19 replies to this topic

[Karl]

I went to the DFG Upland Game Bird Summary page and there is no limit on Collared Dove.Dove All Sep 1 - 15 &Nov 12 - Dec 26 10 white-winged or mourning doves in aggregate; no limit for Eurasian collared-doves (there is no open hunting season on common ground-doves, ruddy ground-doves and Inca doves)http://www.dfg.ca.go...upland-sum.htmlLooks like we're going to need more shells!

[Hipshot Percussion]

The only problem with hunting these doves most of them are found within Los Angeles and Orange counties. Finding a place to shoot might be more of a challenge than finding birds. When I was a kid we hunted in the Brea Hills and got these dove quite often. They are bigger than most morning dove.

[DirtyDave]

They have also proposed for this year Allowing the shooting of common pigeons year round

[ShooterJohn]

We've had a surprising increase in Collared doves around Sacramento.

[ShooterJohn]

They have also proposed for this year Allowing the shooting of common pigeons year round

Feral pigeons are not protected in California and can be taken at anytime. Band tailed pigeons have a season.For you Los Angeles people. http://acwm.co.la.ca...pts/pigeons.htm

[Air Rifle Hunter]

I've seen many of the Eurasian Collared Doves around my area and all the way up to the Santa Barbara County Area. They definitely make a distinctive "cooing" sound and make a weird, grating "caaw caaw' sound when they get ready to land. As mentioned, they are also a bit bigger than the other doves and the ones I've seen have orangish red legs. The banded-Tail Pigeons are rarer down in the San Diego Area (at least from my experience). I've only seen one. It was much larger than any of the doves I've seen and I saw it out in the Descanso area where we camp sometimes. But it wasn't the right season and where we were at I can't hunt there anyway. I've actually eaten Collared Dove. I though it tasted really good . My wife on the other hand said it had the taste and texture of liver . I disagree! As far as the common pigeons... does anyone eat those? And are you talking about the ones out in the country areas or the feral kind that hang around cities and neighborhoods? I'm just curious because most of the feral pigeons I see look like they are in pretty sad condition and I'd think twice about chowing down on those critters . By the way... do any of you hunt doves with bows? I was just wondering because the instructor at the Hunter Safety Course I went to said he did. He goes with a buddy of his that is real good at it. Says he does it for the challenge of it since it's way harder to hit that jinking and juking dove with an arrow than it is to blast it out of the sky with a shotgun. Although, sometimes it's hard to hit those birds even with a shotgun .

[X EAGLE 23 X]

I don't think there was a limit for them last season either. This makes the possession limit a little confusing for me though; you are allowed double the daily bag limit (which would be 20 birds), but does this number include the collared (Eurasian) doves as well?

[Bisley]

Short answer, NO. Still a 10 daily, 20 in freezer on the other two, but collared are a creature unto their own. They are over-running the other species in many states, and they want them shot. Some states go so far as to have a year round season on them. But not here!!! Don't do that here, please, for your own sake.

[zippy1970]

Can I get a pic please . Clear & defining between the 2 . Andy

[X EAGLE 23 X]

Short answer, NO. Still a 10 daily, 20 in freezer on the other two, but collared are a creature unto their own.

But in the rare case that a warden comes to search the freezer and finds let's say 25 dove breasts in there, would he accept the answer that 5 are Eurasian? That's why I'm cautious about possessing more than 20, it would seem difficult to verify that after you've already cleaned them.

Can I get a pic please . Clear & defining between the 2 . Andy

The Collared (Eurasian) doves are pretty easy to distinguish between the mourning and white-winged because they are larger than the two, and have a black stripe along the back of their neck (thus the name 'collar'). The picture below is of two Collared (Eurasian) doves.

[Bisley]

Mourning dove have black spots on their wings, white winged dove (obviously) have white tipped wings, and eurasian dove have no spots or white tips. This would be why DFG requires you to leave a wing on for identification purposes, it's the law. See, they aren't always a bunch of idiots Mourning DoveWhite Wing DoveEurasian Dove

[X EAGLE 23 X]

Yes, but I'm talking about once you get home and clean the birds, what do you do when you have 25 cleaned dove breasts in the freezer? You're only required to keep a wing on the bird while transporting it from the field.

