Mike: Congratulations on being invited to dove hunt. But watch out, it can be addictive!

Actually, doves aren't that tough, and aren't that particular about what they're shot with. Your 12 gauge is fine, and the 26 inch barrel is plenty long with a long-receivered automatic. Assuming it uses interchangeable choke tubes, use the one that gives you an IMP to MOD pattern (which won't necessarily be the one that is so marked, try them on paper first). If you need a full choke, you're standing in the wrong place.

I prefer a 28 gauge with 8 or 9 shot, with which I seem to down them just as well and at just as long a range as when I shoot a larger gun with larger shot. I really believe that the differences in shot size and charge are mostly psycological when it comes to doves; if you point the gun in the right place and pull the trigger at the right time, they're going to fall. Of course, that's a big "if".

Begging to differ with some learned others, I think that going larger than about 7 1/2 shot reaches the point of diminishing returns, since a pattern of #6's gets to have a lot of dove-sized holes out at the ranges where a #6 is more effective than a #7 1/2. Most doves downed beyond 40-45 yards with large shot are the result of just a hit or two with a stray pellet, and are rarely kills, but just broken wingers that have to be run down (provided you can find them) after they flutter a hundred or so yards to the ground, making you look like the Keystone Kops chasing Charlie Chaplin. Another problem is that large shot has the disadvantage of chewing up a lot of meat.

High velocity is NOT important. Your actual lead (that's how far in front to aim -- not a soft, heavy metal used in projectiles) requirements are insignigicantly different with an 1150 fps skeet load and a 1350 fps "high brass" load. Do your shoulder and your wallet a favor and buy the plain-jane standard velocity loads. Good target shells like AA's will more than pay the difference in the cost if you reload or know someone who does. Otherwise, even the WallyWorld promo shells are about 99% as effective as the best when it comes to dropping a dove in the dirt.

I know my advice seems at odds with some others, and I harbor no ill will toward someone who thinks differently, but I'm in my sixth decade and have been hunting doves passionately since early in my second. I've been all though the cycle of blaming poor shooting on "sissy loads" and have crammed ever more shot and ever more powder into shells trying to compensate for days that the birds just didn't fall. About 20 years ago it finally dawned on me (after going to progressively smaller and lighter shotguns) that it's "where" you shoot and not "what" you shoot that makes all of the difference. As my good friend who is also a sporting goods retailer observed a long time ago, so long as you're halfway reasonable about the distance, "if you shoot where the dove is, it's gonna fall".

As to drinking beer while dove hunting, I have to agree with Gato that it's a matter of personal responsibilty, not Puritanism, image projection, or legalities. Do as he says and save your beer until the hunt is near the end. Do this primarily because drinking earlier is dehydrating, and if you're foolish enough to drink enough to impair your performance or judgement, shame on you. I not only don't like to hunt with excessive drinkers, I don't even like to drink with execessive drinkers! Now, what Gato has failed to point out is that while doves can (and should) be shot with a limited and judicious consumption of brew, post-hunt CLEANING of doves requires a substantial supply of beverage, so don't go undersupplied!

Go for it Mike! there's not much more fun to be had with a gun outside of Iraq.

Just to split a bunch of hairs Stonecreek, I find the number of pin feathers in thawed birds to be directly proportional to the amount of beverage consumed so you might want to slow down 'till after the birds are clean

Second, I agree everthing you said about guage and shot as long as we're talikng mourning dove. Mike, carry some 1-1/4 oz #7 or #6 heavy dove loads just in case you get into a bunch of indigenous Whitewing dove. (These fly differently than the migrating Whitewing people shoot in Mexico) They fly faster, higher and are bigger and tougher to knock down than the little mourning doves and the extra punch helps me a lot. Like Stonecreek, I would use the cheapy promotional 1 oz loads otherwise. Personnaly I've come to like the Estate brand but they all work more or less the same.