are cooperating and the shooter is picking his shots and shooting for score. On a typical outing where you'll take a lot of the more marginal shots, a good shooter will do more like 1 in 3. I quit worrying about percentages long ago and I shoot for enjoyment, so I may take a number of marginal shots (especially when the doves are scarce) just to see how far I can stretch the barrel on my 28 gauge.

That said, the majority of shooters in the field are once or twice a year shooters who can fill the air with lead and get a lot of shooting enjoyment out of a meager number of birds. Yesterday, I saw a group of about 5 neophyte hunters lined up on a brush line. Several times a single bird would fly down that line and draw from seven to twelve shots -- and live to tell the tale. It kinda reminded me of the opening scenes of Dances With Wolves when Kevin Costner paraded in front of the Confederate lines drawing all kinds of fire without being touched.

Where I was shooting yesterday, I'd say that at least 10 shells hit the ground for every dove that did likewise. But I've also hunted with guys that never got to the bottom of a box before limiting out.

Average? Who knows, but looking at the piles of shells stacked in the aisle at Walmart, I'd say it's a bunch.

Much better on the second day. Got my 10 in a box and 1. 2.6 per bird isn't too bad.

The best that I ever did on Doves was 10 birds in 12 shots . They were coming in to water at the edge of the pond, and I was "ambushing" them as they were coming in (low and slow), like ducks coming into decoys....

For field shooting passing doves, 2 boxes/10 birds is about "par" for me.

Rained all weekend, so I haven't been out this year.

Good shootin' (and eatin'!),

Bill

Guys:

Just got back from the second days hunt. I shot the model 12, 16 gauge and fired 12 shots for my 10 bird limit.

Wish I would have had the 410 today and the 16 yesterday, lol.

Thats dove shooting, by the way my 2 buddies each shot 22 shots, for their limits with 410's today.

Good shooting

Jerry

Worst for me was 8 birds with 75 shells. Very windy, open Texas conditions.

Best was 15 bird limit with less than a box - I think I had 5 or 6 shells left from the box of 25. Shots were mostly longer, but wind was not there.

Last year picking my shots and shooting my Ruger O/U I killed 15 with 22 shots on opening day. This year on a very rainy opening day while shooting an old single shot 12 guage, in preparation for a single shot hunt next weekend, I killed 7 while shooting an entire box. The birds were few and presented difficult shots. With a decent gun and patience most of the time I can kill my 15 bird limit in less than a box of shells.

Perry

Well, I hate to report this, but I slipped out late yesterday evening and promptly fell apart. Killed the first dove graveyard dead on a grassy area that you could find a penny laying on, but made the fatal mistake of trying for a double and winged it and then couldn't find the first bird. Too far back to the house to go get the dog. It was downhill from there. Wound up with a big 5 birds for about 15 shots. In my defense, these are passing birds at longer ranges, killed one at nearly 70 yards, but my shooting still sucked. Oh well....what did I say about bragging?

How many...........

Depends, when I try hard, maybe 50-80%, hits. With a muzzleloader, probably around 80%, I try harder with a muzleloader. I also tend to take only the easy shots. If the flight is really good, and I have several in the bag, I will tend to shoot from the lounge chair and or do one handed shots. Obvioulsy the percentage goes down. Also depends onhow much "aiming fluid" has been consumed.....kids, don't try that at home it is not safe and illegal in some areas!

Dove Count..........

Ok fellow dove hunters, how is the hunting going? How many have you taken and how many shots did it take to get them? My count so far is;

1.] 3 days - a limit each day(10)

2.] number of shots used - Sept. 1, 20 .410 shells - Sept. 2, 21 .410 shells - Sept. 3, 18 .410 shells

About two shots per bird is much better than my normal 3.5. Lots of birds and lots of shooting all around us. The ammo companies are doing quite well this year. Lawdog.

Last year in RSA a friend and I spent the afternoon shooting what they call Pidgeon but they are just like Doves. He fired 75 shots and picked up 59 birds. I shot up 5 boxes and killed 18. The guy who's place we were shooting on had killed 700 with 4 cases of shells about 6 weeks before using a 20ga Ruger Red Label.
In the USA there has never been a safer place for a dove to be than in front of my shotgun.

Guys:

Day number 3, 10 dove 19 shots, with the 16 gauge. Tomorrow I will shoot the 28 gauge . So far this eason 2 shots per bird.

Jerry

If I go, 50%, I'm pretty happy. These guys shooting the 410s and doing 50% are doing some bang up shooting, even if taking only the easy shots. My brother shoots 1/2 oz, 2 1/2" .410 loads just for giggles.... I probably go 1 for 3 in the long run. A couple years ago at a public field I took a limit, 12, in 13 shots.... That'll never happen again

After the first 5 days of the season, I have averaged 2.2 shots per dove. Shooting 3 gauges 410, 16 and 28.

My shooting partner has shot 50 doves with the 410 and has averaged 1.7 shots per dove.

