Goodbye to the shotgun days

[Havana Dude]

I long for the days of hoarding a few boxes of dove ammo for that first day of dove opener, or a day at the range setting clays free from their cardboard enclosure, half of which met their demise when they hit the ground. There was a time when most turned to dust in mid air. Afraid those days are over, at least for me. Dove shoots, for me, have largely disappeared. I suppose I could shell out a couple hunnit, for a limit of bacon wrapped dove on the grill, but anymore, that just seems like a ridiculous idea. I could get a box of clays I guess, and sling them for myself, but my old shoulder would probably not appreciate it. This isn’t a whining post, just an observation from someone who is aging, and whose priorities are evolving. Fond memories of a group of us guys slinging clays for each other, or shooting up a public dove field. I’m no better than anyone on this planet, but the way things have turned, I have no desire to share a field with folks I don’t know. I share my thought for the younger crowd. Enjoy your days afield every chance you get. Take advantage of every sit at a dove field you can. Take your boy, or your girl, like I did. Enjoy the time you have with them. I wish I had a pic of the stool I made for my boy to sit on while we shot dove. He was a little guy, so that’s why I didn’t get him a regular stool. I fashioned an old paint bucket with a home made camo cushion seat, that he carried proudly, with BB gun in hand. Time flies boys( young men) enjoy your season( of life).

 

[Lilly001]

I spent many a day and untold quantities of shot gun shells hunting those birds that can fly with their hearts shot out.
And many a $ for the shotgun that would finally be the answer to my missing woes.
But it’s been years since I have seriously hunted for doves.
Maybe it’s time for me to try again?

 

[kmckinnie]

I can’t even find a box of 20ga close around here. Oh well. ?

 

[Gator89]

I bought a battery powered thrower last year and Bass Pro usually has some target ammo.

 

[Semi-Pro]

I long for the days of hoarding a few boxes of dove ammo for that first day of dove opener, or a day at the range setting clays free from their cardboard enclosure, half of which met their demise when they hit the ground. There was a time when most turned to dust in mid air. Afraid those days are over, at least for me. Dove shoots, for me, have largely disappeared. I suppose I could shell out a couple hunnit, for a limit of bacon wrapped dove on the grill, but anymore, that just seems like a ridiculous idea. I could get a box of clays I guess, and sling them for myself, but my old shoulder would probably not appreciate it. This isn’t a whining post, just an observation from someone who is aging, and whose priorities are evolving. Fond memories of a group of us guys slinging clays for each other, or shooting up a public dove field. I’m no better than anyone on this planet, but the way things have turned, I have no desire to share a field with folks I don’t know. I share my thought for the younger crowd. Enjoy your days afield every chance you get. Take advantage of every sit at a dove field you can. Take your boy, or your girl, like I did. Enjoy the time you have with them. I wish I had a pic of the stool I made for my boy to sit on while we shot dove. He was a little guy, so that’s why I didn’t get him a regular stool. I fashioned an old paint bucket with a home made camo cushion seat, that he carried proudly, with BB gun in hand. Time flies boys( young men) enjoy your season( of life).

I've seen many old men wearing them out with an old .410 may be time to go that route

 

[Baroque Brass]

I've seen many old men wearing them out with an old .410 may be time to go that route

.410 shells are as scarce as rainbow unicorns and stupid expensive if you can find them. Even field loads for 12 and 20 gauge are $10 a box. Kinda takes the fun out of a few rounds of clays.

 

[transfixer]

My first exposure to hunting as a youngster was on a dove hunt, there was a small farm a guy raised cattle on not far from where we lived, I went to school with the guys grandson, cost $5 a person to hunt opening day in his pastures, used to go in the afternoon after school for free, I think it went up to $10 for opening day before he quit having hunts, no sure why he quit.

my Dad and I went on a couple of opening day hunts in middle ga a few times, I think the most we paid was something like $25 ? this was all in the 80's, when the hunts got to be $50 , $75 a day, and the fields were over crowded we quit,,

I always preferred hunting a normal cattle farm over a prepared field, just seemed more natural to me.

the way dove hunts are done these days I have zero interest in going

 

[Semi-Pro]

.410 shells are as scarce as rainbow unicorns and stupid expensive if you can find them. Even field loads for 12 and 20 gauge are $10 a box. Kinda takes the fun out of a few rounds of clays.

