Dove Reports?

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lizziedog1

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Dove season opens on the first of September here. I believe that is the opening day in many places. That is less then two months away.

I do not live in an area with an exceptional dove population. There are always a few birds around here, but nothing to write home about. But this year looks different.

We had a wetter then usual winter. Maybe that is a factor to the increase in doves around here. I am seeing quite a few of them. If they stay put for opening day, getting limits might be possible, that is if I can actually hit them.

Dove hunting is one of my favorites. I like the challenge, the fair weather, and the tasty meat they provide.

So, who looking forward to opening day of the 2011 dove season?

How does the dove population look like in your area?
 
Lots of birds around here. Last year we didn't fair so well but not bad over all. We plant about 4-5 acres of sunflowers on my uncles farm and it seems to hold them best. Got a recipe for you dove lovers.

one dove breast
little chunk of pepperjack cheese
one slice of jalapeno
wrap all of above with a slice of bacon and put a toothpick through it
put on grill and watch it closely

tasty!!!
 
lizziedog1 said:
Dove hunting is one of my favorites. I like the challenge, the fair weather, and the tasty meat they provide.
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I mostly quit dove hunting because while I also love the challenge, I hate the way they taste. I usually just make chili with them to cover up the taste.

They are fun to hunt though.

I usually hunt them in Nebraska and the last couple of years it seems like there was always a cold snap before opening day and they were mostly gone before the season even started.
 
I hate the way they taste
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Remove the breastbone, place a slice of jalapeno and a spoon full of cream cheese in the middle, wrap a half piece of bacon around it and secure with a heavy toothpick; grill till meat is done and cream cheese and pepper is warm. Enjoy!
Doves are pretty thick around here this year. My millet has gone to seed and they are tearing it up. If everything works as planned, the sunflowers and grain sorghum will have hard seed about the time season comes in and the millet is about gone. I’m probably going to start bush hogging strips in about two weeks.

Edit: I guess I should have read BlackDefence's post (he beat me to the tasty dove!).
 
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They're pretty thick here this year, both mourning doves and eurasian collared. Hoping for a great opening day, again.

We do the jalapeno and bacon stuff, but never tried it with cheese. We grill them on a wood fire though, with some chunks of fruit wood thrown in, for a little smoke flavor.
 
The birds are still here but I think hunting by water instead of food source will be better this year because we aren't getting ANY rain this summer.
 
Probably a dumb question, but what kind of fields do you Western guys hunt? Around here we (typically) get enough rain to grow sunflowers and grains. South of my location is peanut country, so the idea is to get the resident birds using a field during the summer and catch as many of the migrating as possible.

Thanks!
 
I got out this morning and found some birds. Lots of Doves. It might just be a good season. I cut across the hill from Silver Springs to Ramsey then north over another hill th Gooseberry mine. I found the whole side of a hill crawling with Chucker! Also saw a couple Sage Hens. It looks to be a good bird season.
 
Probably a dumb question, but what kind of fields do you Western guys hunt?
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Our place is just below a bluff and about a half mile from the Arkansas River. I just stand down by the barn and catch the ones flying between the fields above and the river.

When I was a kid we just hunted the river bottom in the evenings. They always come in for water before they roost in the cottonwoods.
mourning-doves for food ?? Ick !! they fall in the "pigeon" category dont they ?
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Ever heard of squab? :D Actually, dove breasts are very rich and very tasty, second only to quail in my opinion. And yes, we'll shoot barn pigeons if they come over low enough.
 
Doves are pretty thick around here this year. My millet has gone to seed and they are tearing it up. If everything works as planned, the sunflowers and grain sorghum will have hard seed about the time season comes in and the millet is about gone. I’m probably going to start bush hogging strips in about two weeks.
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Well, they were. It seems my little bird friends have left! I had about 40 or so birds using my field and now it looks like maybe 5 birds are still here. The millet they were eating is about used up and the sunflowers and grain sorghum are Almost ready.

I plowed a few strips along the edges of the fields this weekend and will try bushhogging a strip or two in the Almost ready flowers and grain; hopefully this will pull some birds back in.
 
I think we have more birds now that a month ago. Our flowers are not quite ready to bush hog yet but the birds are feeding. At the little pond by the house they are getting water every morning. If the hot weather stays up here for another month I can already taste the little bites of jalapeno and cheese!!!
 
Well, they were. It seems my little bird friends have left!
Click to expand...

I have contended for the last 10 years or so that Texas Parks and Wildlife needs to adjust their dove season about 2 weeks earlier. I always see a lot in August, but by the time September 1st rolls around, they have gone.

And I am still looking for a giblet gumbo recipe!
 
With less than a month to go, the birds seem to be staying put so far. The other day my dog and I must have kicked up at least fifty dove in this one area. I think I have found their late morning rest area.
 
Seeing quite a few mourning doves in the country. Eurasian birds have take over in town, forcing out the mourning doves. Hope the Eurasians do not affect the number of migrating birds.
 
It mainly corn and peanut fields that draw doves here in S. GA ... so we have a while before the harvest begins ... lots of birds sitting on the power lines anyway. I hope they will hang around long enough for season to start.

Jimmy K
 
We have an increase in White Wing populations, as well as Eurasians here in Albuquerque, and I think it is due to the fire in Arizona. I've never seen this many White Wings here!
 
Love to Dove Hunt. Going to Altus, OK in September for a Dove Hunt (anyone in that area know of a place I can get on hogs and/or coyotes while I'm down there?). Am looking to find one near around Brunswick, GA labor day weekend.
 
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