What are you taking opening day?

I torn between a relative new to me sweet 16, My trusty Browning model 12 20ga or a newly acquired Remington 1100 lt 20.

1100 Lt 20.

They really are great dove guns I had one in the past and traded it off and am glad to get this recent one in trade. I always half kiddingly claimed if you looked up dove gun in the dictionary a picture of a LT 20 1100 would pop up. I am sure mine will get used at some point but will it be opening day?. This is a fun decision to have.

Little dove hunting in my part of Wy. But in Dec. we may hit Az. for the second season..

Sept. 1 is the opener of forest grouse..

I have a Beretta A400 that I'm really starting to like .

Dove season? When they cross the Michigan state line they go from game bird to song bird. This is what happens when the liberals run schitt.

So that said I have a new 1100 Comp Synthetic that would make for a PERFECT dove gun, so if any of you northern IN guys have room for a Michigander let me know

This wouldn't suck either, 16 bore Citori Gran

28 gauge Browning Citori. 28 gauge was made for doves.

Passport had a citori 16 for a while. You are correct they are fine shotguns.

Agreed on the 28ga.

I'll be taking my Remington Sporting Clays 28ga 1100. It's deadly on Doves.

Either my AyA 28 or a Beretta 471 20, both SxS in case you're not familiar. And I'll be conflicted about the choice until go-time.

I just hope that the cool weather forecast for us next week doesn't move south the birds we do have at present.

12 ga Merkel model 8. 12 ga because I need all the lead in the air I can get.

Franchi Affinity 20ga. just reaffirmed patterning today.
BUT, its getting cold down my way...not a good sign.

Dove are targets of opportunity while grouse and partridge hunting.
SKB 500 20ga choked mod/full is what I will be carrying.

Snow in the Bridgers today, hopefully the dove don't leave.

Yep, I'll be out Sept 1 trying to shoot those flying liver snaps

Well whatever you choose be it a Holland $ Holland or a H&R topper take plenty of shells and have a great time.

mid 60s superposed in 20 that my father in law gave to my 2 year old son. It looks lonely in the safe.

I'll also shoot my citori in 12 gauge at a gnat shoot that is going on this weekend.

We don't have a lot of dove hunting opportunities in the heavily timbered Ozark mountains I call home. What few chances I get to go have caused me to really appreciate and enjoy dove hunting. I happen to have recently purchased an as new unfired 1968 Belgian Browning Auto Five 20 gauge with 28" vent rib modified choke barrel that would get the call if I were fortunate enough to get an opportunity.

This season, my Benelli Legacy 28 ga. is getting all the work.

Not enough Dove around here to bother getting the stamp but you can bet your sweet ass I'll be after the Grouse with my 20ga Merkel as soon as the Labor day crowd thins.

I'll take my Benelli M2 American.

9/1 opener. M1 S90, M870 field grade 12 with 26" VR Imp cyl, Jap Sweet 16, or a 20 ga Citori Lightning that should cover all contingencies but 1 the high pass shoot that I have a BPS 10 for. Have some 1 1/4oz 7 1/2's for that possibility. Don't knock it before you have tried it. Magnum Man

Beretta A400 xtreme with a briley improved modified. Steel 6's for doves and steel bb's for geese.

Fausti Velo made for Cable's. 20 guage o/u 28" barrels.

Ernie

Franchi Affinity 20ga.

Just bought the compact in Max 4 for my daughter but we bought an adult stock too. Picked up two flats of ammo today. Ready for 3 youth hunts starting next Sat.

Taking a new Benelli SBE II to break it in. Headed out in about 6 hours.

1100 LT 20 for me.

My son is nearly bursting for the morning hunt. He's five and can't wait. This dad thing is OK.

Being a 76 y.o. Smart a$$, I took a model 42 Winchester (modified choke) .410 that I bought about ten years ago, patterned a few loads, shot a couple of nuisance birds, and put it up. My patterning and penetration on pine boards led me to believe that #8 or 8.5 target loads with the hard shot out performed the 3" 7.5 softer shot. I'm on blood thinners and bruise easily. It didn't happen this opener.

I took it and the 8.5 target loads and was pleasantly surprised. I did not try long shots. Most successful shots were within 25 steps with a couple of lucky ones around 30. I ran right at 50%. Not too bad for an old fart that sees dove (actually a couple of irregular shaped floaters) when none are there. These floaters allow dove to slip in on me sometimes, when I think I'm seeing floaters.

Enough whizz and moan. I only want a limit and then the AC back at the lodge. I can't recall a more enjoyable opener. I plan to take it again this week-end. If it continues to make me happy, happy, happy, I may cancel my itch for a Legacy 28 ga. Daughter and S I L both shoot them and love them. I'm pretty sure that as the birds become more wary, I may need heavier equipment. I have a couple of nice twentys. A friend showed up with a Beretta SP IV in .410 bore. He is an expert shot gunner. He also prefers the target loads.

Hope you had even more fun than I did. BTW, we also took out two rattlesnakes and neither rattled. Some theorize that they have quit (evolution ?) sounding off because if a hog hears one, the snake gets eaten. Hogs love them and the fatty flesh seems to make the venom ineffective. We got hogs!

Best wishes,

Jack

Being a son of the south I always looked forward to the opening day of dove season in the Carolinas.
There were some hunts that were more of a social event, people would do a "pig pickin" before hand and we'd then go shoot birds after lunch.

Nothing like sitting on a recently cut milo field near a water hole with several boxes of shells.

Here in MI they think they're a song bird, when I see them I think breasts wrapped in peppered bacon on the grill finished with a dab of BBQ sauce.

I do get my dove fix when I go home each fall so all is not lost.

Have a great opening day, be safe.

SC