Chances are (with a few exceptions) you live in or near an area that has mourning dove hunting. September 1st is observed as the peak of this birds migration and the opening day for dove in many states. This “pre-season” hunt usually runs from September 1st and for 15 consecutive days in California and other states. Late season dove hunts open weeks or months after the early season. It should be noted, that Eurasian Collared dove are considered an invasive species and can be hunted year long, with no limits. There are other species of dove that are lumped into the season, such as White Winged dove, so please be sure you check your regulations for limits and ever changing regulations, and PLEASE learn to identify the difference of each species!

Mourning dove are a migratory bird and are the nations most hunted game-bird and arguably one of the most hunted species of any game in the United States alone. Annual harvests are in the tens-of-millions! And we are not even putting a dent in the population!

Dove are hunted by more “casual” hunters and tend to be the gateway into hunting for many future hunters. Why is that? Accessibility and high volume shooting! This game bird keeps the action going, requiring one to maintain some level of attention span and concentration, unlike some other forms of hunting like spot and stalk or jump shooting which can often be seen as boring to the casual hunter or novice It’s not so much hunting, but more like shooting, especially if you are just pass-shooting. This is what makes dove hunting so appealing to the masses! It’s a great way to introduce newbies to hunting.

Aside from that, it is great way to pile all your friends and family in a truck and head out to the desert or agricultural fields for some fun. Dove hunting makes for good times and memories! Traditions are born on the dove field.

Dove are attracted to urban areas and agricultural fields where food and water are readily available. This makes for easy access for most people. Migration flyways are pretty well known, but some birds become permanent residents and roost near fields and farms. This makes them somewhat easy to find. With permission, one could get access to exclusive private property. So, suck up and be nice… and start knocking (politely) on doors. (note* Please be sure you are hunting in areas where you can legally discharge a weapon! I cannot stress this more!)

Many of the flyways pass through the deserts of the south-west, and all you need to do is ask and do some research to figure out where these flyways are located. They are not hard to find. Find a spot along these areas and hunker down. Let the action begin!

State Fish and Game Departments in many states, will seed and plant fields with a variety of crops (wheat, sunflower, etc.) to both attract and hold dove. The locations of these areas are no secret and maps can be accessed by your states Fish & Game departments. You want to ensure that you are well read-up on all regulations of each field you visit. Many of these state operated fields require non-lead ammo, especially in California.

 

What you need

If you read my Beginner’s Guide to Upland Hunting, you may have a good idea of what kind of gear you need. Most equipment and essentials can crossover for your dove hunt. Some differences between actual Upland Hunting (Jump Shoot or Flushing) and traditional dove hunting is that you will typically be doing a whole lot of pass-shooting as the dove move in from migrating through food-plots and fly-ways. That means you are standing, if not sitting along these “highways” and taking passing shots as dove fly-by. For comfort purposes, you may want to consider a folding chair or one of those cushioned buckets to sit on.

Obviously you need a shotgun. Unless you are just spectating this time around? A trusty 12 or 20 Gauge will do the trick… and ammo is plentiful for these gauges. As a matter of fact, there are a ton of ammo sales right before the season starts, so be sure to stock up! Any shotgun format will do, but most hunters want the extra shot and will opt for a sleek semi-auto or a reliable pump-gun over a break action. The extra shot keeps you in the game, especially if you are experiencing high-volume shooting.

My recommendation is to stick with either sized 8 or 7.5 shot in either gauge. A single pellet will put a dove down for the count. They are delicate birds. Everyone and their cousin will tell you to run full-choke. Full-choke does have its purpose in the field, however, the most successful hunters are probably using a modified or other opened choke. Do yourself a favor, pick a choke (MODIFIED) and stick with it, rather than switching chokes out every other shot. If you are using steel shot instead of lead or lead-like material, my recommendation is to go up a shot size for the purpose of density. Steel is not as dense as lead and going up a size compensates for this loss in density.  (***note*** Be sure to use chokes that are approved for steel shot. Too much constriction or soft metal chokes can prove to be dangerous to you and your gun)

Most people also opt to leave the blaze orange at home. Since you are likely going to be mainly pass-shooting, you want to somewhat blend in. Dove, like most birds, have a keen eye and can spot dangers and things that shouldn’t be sitting in bushes (you). As birds get shot at, they become more weary. Keep that in mind. Camo is an option, but not necessary. Staying still is probably more important.

