Acrylic Duck Calls » Shell shot size and Duck Loads http://acrylicduckcalls.com A site dedicated to the great sport of duck hunting Fri, 28 Oct 2011 02:39:33 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Best Choke For Dove Hunting? http://acrylicduckcalls.com/motion-decoys/best-choke-for-dove-hunting/175 http://acrylicduckcalls.com/motion-decoys/best-choke-for-dove-hunting/175#comments Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:52:26 +0000 Darin http://acrylicduckcalls.com/?p=175 As I was duck hunting yesterday over my Mojo Dove decoy, I began pondering what is the ideal choke for hunting doves? Notoriously hard to hit, the mourning dove is a very sporting bird to hunt as well as often lending ample opportunities to shoot.
The two things that need to be taken into consideration here is shot size and choke combination. Any time you are targeting smaller birds in the air it pays to downsize your shot size. When it comes to doves, however, most people are shooting the same thing - 8 shot. I would definitely recommend shooting 8's or 9's when targeting doves. Give that shot size, the choke now is front and center. After much reading and noting impacts in the field I say a modified choke is the way to go for doves. Smaller birds require tighter patterns to ensure hits when you are on target. There is nothing worse than being perfectly centered on a bird only to watch it continue flying due to insufficient pattern density. I have witnessed skeet and improved cylinder having this exact affect on doves.
I suggest you try a modified choke next time you are chasing doves. Use the same thinking pattern in if you are targeting teal vs. mallards and geese.

]]> http://acrylicduckcalls.com/motion-decoys/best-choke-for-dove-hunting/175/feed 0 What steel shot size for ducks should I use? http://acrylicduckcalls.com/shell-shot-size-and-duck-loads/what-steel-shot-size-for-ducks-should-i-use/124 http://acrylicduckcalls.com/shell-shot-size-and-duck-loads/what-steel-shot-size-for-ducks-should-i-use/124#comments Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:17:19 +0000 Darin http://acrylicduckcalls.com/?p=124 Since the move away from lead, duck hunters have been faced with the problem of matching the right steel load with their gun to effectively down ducks.  Thankfully the steel shot of yesteryear has been replaced with much higher quality loads on the market today.

To me it comes down to two things: speed and shot size.  I am a big proponent of fast steel.  I've seen the difference it makes when hunting ducks.  I consider anything over 1,500 feet per second to be "fast steel".  I only shoot steel that travels faster than 1,500 fps.  I have found the Winchester Xpert shells traveling at 1,550 to work quite well, despite their relative bargain price.  But enough about speed, you came here expecting a post on shot size.  Well my unscientific response is 2 shot.  I have run the full gamut of shot sizes over the years trying to find the "perfect" duck load.  I have used as small as 6 shot for teal over decoys to as large as BBB.  My experience has shown me that you can kill ducks with the smaller shot, but it will also lead to more cripples and birds that keep on flying.  For this reason I have settled on 2 shot.  When I hit a duck I want that duck to come down, there is nothing worse than being centered on a duck and watching it fly away hurt but not much worse for wear.  2 shot has been very good in this regard.

I encourage you to take some 2 shot to the duck blind with you the next time you are out.  I think you will notice an improved kill rate if you have been using smaller shot sizes.

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