any of you looking forward to DOVE SEASON???

[USPENAMC]

is anyone here looking forward to dove season? i love the fact that you get alot of shooting in... does that mean im a bad shot..... you betcha

[123fish]

I definitely am looking forward to it. We have been having a blast ever since it started. Our honey hole is the sewage ponds a half mile from town. They fly out from town for a quick drink and to peck around for weed seeds. Easy and fun hunting for sure.

[brittman]

Yes. With my 12 yr old son doing the shooting....

[Jameson]

Really looking forward to dove season this year. It was a great break-in to the new hunting season last fall. I've got a friend working on his in-laws on taking down a big wheat field at the correct time for us. It could be sweet!

[koonie]

I can't wait. If you get in the right spot it's the most fun you can have hunting. Bring some friends, some water, a cooler, and a ton of shells. What a blast!

[USPENAMC]

im spoiled in the fact that i lived in south texas and ever since i was like 4 i hunted doves. the problem there was trying to figure out which to shoot at. here in minnesota i have not really found a honey hole yet but there are plenty of doves out there. im going to have to go scouting south west to see if i can find some public land with a good amount of doves. its really the time when like 15 of us guys that dont see each other all year get together and go on a hunt. enjoy and be safe

[SJU70]

So does one basically set up on a cut grain field? How are doves generally hunted, I did shoot one last year but I was driving past a field that i had permission to hunt on, saw it in a tree way across the field and walked out toward it and shot it when it flew away. Do you look for gravel or what? Where do they go to get water and is that where you look as 123Fish does? It seems like they would be really fun to shoot.

[captshorelunch]

That's just like shooting robins. Little meat and friendly birds that come to feeders. Should have never opened a season on them

[joe_stack20]

They taste great in the fryin pan tho!

[123fish]

SJU70 it's just like any type of hunting in the fact that scouting is very important. Yes cut grain fields such as wheat, oats, cut corn for silage are real good spots if the birds are using them which doesn't take long to find out if you can eyeball them in the morning or evening when the birds are feeding. The birds have to have water so places like gravel pits, ponds with a lot of bank showing, sewage lagoons, ect. make excellent places to make contact with doves. If you can find large groves of trees close to food and water that is also a good place to jump mid day birds that are loafing until time to eat. I've never hunted robins but hunting doves is sporting and we have enjoyed it since the first season opened. Good way to sharpen up the dog also. You may not get as much meat off of a dove as you do a honker but they are mighty tasty. Kind of like comparing a shrimp to a 200 lb. halibut. Not quite as big but both taste good.

[BLACKJACK]

Doves taste just like robins

Doves are actully very sporting to shoot, its good practice for your shooting ang good practice for your dog. If they can find a dove in standing cornfield, they'll find that pheasant that you drop in the cattails. And if you get 10-20 doves in a roaster with some gravey, put over potatoes, Mmmmmm good!

[captshorelunch]

Quote:

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Doves taste just like robins

Doves are actully very sporting to shoot, its good practice for your shooting ang good practice for your dog. If they can find a dove in standing cornfield, they'll find that pheasant that you drop in the cattails. And if you get 10-20 doves in a roaster with some gravey, put over potatoes, Mmmmmm good!

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I don't know. I just can't see shooting a robin sized bird that visits my bird feeders. Oh well, to each his own, I guess

[smg04]

i just picked up a case of dove load 2nite, cant wait for sept 1st to roll around

[jaydog]

I don't know. I just can't see shooting a robin sized bird that visits my bird feeders. Oh well, to each his own, I guess

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because u fool they might be a couple now but in 5-10 years with out a hunting season they will start wecking crops why do u think there is deer , turkey ,duck and goose seasons

[captshorelunch]

Quote:

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I don't know. I just can't see shooting a robin sized bird that visits my bird feeders. Oh well, to each his own, I guess

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because u fool they might be a couple now but in 5-10 years with out a hunting season they will start wecking crops why do u think there is deer , turkey ,duck and goose seasons

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Cute attempt but the destructiveness of too many deer or geese is bajillion times greater than any doves. Should have kept the season closed on them. NOBODY who I ever have talked to believes there is any justification for shooting doves, unlike deer or geese or pheasants.

[123fish]

Well I certainly agree that too many doves causing crop damage would be a pretty lame excuse for a dove season. That's not going to happen. How about the fact they are the No. 1 gamebird in America, or that they are very sporting to hunt if you are doing it ethically, or that they are delicious on the table? Enough reasons right there to enjoy the hunt. No. 1 gamebird in America right now. That alone bears repeating.

[Wanderer]

Ahhh, is the FM Legislature coming to session on this one?

Doves are my Mom's favorite bird and she's not a big fan of killing anything even though she knows its O.K. So with respect to Mom, I felt a little guilty about wanting to pop a few last year for a treat. Yeah, they're that good! Hard to hit too!

I have an alfalfa field across the road from my house. I watch the flock around here grow over the summer. I've seen almost 100 birds on the wire at times. They gravel in my driveway and on the road and behave much more like a game bird than a song bird. Much spookier than a robin. They will actually learn my setup and watch me so I have to keep changing.

