Is 20 acres enough to hunt dove?

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Bobarian

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We're on a 20-acre roughly square parcel in the Texas Hill Country. Perfectly legal for us to fire weapons out here. Also, we're overrun with dove, which our niece is keen to hunt. From the center of the parcel it's about 450 feet to the nearest fence. Assuming 12ga #7.5 shot shells, would it be safe to hunt dove?

I know shot doesn't travel very far, but I sure don't want to get in trouble with our neighbors.

What do y'all think?
 
That doesn't sound too safe to me. It's one thing when you're on a fixed range, but it's another when you're walking around shooting in all directions. My family has 80 acres in the ozarks, and just finding a safe place to set up a range is somewhat difficult, much less hunting on it. Too many houses too close. The only exception would be deer and hogs if you baited them into a certain area.
 
Look it up on google earth and see how far any houses, roads, etc are. I Have a few places i hunt where i limit myself to a 90 degree ahooting lane.
 
Is there water on the property like a small farm pond or overflow from a windmill tank? Some of the best dove shooting you will find is to sit by the side of a small water hole late in the evening and wait for the doves to come to you. Take a lawn chair along and sit by some brush or weeds. If the doves are in the area you should be able to easily get your limit. I always like to use 7 1/2 shot out of a improved cylinder barrel. Don't shoot toward farm animals or other areas of concern. In Oklahoma it is not against the law to shoot on any rural property no matter how small as long as you are not putting people, animals or property at risk.
 
Check your local laws on hunting as far as how far one needs to be from a dwelling. I would hunt it without hesittation especially for dove.
 
If there were no occupied dwellings within 300 meters or so (or less if the law so dictates) I would do it in a heartbeat. If anyone even lives on the adjoining property I would just drop a "courtesy note" on their door the day prior. if its legal, then its legal.
 
Field loads for dove? I've been "rained on" by #8 from a hundred yards off and mostly thought it was halfway funny. Painless, anyhow. :)
That's why I'm not too concerned. One of the tactical bays at the local range is about 150 yards downrange from the skeet shooting area. I've been "rained on" myself. Stings a bit, but no real danger.

Thanks for the replies, guys!
 
It wouldn't hurt to go knock on the neighbor's door and tell them what you're up to...they just may say you can use their land too. At least, that's what happened to me with deer hunting.
 
I agree with asking the neighbor for permission to hunt their property too.Barring that,you could stay along the property line and only shoot toward the farthest edge.
 
I live in the TX Hill Country, albeit on property not large enough to hunt on.

I would encourage you to exercise your right to hunt. I'd also agree that for the sake of goodwill and karma, you choose your shooting lanes wisely and give your neighbors a heads up before the season...

Good luck and enjoy.


Take Care,

Buzz
 
Well, it is illegal for your dove shot to go over the property line in Texas, even if it may be "safe" that there are no houses, etc. on the other side of the fence. You are firing into the air and so the pellets are going to travel quite a ways. I would say that it is quite likely that you will be breaking the law and doing so repeatedly if you dove hunt on it.
 
Hey, a little common sense, okay? #8 shot in free fall doesn't hurt anything. I doubt that Bobarian is going to deliberately get all up-close-and-personal and aim at a neighbor's cow, dog or whatever.

Legality? Bandera and Harris Counties ban shooting on tracts of 10 acres or less. I know of no ban on shooting in a 20-acre tract. (The Davis Mountain Resort development has a restrictive covenant in the deeds, against any shooting.)
 
Hey, a little common sense, okay? #8 shot in free fall doesn't hurt anything. I doubt that Bobarian is going to deliberately get all up-close-and-personal and aim at a neighbor's cow, dog or whatever.

No......but the neighbor might get a little upset when he hears shot raining on his metal shed roof or the cow goes thru the fence when slapped in the butt with a load of 7.5s.

Still I see no reason he can't hunt dove there if he is careful and informs the neighbors. That in itself is just common sense.
 
Even here in AZ with the strictest hunting rule (1/4mi) form a road or occupied building, we have an exception for "urban dove". Not a lot of risk from bird shot.

What is the 20 acre? is it 1/4 mi by 1/8 mi? I have 74 acres that is ~1.1mi long and skinny and I'll shoot rifle-- only east-west :D

Mike
 
Dove hunting on 20 acres? Absolutely not a problem in fact more than enough room.
 
I doubt that Bobarian is going to deliberately get all up-close-and-personal and aim at a neighbor's cow, dog or whatever.

Neither do I, but animals not used to gun shots tend to freak out a bit..

Main reason I don't shoot on my own property is because I have a horse that is deathly afraid and will rile the others up.
 
Always a good idea to be in good with the neighbors. A friendly visit may pan out very well, and can't hurt anything.
 
Well, it is illegal for your dove shot to go over the property line in Texas, even if it may be "safe" that there are no houses, etc. on the other side of the fence. You are firing into the air and so the pellets are going to travel quite a ways. I would say that it is quite likely that you will be breaking the law and doing so repeatedly if you dove hunt on it.
Well my real question is: how far can #7.5 shot travel down range?
 
Neither do I, but animals not used to gun shots tend to freak out a bit..

Main reason I don't shoot on my own property is because I have a horse that is deathly afraid and will rile the others up.
That's not really a concern. Virtually all of my neighbors have a pistol berm or stock tank. Not to mention the LEO'S nearby who fire their automatic weapons at least once a month. We're all a bunch of Bitter Clingers out here. Funny, hearing gunshots now as I'm typing this.
 
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