1st Dove Hunt

[Deleted]

Hi: I'm here through HUSH, and thought I might give this forum a try... looking forward to a "continuing education" in hunting, etc.

I'm attempting my 1st dove hunt... I've attached a birds-eye aerial of the 3 fields on public land that I have never hunted and am currently attempting to hunt for dove in & around.

I have scouted these fields since the 9/1 opener and I finally took my shotgun for a walk for a couple of hours after work last week. I posted in two spots in the shadows of Field #3 for about an hour and saw nothing. I then walked through the standing corn of Field #2 and there was only a flock of small-medium blackish birds at a distance I couldn't identify them. Finally, I strolled up into Field #1 and saw a couple of doves at the leftmost edge of the field in the tree line out of range. I hunkered down at the highpoint for a while and waited but saw nothing more.

I keep thinking once that corn in Field #2 comes down, the doves might come out and then I work Field #2 mainly. Take a look and let me know your thoughts... like I said, I have zero dove hunting experience and may even be wasting my time in this spot.

I do love coming home to 12-18 dove in my yard... laughing at me...!

[galthatfishes]

That is a pretty cool drawing.

I should first say, I have never dove hunted, but I have friends who have.

I would guess that if the farmer who harvests the corn leaves some corn, you'll have a good shot at some birds, but with the modern farming practices I've seen, they don't leave much. Its not like the old days.

I've heard that fields that have been taken over by foxtail are an awesome place for dove hunters. Plenty of seeds for them to eat. I'm sure there are several folks on here that can give you better advice than I can tho.

Welcome to the site, and outstanding post! I'll be following this one!

[Deleted]

I'm not a expert on the subject but I set up next to a pond on a SGL I hunt and do OK---some evenings I get some shooting in some I don't-- and I always dress in camo--I haven't look at your photos but I always look for food scource with water near by.

[galthatfishes]

Tom,

What kinds of food do you look for? Just corn planted nearby? Oats? Any luck hunting near foxtail?

Foxtail is considered an invasive, I've heard if you find it, you also find the doves.

[Deleted]

Field #1 has taller grasses and plants (don't know what though) with cut areas in between. I think they do a pheasant release here for youngsters.

It just feels like it should be a good place to get dove... and I have seen a few out of range. I've scouted this place 6 times and "hunted" once in since 9/1. I feel like some of the gravel side roads, the creek (maybe too wooded though?), and the corn that is still standing should make it great. But what do I know... I keep expecting to see flocks of dove!

I guess it might be useful for me if anyone sees something in the birdseye image about the relationship of these things that might clue me in more. I do where camo and try to sit in the shadows where I can.

Thanks for the input.

[Deleted]

Sept 20, 2012 9:21:20 GMT -5 galthatfishes said:

Tom,

What kinds of food do you look for? Just corn planted nearby? Oats? Any luck hunting near foxtail?

Foxtail is considered an invasive, I've heard if you find it, you also find the doves.

There's a place close to the house that's been timbered and on the logging roads the weeds came oin heavy with fox tail. I always see doves on the road when I'm scouting deer---I don't dove hunt here cause I archery hunt this area-

I don't know where the dove are feeding but I do get some shooting when the doves come to the pond for water in the evenings ---sgl 223---

[Deleted]

cl3--Just looked at your map---If I was hunting there I would set up along the creek between 2&3 or try to find a spot along the creek where the doves are coming in to drink before going to roost.

[Deleted]

Sept 20, 2012 12:21:18 GMT -5 @tbo2 said:

cl3--Just looked at your map---If I was hunting there I would set up along the creek between 2&3 or try to find a spot along the creek where the doves are coming in to drink before going to roost.

I will give it a try... probably on the Field #2 side, whether or not the corn is cut! Thanks for the suggestion... as much as I like strolling around with my shotgun, I'd rather sit still for a bit with a strategy. Keep 'em coming!

[galthatfishes]

www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&mode=article&objectID=30229

Found this primer on dove hunting. Its worth a look.

[Dutch]

CL3, welcome to the board.

Gal is right, modern farming leaves little corn for birds to feed on, but it does leave some.

When that is cut, it should draw some in.

Generally, when I did hunt doves, we got on a flyway to where they were going to roost in the evenings. Our best spot was a grove of white pines that they liked to roost in. That grove is now a development.

Another good spot I had, was by some walnut trees. The buggers used to fly into those trees just to rest, when the foliage was off.

One other way that was fun was to jump shooting them. Not everyone agreed with this method, but we would walk cut cornfields, which back then, did have foxtail in them, and jump shoot doves. Pretty fast action when we got into them.

The other month, I drove past a recently harvested wheat field. There must have been 50 doves in that field, that I could see from our lane. I'm guessing they were in there for waste grain.

I'm not sure how much they will use those grass fields on your map, unless some of them are mowed recently. But, it's worth a try.