Jerry

Well I finally got to go dove hunting on Wed evening and was amazed at how many birds just kept
on flying after being hit. After the first 10 sots being totally wasted and moving to better my
spot under a flyway between grain hunters and water/ roost area it all began to gel. First bird in the bag took out most of the shot and was only half of a breast left. Second bird took 2 shots
at about 65 yards. So that's 2 for 13 shots or 6.5
shells per bird. Not too good but birds were flying high and erratic patterns. This next weekend may prove better if it stays warm but generally there were fewer birds than last year's
opening week. It always takes me a bunch of shots
at birds out of range before i realize I'm just
not gonna hit em that far away. I watched a flight of 10 doves circle a grain field and heard
at least 20 shots and not one bird fell so I know
I'm not alone on this. Well anyways it's good to know that Winchester, Remington and Federal shot
shells will be selling plenty again this year.
BLR7

Last time I got to dove hunt was four years ago. That was one of my better days, shooting wise. 12 doves with 15 or 16 shots, I don't remember exactly. I have had days that were much worse and had days that were about the same.

I have had days where I shot a lot more than twelve doves, but didn't keep score...was too busy shooting! I miss those shoots!!

A place that I grew up hunting would typically shoot 750-1200 birds on opening day. Since I moved away, I haven't so much as seen a dove during "dove season." I miss dove hunting.

I average 17 birds per box of shells.

urdubob

On opening day here in CO. I went 11 birds for 29 shells. I believe that's a little under 40%.
The guys down the way were getting the majority of the shots and let me tell you, they were filling the sky full of holes. I'm glad I don't load shells for those guys, I wouldn't be able to keep up!
Elk Country

My shooting percentage is around 80-83 Percent. I usually kill 20 birds out of a box of shells. Check out www.sportingdestinations.com and you can see what John Airala said about my shooting when I hunted with him this year(2003) in Cordoba. I was hunting in Tucuman for 5 days before hunting with John Airala in Cordoba. One Day in Tucuman I killed 1008 dove ( picked up count) and fired 1175 shells for a percentage of 85.787%, The another afternon I fired 1 case (500 shells) and picked up 467 dove for a percentage of 93.4%. Most of the clients I have had or seen and from what John Airala and other Outfitters tell me is that MOST Shooters will shoot 40-50% and this percentage is based on "hits" and what is considered a "hit" is the following. When shooting clays or skeet all it takes is ONE CHIP knocked off the target and most birdboys consider a dove "hit" if feathers are knocked off because it would be considered a hit if it was on a skeet or clays range.
I do not like this way of counting and I always tell my birdboys to count ONLY DEAD birds. This way of "counting" makes the shooters feel good about thier capabilities and that is all that matters.

Sincerely:

John P. McKenzie
Southern Sporting Safaris
WEBSITE: www.southernsportingsafaris.com
EMAIL: sales@southernsportingsafaris.com

[ 09-11-2003, 17:05: Message edited by: John Mckenzie ]

Opening day i missed my first six shots and then woke up to finish the day with a limit of fifteen birds with thirty four shells not too bad i guess. could have been better and now with the cooler weather coming in the doves are going out. I still see a few re and there but not as many as i would like.

Happy hunting

BLR7 -

I was out with a group yesterday and paid close attention to the shots per. This is what turned out.

Hunter one - 12 gauge auto using skeet barrel and #8 shot
result? Two and a half boxes 10 birds

Hunter two - 12 gauge over under skeet and modified with 8 shot
result? Two boxes and 10 birds

Hunter three - 28 gauge 101 with seven and a half shot improved both barrels
result? less than one box and 10 birds.

I repeatedly see this performance and am of the opinion that a faster gun with less recoil does a better job with a good shooter.

Back To The Stove
Turtle

Too much cool and wet weather for good dove hunting so far but my new Winchester Super X2 is
just allowing me that extra shot that I shouldn't have taken I guess. I'm averaging 6 shots 12ga #8
light loads per bird with modified choke. These
are high pass over shots for the most part and the birds are really skiddish. I seem to be using
more of the anti-aircraft flak method than taking
carefull aim but that is because I am trying out this new shotgun and I am having fun with it. I
hunted many years ago with a 16ga pump and could
get a limit with less than a box of shells so I
know it's just me and not the gun. If the weather clears off I'm gonna try again Saturday but lots
of rain and mud in this area may nix plans. We get
a lot of migrators with early cool fronts so should be interesting. Everybody I've talked with
said the doves are few and scattered so far in Texas! Just need more practice! BLR7

Guys:

Hee is the tally after 10 days of dove hunting here in Arizona. I killed 100 doves with 213 shots, for a 2.1 average, shooting all gauges EXCEPT the 12 gauge.

Jerry

Hello
Today: 1 shot - 1 pigeon
This season: 14 shots - 4 pigeons = 3,5

Gretings......... S�ren

Remembered this thread when watching an outdoor show on dove hunting and the fight to get it legalized in MI. According to the show a research study that was done in Ohio with around 100 hunters (I believe it was all done in one season) showed an average of 8.7 shells per bird! I found this amazing, but it could be chalked up to the study being done in only one area that possibly only offered longer shots.

Thought it might be interesting

Carl

My son likes to shoot at the same bird as I do so taken that into consideration its usually 4 per bird. Also who ever shoots the bird has to clean it so he gets them all

I kept a log on my grouse and wood cock hunting for about 6 years. I avg on grouse 2.8 shots per bird and on woodcock 1.7 shots per bird. The avg range was 22 yards shortest 5 feet longest 57 yards.

Very rarely do I ever miss. Sometimes I even kill more than one per shot. It's really not that hard. All you have to do is let both of their feet touch the branch.