Dove season only two weeks away getting the Beretta 686 O&U 28 ga ready and going to trying the Fiocchi 3/4 oz #8 high speed loads this year. Can't wait and hoping for good weather Sept. one.

i'm with ya bud. my absolute fav hunt of the year! gonna try some Rio 1oz 8 shot in the Franchi Affinity 20ga on opening day.
good luck buddy,
Big Ed

you to old man hope you kill your limit

I'm ready here in north TX!!!
I'm going with WW AA Heavy Target with 1 ounce of shot in my new Benelli 20 ga auto. I'm still debating between 7.5 or 8 shot though.

I had good luck with the Rio # 8 shot in my 28 gauge 870 Rem. Pump on dove and quail last year.

i used Winchester AA heavy target last year to good effect. last year was the first yr in many that i shot a 20ga almost exclusively for doves and i had a blast,pun intended ha!
i like the 1oz load of #8 out of a inertia 20ga gun. makes it cycle w/o fail imho. bought my 13 yr old son a Franchi Affinity compact in 20ga cause i liked mine so much. we will give the Rio's i try but i still have 4 or so boxes of Win AA heavy target left over that will thump em for sure.

Double opener here...Dove and forest Grouse!!!

Fiocchi have worked so great in my 12 and 16 ga's going to see how they will do in my 28 gs

Cuz got drawn for day 1, I got drawn for day 2 (never have we both drawn). I had a streak yrs ago........drawn every yr, day 1 or 2, and pick number was very good. Then I got nuthin'. He had a good streak of getting drawn, pick order sometimes good, sometimes not.

So on our favorite F&W area, we will be up for the two draw days. If birds around, go up and try to get in on regular day 3.

Got a beater 1100 to take

Last yr his streak ended..........we didn't get drawn. Work, didn't make it up til day 5..........and all birds gone.

I ran Superhandicap AA 7.5 or Sporting clays in my dad's 1100 Trap or my 1100 magnum. Worked great (but F&W areas non toxic, so only ran those rigs on private ground last few yrs).
Way back I liked the WW Expert 7.5's in a 20 ga 870 Special Field. Wish I still had that gun. Not ideal for doves but it worked well once I learned to not hurry the little rig.

Will feed my 20 gauge Ugartechia SxS a diet of Fiocchi Golden Pheasant 7.5. Found these pattern best in my uggie. Damn I can't wait, shot long range next to the orchards last week and saw tons of birds.

Golden Pheasant are the best shot shells i have ever used but hard on the pocket book and shoulder for doves

Just bought cases of 5's, 6's and 7.5's for the 20 gauge. You are right not cheap.

I use these for Pheasants in SD in my 16 ga SXS

Shells are important, but so is the Thermacell, Excedrin Migraine and Jug o Water.
Start 'em before you feel the need.

Looking forward to it here in Arkansas. I planted 10 acres of Sunflowers last May. Have had birds all year until the last few days. I guess a weather change caused them to move. It happened last year and we had the best hunt ever, so heres to hoping. I'll be using Fiocchi this year, the 1-1/4 oz load. One more week!

Season starts Friday here in TX! Hope we still have some birds after the Hurricane.

Yep. Friday is a go for me here in KS.

Place we had picked out just got plowed under.....
Time for plan B

That sucks

I've been busting ring-neck doves for weeks already and my shoulder is blue. LOTS of those eurasian birds this year. Been fun and the best I have enjoyed in a long time.

Had 15 down an hour after sunrise. It was a pretty good day. Hoping for the same tomorrow.

Slow for the first hour but three of us were all limited out by 9:00. New 16ga AYA SXS was a bunch of fun to shoot.

Unusually slow here. Half as much shooting as normal opener. My usual field was off limits due to flood damage, and it is right on a river. Field hunted was a stretch from water. Pretty good back up field normally, but I think the heat had them hugging water pretty close...

Going up to Idaho tomorrow to visit family. Hope for better results in the old stomping grounds...

Had a good morning in Central Texas. A "few" misses with a new to me 1960 Sweet 16.

one of the worst opening day i have had in a TWRA field . 6.5 hours of baking in the Sun and only had two doves out of range fly over. Maybe better next time.

Only 13 for me but my pard got all 15.... best opener we've had in years.

Harvey blew birds away

Not many birds here in N. Tx today. Got a few. Got to finally try out my new Benelli Monafeltro II 20 gauge. Absolutely Love It!!! It's so light and swings like a breeze. No recoil at all with the Winchester AA Super Target 1 ounce load.

Another limit this morning, all before the really big flights came in to drink. It was cool watching them all come in, even though I was already done shooting. I could have burned up a shotgun trying to keep them out of the tank.

8 yesterday evening between the wife and I. Probably didn't see 25 total, pretty poor for a SW OK opener, had some real barrel melters over the years.
Going to look for greener pastures this evening, hopefully get a little better shoot in. Picked a gallon of okra in the garden this morning so we'll have a heck of a feed if we can scratch together some more birds to go with it.

Heading out in 15 mins. Hotter than hell the last week but what the hell.

Limited out this evening, my shooting partner took only 2. Wondering about his ammo. He usually does much better than that.