Top 3 Choke Tubes for Hunting Pigeons and Rock Doves

The ability to hit a fast-moving bird is the most crucial aspect of pigeon hunting, but having the right choke in your shotgun when the bird finally passes by is second. In this guide, we’ll look at the three choke tubes that you should consider for pigeon hunting and why they’re so popular.

Choosing a pigeon choke is usually based on range and shot size such as lead #7.5 and steel #6 shot under 30 yards. Finding a choke that patterns this type of ammo well is important to any successful pigeon hunt.

Top 3 Choke Tubes for Pigeon Hunting

These are the three choke tubes you should consider for pigeon hunting that can provide dense patterns downrange with lead and steel shot. As always, patterning your shotgun is extremely important to find out which choke tubes and ammo work best out of it for pigeons and rock doves.

1) Carlson’s Modified Choke Tube

Carlson’s is one of the most trusted choke tube brands in the industry and their extended modified choke is perfect for pigeon hunting. It delivers a dense pattern out to 35 yards with lead #7.5’s and makes for a versatile all-around choke tube for most situations.

Whether you’re hunting grain silos or ag fields, the Carlson’s modified will give you the range to hit the high birds, but not sacrifice the close shots. This is extremely important on fast paced pigeon hunts where you don’t want to be changing your choke out frequently or second guessing the range of birds. This is the TOP pick.

Carlson's Extended Modified Choke Tube - Non Ported

30 YEARS WORTH OF PATTERNS: No other...
HIGH-QUALITY MANUFACTURED: Our high...
HIGH PERFORMANCE: Carlson's Choke Tubes...
LIFETIME WARRANTY: We back all of our...
MADE IN THE USA: All our Carlson's Choke...

2) Carlson’s White Wing Dove Choke

The White Wing dove choke by Carlson’s is another option for added range in high winds or days the pigeons are flying high. This choke comes in Improved Modified and paired with 6 shot steel is a good combo for shots to 40 yards.

It’s a ported choke, so you’ll get a slight reduction of recoil and be able to get on target for follow up shots quicker. If you already have good luck with Carlson’s chokes in other sizes, check out this new IM choke made just for dove and pigeon hunting. This is the BUDGET pick.

Carlson's Long Range White Wing Dove Choke - Extended

30 YEARS WORTH OF PATTERNS: No...
HIGH-QUALITY MANUFACTURED: Our...
HIGH PERFORMANCE: Carlson's...
LIFETIME WARRANTY: We back all...
MADE IN THE USA: All our...

3) Browning Invector Plus Improved Modified

Browning manufactures their own extended choke tubes from cylinder all the way to full, and the improved modified is a great choice for medium range pigeon hunting on wild birds. You could even go up to a full choke if needed for extra-long shots. If you have a Browning shotgun that accepts Invector +, this is the choke to get.

Browning Invector Plus Extended - Non Ported

Constructed of highly polished, 17-4...
Available in constrictions ranging from...
Knurled portion extends beyond the...
Longer choke taper inside Invector-Plus...
Produces excellent patterns with...

Why a modified choke works best for Pigeon Hunting

Modified chokes are the middle ground of choke diameters (0.705”) and because of this are versatile in many different hunting situations. Chokes in modified can handle pigeons passing by close as well as high fast-moving passing shots overhead.

Modified choke tubes work especially well with #7.5 lead shot and it’s not uncommon to pattern this choke and ammo combination and receive 80% coverage in a 30-inch circle at 35 yards. Steel shot also works well with a modified choke tube like the Carlson’s extended choke mentioned above.

Hunting wild pigeons

Wild pigeons are harder to hunt than upland game birds that can be pen raised. Your choke setup will likely need to be tailored to how hard the pigeons in your area are being hunted and how they react to tons of hunting pressure.

Pigeon hunting in a hot field or grain silo can mean most of your shots are going to be within 20-25 yards where an Improved Cylinder (0.716”) which opens the shot up quicker will be the top choice. If you hunt over a spinning wing decoy, this can also provide some close in shots.

For late season pigeons, the modified (0.705”) or improved modified (0.695”) are the top choices that will keep your pattern together for shots between 30 and 40 yards.

Pigeon Choke Tubes and Ranges

Improved Cylinder (10-20 yards) – Up close shots
Modified (20-40 yards) – Medium and long range shots
Improved Modified (35-45 yards) – Long range shots
Full Choke (40-60 yards) – High flying birds over 40 yards

The chart above shows the recommended choke tube and range in yards for pigeon hunting. Modified is the best choke for typical pigeon hunting shots that include close and long-range scenarios.

Improved cylinder is the best for close shots over high trafficked feeding fields. Improved modified (IM) and full chokes are best for long range shots for late season pigeons that fly high and are actively avoiding hunters.

High flying pigeons

A high-flying pigeon is any bird over 40 yards. High-flying pigeons usually have a destination in mind, and it’s not where you are. Thus, they are flying high and fast. They can be one of the most challenging shots of bird hunting.

Choke and ammo combinations for these high-flying birds need to be able to hold together beyond 40 yards. A full choke can even be a viable choke size in this situation. Increasing shot size to lead #6’s or Steel #3’s is also warranted.

Pigeon Hunting Field Tips

Get a set of improved cylinder, modified, and improved modified chokes
This will let you switch chokes as conditions change
Lead #7.5’s and an IC choke tube work well for close shots on pigeon
Keep shots below 40 yards, know your ammo and choke limitations
A full choke may be needed for those days where birds are flying high
Wind days, especially those with cross winds, you may need to up your pellet size
Pattern your shotgun to find out what choke and ammo work best
If using a tight choke, allow close birds to get distance before shooting

Modified choke tubes can take a lot of the guess work out of pigeon hunting. They usually work well with most ammo and won’t damage the birds at close ranges.

Having a set of choke tubes in your hunting vest or backpack is the best option that works well for changing conditions. You can tailor your setup to how pigeons are responding while in the field and changing a choke only takes seconds with a good choke wrench.

What to expect

When it comes to choosing the right choke tube for Pigeon Hunting, Carlson’s Modified choke stands out from its competitors. The Carlson’s Modified choke is engineered with a unique design that provides consistent and even shot patterns, resulting in better accuracy and a higher precision. Unlike most of its competitors, the Modified choke ensures that the shot is evenly distributed, reducing the chances of having holes or gaps in your pattern. Overall, the Carlson’s Modified choke is a top performer, delivering outstanding results that set it apart from the competition.

Bottom Line

Pigeon hunting requires a choke size geared toward the situation at hand. #7.5 lead shot and #6 steel shot are popular pellet sizes most pigeon hunters use. Naturally, finding a choke tube that patterns these loads well is key to success in the field.

A modified choke such as the extended chokes that Carlson’s offers work well for an all-around pigeon hunting choke tube at 20-30 yards. There are several other options that excel for pigeons, including the Long Range White Wing choke and the improved modified from Browning.

The type of pigeons you hunt can help determine which choke size you may need. Shots on pigeons in ag fields tend to be longer where a modified or improved modified are best. Close shots on pigeons at a grain silo with little pressure may only require an improved cylinder for shots inside 20 yards.

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