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Best Dove Hunt in over a decade!
I’m out of town but ironically, my best friend and former partner of 18 (before he retired) years was in the same location doing similar stuff. We hooked up and hung out a couple times. Then, he set us up with a dove hunt. Hell yeah!!! The previous best dove hunt in my life had been with him over a decade ago. Maybe lightning could strike twice?!?
We showed up late morning at the farm he got us permission to hunt and we drove around looking at the flight patterns. Decided on a covered shed for hay storage and did pretty good for awhile with a borrowed Winchester Shotgun and ammo from Walmart (it took two hours and two different Walmart Stores to get ammo and a license). The Ringnecks were flying but little to no Morning Dove.
We showed up late morning at the farm he got us permission to hunt and we drove around looking at the flight patterns. Decided on a covered shed for hay storage and did pretty good for awhile with a borrowed Winchester Shotgun and ammo from Walmart (it took two hours and two different Walmart Stores to get ammo and a license). The Ringnecks were flying but little to no Morning Dove.
Things slowed down at noon and we drove around looking for more birds.
With nothing much going on, we ended up back at the hay barn. Though slow at first.......it began to speed up with amazing crescendo.
By evening, it was getting ridiculous!!! I darn near couldn’t keep the gun loaded!!!!
Wave after wave of Ringnecks (no season/limit as they are invasive) flew over us! Only the occasional White Wing or Morning Dove.
By sun down, I couldn’t keep up with the number of birds in the air.
There are 34 birds in that shell pouch!!! And I didn’t have room for more.
We ended up with over 80 birds and not even a limit of Morning or White Wing between us!!
(Just a portion of the haul.)
I can’t express how good it was to see and spend time with such a great friend. And, lightning struck twice! The second best dove hunt in my life was with the same dude.
I can’t express how good it was to see and spend time with such a great friend. And, lightning struck twice! The second best dove hunt in my life was with the same dude.
Hunting is great. Hunting with friends is greater!!
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Replies
If so, we have them here also.
Nice haul either way
(Dove aren't hard to hit, they're just easy to miss
I have yet to go out this season. I've just had way too many things going on. I've had spots out here that I've limited on white wings in less than an hour... At one time going out every day, there were so many birds, I was intentionally picking my shots carefully and trying to get a limit with the least amount of shells possible. My record is 15 birds, 18 shells. Find a good spot, it's a ton of fun.
Gun control laws make about as much sense as taking ex-lax to cure a cough.
I was doing well on my hit ratio when things were slow. When it got crazy......and things were happening fast.......I got sloppy.
One thing I've noticed about dove hunting is that your hit-percentage can be really high (I consider 60% really high, LOL),one day then the next you'll be struggling to reach the 20% mark.
I've had some really great days in the dove fields, followed the day after by performance I don't care to remember. Or, since it's doves....vise-versa.
I've hardly ever missed a duck, and only a small percentage of distant p'dogs. But dove.....all bets are off.
Those things can be vexing.
Mike
N454casull
I had an unofficial limit when I last went out with my Mossberg two years ago - 14 mourners with 1 Eurasian. I think the year before netted 13. I bought four boxes of the now-required-for-CA non-lead shot last year, but ended up staying home then and this year
I find I'm kinda conflicted on the whole dove hunting thing. I LOVE shooting them. Eating them, not so much. The real action around here is out in the desert - Salton Sea, Blythe, AZ border, etc..., and if you don't limit by 10 am or so, you're done because of the heat. I'm definitely one that would rather bundle up for cold than strip down to shorts and still burst into flames anyway.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee