# Any dove hunters here?



## Guest (Aug 15, 2007)

I have never gone dove hunting but would like to very much. I've been dreaming about it for several years but just haven't made it out there yet. Well this morning I'm a little step closer to reality. I was at Walmart and bought me a Deluxe Sport Bucket and 3 dove decoys. I think I found a good place to go do some dove hunting so I think I will sneak off Sept. 1st and see what kind of luck I'll have. 

A few years ago I watched a hunting show that had this guy using one of them sport buckets. He was setting on it at the corner of a field. Whenever a dove come flying by he would shoot it and retrieve it. Then he would skin the breast out, leaving one wing on it for identification, and then place it in his sport bucket which he had full of ice and cold drinks. Plus snacks. I thought "Man, what a way to hunt and have fun". 

Then I watched this one video of a whole army of guys having a blast while out shooting doves in a big field. At the end of the morning a guy took a bunch of dove breast, seasoned and wrapped each one in a slice of bacon, then cooked them on a charcoal grill. Then the army of dove hunters devoured them. That looked so delicious that I've been wanting to try it ever since. 

Well anywho, do any of you experienced dove hunters have any advice for me? What size of shot, how early should the hunt start, etc.etc.? Oh, by the way. The place I have selected to hunt at is a waterfowl game reserve, so I have to use steel shots even if I'm shooting at doves only. 

Thanks for any advice. R.H. in Oklahoma


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

I dove hunt.  
We go out in the morning before it gets too hot and then in the evening around 6. We catch them heading for our windmill pond in the evening after they have spent the day in the fields gathering sunflower seeds.

When I'm real lazy, I sit in my lawn chair in the back yard.  

They really are good on the grill. We also remove the breast.... I like them deboned, chicken fried, sitting on top of some mashed (or fried) tatoes, with creamy gravy.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

I used to dove hunt in west Texas. Real easy, just get between the doves and the water. They will come in for a drink before going to roost. They will not slow down. All you have to do is hit them.


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## arcticow (Oct 8, 2006)

Try 71/2 or smaller high brass shells. BUT you may need another sport bucket full of shells your first time!!!


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## Old Vet (Oct 15, 2006)

To get a good aim on the doves try shoting skeet for a few times. It will teach you to lead the doves.


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## shadowwalker (Mar 5, 2004)

My first dove hunt was in Beckam County Oklahoma. I was I think around 8 or 9. And wanted to learn to hunt. My great grandad who was 102 or 103 at his time said he'd teach me. We sat by a stock watering tank on his property and he let me shoot the 20 gauge. We had to go into town for more shells. I never saw that man laugh and smile so much in my life. Boy did he/we get in trouble when his daughter found out. What we did. Now he never fired a shot. But showed and told me how to shoot. We sat on a log facing the way the birds flew in to the tank mostly. Helped look for the downed birds. Him, me, the dogs. And a fifth of Ezra Brooks Whiskey. The cowtank was a short walk from the house. He also taught me to shoot squirrel, turkeys, fish for catfish, catch crawdads that summer. Great Grandad drank whiskey, smoked Bull Durham, drove himself everywhere, he wanted to go. He finally died of complications of a driving accident at 106. When a drunk driver hit him and his daughter on the highway. He was sitting in the passenger side and they go T-boned. He never recovered.
I also will never forget his usuall glass of iced tea. Pint mason jar, six ice cubes, boiled tea with water from a one gallon jug, and about one inch of sugar. Stirred around alittle and drank.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

We don't dove hunt in Minnesota. Ya know, a dove ain't much bigger than a hummingbird. I was just wondering how do you eat them? Do you just cook the breast and eat it on a Ritz cracker?


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## Guest (Aug 17, 2007)

Yep, Cabin Fever, that's about it. Not a whole lot of meat there but very tasty. I've only eaten about 3 or 4 in my whole lifetime. About the same amount of meat as eating quail. Do you have quail up there Cabin Fever? I can just about eat my weight in Quail! (260 pounds worth)  But I've never killed much more quail then I have Dove's.


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

I like 7 1/2's or 8's for dove, but I don't think you can get non-toxic shot that small. If I'm not mistaken, number 7 is the smallest shot available in non-toxic shells.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

Ringneck doves are beginning to become common around here. They are about twice the size of the morning dove and taste the same. Easier to hit also.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Check your local laws. Our season is "split" into 3 sections, and durong the first one you cant hunt before noon. 

And DO NOT MOVE until youre ready to shoot, or they will veer away. Full camo helps but even totally camoflaged, they will spot ANY movement at all

Good luck!


