Anyone into dove hunting?

I cant seem to work up any excitement for it. I think because for most of my life they were not a game bird and now its hard to see them as one. The amount of meat on them doesn’t help much either. I’ve shot them a few times and it was fun.
Anyone going after them?

suzuki wrote:

I think because for most of my life they were not a game bird and now its hard to see them as one.

And people said there was no softer side to Suzuki.

Possibly… They are fun to hunt and quite tasty to eat. Between work, coaching HS football, and moving to a new house in a month, I’m not sure if I will have time to give it a go this year.

I wasn’t too successful last year in my first year in Minnesota. Previously, living in South Dakota, they were pretty easy to hunt!

Interesting side note to doves…There are more doves harvested in our country than any other bird!

I’d like to, but finding numbers of them locally seems difficult. My B-I-L has done pretty well in the Montevideo area, but our schedules never seems to jive for me to join in the fun.

Sounds fun but don’t really know anything about it. How do you hunt them? Wait or walk?

…Pete you wait next to watering holes or wait on an edge between a harvested wheat field and their roosting trees and it’s hammertime!

I did it one weekend in TX a few years back and that is what we did. Exceptionally fun and challenging shotgunning.

Now I’ve got some reading and watched a couple videos… That looks like a blast. Looks like some people use dogs? Would be nice to incorporate the dog in, tho it might be more work and problem than worth. How far do you have to travel to find legit dove hunting?

I literally have all but given up on the September goose season so I can shoot doves. I normally hunt them around gravel pits at first light and the last hour of the day. When you get the right spot shooting a 15 bird limit is fairly easy (if you can hit them). Great warm up for the waterfowl season, good practice for the pooch and awesome table fare.

Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be. Grab your gun, a hunting buddy, a couple of buckets and go sit for an hour. I am normally 50 -75 yards apart from my hunting partners, plenty close for lots of smack talk when birds are missed. There will be plenty of misses. I just tuck myself into some small willows or sit against the steep banks. No need for any extravagant blind. Good luck to any of you who give it a try. It is very addicting.

4seasonsport wrote:

Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be.

Or make it as complicated as you want, with Mojo’s and decoys and blinds etc.

I’m in the middle I own a dove mojo, and 4 decoys but that’s just to increase my odds. As far as where to hunt them, Harvested Wheat fields are the best (IMO), but that is not the only place to find them, as mentioned above gravel pits, quarry’s, silage chopped corn fields etc. All you have to do is go find them. If your into goose hunting, they will share those same fields, and so starting with asking for dove hunting permission may build a relationship to work up to waterfowl.

I love dove hunting, and have done it since I was young, and when they are bacon wrapped on the grill it makes it all worth it.

Years ago we used to hunt doves with the county sheriff. Some years, his crews would wait to burn off illegal marijuana plots until after dove season opened…the doves loved those fields, and after feeding on pot seeds all afternoon made for less tricky shooting!
Doves who AREN’T half baked, on the other hand, can provide some seriously challenging shooting, and a great way to warm up for the early teal and goose seasons, with a little table fare for a bonus! Also helps you get excited for the upcoming fall hunting just around the corner.
Where I live now it’s hard to find consistent concentrations, but I still kind of miss those September dove hunts.
-Rev

4seasonsport wrote:

I am normally 50 -75 yards apart from my hunting partners, plenty close for lots of smack talk when birds are missed. There will be plenty of misses.

Bring 2 or 3 times more shells than you will need. Because you will have a lot of misses while dove hunting. Those little buggers can be tough to hit sometimes.

Also, when using dogs dove hunting, just remember to keep an eye on them for heat issues.

Yes! Im very much into dove hunting. I used to take opening week off and hunt them each day. Starting Tuesday, I will be hunting doves and geese for several days in a row. Teal season starts here on Saturday and I am going to hunt them in the morning and doves in the afternoon. Lots of shooting. I cannot fathom a better way to usher in hunting season. Good meals soon.

I thoroughly enjoy dove hunting in se Minnesota! It is a good chance to get your dog out for some last minute steadiness work before waterfowl opener as doves are not as skiddish as geese or ducks and even though they are a small bird they are still amazing cooked in the frying pan with butter onions and some garlic salt and pepper.

We did an opener hunt on Sept 1st
3 man limit of 45 birds by 9:15 am
Hunted a Public Sunflower field using a Drake Mallard Mojo and a dove flapping wing decoy
Had a blast and went through a lot of ammo
Great way to start the season and the grilled up a bunch that night with the breasts wrapped in bacon and stuffed with Jalepeno peppers and cream cheese

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