MCgunner
Member
When xouth zone opens, I'm going to try some APH hunting near Corpus. I don't have my hopes up, but we'll see.
Dove Reports?
- Thread starter lizziedog1
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Opening day was hot, 100+.
Today was cool, high not much over 70, with a cool breeze blowing. I stepped out onto the porch and watched seven doves fly right over my hunting spot in less than three minutes.
I'm blaming the heat.
Today was cool, high not much over 70, with a cool breeze blowing. I stepped out onto the porch and watched seven doves fly right over my hunting spot in less than three minutes.
I'm blaming the heat.
Grayrock
Member
Preliminary reports from the land owners I hunt with regularly are favorable for the 2012 dove season. One gentleman even advised me to bring a bushel basket this year. He is trying a crop of sesame this year. What are they looking like in your neck of the woods?
MtnCreek
Member
They're looking pretty good here. The resident birds are burning my place up. Winter wheat is dropping seed and they've also been interested in the planting I've been doing. Seems like you can just run a harrow up and down a field a few times and they'll come check it out. No big spring winds this year, so I think the nests had a good season. I think having the resident birds using a field brings in the migrating birds. Anyone else think that helps?
MCgunner
Member
Texas seems to be having a European Collared (ringneck) dove population explosion. Last season after deer season, the little 2 or 3 week season in Dec/Jan, they were all over my place in mid coastal Texas. Talked to my buddy in Waco yesterday and he said they've moved in to his farm big time. I LOVE those things even if the TPW doesn't. They're bigger, tend to flutter in rather than haul buns, make great targets. 
Hell, I hope they take over! I don't think they've got a season on 'em or bag limit, really haven't looked, just take 'em during the regular dove season. I'm pretty good at spotting 'em, now, on the wing, but don't wanna shoot a white wing by mistake out of season, so I'll just hunt 'em in regular dove season.
Having grain fields always helps. Where I hunt, it's mostly sorghum and corn. Things like corn, get huge craws of corn if there's corn on the ground. One of our better spots is on my buddy's dad's farm, a tank between usually sorghum fields and roosting trees. Afternoon hunts can be hot and heavy as they come in for a drink on the way to roost. Usually, don't seem to be just late, either, starts around 3 or 4 and in the morning it can be good there. Last year, that tank and one other on his dad's place had water. What with the drought, it was a no brainer, hunt the water. We slayed 'em big time. At times, it resembled those TV shows where they are dove hunting Argentina.
Hell, I hope they take over! I don't think they've got a season on 'em or bag limit, really haven't looked, just take 'em during the regular dove season. I'm pretty good at spotting 'em, now, on the wing, but don't wanna shoot a white wing by mistake out of season, so I'll just hunt 'em in regular dove season.Having grain fields always helps.
Where I hunt, it's mostly sorghum and corn. Things like corn, get huge craws of corn if there's corn on the ground. One of our better spots is on my buddy's dad's farm, a tank between usually sorghum fields and roosting trees. Afternoon hunts can be hot and heavy as they come in for a drink on the way to roost. Usually, don't seem to be just late, either, starts around 3 or 4 and in the morning it can be good there. Last year, that tank and one other on his dad's place had water. What with the drought, it was a no brainer, hunt the water. We slayed 'em big time. At times, it resembled those TV shows where they are dove hunting Argentina.
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There is no season limit or bag limit on the Collard Doves in CO. In fact I was told by a DOW officer, while checking my tag, to "kill ever damn one of them I can". Will do officer! Good eating too.
Mango88
Member
My favorite dove recipe:
Brown dove breasts in a skillet, onions optional, add one can of cream of mushroom soup with about half a soup can of red wine. Give it a quick stir, cover and simmer until done. Serve over rice. I sometimes add cayenne pepper while its cooking to spice it up.
Brown dove breasts in a skillet, onions optional, add one can of cream of mushroom soup with about half a soup can of red wine. Give it a quick stir, cover and simmer until done. Serve over rice. I sometimes add cayenne pepper while its cooking to spice it up.
Grayrock
Member
Going to try the coastal prairies around Houston this year for opening day instead of the Texas hill country. Hope the birds that are reported there now hang around.
My brother and I have our annual Labor Day Dog & Dove shoot in NW Kansas. We shoot p-dogs for 2-3 days before dove season opens Sept 1st. Last 2 years we had our limits of 15 each in about 90 minutes. We shoot around a tank on top of a hill overlooking a long beautiful valley. We set up next to the windmill pump with decoys attach to the windmill and a robo-dove going next to the water. The doves come up the valley usually a few feet off the ground. The last 2 years have been so prolific that we challenge ourselves to shoot doubles only, ignoring the singles. I won last year with 5 doubles. This year is likely to be the same. When we were there last month shooting p-dogs, doves were everywhere. In some years past, an early cold front can arrive in late August or early Sept and it sweeps the doves south like a giant broom. I live in NE Kansas and have had some decent shooting, but nothing like the barrel-heating experience of western Kansas. In fact, my old favorite place, SW of Kansas City has been a bust the last few years. And, by the way, I love cooking and eating them. Might share the secrets in another post later.
