dove hunting Archives - GrabAGun Blog

Dove Hunting Gear: the Shotguns, Ammo, and Accessories You Need

September 16, 2022 | 0 Comments

Dove Season is right around the corner! As we get to the end of summer and move into the beginning of dove hunting season, it is important to get make sure you have all the dove hunting gear you’ll need. In this blog, we’re going to go over some of the dove hunting gear you need to make this season a successful one!

Picking The Perfect Gun

If you ask hunters what their ideal dove hunting shotgun is, you’ll receive a lot of different answers. And while this might not be the most helpful, it demonstrates that there are a lot of good options for dove hunting shotguns. So when trying to find the gun for you, there are a few things to consider.

The Type of Shotgun

First, if you’ve shot before, consider your preference of a shotgun. You may like over-under shotguns, double barrel shotguns, semi-automatic shotguns, or pump-action shotguns and want to go with one of those. While pump shotguns often provide shooters with a more affordable option, semi-auto shotguns may make it easier to take quick follow-up shots when need be. These are all things to consider based on budget and skill.

Choosing a Gauge

Most shotguns will be either 12 or 20 gauge, but many dove hunters prefer 12 gauge. A 12 gauge shotgun delivers bigger and denser shot patterns because the shell can hold more shot. They also deliver versatility, with a 12 gauge allowing you to hunt bigger game in addition to doves. The 12 gauge shotgun has a great variety of uses compared to the 20 gauge.

While 20 gauge shotguns don’t deliver as much versatility, there are some benefits worth noting. They can easily take down doves as well as quail and ducks, which is the application we’re looking at here. Additionally, as you may know, 20 gauge shotguns also deliver less recoil than the larger 12 gauge, making them a great choice if recoil is a concern. Plus it is important to think about what you shoot. Are you more of a bird-only hunter? If so, then the 20 gauge will be great for you!

The Best Dove Hunting Shotguns

The great thing about most shotguns is that they usually have a 12 or 20 gauge version. Whether you want 12 gauge or 20 gauge, you can look for any of your favorite brands to find the best shotgun for you.

The Mossberg 500 All-Purpose Field Shotgun 12 GA

One of the best shotguns for any dove hunter is the Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 12 Gauge Shotgun. The Mossberg 500 shotgun has been seen as a classic by most hunters for many years, delivering reliable performance and taking down lots of game over the years. Additionally, we have the Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 20 Gauge Shotgun for those that want a 20 gauge version.

The CZ Readhead Premier Over-Under 12 GA

A great choice for those who prefer an over-under shotgun is this CZ Readhead Premier shotgun. It also delivers a quality finish that’s inspired by classic shotguns, allowing you to experience a vintage look and feel at an affordable price

The Beretta A400 XPLOR 20 GA Shotgun

Beretta A400 XPLOR Action 20 Gauge shotgun is well suited for a variety of hunting and target shooting tasks. This Beretta shotgun is light and trim, making the it a great choice for a high-quality shotgun

Browse Shotguns for Sale Online at GrabAGun!https://grabagun.com/firearms/shotguns.html

The Best Dove Hunting Ammo

When it comes to choosing shotgun ammo for a dove hunting trip, we understand you want the best, along with a wide variety of options. Most hunters use 2.75-inch dove and field loads that are cost effective and consistent. There are many options you can choose from through GrabAGun!

Sizing and Dove Ammo Load

For any new dove hunters out there, we would recommend using 2.75″ shotshells loaded with 7 ½ or #8 shot. These sizes will provide a uniform shot pattern and plenty of pellets downrange. These shot sizes offer a dense pattern, which is perfect for agile birds like doves.

Doves aren’t necessarily the hardest bird to take down, but they are fast and unpredictable. Using the ideal shotgun shells for dove hunting can enhance the performance of your shotgun and provide the best results in the field. Options like the Fiocchi Field Dynamics High Velocity 12 Gauge , the Fiocchi Field Dynamics High Velocity 20 gauge loads, and the Winchester 20 gauge rounds are great examples of this. They provide optimal performance and come in a variety of gauges and loads, making it easy to find exactly what you need.

While there are more sizes of shot, you’ll find that experienced hunters usually stick with the 7 ½ or 8 shot for dove. Experiment for yourself with Remington 12 gauge ammo or 20 gauge ammo for sale to find what works best for you. Regardless, it is important to have several boxes of ammo with you in a variety of options since your environment can change.

Browse Shotgun Shells for Sale Online at GrabAGun.

Dove Season Accessories

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 the correct gear, choke tubes, and decoys to get the most out of your hunt.

Every dove hunter wants to make sure they have a sturdy chair for hours of sitting out in the field. We have a great list of hunting chairs that are all lightweight, but heavy-duty and waterproof. These chairs come in a variety of colors and some have great storage space to make sure you make the most of your hunting area. For more storage you can also get shell pouches, bird hunting vests, or coolers for a fun and easy hunt. Need a way to bring the dove to you? We also have great dove decoys that move and act just like a real dove to catch the attention of passing birds. Whether the birds are flying high or coming to decoys, GrabAGun has a huge selection of choke tubes for the distances you need to shoot.

Dove Hunting Gear at GrabAGun

Dove hunting is an incredibly fun and rewarding experience. New hunters that want to have a successful season need to make sure they have everything ready to go. Luckily, we can help you out with all the gear you need! So remember, whenever you’re looking for a new firearm or firearm accessory, check out GrabAGun!

–Destinee Norman

Dove Hunting Essentials: Ammo and Choke Tubes

August 31, 2021 | 0 Comments

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 essentials can be found at GrabAGun

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