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Page / 1 / 2 / 3 | | | | | | | | |  | Any natural cover will work well as dove blind. Here the author and his Springer "Bess" set-up near a row of hay rolls on the edge of a crop field.
Photo by: Paul M. DiLullo |
The gauge and choke of their guns also varies according to the individuals philosophy of the “proper” dove gun. This topic has sparked many debates both on and off the dove fields, and in the end the querier is left no more enlightened than when the question was posed. The twelve gauge seems the most common shotgun for taking doves. A choke combination (in doubles) of improved cylinder/modified and a good gameload of number 7 ˝’s or 8 shot is a hard match to beat. Some prefer a good “quail gun” in 20 or 28 gauge and a few crack shots I know, do quite well each year with their .410’s. Whatever your preference, the gun should fit and handle well and you should feel comfortable shooting it. It should also pattern well out to forty yards.
In the last few years dove hunting has gained in popularity throughout North America. Estimates from hunting license sales puts the number of dove hunters in the U.S. roughly around a million. And with good reason, besides being considered one of the finest of game birds to grace a table, they are prolific breeders. According to biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service there is an estimated population of 500 million mourning doves in the United States, making them the most numerous of all migratory game bird species. Currently 37 states have dove seasons, all with fairly liberal bag limits. Virginia allows twelve doves per hunter, per day. With the national average somewhere between five to seven shots taken for each dove bagged, that equates to quite a bit of shooting. As the statistics suggest, the mourning dove is no easy target to hit. They have been recorded flying at speeds in excess of forty miles per hour and are well known for flaring just as you swing your front bead sight onto them. They could teach fighter pilot courses in dog fighting skills and each fall they humble many experienced wing shooters. One southern gentleman I know considers the September dove hunts his “spring training” for the upcoming waterfowl hunting season.
The traditional southern dove hunt is a very organized affair, which usually begins with dinner (that’s lunch to you Yankees). Usually, a large barbecue style picnic, with lots of southern specialties. In the English tradition, the Huntmaster is in charge of the hunt and his word is gospel. He also gives the invocation in the absence of a minister. On the field he assigns shooting positions or posts, supervises all aspects of the hunt including safety issues and declares the hunt over at the end of the day. Today, most dove shoots are less formal gatherings. Usually, groups of family members, friends and neighbors will head out to the dove fields to await the birds’ arrival. However, some southern hunt clubs and outfitters still conduct traditional style dove shoots each fall.
 | | Dove hunting probably employees the broadest spectrum of shotguns in the shooting sports, here an FN Browning Auto-5 in 12 gauge is flanked by a Browning BSS, also in 12 gauge on the right and a Fox Model-B in 20 gauge on the left.
Photo by: Author |
The best dove shooting usually occurs late in the afternoon near standing crops or over recently harvested grain fields. Good early evening shooting can also be found around small ponds where doves will congregate to drink after feeding, prior to going to roost. Other good spots include flight corridors between feeding and roosting areas. Hunting areas should not be over used as the birds will get spooked and find other areas to feed, water and roost. Scouting is the best way to locate the fields and waterholes that doves are using. The best scouting is usually done prior to the season, when the birds start arriving in mid-to-late August. The flights can be affected by weather, the availability of food/water and hunting pressure. Driving back roads near crop fields in the late afternoon is an excellent way to locate birds. Large concentrations of doves on power-lines is a good sign that the birds are feeding nearby.
In the field, hunters can take-up any natural cover which will conceal the hunter sufficiently to get the birds within shotgun range. The most common blinds include hay rolls or bails, fence-lines, stands of trees, bushes or grasses along wood-lines or hedgerows. Commercially produced camouflaged portable blinds also work quite well. The most important aspect of any blind is it’s location. The blind needs to be in a good flight area and near shade. The shade will help hide the hunters movement from the sharp-eyed doves and help keep you cool during the heat of the day. A good supply of water for both hunter and dog is a must in the torrid dove fields of the early fall.
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Read Next Article: Establishing a Solid Quartering Pattern - An Interview with David Lauber
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