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## mtman (Sep 2, 2004)

ours is split into 2 seasons on the grill with the bacon around it is the best way i like using my 410


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## Michael Leferink (Jul 12, 2003)

Shooting dove is almost a State pastime here in Cajun Country. I've never shot any with steel, but I would use #7 shot during the early seasons and maybe #6 shot during the late season. Here's my reasons: When it was still legal to use lead shot for ducks I killed best with #4 or #5 lead shot. With steel I found that I needed to use #2 or #3 steel shot to get close to the same results. Steel is lighter than lead and loses it's velocity faster, which reduces it's penetration. Also, steel shot does not deform like lead so to make the same size hole one must use a larger pellet. Not that it takes that much to kill a dove. They are not flying elephants after all. the larger shot holds it's velocity and therefore it's energy and momentum better giving it better performance under windy conditions. I prefer to use my 20 ga. over/under skeet gun, choked skeet #1 & #2. A lot of guys around here prefer 12 ga. semi-auto or pump with a modified or full choke. When I was very young I did too. As I grew older I got better at hiding and picking my shots. I think it's called discipline? If you ask them they will tell you they use high brass shells and full chokes for those long shots. Funny, I kill more than they do and I use 7/8 oz. or 1 oz. low brass 2 & 3/4" loads, #8 lead shot in the first barrel and #7 & 1/2 lead shot in the second barrel (early season), #7 &1/2 lead shot in both barrels (late season). I go heavier in the late season for two reasons. 1) There is less cover available and the birds are gun shy, so the range can be a bit longer than in the early seasons; 2) Those grain fed Yankee birds have migrated down and boy are they big! One thing to remember about steel shot is steel holds a much tighter pattern than lead. I don't like to take unnecessary long shots, but I have dropped already wounded ducks from this same shotgun at over 60 yds. and I consistantly kill ducks at 40 - 50 yds. while my hunting buddies are blowing holes in the air with their he-man shotguns and loads. I will admit to using 3" shells for ducks, but don't need them inside 40 yds. The trick to filling your limit of doves is to get familiar with their flight patterns. Doves will follow the same routes every day, using rivers, roads, high lines, tree lines, etc. as travel routes. They will also use a single tree or small clump of trees, a building, telephone pole, etc. as markers. Never position yourself directly in their path as a couple days of being shot at will cause them to change their route. Instead position yourself off to the side in isolated cover and take the fringe birds. Always wear glasses or at least a billed hat. Most people have no idea just how far shotgun pellets can travel. I get rained on with shot almost every time I go and I sure as heck don't want to be blinded. On that thought, be extra careful when taking shots at birds flying less than 30 feet off the ground. You could very well hit and injure or even kill someone hundreds of yds. away. It only takes one pellet in the right place to kill a human being. This is less likely with steel shot, but it still warrants caution. If you have one or can go with someone who has one, a well disciplined retriever can save you a lot of walking and a lot of birds. Around here dove shooting is a social/family affair, so bring the children. They make good substitutes for dogs and they really enjoy being included. Many a youngster got his or her first taste of shooting in the dove fields. As to when to hunt? Whenever the law allows! In the morning they will be going to feeding areas. Mid-day to afternoon they will look for grit and then to water and finally to roost. In south Louisiana the feeding areas are usually rice or winter wheat fields. In north Louisiana we hunt the goat weed that grows in clear cuts or along highlines. Doves see colors very well. Most people will avoid white, yellow and other bright colors and then make the mistake of wearing blue jeans. Birds see blue very well thank you. I wear camo or subdued tans, browns or olive. I know this is long, but I'm still probably leave something out. Have fun and by the way, dove is excellent eating! 

Happy and safe hunting,

MikeL

P.S.: FWIW & FYI & all that sort of thing, I do not use the sustained lead style of shooting. I use what's called the paint brush method and my target is the tip of the beak. Works for me. While it's not hard to kill a dove they can be surprisingly difficult to hit. They going much faster than they long. It's the way they flap their wings that creates an illusion of slower motion. Also, doves will drop/loose their tail feathers when spooked. This will make you think you grazed the bird when actually you missed.


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## ninny (Dec 12, 2005)

I've hunted dove my whole life here in Texas. It's absolutely some of the most fun I've ever had. But be prepared to be frustrated like you've never been before. Those little critters can put more moves on you than you can believe. You'll swear that they defy the laws of physics with their dipping and diving flight...

Have fun and be careful. And by all means, be sure to cook some of them up, they are excellent eating in my opinion. 

.


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2007)

Thanks everyone for your input. Gosh, I'm ready to go huntin now. I've been trying to talk my cuz into going with me. We use to hunt together a lot when we was growing up. Hopefully he will come and we can go camp out at a nearby state park that is just a few minutes drive from the waterfowl reserve. That way we want have to drive so far. From our home area it is about a 1 1/2 hours drive to the game reserve. 

