SECRETS TO TAKING MORE DOVES WITH TONY ROSETTI

Rosetti's Safety Tips and Equipment Recommendations

EDITOR'S NOTE: Tony Rosetti not only has the reputation in years past as one of the nation's best shots but also has proved his prowess with a shotgun in national and international competitions. He was the United States International World Champion in1969, 1971 and 1972; the National Skeet-Shooting World Champion, an aggregate of all four gauges .410, .28, and .12, in 1970 and 1972; the World Champion in 1972 in .12 gauge and .410 gauge; the last person to win three of the five World Gauge Championships; a member of the Pan-American Games Gold Medal Team in 1971; the Silver medal individual winner in 1971; a member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic Shooting Team; and the past winner of the Mississippi State Championship and many other championships and big-gun shoots.

Tony Rosetti believes you can prevent accidents in the dove field if hunters observe a few safety tips.
* Never shoot at a dove below the tree line.
* Never take your gun off of safety until just before you're ready to shoot.
* Never walk through a dove field looking for a bird without first engaging your safety.
* Unload your gun before you leave the field.
* Never allow alcoholic beverages on a hunt until everyone leaves the field and store their guns.

Tony Rosetti recommends the following guns and shells for taking doves: Guns:
* Remington 1187 12-gauge improved cylinder,
* Remington 1100 20-gauge improved cylinder,
* Browning auto 12-gauge improved cylinder,
* Remington 870 in either the 12- or 20-gauge improved cylinder,
* Beretta 12-gauge improved cylinder,
* Beretta auto 12-gauge improved cylinder

"A large number of good over-and-under 12 and 20 gauges made by most of your gun manufacturers," Rosetti says.

Shells: Rosetti likes 3 drams of powder with 1-1/8 ounces of No. 8 shot. He prefers Remington trap loads because he likes the one-piece shell construction and the one-piece wadding system. "I prefer the Remington shells because Remington puts a one-piece wadding system in all their shot shells from their least-expensive to their most-expensive shells," Rosetti explains. "I can buy an inexpensive shell and still have one-piece wad construction that you often only find in the more expensive shells." Rosetti also recommends 3-1/4 drams of powder with 1-1/4 ounces of No. 7-1/2 or No. 8 shot. In the early season, he prefers No. 9 shot. "Some hunters shoot No. 6 shot for doves," Rosetti reports. "But I believe that's much like using a .458 rifle to hunt whitetails. No. 6 shot is too much overkill for doves."

MOJO Dove Decoy: I've just started using one of the hottest new products in the dove-hunting industry -- the MOJO Dove. The MOJO comes to the marketplace hot on the heels of the MOJO Mallard decoy, a duck decoy with mechanical wings that spin and give action to the decoy. If you can get one bird out of a group of high-flying doves to pull out of the group and dive toward the MOJO decoy, that bird usually will bring the rest of the flock with him. Landing and loafing doves exhibit the same alternating dark/white flash that makes the MOJO Mallard attract ducks. The MOJO Dove uses the famous MOJO 6-volt dual shaft direct- drive system for quiet, durable operation. The decoy includes a realistic dove decoy body, a 6-volt dual shaft motor, corrugated PVC wings, aluminum wing shafts and support pole and requires 6-volt battery. The MOJO Dove attracts doves from great distances and this hunting season will aid you in taking more doves.

Ultimate Hunting Chair: You also need to try the Ultimate Hunting Chair, manufactured by United International Sports. Designed with the serious hunter in mind, this low-profile chair sits less than 8-inches off the ground. Perfect for a ground-blind or a dove-field wait, you can outlast the less-serious hunters in comfort. Equipped with a drink holder and a carry pouch on its back, the Ultimate Hunting Chair transports easily in and out of the field with its convenient carry strap.

To learn more about The Ultimate Hunting Chair, contact United International Sports, L.L.C., P. O. Box 62, Alamo, Tennessee 38001, phone 731- 696-4972. To learn more about MOJO Doves, contact MOJO Decoys at P. O. Box 1640, Bastrop, Louisiana 71221, phone number (318) 283-7777 or email: mail@mojomallard.com.