You can get the federal bulk packs for about $24 for 100 that's about $6 a box. I've seen .410 everywhere from $14-15 box

 

[Big7]

.410 shells are as scarce as rainbow unicorns and stupid expensive if you can find them. Even field loads for 12 and 20 gauge are $10 a box. Kinda takes the fun out of a few rounds of clays.

Before Dove season last year the ONLY shotgun shells I could find were plain white box Winchester #7. Not 7 1/2 but #7.. First I'd ever seen of that.

Anyhow. They were 100$ a case. Still have about half a case but I didn't even bother this year.

Last year was my first hunting public dove fields.
Dissatisfied and disappointed do not begin to describe.

Guess my "shotguning" days are pretty much over too.

Biggest problem with that is I own a bunch of them and not sure how to part with them without losing my tail. Nephews prolly will sell them before I'm in the ground good.

 

[Baroque Brass]

You can get the federal bulk packs for about $24 for 100 that's about $6 a box. I've seen .410 everywhere from $14-15 box

That’s different from what I’ve seen. Where are you finding them?

 

[Baroque Brass]

Before Dove season last year the ONLY shotgun shells I could find were plain white box Winchester #7. Not 7 1/2 but #7.. First I'd ever seen of that.

Anyhow. They were 100$ a case. Still have about half a case but I didn't even bother this year.

Last year was my first hunting public dove fields.
Dissatisfied and disappointed do not begin to describe.

Guess my "shotguning" days are pretty much over too.

Biggest problem with that is I own a bunch of them and not sure how to part with them without losing my tail. Nephews prolly will sell them before I'm in the ground good.

Quality shotguns bring a nice price and there are folks willing to pay. I have a friend that collects Ruger Red Label if you happen to know of one for sale.

 

[Baroque Brass]

Dove season brings fond memories for several decades. As a kid, I had a .410 single shot and couldn’t hit squat. One day I actually had a dove fly into the shot I put out there and I couldn’t have been more proud! That old Revelation .410 was bad news for squirrels. I got it for Christmas when I was 13 and I still have it. Still works good on limb rats.

 

[longrangedog]

Last dove hunt for me was a pay hunt in a Bartow County sunflower field. Got there early morning to claim a spot and left after leaving my stool on the big round hay bale where I wanted to shoot. When I came back my stool was gone and the hay bales had been moved. Didn't require a detective to figure out that the bale that had much more space around it was the culprit. He denied taking my stool. Turns out the guy was also a low bird shooter. When I protested a low bird shot he fired in my direction his response was "don't worry I won't shoot you". My day was ruined before the birds started flying and after paying $125 for the shoot. No more pay shoots for me.

 

[transfixer]

Last dove hunt for me was a pay hunt in a Bartow County sunflower field. Got there early morning to claim a spot and left after leaving my stool on the big round hay bale where I wanted to shoot. When I came back my stool was gone and the hay bales had been moved. Didn't require a detective to figure out that the bale that had much more space around it was the culprit. He denied taking my stool. Turns out the guy was also a low bird shooter. When I protested a low bird shot he fired in my direction his response was "don't worry I won't shoot you". My day was ruined before the birds started flying and after paying $125 for the shoot. No more pay shoots for me.

what you describe is the very reason I will not go to pay shoots , besides the high prices

 

[Baroque Brass]

Last pay shoot I went on was also $125. Turned out the field was baited and DNR showed up. Landowner refunded our money and I think he got a stiff fine. We were able to convince game wardens we were unaware of baiting and it was a hassle but he let us off. Not a good Day.

 

[Mauser]

I was blessed to be raised in southwest ga in a farming community. 4 days at thanksgiving then the week before Christmas till the end of season it was bird shoots morning and evening. I came a long at the tail end of it,I got to shoot like this all of the 90s till mid 2000s,all those old timers died out and things just ain’t the same. carry ya a couple of paper sacks and wear ya tennis shoes lol I still go some here and there but not much for crowds anymore. But very thankful for what I got to experience,and hopefully I’ll be able to carry my son in a few years. I’m still farming can have a few shoots but prefer just a handful of folks.

 

[Semi-Pro]

That’s different from what I’ve seen. Where are you finding them?

Walmart , academy

 

[doublebarrel]

prices i saw were $32 for 4 boxes! BB

 

[Nicodemus]

I`m very fortunate to get invited to a couple of shoots every year on a few of the local plantations around here.

 

[Havana Dude]

I`m very fortunate to get invited to a couple of shoots every year on a few of the local plantations around here.

Yessir, fortunate indeed. I had such an”in” a few years ago. That no longer exists.