dove hunting (public land)

[Kodiak]

I have some questions on dove hunting with a dog on public land.

Now that the dove season is coming up on sept 1st. Can you hunt on public land you know the crp grass areas near fields that are usually used for hunting pheasants. I was thinking of setting up in a corner near a field on public and pass shooting. Now what are the rules with the public land, can you dove hunt it? First time dove hunting basically doing it to get the dog some work and some of them dove kabobs!

[greenman]

If it's public land set up near a food or water source. Dove hunting is a sit and wait game. NO dog needed except to retrieve downed birds. Dove don't set on the ground like pheasants or quail in thick cover.

[Kodiak]

yeah i know that, that is why i said set up and pass shoot. see them flying by all the time goose hunting. it would be good for my dog to SIT and WAIT she needs it.

[Bushwacker]

No problem with hunting them on public land. Just make sure if it is a WPA that you only have steel shot. It is great practice for a young dog, it is better to teaching a dog control and patience while dove hunting on a nice afternoon, then on opening morning of duck hunting.

And not to start an argument of anything, but certain fields and cover attract a lot of dove. My lab and I have flushed my doves in millet field and other grain fields, and even a few on the edges of public lands.

NOTE:Changed M to P

[riverrat56]

Im pretty sure that on WMA's (Wildlife Managment Areas) you can use lead shot, regs don't say you can't, the areas you can't use lead are WPA's (Waterfowl Production Areas)(( I think its WPA))

[Powerstroke]

riverrat is correct. NOn-toxic shot is only required on federal lands (NWMA and WPA) or while taking waterfowl.

[USPENAMC]

does price range vary alot between regular shot and steel shot?

what are the pro's and cons of lead vs steel shot i have never used steel shot. thanks

[riverrat56]

Lead shot

Cheaper, better patterns, more down range energy due to density of pellets, easier to get in shot sizes sutible for

doves ( 7 1/2, 8, 9 ), don't need speical chokes or barrels.

Steel

EXPENSIVE-expect to pay 4-6 dollars more for steel, since it is so hard, it can damage barrels and chokes in older guns, hardness also causes more flyers due to pellet deformation, shot is less dense, giving less downrange energy, to get same downrange energy, you need to step up to a bigger shot size, which decreases the amount of shot in the shell.

So basically, unless you are rich, dumb, or really worried about the enviroment, I would use lead shot for doves.

[Kodiak]

i read that their is not blaze required, so do they break like ducks when they see you sitting or should just wear the my upland garb with the blaze so i can be seen by other dove hunters. they cant see color can they?

[riverrat56]

I hunted them in a white shirt one day, driving around, had the gun in the back seat from trap shooting, saw a bunch of doves on a WMA, stopped and hunted for awhile, ended up with 8 in about an hour, so really as long as you stay tucked into some type of cover, you should be fine.

[Powerstroke]

It is correct that blaze is not required while hunting for doves. Keep in mind though that if you shoot something else that isn't a migratory bird and you get stopped with it in your possession and you're not wearing blaze, you will be in trouble.

I usually wear a blaze vest or hat until I reach my hunting spot and then place the vest inside my backpack.

[USPENAMC]

i guess i will stick with the lead shells je je .. anyone know where they have any specials going i looked online and stuff and mostly they only have larger sizes nothing showing up for dove yet its not a popular up north as waterfowl

[Kodiak]

i have a question, for awhile now i have been seeing people say je..je.. wth is that?

[USPENAMC]

same as laughing he he, ha ha, je je ja ja except j in spanish sounds like h in english so i usually use either or je je ja ja or he he ha ha

[Kodiak]

LOL ok