Hydration, Chokes, and Decoys for Dove Hunters with Marty Fischer
John E. Phillips 09.26.13
Author’s note: Marty Fischer, the host of TNT Outdoor Explosion on the Pursuit Channel, a professional wingshooter, a National Sporting Clays Association Level III shooting instructor, and a longtime Mossy Oak Pro Staff member, has designed more than 150 sporting clay facilities. Here are his tips for taking more doves.
Stay hydrated
Many hunters overlook the fact that if you are not sufficiently hydrated, you won’t shoot as accurately as you can. Also, if you are taking a retrieving dog with you to the dove field, it’s important to take water for the dog. Early season dove hunting, especially in the South, usually occurs when the region has really hot days. Water is the easiest hydration solution but sports drinks can also be beneficial to the dove hunter.
There is another product that I use a lot that has really helped me over the years. It is called PowerGel, made by PowerBar. I was introduced to this product by a fishing guide who also hunts pheasant out in Nebraska. The weather was really cold, and we were probably about a half-mile from our truck. After a hard day of hunting, my blood sugar went off a cliff. I normally don’t have any problem with my blood sugar, but on this day I did. All I had was some water to drink. My guide suggested, “Here take this. Squirt this down your throat and then take a big drink of water and you will be okay.” Within five minutes of taking the PowerGel and washing it down with water, I felt like I could run a marathon. There are all types of products like this on the market that long-distance runners use quite a bit.
Proper choke size
In the early season, you will be harvesting many young doves. Their feathers are not nearly as thick, nor are the doves as big as the birds you will take later in the season. So I advise using a choke with a fairly open pattern. You are not trying to disintegrate the dove, you are just putting enough pellets to quickly, cleanly, and efficiently bring it down. During the early season, I use either an improved cylinder choke or barrel, or a light modified choke. These two chokes are very efficient from 20 to about 32 yards away. During the early season, most of the shots that dove hunters take will be within that range. If the dove comes closer than 20 yards, the choke you use won’t matter much because the pattern is still going to be tight. Chokes start to perform at distances from about 20 to 35 yards.
Later in the season, I move up one choke tighter and sometimes use a modified choke since the doves are bigger and stronger. The wind also tends to blow more later in the season, so the doves tend to be spookier, and generally food sources are father apart. The doves in late winter are usually much more difficult to take than they are earlier in the season. That’s why I use a tighter choke. I assume my shots later in the season will be farther away from me than they had been earlier.
Proper shot size
During the early season, I shoot No. 8 shot. Later in the season, I shoot No. 7-1/2-shot. I don’t really think you need to increase your shot size to No. 6 in the late season because usually No. 7-1/2-shot will down a dove out to 45 yards. If you are taking shots from more than 45 yards, you are just guessing as to whether you can down them or not.
One good exercise is to step off the yardage from your stand site out to 45 yards. When you see how far 45 yards actually is, you’ll better understand how hard it is to see a dove in flight at that distance. Oftentimes, you will hear dove hunters brag “I downed that bird at 60 or 70 yards.” But rarely will those same hunters step off the yardage to know exactly how far the dove was from them.
The importance of decoys
I think dove decoys are great. I think a spinning-wing decoy, like the type that MOJO makes, is even better because doves are attracted to the motion. When doves are flying into a field, they are looking down to decide where they want to go. If they see movement that is uncommon or unnatural (like a hunter moving), they will be alerted and often veer away from that movement. However, if they see movement that is natural, like a spinning-wing dove decoy, they will come closer to get a better look. I have found that dove decoys can be very effective, and spinning-wing dove decoys tend to be the most effective for drawing in doves.
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John, the 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the year and the 2007 Legendary Communicator chosen for induction into the National Fresh Water Hall of Fame, is a freelance writer (over 6,000 magazine articles for about 100 magazines and several thousand newspaper columns published), magazine editor, photographer for print media as well as industry catalogues (over 25,000 photos published), lecturer, outdoor consultant, marketing consultant, book author and daily internet content provider with an overview of the outdoors.
Phillips has been a contributor to many national magazines, has been affiliated with 27 radio stations across Alabama serving as their outdoor editor and wrote for a weekly syndicated column, "Alabama Outdoors," for 38-Alabama newspapers for more than 13 years. Phillips was Outdoor Editor for the "Birmingham Post-Herald" for 24 years. Phillips was also the executive editor for "Great Days Outdoors" magazine for 3 years.
The author of almost 30 books on the outdoors, Phillips is a founding member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) and an active member of the Southeastern Outdoors Press Association (SEOPA). Phillips also is the owner of Night Hawk Publications, a marketing and publishing firm, and president of Creative Concepts, an outdoor consulting group.
Phillips conducts seminars across the nation at colleges in freelance writing, photography and outdoor education besides teaching courses in how to sell what you write to writers' groups. Phillips received his photography training as a still-lab photo specialist for six years in the Air Force. He was the chief photographer for Mannequins, Inc., a Birmingham modeling agency, for 11 years.
While serving as 2nd Vice President of the Alabama Wildlife Federation, Phillips was in charge of all press releases for the organization as well as serving as Chairman of Alabama's Big Buck Contest, which he founded more than 30 years ago. He also was president of the Alabama Sportsman's Association for three years.
Phillips is the recipient of a Certificate of Merit from the Governor of Alabama and the Department of Conservation for his work in the outdoor field. Phillips is vitally interested in the outdoors and travels the nation collecting personalities, stories and how-to information for his articles and features.
EDUCATION: B.S. degree from the University of West Alabama with a physical education major and a history minor.
EXPERIENCE: 10 years parttime and fulltime physical director for YMCAs and 34 years as a freelance writer, photographer, editor, book author, lecturer and daily-content provider for websites. Currently, Phillips is a field editor for Game and Fish Publications; serves on the editorial board of Grandview Media; is a regular contributor to 12 internet magazines and a daily content provider for 8 websites.
WRITING AWARDS: Runnerup - Best Outdoor Magazine Feature - 1981 - SEOPA; Certificate of Merit - Awarded by Alabama's Governor for writings on conservation; Most Outstanding Sports Writer in Southeast - 1983 & 1984; Best Outdoor Feature in Alabama, 1987 - Alabama Sportswriters' Association 3rd Place; Best Book of the Year - 1989 - SEOPA; 2007 - inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Communicator; 2008 - received award naming him 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the Year from the Crossbow Manufacturers' Association; 2009 - GAMMA Honorable Mention for Consumer/Paid Best Essay for July/August 2008 in "Southern Sporting Journal."