Once again thanks everyone.


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

tyusclan said:


> If I'm not mistaken, number 7 is the smallest shot available in non-toxic shells.


I was mistaken. I just found Bismuth #7 1/2 in 1 or 1 1/8 oz. loads in MidwayUSA. They're expensive, though, $16.49 and $17.99, respectively, for a box of 10.


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2007)

tyusclan said:


> I was mistaken. I just found Bismuth #7 1/2 in 1 or 1 1/8 oz. loads in MidwayUSA. They're expensive, though, $16.49 and $17.99, respectively, for a box of 10.


Gee! If I can't find any cheaper then I might not be going. I'm not quit rich enough to go shoot a $100 dollars worth of ammo for a few birds. If I hit any!


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

r.h. in okla. said:


> Gee! If I can't find any cheaper then I might not be going. I'm not quit rich enough to go shoot a $100 dollars worth of ammo for a few birds. If I hit any!


The steel shot is quite a bit cheaper, but #7 is the smallest shot size I've seen in that. That's a little heavier than I would like for dove, but it should work since you have to use non-toxic.


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## Crpdeth (Jul 20, 2007)

Cabin Fever said:


> Ya know, a dove ain't much bigger than a hummingbird.


Kinda like shrimp...Lots of work, but well worth it.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

tyusclan said:


> The steel shot is quite a bit cheaper, but #7 is the smallest shot size I've seen in that. That's a little heavier than I would like for dove, but it should work since you have to use non-toxic.


We used to buy dove loads. Can't remember much about them but they were a small shot and about half the price of regular shells. They were good for dove and quail.


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## NJ Rich (Dec 14, 2005)

One of our sons lives in Tennessee. He made friends with a cotton farmer who owns land there and in Alabama. I don't know which state he hunted in but he set-up by a big rolls of hay "on one of those buckets" mentioned before.

This was a fund raising dove shoot organized by a fire department. It was an afternoon/evening shoot. Apparently they were on a very busy flyway between the fields and water. After the shoot there was a Dove and fixin's BBQ. Dove is good and the breast is larger than you may think.

Yeah, take plenty of shells. 71/2 or 8 are good.


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## JBinKC (Feb 28, 2006)

I have found fields of open ground and wheat stubble where you can flush them like pheasants and they will come back to the same general area within in a 1/2 hour for another chance at them or you can pass shoot them. Ponds esp in drought conditions during the last hour of daylight, roosting areas in the first of morning or ripe sunflower fields during the day are the most productive for pass shooting. 

You should wear camo clothing and vest as they have keen eyesight. I normally carry a camo fanny pack with plenty of shells, bug spray and water. If you plan to sit and pass shoot a camo bucket would do.

My favorite load to use is either Winchester AA or Remington Premier STS sporting clay 1 1/8 oz loads in 7 1/2s with a LM or modified choke. The promo shells in 7 1/2 and 8 shot work also but my success percentages definitely drop with them. 

As for eating them if properly prepared they taste like Filet Mignon. My favorite way to prepare them is to marinate them for a day in a mixture of OJ, pineapple juice and KC Masterpiece Teriyaki then grill them to rare or medium rare.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

r.h. in Okla, keep your eyes open, I'll be sending doves your way. I usually sit by my farm pond and blast away at the critters. Usually I can haul the doves I get home in the empty shell boxes. Oh well, I just hunt them cause I like the smell of gunpowder.


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## Stephen in SOKY (Jun 6, 2006)

Try marinating the breasts wrapped in bacon in a 50/50 mixture of Worsteschire & Italian dressing. Pop on the grill a few minutes. They're great!

I agree on the AA's, the promo loads aren't in the same class.


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## littlejoe (Jan 17, 2007)

Low brass with 7-1/2 works good for us. Season opens Sept 1 here!
I like to bone the breast out, marinate in worchestershire, wrap 'em in a piece of bacon with a sliver of jalepeno, and put them in a grill. Pretty good grazin'


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

Did everyone get their limit this weekend?  
We did well. Will probably go back out tonight.


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## Guest (Sep 7, 2007)

Well, haven't gotten to go yet. A friend and I were suppose to go camping last Friday night close to the game reserve that we had planned on hunting at. Friday morning he calls and tells me that his youngest sister (30 ish) was found dead in her apartment. O.D. on pain killers. So with his cancelation I decided I didn't want to go by myself. So hopefully I can find another weekend to try dove hunting. 

Cowgirl, please think of me the next time you bite into one of those little birds.


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

OMG r.h.! That's horrible!


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