KEVIN TATE: DOVE SHOOTING SECRETS

More Dove Shooting Secrets

EDITOR'S NOTE: Kevin Tate of West Point, Mississippi, a screenwriter for Mossy Oak's and Remington's outdoor TV shows and videos, has more than 20 years of dove-shooting experience. This week Tate will tell us his top 10 secrets for shooting doves more effectively and consistently.

SECRET NUMBER 7 -- LEARN THE FLIGHT PATTERNS OF DOVES
If you can visit the hunting site a few days before the hunt and watch how the doves fly, you'll often find that they have favorite trees or preferred entrances and exits on the fields. If you can position yourself in one of those fly-aways, you'll find that you can increase your odds for bagging a bird. Study the layout of the field, and choose a stand site near a fence or a tree line on the side of the field. The birds generally fly low over fields and look for something to eat. When they fly over the fence, the doves will be coming over at a standard height and not be in a rush.

SECRET NUMBER 8 -- SET UP YOUR SHOT
As you practice and learn how to shoot properly, you'll discover that some shots are easier for you to make than other shots. My favorite shot to take is at a dove that's flying towards me. I'll black out the dove with my gun barrel and shoot at the bird as I swing through. Generally I'll take doves 18 times out of 20 when the shot is set up right. But I've shot with hunters who make better wing shots or crossing shots than I do. If you'll take note of how the doves fly on any given field and then set up your shots accordingly, you can improve your success for bagging birds.

TOMORROW: MORE DOVE SHOOTING SECRETS