i've only hunted dove once in the last 10 years this past season and didn't shoot anything. shot at but didn't kill. i've been to the range to practice a few times and i'm not terrible but i also have no idea if i'm shooting too high, low, behind, in front, ect. it seems like most of the time i'm too far in front, because when i get closer i'll hit one. then i'll think i'm doing the same thing next time and miss. also i've been shooting skeet that are pretty much straight across which are probably the hardest kind (vs the ones that come straight at you or over your head).

at any rate i think i want to go to the improved cylinder so that the spread is more significant at a closer range. but i don't know how practical or helpful that is in real life hunting. guys seem to be split on which of the two to use, but i imagine when i go hunt again this weekend i'm going to try and shoot the birds absolutely closest to me. thanks in advance for advice.

btw i have a stoeger 12 gauge i just bought last year. i forget the model off the top of my head, but it is the only model that also handles 3.5" shells. i've been hunting/skeet shooting with 7 1/2 1oz shots.

I have learned to use just one choke. It makes it easier than changing around and having to adjust each time. I always use a full choke or at least 99% of the time. Once you get yourself dialed in your hit ratio goes way up. Not to mention you can shoot birds a bit further. Just the way I have learned. You know if you are shooting in front of them because they'll dive or put on the brakes if you shoot to close in front of them. Don't forget to follow through also pretty hard if you don't shoot all the time. I don't "aim" I just shoulder and follow the bird almost with my eyes almost like instinctive shooting. Again JME. You're gonna get lots of differing opinions and I'll probably take some flak lol but just using one choke takes a lot of elements of guess work out of it and I pretty much know where I need to be.

I use Steel full/ Lead imp. Modified choke for all my hunting. I would not use anything less than modified for hunting unless the birds are right in your face.

If you don't hunt much and don't have time to get dialed in, go with your IC and keep your shots within 35-40 yards. Also, newer hunters are almost always shooting behind birds when they miss.

Once you get dialed in there, step up to MOD or IMP MOD if you wish to shoot further out.

In my O/U I usually shoot IMP MOD and IC so I have a pretty good variation in range. If I'm shooting a single barrel I'm going with MOD.

Like Larry above said, I shoot Improved/Modified in my Over Under.

Way, way, way back when shotgun barrels didn't have interchangeable chokes, the general wisdom was "modified" for dove.

Maybe the polychoke needs to make a come back so you can quickly dial-a-choke in the field(?)

I would use IC. That's what I use. Only modified if windy and longer shots. I'll go cylinder if tight areas.

Studies show that if you shoot Behind your Target, Your NEVER going to hit it!! Just Saying.......

Mainly high flying white wings-modified, mainly mourning-imp cylinder.

I like light modified for dove.

Modified.

I grab a gun in the am, and dont even look whats in there.
Doves only need a couple pellets

I run light mod for dove and duck. Depending on the shotgun it’s either a patternmaster or Carlson’s.

I use IC all the time, never change chokes. I just keep my shots less than 50 yards. Most of my shots are 20 to 30 yards, IC is perfect for that.

Skeet/Improved if they are working close and if not Improved/Modified

Modified for most everything including dove.

Yep I/C for all my hunting. Dove, ducks. You can kill birds out to 35 yards consitantly when you become a decent shooter. Both barrels on my O/U 20g have I/C in it. I might....just might put a mod in one barrel late in the season. I would NEVER use a full choke on dove as I would like to eat my birds whole, not blown to bits.

never had a dove blown to bits lol. I have 45 brining now all clean

I use improved cylinder most of the season before I switch to modified. I am going to try out a new Carlson’s Light Modified this weekend for the South Opener.

Modified for everything including Turkey

Might help get things figured out a little sooner if you stepped up to 1 1/8 oz loads , then go to the 1 oz loads. Pattern you gun, that way you know if you're shooting high or low and can compensate. Then all you have to do is figure your lead, which may take a few shots at birds.

I also use I/C for pretty much everything.

Muller U2 with 1-1/8 loads gets me 35 yards as a sweet spot and I can reach out and touch birds at 55. That’s good enough for me

Kicks modified for everything here. If you're having trouble hitting birds and know you need practice, don't look at your choke for a problem. Just need to work on it more

A load of #8 will kill anything that flies out to 30 yds. coming out of a IC chock. Go to you tube and watch some of Gil Ash's videos. On doves most people shoot at birds way out of range. Sit still and don't mount your gun until the bird is in range and you might be surprised how much you will improve.