I went dove hunting for my first time today and only saw about 12 doves, let alone shoot at any. I could have shot at some just as they took off but they just kind of dived off the clif they were feeding on. I didn't want to go chase them. I should have shot at one that flew right past me but I'm still not sure what possesed me not to shoot. I even went and bought 2 boxes of ammo. one 410 and one 12. I'd been going out to the exact same spot coyote hunting. I'd seen about 50 doves sitting on the fences lineing the road everytime I went out there. I don't know where they all went.

Do you think that some decoys would help. I'm thinking of setting some up on a fence that goes through the state land I'm hunting. They I'll probably find some brush to sit in or just sit on a 5 gallon bucket. Also, would high heat effect them. It was in the 90's today and I was thinking they would be hanging out by some water or in some shade somewhere.

I did get to see a group of 3 guys and 2 dogs working there way through the plowed fields. I'm pretty sure they were going for pheasant. It was pretty cool watching the dogs methodicly go from thistle patch to thistle patch in the plowed fields. I didn't think dogs were that smart. I guess I was wrong.

decoys would definitly help if you are able to use them in your state

well there's nothing in the webles migratory bird regs that say's against it.

Hey VARHUNTER, are you hunting in New Mexico??? Same situation here. Last week there were dove all over the place, opening day I/we saw maybe a dozen, only shot twice, killed one. Oh well....

No, I'm far from New Mexico. I'm in MONTANA! The doves must have converged in colorado or something.

Years ago I dove hunted first week of Sept. up in north central Wyoming. Same situation happened to me. First morning they were everywhere, next day they were gone. I've found that dove are very sensitive to weather changes, and that's pretty much true all the way from Montana clear down into Oklahoma. One small front, one little temperature drop, or dry one day and rain the next, and POOF! The majority are outta here. At least down in OK and TEX we can look forward to some birds from the north moving through when the locals head south. You guys way up there in the northern lattitudes are out of luck once your "home birds" are gone.