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John's Journal...
Entry
112, Day 2
KEVIN TATE: DOVE SHOOTING SECRETS
More Dove Shooting Secrets
EDITOR'S
NOTE: Kevin Tate of West Point, Mississippi, a screenwriter for Mossy
Oak's and Remington's outdoor TV shows and videos, has more than 20 years
of dove-shooting experience. This week Tate will tell us his top 10 secrets
for shooting doves more effectively and consistently.
SECRET NUMBER 3 -- CHOOSE THE BEST GUN
You'll need to hunt with a gun that you've practiced with and that's best-suited
for you. Some hunters will purchase or borrow guns a week or two before
dove season begins. Instead of going to a skeet range and shooting two
or three boxes of shells to become accustomed to the guns, they'll save
those shells and waste twice that many on opening morning by missing most
of the doves they attempt to take. The key to shooting doves is being
very familiar with the gun you're using. The 20-, 16- and 12-gauge shotguns
are the most popular and the easiest guns to use. I prefer to shoot a
12-gauge Winchester automatic because of its familiarity. I also like
the 12-gauge shotgun because it provides more shots, a better range and
a difference in recoil compared to a 20 gauge. Additionally, the 12 gauge
gives me more opportunity for success with a little more shot capacity.
I also use No. 7 size shot in a Winchester shell. You can expect more
shot uniformity with a Winchester shell, which leads to better patterns
and better-overall performance.
SECRET
NUMBER 4 -- SELECT PROPER LOADS
I advise hunters to pattern their shotguns. Get a piece of posterboard
and half-a-dozen different dove loads, and shoot at the board to see how
the loads pattern. You'll be amazed at how various loads perform in a
shotgun. Sometimes you'll find loads that are inexpensive for a reason
-- they're not well-made, and the shot may not be uniform. As a result,
the load may not pattern well. For example, you may shoot a posterboard
with a loaded 12 gauge at 30 yards, but there may be holes in the pattern
through which you can throw a football. That pattern is not satisfactory
for hunting. Too, using inferior equipment is not respectful to the game
you're shooting.
TOMORROW: MORE DOVE SHOOTING SECRETS
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