7mm Backcountry
Experience the world’s most advanced 7mm rifle cartridge.
30 Super Carry
Hits like a 9mm Luger. Carries like a 380 Auto. Designed exclusively for defense.
Raptor Steel
Built in collaboration with Rob Roberts Custom Gunworks, these loads put more pellets on target through Raptor Series chokes.
FireStick
There’s never been a muzzleloading system like this. See all the benefits that set FireStick apart to provide the most convenient, safe and consistent performance ever.
Hydra-Shok® Component Bullets
The bullet that’s defined self-defense for a generation is now available as a component.
Federal X Duluth Pack
Check out the all-new lineup of Federal-branded Duluth Pack apparel and gear.
Model 2020 Waypoint Special Edition
We worked with engineers from Springfield Armory to create Custom Shop loads specifically designed for the utmost performance from the new Model 2020 Waypoint rifle.
Fast action, camaraderie and challenging shots make dove hunting incredible, but you need the right ammunition and lots of it. Doves are challenging targets and limits are generally liberal. It’s not uncommon for an accomplished shooter to go through 30 or 40 rounds in a day, so bring plenty of the ammunition we’re about to cover. They’re the best shotgun shells for dove hunting.
If you want to bring doves down hard, choose Upland High Velocity loads with 7.5 shot. The loads feature Federal Premium copper-plated lead shot and the best components for the most consistent, deadly patterns.
Another great option is Federal Premium Hi-Bird. The shotshells combine speed, hard-hitting pellets and a specialized wad to fold the highest doves. Hi-Bird uses a two-piece wad with SoftCell technology to decrease perceived recoil and produce more consistent long-range patterns. Plus, its lead shot is engineered for the optimum blend of hardness and density. The result is dense long-range patterns with more energy. Choose the 2 ¾-inch 12-gauge offering loaded with 7.5 shot for best results on doves.
For those who hunt where non-toxic shot is mandated or preferred, Upland Steel is a great choice. The loads serve up the patterns and power hunters need for hard-to-hit birds at a price that keeps them shooting all day. Upland Steel is consistent and reliable, with high velocities that make the most of the steel payload.
You can also reduce your impact on high-volume dove shoots by opting for Upland Steel Paper Wad. The shotshells feature the same steel payload and performance of original Upland Steel, but with a paper wad versus a standard polyethylene one, so you leave less plastic behind in the dove field.
Anywhere doves fly, Federal Game Loads have you covered. They are carefully crafted and packed with features that provide reliable, effective performance on doves as well as a variety of upland game.
Is your local retailer out of the loads above? Don’t worry. One of the convenient realities of doves is they’re not exactly tough animals. Any remotely well-placed shot will bring them down, which means your typical clay target load will work just fine in a pinch. So, reach for Federal Top Gun. It has consistent, high-quality lead shot that produces even patterns that will drop any dove.
But there’s more to good hunting than the best dove ammo. Take ear protection, for example. You can't repair lost hearing. When it's damaged, it's damaged, and there's no going back. Chances are you’re going to boom a bunch during a dove hunt. Protect your ears with a quality ear protection device. Twist-in foam plugs are better than nothing, but custom-molded earplugs and earmuffs will up your level of protection and allow you to hear whistling wings, voices and the like but drown out the bang of your shotgun.
Most shotguns come with a choke set, and when doves are on the menu, you want a sizeable pattern. While a standard modified choke will work, an improved cylinder choke is usually a better choice—especially for new hunters. Commonly used by trap, skeet and sporting clay shooters, an improved cylinder choke is very effective between 20 and 35 yards. It throws an incredible pattern and will help new shooters be more successful out of the gate.
It doesn’t have to be fancy, but you’ll want a hip-style game bag, or one that's worn around the chest. You can go with blaze orange, solid or camo—check your state’s regulations regarding hunter orange requirements and go from there. Both items keep ammo at the ready and give you a compartment to put birds. Plus, you’ll have plenty of room for your empties when the hunt is over. It’s every hunter’s responsibility to police their spent shotshells.
Though not a must-have, a stool or bucket makes a dove shoot more enjoyable. You’ll often shoot from a sitting position, which helps conceal you. In addition, if the action slows or if you need to take a break, you have a spot to rest.
Like a seat or stool, dove decoys aren’t a must-have item, but they will boost your success. Doves decoy like moths to a flame. Attach them to a small tree, fence line or whatever, and you’ll get more shooting. There are lots of makes and models, but spinning-wing models are hard for even pressured doves to resist.