Decoys are often deployed with success during a dove hunt. I won’t pretend to know all the intricacies of the perfect decoy spread, but I often observe that “less is more”. Keep it simple. You don’t necessarily need decoys, but they are readily available. You can even find them at Walmart. There is the simple plastic or foam variation and the mechanized “flapper”. They even make “tree” decoys that are made of collapsible poles, giving you the option of mimicking a well-used dove perch. Otherwise, laying them out on the open floor should suffice as well.

Water! In early season dove-hunts we are still experiencing summer temps. It is important to stay hydrated , so please be sure to bring enough water and fluids. Snacks are always a good idea too. Just remember to pack out your trash. Or I will find you….

Oh yeah! Don’t forget your hat and some sunscreen!

 

Where to hunt

As mentioned earlier, dove can be found everywhere. You will see them in town and in urban settings. Your best bet is in the fringes of these areas, where you can legally shoot. For the folks in Southern California… look on the map! Check out near Barstow, Blythe, San Diego, Riverside, etc. for places on the fringes where you can shoot.

Many states offer Wildlife Areas where food plots have been specifically cultivated for attracting dove and other wildlife. These can be found online or in your regulation books. Since I am based in Southern California, I am gonna throw these guys an extra bone, so bear with me…. Guys! There are a ton of places to hunt dove down here. Here is a bit of a sort list of areas you can hit up. It can be hit and miss, depending on the season, weather and precipitation. So do your homework, research and scout beforehand if you are able. These areas do require non-toxic shot. So plan accordingly.

In no particular order:

• Imperial Valley Wildlife Area
• San Jacinto Wildlife Area
• Camp Cady Wildlife Area
• Palo Verde Ecological Reserve

This is just a fraction of the areas that are available to hunt dove in. There are Indian Reservations in both the California and Arizona states that are open to non-members hunting on their land. I will leave you to do your own homework if that is something you are interested in.

If you are feeling frisky and don’t mind traveling a little further, Dove Hunting Mecca is just a few hours away in Yuma, Arizona. The town boasts one of, if not the highest concentrations of dove in the United States! The town is super hunter friendly. There is literally a sign as you drive in, welcoming one and all dove hunters. It’s practically a dove convention! Check here for more info: Yuma Dove Hunting

Other Tips

If it’s not obvious by now, dove hunting is very popular past time. That means droves of people are planning and will be there. It gets crowded. So plan ahead and be early. It’s first come, first serve. Be courteous to others, lead by example and above all, be safe!

As you are setting up for the day, be sure to give yourself enough “elbow room”. If you walk up on other hunters spreads, yield and find another spot. Don’t be an asshole. There are enough of those out there. If you encounter an asshole, be the better person and yield. Better safe, than sorry.

Set up early and get your decoys out while it is a bit dark. Don’t run out and adjust them every few minutes. You’ll just spook the birds! Be sure to sit still and not fidget about. Dove can be weary birds.

Your best bet is to do some scouting before the season starts and figure out where the best fly-ways are. Try to set up along these fly-ways for the best results. If you are unable to scout or if someone else beats you to your spot(s), you’re gonna have to take an educated guess where to set-up on the fly. Try not to move around from spot to spot if you can help it. Remember these are weary birds and if you are changing locations every few minutes, the likelihood of you spooking dove are going to increase!

Worst case scenario, if you brought some blaze orange and you can safely do so, try some good old fashioned upland hunting strategy and jump shoot them. Dove will congregate in dead branches and high perches for rest.

Dove are a fast and acrobatic flyers. They are rockets. They are a challenging target. Without getting into the nitty-gritty and pretending I am some kind of professional shooting coach, I will keep my shooting advice general. You should hook up with a shooting instructor that knows tons more than I do! As far as I can humbly advise, however, when shooting dove, you want to always lead in front of the the little rocket and follow your swing through after your shot. That is the extent of the advice I can give!

Remember above all, be safe. The fields will be crowded so be sure of your shots. Do not shoot low birds and do not shoot into bushes or trees. A good rule of thumb is to only shoot a bird with blue sky behind it.

Best of luck and as always…

God Bless and Happy Hunting!

-JR

 

 

 

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