How Do You Hunt Doves? Options

[varhunter]

I'm going to do my first dove season this fall but I don't know really how to hunt them. In my area they just like to sit on the fences till you walk by. the fences are right by the road so I can't walk along the road and shoot them as they fly off. Do you guys hunt with dogs or decoys? If there is a way I can hunt them without a dog or a decoy I would like to know.

[hunter2121]

Im going to try dove's this year too! but I have a dog!
my buddies say they just chill in a good area around tree's or a watering hole. and wait for them to come in. or you can walk fields and flush and shoot.

[huntingbug]

I have Brittany Spaniels but they are only good for dove hunting so I don't have to go after the down bird. Doves are not something a dog can really hunt they spook fast. I go out scout the area a week before season opens because the birds will stay in an area up to 10 days after the food source is gone ( a weat field harvested and plowed under) I look for good rosting trees, water and food. You also have to find the fly ways ( the area where they fly during migration) With that all said I get up early and go to my spot before sun rise and as the sun starts to come up the birds will start to fly towards the food source the time the start to fly will depend on how cold it is as the sun starts to warm them up the will start to take off. Then you will see that they seem to fly from every direction as the day starts to warm up the birds will seem to come from one directions and that is towards water and then rossting area where they will sit for the hotter part of the day then as it starts to cool off this system starts all over again. This is just how I find the dove I look for the trees find food source and water try to place my spot between the food and water and sit on a bucket up side down and wait. I live out here in Phoenix Arizona but have hunted Dove for years in California and now here in Arizona. I have been out hunting coyotes this year and have seen more White winged dove this year then ever before b ut this does not mean that they will be here come season time if it is a hot opening day the white wings will be here but if it get cool early this year the will migrate south quickly. Another hot spot to hunt Dove is on or near a dair farm if the farm will let you hunt on his land the dove are plentyful but to get a great season of dove it is nothing like the fast flying desert bird we had a few fly along side of the truck and staying right next to us going 45 miles per hour Hope this helps Just one hunters opinion but I can not recall a single day of not taking a limite home

[varhunter]

That helps a bunch guys. Thanks for the info. My area consists of plowed fields so I figure they will be there to feed. But there is only about 1 tree for miles or so it seems. I think they like to roost on the fence more then that old dead tree. I'll definately take all this into consideration. Thanks.

[huntingbug]

Good luck do you have a good receipt for cooking the little bugs. I just use the breast wrap them in a 1/2 of piece of bacon and either bake them or Bar B Q them some times I fillet the breast meat off the bone and fry them in flour.

[varhunter]

I didn't have a recipe. That sounds pretty good. I'll try it if I get any.

[gobble_head]

Try to fry them in flour with a little salt and pepper they are really good as grilled birds. As for huntin them we always find a good spot and disk it up and sew it with 60-70 lbs of wheat usually about 2 weeks before season opener so it will be legal.

[GreeneCoDeerKiller]

We usally hunt them over cut corn fields or wheat fields, catching them coming to feed.

[TXAgduckhunter]

We sit in the back of the truck in between the milo field and the tank at our farm. The doves fly over and we just send the dogs out to pick em up!

[varhunter]

Thanks for the info. I'll probably sit by the tree's and walk along the plowed parts of the field.