Dove Season

Stephen in SOKY · #1 09/01/10, 07:18 PM

Today was opening day for both dove and crow here in Kentucky. I won't go til later in the week but wondered if anyone had limited today?

WstTxLady · #2 09/02/10, 04:46 PM

My part of Texas is slow right now but we have a front coming in tonight, should bring the some northern birds in.

littlejoe · #3 09/02/10, 08:22 PM

Had an older friend out yesterday morn, we limited out around 9:00. More big (Asian/ European?) whatever they are, than mourning dove.

Limit is ten per person in possesion here.

springvalley · #4 09/02/10, 08:27 PM

I never have figured out why anyone would hunt doves, they are so small and so cute. my as well go to the barn and get some pigeons, they are a bit bigger.>Marc

Sully · #5 09/02/10, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlejoe

Had an older friend out yesterday morn, we limited out around 9:00. More big (Asian/ European?) whatever they are, than mourning dove.

Limit is ten per person in possesion here.

Eurasian Collared doves have moved in just about everywhere. Not protected and considered an invasive species. They hang with mourning doves in town at the bird feeders.

Delicious, though and way bigger than mourning doves.

littlejoe · #6 09/02/10, 09:33 PM

Have you ever had dove breasts wrapped in bacon with a sliver of Jalapeno, grilled or smoked? Smoked, is best... just hard to light. And I'm figuring you're jesting?

Quote:

Originally Posted by springvalley

I never have figured out why anyone would hunt doves, they are so small and so cute. my as well go to the barn and get some pigeons, they are a bit bigger.>Marc

Pops2 · #7 09/03/10, 09:46 PM

no dove went elk hunting (apparently in the wrong place).
will go later though for white tip & mourning (all the collared doves are in town where you can't shoot them).

WstTxLady · #8 09/03/10, 11:17 PM

Here in Tx, its no season, no limit on eurasians. They first started out in towns glued to the feeders but now are slowly moving out more & more. Its been just sloooooooooow here in my part of Tx . We have a 15 a day limit & 30 for possession but half the time we shoot & grill 'em up that day.

backwoodsman · #9 09/05/10, 01:05 AM

Theyre best fresh. We're allowed 15 a day 30 possession but few find the freezer. Little soy sauce or worchestershire sprinkled on them as they grill on medium heat and served when medium rare, awesome. We have some Euroasian dove or whatever theyre called but 99% of the kill is mourning doves. September 1st our season came in. Sunflowers are a big draw here for them.

Murray in ME · #10 09/05/10, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by springvalley

I never have figured out why anyone would hunt doves, they are so small and so cute. my as well go to the barn and get some pigeons, they are a bit bigger.>Marc

Because they taste really good.

foxfiredidit · #11 09/09/10, 05:22 PM

Went the first day of dove season with my grand-daughter who likes to retrieve the birds and enjoys everything about hunting except the killing part. Got the limit of 15 on the afternoon hunt, but she kept saying I wasn't as good a shot as I was last year......and she was right. I missed way too many. Got back to the house only to find I had not replaced the full choke tube. Last loads I shot were buckshot last January.

WstTxLady · #12 09/12/10, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murray in ME

Because they taste really good.

and hunting them is fun...nothing better...you dont have to be scent free, dont have to sit still, can yell at your buddies. laugh and hang out...best social sport

and my 2 girls just LOVE to help clean them, its usually a fight over who gets to clean the first ones

casusbelli · #13 09/24/10, 08:43 AM

Lots of doves around my area. Never 'hunted' them, but have shot some clays.
I can check with Ohio's laws and such.
But...how do you clean them???

littlejoe · #14 09/24/10, 03:59 PM

casubelli... you simply take off what you don't want to eat. The breast is all i take from a dove.

To do so, I simply grasp the wing and give it a twist or two and pull, insert my thumb under the breast and pull it up and away. When it's dislocated, i peel the skin from it, and continue to dismember it from the body.

They might need some cleaning up, since the wing may break away from the socket. Its an easy fix though. clean the remaining feathers off, and put them in a freezer bag until you've got enough to cook..... for yourself, or friends included.

You'll get some flying away shots, like trap, or towards you. But, it's probably more like skeet, especially if you've got a breeze blowing! They will be by and past, 'fore you get the gun to your shoulder if you're not paying attention.

Go knock some down, you'll be hooked!

littlejoe · #15 09/24/10, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WstTxLady

Here in Tx, its no season, no limit on eurasians. They first started out in towns glued to the feeders but now are slowly moving out more & more. Its been just sloooooooooow here in my part of Tx . We have a 15 a day limit & 30 for possession but half the time we shoot & grill 'em up that day.

Finally picked up a small game brochure. We have no limit or season on the eurasion doves here either. They must be fully feathered during season though.

Bring 'em on!

backwoodsman · #16 09/28/10, 04:24 AM

Fun to hunt and a very social hunt at that. Heres a few tips for someone who asked about them. We look for water, gravel and dead trees. Dove love all 3. Find the big 3 near a sunflower field etc and you'll heat your gun barrel up. Decoys work good too and you can make fake dove trees with decoys attached and draw many in. Its a sport where you can invest as much time, energy and money as you wish but the young lad with a single shot 20 may kill as many or more then you. We drive along watching the powerlines too as a concentration of dove on them may lead to a hotspot. Bring plenty of shells too, I know good wingshots that average 1 bird for 3 shells. A limit of 15 here rarely involves less then 2 boxs of quality shells. 7 1/2's or 8's are the favorite lead shot sizes around here but some areas require steel now. I like to have a box of 6's along plus 2 or 3 box's of 7 1/2's. The 6's come in handy if they just wont come into a setup. After a good shoot and needing a few more for the limit the 6's have saved the hunt too many times to count when the dove stay out too far. Some public areas here wont allow any lead shot over 7 1/2 size so check your regulations. Wear some type of shooting glass's etc if your hunting a crowded area. Spent size 8 or so shot can be hard to remove from eyeballs after falling plus its a good idea anyhow to wear them.