Dove Hunting Essentials: Ammo and Choke Tubes

If this is your first time participating in a dove hunt, figuring out what ammo and accessories to use can feel stressful. There are multiple sizes, brands, colors, and more. It’s overwhelming to stare at the laundry list of options, especially if you aren’t sure where to start. Because it can be so daunting to know what to pick, we’ve broken down the best options for your next dove hunting trip. GrabAGun has all of your dove hunting essentials, including dove hunting ammo, choke tubes, shotguns for sale, rifles, and more.

The Best Dove Hunting Ammo

When it comes to choosing shotshells for a dove hunting trip, we understand you want only the best. More often than not, hunters opt for a 12 gauge shotgun, which means you’ll need 12 gauge dove loads. That’s the easy part, but what about the shot size or load for your dove hunting ammo? 

Sizing and Dove Ammo Load

For those new to dove hunting, we recommend sticking with the more popular smaller-sized shells: 7, 7 ½, and 8. These sizes will provide a smaller shot pattern, offering more pellets downrange. This equates to a more dense shot pattern, which is perfect for agile birds like doves. What’s more, this range of sizes will effortlessly carry you from the early season through the late season. 

The best shot you could use in the dove fields is a 1 or 1 ⅛ ounce load of 7 ½. During the early season, you’ll find some hunters start with an 8 load and follow it up with a 7 ½ for longer shots. That’s why it’s important to stock up on a variety of loads. You never know what you’ll need at the moment. Doves aren’t necessarily the hardest bird to take down, but they are fast and unpredictable. Having the right-sized 12 gauge dove loads can help ensure plenty of successful shots. Options like the Remington Heavy Dove Loads, Fiocchi Game & Target Dove Loads, and Kent Steel Dove rounds are great examples of this. They provide optimal performance, come in a variety of gauges and loads, and you can buy this ammo online at affordable rates.  

While there are more sizes, you’ll find that experienced hunters stick with this smaller range, arguing that the 8 and 9 sizes aren’t enough to take down doves. With this in mind, experiment for yourself with 12 gauge shells for sale to find what works best for you. Regardless, it’s not only important to have several boxes of shells with you but also a variety of options. 

Browse GrabAGun’s collection of dove hunting ammo online 

Picking a Choke Tube

One thing experienced shooters can tell you is that conditions are always changing. You may find yourself moving around a few times just to get a decent shot. That’s why, as part of your dove hunting essentials, it’s necessary to have multiple shotshells with you as well as a few choke tubes. 

What is a Choke Tube?

A choke tube is something you can add to your shotgun to change the pattern of shot released. It won’t change the power, but it can help increase distance or accuracy. With it, you’ll be able to specialize your firearm to specific hunts. Choke tubes can be added to bolt action shotguns, semi-automatic shotguns, and even single-shot shotguns. If the barrel is threaded for the tube, then just about any shotgun for sale will work. Doves are notoriously fast birds with unpredictable flight patterns. Even with the best gun and ammunition, you run the risk of missing your shot because of how quickly they can change course. By utilizing a shotgun choke, you can reduce the unpredictability and increase your chances of a successful shot. 

Dove Hunting Accessories

To pick the right choke tube, you need to know when you’ll be hunting. Early-season hunters will want something that will aid with shots ranging between 10 and 35 yards and can handle a shot size of 7 ½. Later season shooters may want something that can handle further distances, between 25 and 40 yards, as well as a shot size around 6 and 7 ½. Anyone who waits for later dates to hunt knows that doves tend to be a bit more spooked at that point. They won’t always come to the decoys or food you have out, so you have to prepare accordingly. 

Figuring out the right choke is going to take some time. You don’t want to over or under-choke yourself. What you do want are wider and denser shot patterns, which will increase the chances of actually hitting a dove. More often than not, new hunters will use too tight of a choke only to find out, the hard way, that tighter patterns make shots more difficult. 

Find a choke tube for dove hunting at GrabAGun today

Dove Hunting Done Right with GrabAGun

Dove hunting is an incredibly fun and rewarding experience. New hunters that want to do well need to make sure they have everything ready to go. Whether you are looking for a hunting shotgun, 12 gauge shells for sale, or any other item, GrabAGun has you covered. We are your one-stop-shop for all your dove hunting essentials. 

—Kellie Krevosky