Prepping For Dove Season

September 1st and 2nd, Sunday and Monday, kicks off the first weekend of the 2013 dove season in South Texas. We have heard some complaints about Monday (Labor Day) due to many folks having to work that day, thus missing half of the opening weekend. The state, in its infinite wisdom, does as it will.

Nevertheless,  it will come as it always has and fun will be had. Reports have been coming in about this year’s dove crop and it looks good.  Lots of birds spotted over traditional hunting grounds spur hope of an exciting season to come.

Another positive note is that shot shells do not seem to be such short supply as other ammo. I would, however, recommend getting what you will need soon.  Every year I help dozens of customers on opening day who are looking for some specialty shell that takes a week to get from our distributors.  My point being: SHOP EARLY.

Here are some things every bird hunter should do within the next 15 days. Get your shotgun out of the closet, make sure it is UNLOADED and give it a good inspection. You should check the chamber for any rust and have it removed if any is found.  Remove your choke and clean the threads. Adding a little CHOKE TUBE LUBE, saves a lot of time in the future by preventing stuck tubes.  Most folks use a MODIFIED choke for the first weekend. It can be identified by 3 little notches on the edge.  If you need one, look for it now.

Clean your shotgun’s action and remove any dirt or debris left over from the last time you shot it.  Taking it out to the skeet range for a little preliminary testing can save your opening day fun from being ruined by a non-functioning scatter gun. The MISSION SKEET AND TRAP  CLUB  is a great place to do that.  956-583-5996

One thing we run into every year is someone with a semi-auto shotgun that “jams”. This can have many causes but assuming chamber and extractor are in good shape it is usually related to the shell they are using. Most modern semi autos run best using a shell with at least 1 & 1/8 oz. of shot and a muzzle velocity of 1250 FPS. Some guns will run on less but its a safe bet your boom stick will boom when you want it to if you pay attention to the info on the box not just the price tag.

If you decide you need a new shotgun this year, come by the store so we can show you all the new stuff out there.  Beretta has a new entry this year with the A300 OUTLANDER.  12 GA. SEMI AUTO. wood or synthetic stock. Nice looking gun with a reasonable price.

BENELLI still offers up a great selection of pumps and semi’s. If your looking for a beautiful shotgun take a look at Benelli’s  Super Sport and Sport II…Eye catching to say the least.

For you guys wanting a pump, its hard to beat WEATHERBY’S PA-08 UPLAND.  Great looks and even better performance. Over and unders are always a popular choice and we have the biggest selection in the valley.

Remember, we take trade ins and really want to put a new shotgun in your hands this season.  Come see us!