Want to improve your dove hunts this fall? Josh Honeycutt recommends these simple, effective tips.

The hot summer days are winding down, and as they grow shorter, we know it’s time to head afield with shotguns, shells and 5-gallon buckets. It’s time to dove hunt. Here are some tips to kick it off right.

Use the right shotgun

Having a shotgun that fits is important. Find the right gauge, length of pull and overall fit. Don’t know what’s best for you? Go to the local trap range to see if they have different models you can try out.

Use the correct choke

Some dove hunters use a really tight choke. I’ve found that to be a mistake. First, close-range shots become very difficult. Second, if you do hit, it can decimate the bird at close range. It’s best to use either a modified or improved cylinder choke tube.

Master the stance

Knowing what gun to use and how to hold it isn’t enough. Get your feet right, too. Everything from your toes to your fingers should follow quality shooting form. The same is true for those who like to shoot doves from a bucket seat.

Shoot the optimal shot

The optimal shot size for doves is bigger than you might think. Rather than using smaller shot sizes, go with a No. 5 or 6 instead. These retain more energy, and work well at both close and long range.

Scout aplenty

If you want to have a good dove hunt, put in the work. Finding doves is half the battle, and that requires glassing fields, food plots, ponds, power lines, gravel areas and other places these speedy birds hang out.

Knock on doors

If you don’t already have good dove ground, and you don’t want to take the time to spice up your property with dove-centric plantings such as sunflowers, there are only two options. First, fight the crowds at public dove fields. Or second, start knocking on doors. Use a hunting app, such as HuntStand, to verify landowner information and property lines.

Plant a plot

Putting in a good dove plot is a surefire way of drawing some doves, but don’t expect it to happen overnight. It takes time for these nomadic animals to find what you plant for them, especially in the first year.

Consider the crops

Doves are migratory, but once they find a good spot, they generally stick to it until the food is gone. Cut corn, oats, sorghum, sunflowers, wheat and other options are all solid bets for finding hordes of mourning and white-winged doves.

Weigh the water

Oftentimes, doves head to water very early and late in the day. This can make for a great multi-stage strategy. Hunt over water very early and late, and hunt over the food the rest of the day.

Focus on hotspots

Anyone who finds a field with plenty of action will see concentrated activity in certain areas. These hotspots often look different from field to field, but typically, field corners, tree lines, isolated trees, power lines and other perches serve as hubs for flying doves.

Find the fly zones

Another commonality is that birds seem to follow similar flight patterns in the field. This can be because they’re flaring from hunters throughout the area. But more often, these are the straightest routes between roost locations, food sources, water sources and loafing areas.

Perfect the hide

Doves have good eyes; hiding from them is important. Wearing good camo helps, but finding a good spot to sit and blend into the surroundings is equally crucial. For those who plant food plots, seeding some Egyptian wheat around the edges offers an incredible hide, and works just fine for concealing shotgunners.

Deploy the dekes

While it isn’t the same as seeing a cupped duck land in the spread, deploying dove decoys is effective. It will help draw them in a little closer for the shot, or perhaps draw attention away from you as you shoulder, aim and shoot.

Mark your ranges

Top-end dove setups offer plenty of advantages, including marked yardages. Use different colored flagging for 10, 20, 30 and 40 yards. Place these in each safe shooting lane.

Know the hold

Learning the right lead is an important aspect of dove hunting. If the bird is flying directly away, hold directly below it. If the bird is flying toward you, aim just above it. If it’s descending toward the ground, hold just below it. If it’s moving left or right, do the same: Lead that bird. When doves are somewhere in-between these directions, split the difference between the two most-associated hold options.

Eyes on the prize

People oftentimes put their primary focus on the bead and use their peripheral vision to track doves during the shot process. Instead, shooters should do exactly the opposite, and use their peripheral vision for the bead, while focusing on the dove.

Swing through the shot

Those who want to limit out on doves instead of burning through boxes of shells should focus their attention on executing a good shooting form. Having a good stance and following proper shouldering protocol isn’t enough. Making sure you swing through the shot is crucial, too. The gun muzzle should be in motion before, during and after the trigger pull. Don’t pull off until the bird begins falling.

Don’t shoot the flock

When large groups of doves fly past, rookie dove hunters are known for shooting at the group, rather than picking out a single bird. Quite frankly, this will almost always result in missing birds. Focus on one member of the flock, drop that bird, and then go to the next one.

Be safe

No matter the stage of your dove hunt, always be safe. This is a group activity; ensuring the safety of yourself and others is very important. Don’t endanger yourself or anyone else.

P.S.: Stop poppin’ the power lines

You’ve seen it, and if not in person, a video of it. Someone shot at a bird sitting atop a power line, and that isn’t cool. It produces a lot of unnecessary work for electric company crews. Not to mention the serious safety hazards of a dropped line. It’s not good for anyone. Just don’t do it.

For more information on how to prepare before you hunt, read the fall issues of MidWest Outdoors, available by subscribing on our website.