[mac]

All I can say is -I can't wait until Sept 1st! Have a group going to Colusa area for the opener!!

[Bisley]

Yes, but I'm talking about once you get home and clean the birds, what do you do when you have 25 cleaned dove breasts in the freezer? You're only required to keep a wing on the bird while transporting it from the field.

If you're that worried about DFG going into your freezer, and not knowing that a eurasian dove is more the size of chukar than mourning dove, then just freeze them with a wing on it. No worse than freezing fish with the skin on. Clean them, wash, them, put them in a bag, and freeze them. The only thing you would have to do before cooking them is to cut the wing off with a pair of scissors. That would take about an extra minute at most. And it doesn't take up THAT much extra space in the freezer with a wing on. Just because you don't have to leave it on, doesn't mean you can't. That would eliminate any and all questions. Good luck to all on the opener. Just 4 days, 16 hours, and 40 minutes left.

[Air Rifle Hunter]

Where do most of you go to hunt Doves (Not looking to go to where you are, just wondering)? Down where I live (San Diego County), most dove hunters head over to the Imperial Valley where there are designated Upland Game fields that they can hunt in. From looking at the map, there really are so few fields (around 27) that I would be hesitant to even go and try hunting there because I'd probably be in a field with a ton of other hunters. Do any of you run into that problem where you go during Dove Season?

[Bisley]

most dove hunters head over to the Imperial Valley where there are designated Upland Game fields that they can hunt in.

Imperial Valley, Yuma (AZ), Parker (AZ), and Blythe......... there's enough people down there that you can walk on their shoulders and never hit the ground! It's worse than Red Mt. on chukar opener!!! Which is fine, if you're into that, but not me brother! Enter at your own risk.The last couple years I was lucky enough to have been introduced to a great group of people that invited me for a an excellent pre-opener party/dinner and fantastic hunting on private and public lands. I would suggest to you what my family and I did for many years before that though. If there are any mountains around you (and I'm sure there are) just go to the foothills of public land (where you know it's legal to hunt) and watch the flight paths or wait by some barren trees. Towards the evening they will be flying from a water source to the hills for the night. And in the mornings they will be flying from the hills to the water. Dove also seem to love sitting in barren (leafless) trees. During the afternoons you will find them in, or landing on them. You may not limit out in 15 minutes like the (what I call) Southern Zoo Area, but you will get birds. Dove are like coyotes, they live pretty much everywhere. And while yes, some places have more than others, most places still have more than enough.It's kind of funny, but 99.9% of the time the answer to "where can I find (put in your game of choice)" can be answered with the same reply: Look in the mountains, any mountain (where it's legal to hunt) along with the valleys and foothills near them. Finding where they live is not rocket science by any means, being able to hunt and take them is.Again, best of luck to all. Only 4 days, 11 hour, and 27 minutes left!!!

[turkeyman85]

airriflehunter, Go to palomar mountain and you'll find tons of bandtail piegons! seriously! lol I always see them and say "im coming back" but you know how that goes. I never make it lol.

[X EAGLE 23 X]

Bisley, it's not so much as me being worried about it as me being curious about it. Thanks for the advice though and good luck to you and everyone else this season!

[Bisley]

That's more like what I meant. Worried about, thinking about, curious about, all the same thing in my simple mind. . Damn internet has NO way of discerning voice or (lack of) sarcasm. Knock em dead in 3 days, 6 hours, and 10 minutes!!!

[Air Rifle Hunter]

I'm thinking like you Bisley... I hate huge groups in small hunting areas and bumping into tons people, feeling like I'm sitting in a shotgun war zone and worring about some numbnut getting over excited and shooting my direction and, or threating my life in the process with their lack of saftey concern. I'll take being out where I can feel relaxed and enjoy my time in the field over that any day. I'd much rather be out where no one else is around and only get a few doves, enjoy the outing and have a memorable experience than get my limit in 15 minutes. I just need to do a good deal of research to find public land with huntable locations so I can have those experiences. I hope whatever you all do and where ever you go this opener that we all come back safely. Have fun!