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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 582
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 582 |
On our lease a little NE of Midland, the mornings were (and typically are) a little slow, but the evening shoots fantastic. Waves and waves of birds, mostly mourning and a lot of youngsters.
Mike
Tolerance: the abolition of absolutes
Consistency is the currency of credibility
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,698 Likes: 99
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,698 Likes: 99 |
Opening day in GA finally arrived. I had decided to shoot my doves this year with a fine old W&C Scott and Son hammergun. I've shot lots of targets with the gun but this afternoon's dove shoot with it was the first time on game and it about whipped my butt. I managed a limit but it took two full boxes of RST 2.5" low pressure (and all afternoon)to do it. On targets I pull the hammers back before calling for the claybird. This afternoon I had to pull the hammer as the shot presented and that was just enough to rattle my timing. I never did manage to pull the 2nd hammer for a followup when I missed though I did manage to get a couple of doubles when I had time to pull both hammers to some far out incomers. My thumb's sore but I plan to use the Scott again tomorrow afternoon...Geo
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,126 Likes: 1126
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,126 Likes: 1126 |
Great shoot for us this afternoon. Grandson Jackson, 11, took 11 doves on the wing towards a limit. I got my 15 bird limit with the Yildiz .410 S x S again. We didn't even go to the field until 4:00 p.m. Worked out just about right, as the birds were just beginning to feed good.
I am about to post a full report on the ongoing thread "The Dove Field Chronicles", which I began back in April, I think, to show the full extent of planting, growing and shooting a sunflower field for dove shooting.
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 301 Likes: 76
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 301 Likes: 76 |
The Sept. 1 opener found a motley crew of worldly Wingshooters in my den before dawn in anticipation of a new season. This year it was my frequent guest from the North Country , a pair of dedicated Woodcock and Grouse scholars, a fine friend from Costal Ca. Ranch Country, and the Long legged Oklahoma Gun Peddler, who many of those here know well. A Fine opening it was. Great Shooting, good food and ample libations to go with the stories and gun talk. A week plus into the Texas season still finds Abundant birds on the Rolling Plains area of West Central Texas. I have shot every day, and we are alternating between two large fields of native sunflowers here on the ranch. The water hole shooting, as painted by nearly every wildlife artist past and present (none of whom have exceeded John Cowan's original rendition) has been Excellent as well. Even on days that I have gotten back to the ranch late for a field shoot the water holes have provided superb 7:00 pm shoots. I intend to indulge this afternoon as well. Good Shooting to all,
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,126 Likes: 1126
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,126 Likes: 1126 |
mel5141,
I shore would like to see some pictures of the dove areas ya'll shoot. Especially the waterholes.
I shoot small waterholes here. Are you talking about ground water holes, or stock tanks (as in metal tanks)?
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,074 Likes: 441
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,074 Likes: 441 |
Went out at 230 pm Saturday and was finished by 4 pm. When I came out, a man was sitting under the pecans with a broken Remington 1148. He took my Ithaca M37 16 gauge and came in an hour and half later with a limit. Stan, that's confidence not going out until 4 pm. My Mojo drew them in like a magnet. I had it up 12' off the ground and it made a big difference in flight patterns.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,126 Likes: 1126
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,126 Likes: 1126 |
Mojos are awesome at times. We had so many birds Saturday that I didn't even put mine up, or use any still decoys. Just didn't need to.
When I finished my limit of 15 I picked up my .410 hulls. There were 28 of them. If I could just make myself quit shooting at those 40 yard birds with that little gun my average would go way up. Finally settled down, after missing a few that were too long, and tried to be patient and wait on those close birds to shoot. Inside 30 yards that 11/16 oz. load is not much of a handicap. Outside 35 it starts getting mighty sketchy.
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,074 Likes: 441
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,074 Likes: 441 |
Stan, that's outstanding shooting something I am capable of only in my dreams. Gil
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,062 Likes: 563
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,062 Likes: 563 |
I burned a pile of shells as well, but I was switching back and forth from side by side to a pump and there are some minor mental adjustments that need to be made. What I found is that my English 16 needs to be bent just a bit to keep this southpaw from shooting a bit right of the target (and that is in the works as we speak). The pumpgun mafia that surrounded me in the dove field applauded my defection, reminding me on several ocations that "pumpguns are the only truly American shotgun". I'm not at all sure about that, but I can say that I had a great deal of fun anyway. Is it a sin to love them both?
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 890
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 890 |
Texas Panhandle....any waterhole will attract doves and a few mojo decoys are just magnets for doves. Today was the 410's day to play. DeHaan S2 with 30" IC&M barrels and Remington's 2.5" Sporting load of 1/2oz of 8's.
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