Dove Hunting Chair

What Kind of Chair Is Best for Dove Hunting?

A low folding chair that sits around 18 inches and has somewhere to put shells. The Browning Dove Shooter at $89.99 is the straightforward answer: 18 inch seat, 275 pound rating, front pockets for shells and an insulated cooler under the seat. The ALPS OutdoorZ Dual Action covers the same job for $69.99. If you want to turn on birds without standing, step up to a 360 degree swivel stool like the ALPS OutdoorZ Horizon at $99.99.

How Tall Should a Dove Hunting Chair Be?

Between 17 and 19 inches at the seat for an open field edge. That keeps your head and shoulders below a weed line while still letting you stand up fast. The ALPS Tri-Leg sits at 17 inches, the Dual Action and Browning Dove Shooter at 18, the Dakota and Rhino MC at 18.5.

Go taller, 22 to 24 inches, only when you have cover behind you like a fence line, tree row or brush to break up your outline. The Horizon sits at 22 inches, the Triad adjusts from 20 to 22, and the Sportsman runs 18 to 24.5 inches if you hunt both.

What Is a Dove Stool?

A dove stool is a compact folding seat, usually three steel legs and a fabric seat, made to carry easily and sit low in an open field. The ALPS Tri-Leg is the minimal version at $24.99 and 2 pounds. The Browning SteadyReady at $59.99 angles the seat into a shooting position and adds an insulated cooler underneath, which is what separates a dove stool from a generic camp stool.

Do You Need a Swivel Chair for Doves?

No, but it is the feature most hunters upgrade to second. Doves cross a field from every angle and a swivel lets you reposition without standing up and flaring the next flight. A fixed seat works fine, you will just pass on more birds that come in behind you. Swivel seats here start at $99.99.

Which Dove Chair Holds Your Shells?

Most of them. The Browning Dove Shooter has front pockets sized for shells or decoys plus an insulated cooler under the seat. The ALPS OutdoorZ Dual Action and Browning SteadyReady both carry a cooler bag under the seat, and the SteadyReady adds a zippered mesh pocket. The Horizon has a storage bag under its swivel seat, the Rhino MC has side mesh pockets, and the MOmarsh Tactical Dove Chair has a dedicated shell box holder, a drink holder and a gear bag. Everything else pairs with a shell belt or a bucket.

Chair or Bucket for Dove Hunting?

A bucket carries shells and birds and doubles as the seat, so it is one item to haul. A chair is more comfortable for a long sit and usually has a back. If you are looking specifically for a dove bucket with a swivel seat, that is a bucket build with a spin-top lid, and it lives on our dove bucket page rather than here.

How Much Weight Do These Chairs Hold?

The ALPS Tri-Leg and MOmarsh Mobile Bench Seat are rated 250 pounds, the Browning Basin, Dove Shooter and SteadyReady and the ALPS Dual Action 275, and the Dakota, Horizon, Triad, Sportsman and MOmarsh Tactical 300. The ALPS Rhino MC is the highest at 375 pounds. Ratings are the manufacturer's published figures.

What Is the Lightest Dove Chair?

The ALPS OutdoorZ Tri-Leg Stool at 2 pounds. If you need a back, the Browning Basin Chair is 4 pounds 6 ounces, then the Dakota and Rhino MC at 5 pounds 6 ounces. The swivel stools are the heavy end, 8 pounds 10 ounces for the Triad and 10 pounds 8 ounces for the Horizon, which is fine when you park at the field edge and a problem when you do not.

Do I Need Shade on a Dove Chair?

September dove fields are hot and usually have no cover at all. Most hunters handle it with a hat and a long sleeve shirt. If you sit through the middle of the day, the MOmarsh Tactical Dove Chair is the only model here with a built-in adjustable canopy.

Can I Use the Same Chair for Other Hunts?

Yes. A swivel stool or low folding chair works for dove, turkey, predator and waterfowl hunts, and doubles as a camp or bank fishing seat. The tripod models are the most versatile because three legs sit level on ground that rocks a four-legged chair.