Since I haven't practiced at all, I'm sure my wingshooting will be just as amazing this year as it was last.

Who else is ready to miss some little birds?

That’s one critter I’ve never hunted… my dad wouldn’t hunt them because he believed they were GODS bird,,, and out of respect,,, cause I understand why my dad would think that,,,I don’t hunt them….I’d probably be extremely bad at trying to hit them anyway. In no way am I bashing anyone else who hunts them.

Small , but mighty tasty !
Save the livers and hearts, gizzards too.
Makes a fine stove top stuffing.

They were protected here until very recently. A lot of people (including hunters) here believe they still are because they haven't opened a reg book since 1982 when they double checked that rifle season for deer was still the first 2 weeks of November LOL.
Since I've lost most of my good hunting permissions, I decided to adapt and overcome and try my hand at dove hunting... I have a lot to learn

We have a couple hunts planned. I’m not sure if I’ll even be without the use of walker by either, lol. They sprayed the millet last week. And will mow it next week and probably be burning it about a week to two weeks before season. We already have a hundred birds or so in the wilted fields already. Hopefully once it’s burned we really get some piled in. If I can even ride by then I’ll at least get a ride out to watch. This hip surgery ain’t exactly going to my plans, lol!

No time for that, unless I happen on some while scouting for trapping. I have a lot of country to cover and a lot of sets to pre-build between now and November to be ready for bobcat season. There’s no way I’ll get to all of it, but there’s 2 million acres of BLM land just north of me that I’ve been itching to scout.

Season opens down here 9/1

I have been seeing quiet a few around already

Usually spend opening weekend in NE Arkansas but this year the stars did not line up. At least not yet anyway
Headed to west Texas for the second weekend though

No season here, they're Protected birds

I think we are pretty much the only state that cant hunt them.

Even Minnesota allows dove hunting, but that change came a number of years ago when common sense and biology were still considered in resource management decisions. No way it would have happened today under the current administration.

No season here in Michigan either. We had one but it got shut down by a ballot initiative in the early 2000s.

Dove hunting was always a major “event” in the South. It always opened at noon on the first Saturday in Sept. Actually that law just recently passed, seems like it used to be around Labor Day, regardless, it was a big day.

Hunters would meet up and shoot the bull. A lunch was generally served and it would consist of anything from a whole hog being cooked right there on the field to butts or chickens on the smoker under a tent. After lunch, stands were drawn, and more bull talk.

I remember as a kid I couldn’t wait to get out in that blazing sun to sit for no reason because it would be 1500 or later before the birds would start flying. Sometimes the adults with kids (about everyone) would take their kids to their stands to let them go ahead and pretend to be hunting, lol.

Once the adults got done and came to the fields, we knew it was on! I got a total of 1 box of shells to take a limit of 12 birds, lol. Took many many years before that happened and by 12 or 13 we were getting real close to a limit. When I’d run out of shells I’d be Dads “birddog” and get to retrieve his birds.

Later in the afternoon when the major push had subsided with hundreds of birds already taken, the “older” adults and those limited out would come around gathering birds and start cleaning them. We always called the hunt long before shooting time would end and when we still had birds coming in to feed. We’d load up and head to the host farmers house where we’d finish cleaning birds and another meal was prepared.

This meal would involve grease, lol. Fried dove, French fries, hush puppies, and cheese grits. There’d be gallons of sweet tea for the drinking. Afterwards it was cleanup time and more bull talking.

Opening Day has always been a Southern Tradition that I was blessed to be a part of from childhood. To this very day, whether it’s a hunt on opening day, or the first hunt on that particular field a week or two later, it’s still the same. Food, fellowship, and lots of shooting.

We used to do the same thing here in WV for many different hunts. Sadly the times have changed and even the Tree Huggers use it as a Bad thing. Tabbit Hunting and Beagles used to draw a crowd. One time we had Tree Huggers get arrested for trying to stop us.

Can't shoot them in NJ either. Protected.

We have those Eurasian collared doves here that can be shot every day of the year with no limit. Probably tastes about the same.

Great table fare, breasts wrapped in bacon slices. Darn things just aren't big enough for a good meal. I just need to shoot more then I miss. A man sure can burn up some shells when you get on a good flyway.

I haven't done doves , we didn't get a season till not that long ago and I am usually so busy that time of year I never found the time

for hard crossing targets we have set up throwing clay over a side berm at the range so you don't see it till it is over the berm and then you have to get on it fast. about a box of shells in your getting around to hitting them well.

or if you can find a skeet field and ask nice to shoot all the the birds from stations 3,4,5 you might even get them to throw all high then all low so you can get in the groove of it then mix it up on the next flight

practice on clay is nice so you don't spend all day waiting on a bird just to blow the shot
and it is fun

Little fix LL.

That's how I hunted them in Texas also.decoys on a wire fence near an old farm pond.Lot of fun and very good eating.