Shooting dove while duck hunting

I'm curious how many people bring out some smaller steel shot when they're duck hunting and drop of few doves at the same time. Sounds like a solid idea. I find a lot of doves buzzing by me at some of my duck spots.

#6 or 7.5 steel kills 'em dead..

I have killed them while Teal hunting with #6s

Kill them with #4s. It isnt that big of a deal.

After open weekend I normally lose interest in dove and just get all wrapped up in killing duck. I don't think I have shot one dove on my duck lease, but seen plenty fly over while duck hunting. I should shoot more dove while duck hunting, normally got #4 so I little big for dove. I guess I don't want to waste a 3 inch shell on a dove either.

Take two guns with you. I do it all the time. Having a backup also is never a bad idea.

I don't know about hauling an extra boomstick with me. I like to pack out pretty light. But bringing an extra half a box of #6 is something I should probably start doing.

I've been using steel 6s for early teal the last 3-4 years. 6s will really do a number on dove a ways out there. Nice puff on impact.

So what shells are everyone buying for steel #6s? I've only every tried the Winchester Super X #6 Steel and I wasn't really impressed.

Rios for me

2 3/4 federal blue box. 1 1/8oz sixes.

I've been pretty impressed. It's about like shooting 1oz of lead 7.5s in performance.

^^^ This

You will end up with a bigger hole in the breast than you're used to seeing, but it all grills up the same.

It doesn't remove any meat, it just puts a hole in it. I don't really care if it has a hole in it or not.

So far as wasting a shell, I don't see it that way and I am super cheap. If you were to ask me to trade a box of $7 Remington steel shot shells for a limit of doves, I would take that trade right now.

I just use a green laser to blind them, then I just stick my hat out and they fly right into it. Easy as pie.

Absolutely!

This ^! I've always thought about shooting dove when a teal hunt gets slow but really I don't think I done it once in my life. For me dove is what you shoot when duck season has not started. Clearly for most "hunters" dove season is pretty much what they shoot before deer season starts. Then you have those guys that are not really hunters but they go dove hunting a couple times a year as a social deal with friends. I like dove hunting myself for the social aspects of it but I don't get too fired up about it these days. I can have just as much fun sitting on the tailgate watching others shoot while I take down a cold beer.

I tell ya another thing with me, I don't want to flare ducks shooting dove. I'm trying to sit still duck hunting, and of course it never fails, as soon as you move to take a piss, scratch your butt, or whatever, that is right when the ducks come. I suspect this applies to shooting dove, the second you raise up to shoot a dove, you just flared that big flock of bwt you been waiting on all morning.

Sigh. I do the reverse. I shoot errant ducks while hunting doves. During Teal season I switch to non-tox in case a BWT decides to take a nap at the dove pond.

I always bring a supply of steel #6's and #7's. During duck season I will go for the duck limit first, then chase down my dove limit. Have killed a lot of dove with steel #4's too, both high and low brass shells.

[quote=luisfigo]Sigh. I do the reverse. I shoot errant ducks while hunting doves. During Teal season I switch to non-tox in case a BWT decides to take a nap at the dove pond. [/quote

I do the same. During early teal I'll hunt dove with #6 or #7.5 steel and down the occasional teal that happens by. I also switch from a modified to an improved cylinder choke during early teal. Steel tends to pattern through a modified like a full in my shotgun. Through the improved cylinder choke it patterns more closely to a modified.

Slow Drifter, teal were landing on my head on opening day of ... dove... They seem to know when it is safe to do it. One weekend I went fancy with some Heavy Metal...those were some expensive doves...

I take a second gun with me.
Very light 870 kidsgun 20 gauge with nr 7,5 steel.

Truer words were never spoken.

First Saturday of September last year. dove smack down in progress and a group of 15 BWT land in the center of the pond. Not less than 9 guys hunting for dove around the pond.

BWT stay on the pond. Joined by two GWT about 15 minutes later. They hung out until a dog went after a dove that had landed in the pond.

Same pond, the first morning of teal season one week later. A single GWT came in right at legal. We didn't shoot because we figured the rest would be along shortly.

That was the only teal I saw all teal season.

Same happened to me on opening day of early teal. One landed and swam around for an hour. His friends never showed up. I sneaked around the pond to flare him in my friend's direction. He took three shots at him, then he turned my way and I downed him. Probably due to a heart attack from the commotion. Of course, dove were gliding in non-stop when we were holding out for teal, then disappeared when we went to "if it flies" mode

Doubtful

The ballistics tables pretty much agree with that comparison.

I'd rather shoot steel for dove and lead for duck. I've never found a comparison to 1.25oz of lead 5s other than tungsten pellets.

Last year I toyed with having a 7.5 steel load as my first shot. Worked great with decoying teal, but usually had to follow up on bigger ducks. If I am at a spot that has doves, I bring a box of 7.5 steel to shoot doves after getting my limit of ducks. I mainly hunt public now and steel is mandatory for everything. The Winchester 7.5 steel I shoot now does very well. I am sure it isn't as effective as lead, but a lot better comparison now than it was 10 years ago.

You bet!