[Deleted]

Sept 20, 2012 13:00:01 GMT -5 galthatfishes said:

www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&mode=article&objectID=30229

Found this primer on dove hunting. Its worth a look.

I came across this before and found it informative. Good to re-read it though. Thanks.

"Doves usually fly from their night roost to a watering hole shortly after dawn, then quickly move to feeding areas where they stay until midday. They loaf at perching, watering or graveling sites near the feeding area for an hour or two around noon, then return to the feeding area for the remainder of the afternoon. Before going to roost, they usually go to water again."

[Deleted]

Sept 20, 2012 19:07:20 GMT -5 Dutch said:

CL3, welcome to the board.

Gal is right, modern farming leaves little corn for birds to feed on, but it does leave some.

When that is cut, it should draw some in.

Generally, when I did hunt doves, we got on a flyway to where they were going to roost in the evenings. Our best spot was a grove of white pines that they liked to roost in. That grove is now a development.

Another good spot I had, was by some walnut trees. The buggers used to fly into those trees just to rest, when the foliage was off.

One other way that was fun was to jump shooting them. Not everyone agreed with this method, but we would walk cut cornfields, which back then, did have foxtail in them, and jump shoot doves. Pretty fast action when we got into them.

The other month, I drove past a recently harvested wheat field. There must have been 50 doves in that field, that I could see from our lane. I'm guessing they were in there for waste grain.

I'm not sure how much they will use those grass fields on your map, unless some of them are mowed recently. But, it's worth a try.

Well, this farmer leases the land for feed corn, and judging from how some of it was planted from what I saw while walking the edge of Field #2 near the creek, I hope his gear will keep him from cleaning it all up! We shall see because I mean, he's got to take that down soon right?!

[galthatfishes]

Depends on how much rain he gets. Feed corn has to be dry- and its kinda pricy to put it through a dryer. My friend left his stand one year till January.

[Deleted]

Sept 21, 2012 9:19:13 GMT -5 galthatfishes said:

Depends on how much rain he gets. Feed corn has to be dry- and its kinda pricy to put it through a dryer. My friend left his stand one year till January.

gaaaahhhhh! We just got about 3" of rain the other day!

[Deleted]

Corn is still up. Saturday is the last day for dove and I was planning to spend the afternoon out there, but I realize that it is also the archery opener for deer. As I said, this is public land and I have no idea what kind of pressure this place gets for deer season. Would it be wise to skip Saturday and move my hunt to Friday afternoon in fairness to the deer hunters, or just get out there and see what happens on Saturday?

Sort of a public land ethics question...

[Dutch]

If you can, move it to Friday, but also, you do have as much right to be there as another hunter. It is nice tho, if you can, to shoot for Friday.

[galthatfishes]

Nice of you to think of others!

Shoot for Friday, and I'd still go Saturday. Archery has been open (I think your area is in 2B, right) for a while there, albeit for antlerless I think?

If it ends up that there are several archery hunters out, you can always back out quietly, and maybe even move the deer in their direction.

I know if I were out hunting public land, I would welcome sharing the woods with a dove hunter, but I'm not like everyone else.

[Deleted]

Or get a crossbow?! I'm scouting this area for deer too... but I only shoot the rifle currently.

I'm in 3C actually.

Now I might hit the fields Friday afternoon... like I need an excuse to leave work early! Then maybe I'll check it out on Saturday so I get a sense of the pressure.

[Deleted]

Well, I took a half day on Friday and hit the field... corn was still up and it started rain pretty good 10 minutes into my walk through the corn. I saw one dove up on the power line next to the road and that was it. Spent about 2.5 hours out with no sign of the rain letting up, so I called it a day. I fished the lake Saturday afternoon and cruised by the fields one last time about 6pm and still saw nothing.

Oh well. Chalk it up. It may not be a good place to hunt dove, but I am going to scout deer there. I did not see many vehicles for bow hunters Saturday afternoon, which I'm hoping means there isn't much pressure. We'll see.

[Deleted]

Good luck to ya for the deer--It just might pay off--but remember, just cause there were no bow hunters, doesn't mean there won't be a load of rifle hunters once gun season starts.

[Deleted]

Oct 1, 2012 9:02:38 GMT -5 @tbo2 said:

Good luck to ya for the deer--It just might pay off--but remember, just cause there were no bow hunters, doesn't mean there won't be a load of rifle hunters once gun season starts.

Oh, I know. I wouldn't hunt this public land opening day, but I'd be willing to bet that the numbers drop off quick after that. Besides, I have access to a private farm where I hunt. I have just been really curious about this "new" public land because it's so close to my house... goal is to get out as much as possible. Period.

I've got some new trail cams coming this week that I'm going to stash in some of the deep corners of this place to see what's up! Hopefully, it will be better than my dove "hunts."

[Deleted]

Post some pics if ya get some