MCgunner
Member
I did not know this. That answers some questions on why they're getting so populous here. Thanks. I love those things. I don't see 'em as a problem, but then, I like hogs, too. LOL
Yo Mama
Member
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I can't find this anywhere on Fish and Game's website. If you have any info, please let me know, I'd love to hunt before September. Problem is I see them in the city, out in the field no collars.
Also, do you think AZ will be any good this year? We had 2 days of rain
sixgunner455
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- Aug 25, 2006
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- 3,052
There are doves everywhere right now (AZ). But like a lot of others, I mostly see the collared Eurasian doves inside city limits.
We will get our regular migrants, and we will have our regular monsoons first and into the season, just like usual. If you want a WAG from somebody about the season.
We will get our regular migrants, and we will have our regular monsoons first and into the season, just like usual. If you want a WAG from somebody about the season.
Grayrock
Member
With the heat we are experiencing right now, I'm not seeing so many native doves.
I wanted to add to my earlier post about doves and add a question. I hunt in NW Kansas and the doves are plentiful. I have started to see some collared doves, but always in town. Consequently, I have never shot one. Have never seen a one outside of the communities in the area. Is that typical? Do they hang out in different terrain?
MCgunner
Member
It depends. Most of 'em are in town around north of Waco where I hunt, all we ever get is morning dove and occasional Aztec. The whitewings like the city, too.
Down at my place, and now my buddy tells me on his farms north of Waco, the collards are showing up out of town. They seem to be spreading like wildfire and I would think would have to expand their range. Last part of last season, they showed up on my place and I had a good time with 'em. I still don't get many whitewings there. In town in Corpus, my back hard is infested with nothing, but whitewings. When I had my house in Port Lavaca, ditto, whitewings everywhere in town. Rarely see one out on my place.
Down at my place, and now my buddy tells me on his farms north of Waco, the collards are showing up out of town. They seem to be spreading like wildfire and I would think would have to expand their range. Last part of last season, they showed up on my place and I had a good time with 'em. I still don't get many whitewings there. In town in Corpus, my back hard is infested with nothing, but whitewings. When I had my house in Port Lavaca, ditto, whitewings everywhere in town. Rarely see one out on my place.
Hunterdad
Member
You guys are lucky. We don't have a season for them in NY because this is breeding ground for them. One day I'll travel somewhere and do a hunt.
MCgunner
Member
Breeding ground? Heck, whitewings have nested by the hundreds around my home last 30 years and we hunt 'em here, friggin' tradition, right of the season, opening of all the good times, etc, etc.
You just have a communist government in NY that classifies the birds as "song birds" and won't let you eat 'em.
Grayrock
Member
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
What he said- hear, hear!!
What he said- hear, hear!!
These pics are from two years ago at our place. These are all collareds:
Last year there weren't so many. I think they learn where they get shot at and stay away. They are starting to hang around heavy again this year though.
The only problem I see with shooting at them early is that they behave like pigeons. Once they're shot at they'll head for town and stay there. There's a little town a mile up the road, plus a few farms where they owners don't allow hunting, and that's where you'll find the collareds after opening day.
Last year there weren't so many. I think they learn where they get shot at and stay away. They are starting to hang around heavy again this year though.
The only problem I see with shooting at them early is that they behave like pigeons. Once they're shot at they'll head for town and stay there. There's a little town a mile up the road, plus a few farms where they owners don't allow hunting, and that's where you'll find the collareds after opening day.
WOW!!! That's a heap of doves. Here in NE Kansas, next to my house, I have been seeing small flocks (10-12) flying by...lots of them. Where I hunt is 5 hours west. It has been incredibly dry there so if you have access to a small pond or tank, you'll shoot a limit in no time when the season rolls around. I can shoot closer to home, but we have no p-dogs here and I love to combine dogs and doves so I can shoot all day. OK...here's the recipe. I fillet the meat off the breast which yields 2 quarter-size pieces, season the meat with salt, pepper, granulated garlic... then sauté briefly...the worst thing you can do is overcook them. Then make a bourdelais (sp?) sauce with beef stock, red wine, and mushrooms. Add the meat to the sauce, heat through and serve over rice. Add a salad, some crusty bread and cold beer. You have a gourmet meal fit for royalty...and us!!!
MCgunner
Member
Not nearly as funny as the thread that mentions "sill wet" .... he meant "silhouette". But, I understood the post, what matters.
But, I understood the post, what matters.MCgunner
Member
I really prefer grilling bacon wrapped dove breast halves kabobed with various veggies and this is the only way my wife likes 'em, she loves 'em this way. Season with salt, pepper, garlic salt, wrap with bacon, and put 'em on sticks with veggie pieces. I grilled some tonight with onion, potato, and squash, just got through eating. I'm stuffed. I'm down to a couple more meals of 'em I shot last late season (January). Most of 'em are ringnecks. Have to cut the breast half on those in half and eat two bites. Morning doves, I just pop the whole thing in my mouth.
Yummy.
I'm down to a couple more meals of 'em I shot last late season (January). Most of 'em are ringnecks. Have to cut the breast half on those in half and eat two bites. Morning doves, I just pop the whole thing in my mouth. Yummy.
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