My dog gets nice workout, I practice wing shooting, and eat good for a couple days. Now guilt free.

Yup, to each their own.

[Ufatz]

Better enjoy this season. It will probably be the last one.Legislature will correct itself next session. It was hoodwinked into thinking there was HUGE demand when there was not. They will change it back next session and not touch it again.

[jigging-matt]

How will the Legislature CORRECT itself? I see more and more doves every year. While I have not taken part in Dove Season in MN, I used to take part in the SD season when I lived there. They are a extremely fun to hunt and make you really practice your shooting skills. I do enjoy seeing them around my bird feeders, but I think part of that is getting that close to them in town and knowing how hard they are to hit when hunting them. They have been a game bird for many many years know and the legislature corrected it self when it opened the season again. Go back and talk to some old timers and ask them about their dove hunting stories and you will usually find some interesting hunting stories.

[Ufatz]

Hey! I AM an oldtimer! And we didn't care for it then either. This is supposed to be an "enlightened" state here in MN. The Leg. was fooled into thinking millions of hunters were waiting with loaded guns for a dove season.Go look at the statistics to see how many actually participated. The public reaction (other than hunters) was and IS strongly opposed. They let legislators know it. Thus, the Legs. will "correct" their mistake next session.

[Wanderer]

Thanks for the tip! I'll plan accordingly!

How many times did the issue see the floor before it got a "YES" vote? Seemed like somebody wanted it. I found the idea interesting every time I heard about it but didn't think it was going to be something for me.

Last year was my first attempt and only because I had time, wanted to eat some, and was seeing what I thought were rediculously cool numbers of birds in my area. If had to get up early, travel, scout, work for permission, and buy specialized gear, I wouldn't do it. Pheasants - yes.

When there are huntable numbers of birds and a demand for it, what makes one kind of bird OK to hunt and another not?

And I'm asking this as a serious question.

[Ufatz]

Well Wanderer, I accept your question as serious. I'll try to help. If this were merry olde England one of the gents might reply, "because it just isn't done old boy- it just isn't done." Here in the states an old guy might say, "look.we don't shoot them for the same reason we don't ground sluice pheasants or shoot ducks on water. Or we don't drag lures through bass spawning beds; don't shoot bears over bait;don't spread corn for deer or mallards and we don't take more than our limit." We think of the doves as song birds and frankly don't care what they do in Texas, Lousiana or those lesser states. What'll it be next...blackbirds? Hummingbirds with 410's? You are right, they are just another bird to some people. But in the end....."it just isn't done old boy!"

[BLACKJACK]

Too many people worked to hard to get a dove season passed to just let it fade away in the next legislative session, no matter what your wishful thinking is.

Have you ever shot pigeons out of a barn? Look at doves like small pigeons.

Have you tried dove hunting? Its fun! They're tough to hit, good work for your dog, and tasty.

[2 DA GILLS]

Ufatz,

I am not sure I follow the point you are trying to make here: "Here in the states an old guy might say, "look.we don't shoot them for the same reason we don't ground sluice pheasants or shoot ducks on water. Or we don't drag lures through bass spawning beds; don't shoot bears over bait;don't spread corn for deer or mallards and we don't take more than our limit."

Most of what you stated is illegal and unethical activity and dove hunting is legal. I have not hunted doves in MN, but did in Arizona and it was a blast. I missed more than I hit and they were excellent eating.

You could ask the question if it is biologically necessary to hunt doves. I would think the answer would be NO. (Is there a biological reason to hunt pheasants or ducks?) You can also ask the question if there is a biological reason not to hunt doves. Again, I would say they answer would be NO.

So, what are the advantages of a dove season?

1) A great way to introduce youth to the sport of hunting. I know this will be the way I will introduce my sons to hunting.

2) More money spent on hunting and more dollars towards WMAs and habitat.

2) Habitat management for doves providing benefits for non-game species.

3) More opporunities for the general public to be introduced to the sport of hunting with inimal costs involved in getting started.

What is negative about dove hunting?

1) The idea that doves are not a game bird (mainly due to the years of not hunting them in MN) and misconception that hunting them involves picking them off bird feeders and powerlines.

I personally see no reason to not have a season. I sure hope the opportunity is still there in a few years when my sons are old enough to start carrying a shotgun.

[Wanderer]

Ufatz,

I will definately have to "Agree to disagree" with you on this one.

It is done here NOW as well as lesser places along with shooting bears over bait. Which is something I'm not excited about but will not talk down as I have never done it.

The "You shouldn't do it because I don't like it" argument doesn't cut it with me. Give me sound biological reasons and I'll listen.

Another thing that I'm not terribly excited about are the old Scottish drive hunts. Steeped in tradition and at the apex of the hunting culture in Europe, dozens of gunners are posted at escape routes to shoot hundreds of birds that are driven from the crops by handlers (without guns) and their dogs. The handlers sole purpose is to first drive the birds into the crops so the gunners can take their positions, then push them back out to the slaughter. The gunners don't even pick up their own birds.

I hope to never be that "enlightened". I'll stay a redneck dirt crawling, dog loving, tasty bird shooter thank you.

Cheerio!