28 replies to this topic

[tonyd]

After years of applying for the DFG special hunts, I finily got selected for a DOVE HUNT.

Never went for Dove before, I'll do my homework beforehand.

But Any Advice from real Dove hunters would be welcome.

Thanks

TonyD

[ShooterJohn]

Lots of shells if you've never hunted them before. You might want to go shoot a couple rounds of skeet to get the feel for the quick shots. Other than that a folding stool is nice to sit on while your waiting.

[clampdaddy]

Scouting out good early morning and late evening flyways is one of the biggest contributors to a successful dove hunt, but hopefully the DFG already has assigned spots in good areas for you guys. Other than that the only advise I can really offer is to take plenty of water, give them plenty of lead.....and then give them a couple more feet. Lol!

[DirtyDave]

Go shoot skeet and/or sporting clays. Trap is almost useless for "hunting practice". Be still, stand/sit in the shade. Dont shoot multiple birds before going and finding them, you will lose them easily. (without a dog)

[Bisley]

Congrats and good luck.
If I were you, I would try and go look ahead of time to see if there are any recently turned over fields (especially alfalfa or wheat) or any sunflower fields. If there are, place yourself near them, or even better, between them and the closest source of water.

If there are any corn or gape fields around, make sure they won't fly (glide after being shot) into them. Sadly,you will not recover at least 90% of them in those fields, dog or not.

A dove seat works well, but if you have an easy path, take an ice chest to sit on instead. I love the kind with wheels and extending handles. Not only are they easy to roll, but you can extend the handle and use it as a back rest. Plus, you have all the cold drinks (take lots of water) right at your finger butt tips. I also like to throw in a few small, clean shop towels or bandannas in the melted ice water. Then, while you are sitting in the heat, you can put one on your neck to keep cool and swap it out every five or ten minutes as needed. The other great part about using a chest as a seat is that you can clean and ice your birds right on the spot during the lulls.

There are LOTS of Eurasian dove again this year (remember, no limit on them) but they are much bigger and harder to bring down. We (the hunters I know) have all noticed a trend a few years back that I do not like. With store bought ammo, it seems the "newer" stuff just doesn't bring them down like it used to. A major reason why I now handload. I would grab a box or two of either extremely fast 7's or even standard 6's just to have on hand in case you run into the same thing. While this may be debatable, several guys in the same and even in different counties have all noticed the same thing. Just a thought.

A 3/4" washer with a pink or orange ribbon a foot long on it really helps on downed birds in taller fields. Keep it in your vest and toss it in the direction of the downed bird. Leave the empty shell there for reference until you recover the bird. You now have a straight line pointing to where the bird went down. It works!

Make sure your license is signed and the HIP stamp (free) is noted as being filled out on the license also.
MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE AT LEAST ONE WING ON AFTER CLEANING!!!

Take light, breathable clothes, sunscreen, and a hat (preferably a Stetson!).

And the two most important things of all, clean up ALL your trash and hulls so DFG will PUT this ON again, AND HAVE FUN!!!

And I would also say that patterning and checking your POA is imperative, but it seems the general consensus is that it is better to be able to break clays with a pellet or two than to know where your gun actually hits these days. Good luck.

[rustygun]

All of the above and have a great time. Looking forward to a report of your time out in the field.

[clampdaddy]

...........it seems the general consensus is that it is better to be able to break clays with a pellet or two than to know where your gun actually hits these days. Good luck.

Geez, not again.

[tonyd]

Thanks guys, I'm looking forward to my first time out for Dove. Have to see if my "won't eat anything you shoot" daughter will try some.

[clampdaddy]

If you don't have a recipe yet dust the breast filets in fajita seasoning, add a slice of pickled jalepeno, wrap in bacon and jab with a toothpick, broil one side for 5 min, flip, broil the other side for four. Even my wife will eat them and she hates anything gamey.

[tonyd]

I see DFG will allow the use of lead ammo. I was thinking MOD choke tube # 6 or 7, 12 ga. What load are you using. I'm thinking my range will be in the 35-50 yrd

[DirtyDave]

Mod and 7.5 or 8 shot

[clampdaddy]

My favorite set up is an Improved Modified with #7.5 shot but if I'm hunting in a tight area where the shots are quick and close (like a dirt road between two orchards) I'll open it up to a modified or improved cylinder and use #8 shot.

[Rob]

Bisley says..."Take light, breathable clothes, sunscreen, and a hat (preferably a Stetson!)."

Amen brother...don't forget the lucky hat...Where would you be without your Stetson!

[tonyd]

Always wanted a Stetson, always got sticker shock when I picked one out, Someday soon, I'll get mine.

[Bisley]

Always wanted a Stetson, always got sticker shock when I picked one out, Someday soon, I'll get mine.

Ask Rob and Modoc, the sticker shock will go away eventually, but the pain of not having it will always stick with you until you get one

[Rob]

I get mine in Woodland, CA at a Western wear shop...right in the middle of town. Dave and his Dad have been operating the store since time began.
He has got the steamer ready for any special curves and shapes needed to make that Stetson unique and perfect for you needs.

For example: My brother-in-law (Woodland native) once needed a hat for our Clamper gatherings. He wanted the brim pushed straight up in the front like Gabby Hayes or the SF 49er Mascot guy....Dave made that happen in 3 shakes of a lamb's tail...presto.
My point is that when to make the leap to wear a classic...it can be made perfect if you buy it an experienced Stetson retailer.

Now you may find yourself in a world where you need a hat for fall & winter and another for summer...the plot thickens, eh!

[tonyd]

What about calls or decoys?

[ShooterJohn]

A couple of dove decoys won't hurt you but using a call is a waste of air.

[clampdaddy]

If you get some decoys find an old, stiff, automotive v-groove belt. If you don't have an old fence line to clip them to, put the belt on an open piece of ground and clip a couple decoys to it. It makes them look like a group of feeders. The flashing wings of a mojo decoy can help. I use a call. I don't know how much it helps but I figure that its a little touch of realisim that doesn't hurt......kinda like using candles to set the mood. The candles didn't get her back to your place but they definitley won't hurt your chances at sealing the deal. Lol!

[tonyd]

ok, got 3 boxes of #8, 2 of #6 and 1 of #5 shells. Tag and HIP. Next week I will give skeet a try, shotguns all cleaned and ready to go.

[Bisley]

If the birds up there are as healthy as the ones we take in Korn Co, or if they are Eurasian, you may want to put that decoy on the end of your barrel when you use the 8's . On a serious note though, I would try and trade the box of 5's back in for another box of 6's, or even 7-1/2's. I use large for game shot since most of our shooting is easily done between 30-50 yards, and even I do not use 5's...................yet . But you couldn't give me a box of 8's either after the last few years of watching folded birds that crash to the ground get right back up. Just a few thoughts.

[tawnoper]

In my mind there are two types of dove hunting, pass shooting (my fav) or jump shooting.

Pass shooting is the most common and popular way and usually takes place at first light and at dusk as the dove are going to feed and/or water. It's all about finding a flyway that the dove are using to get back and forth. A nice row of trees, or a wash...etc. Sometimes a lone tree in the middle of a field that will at the least provide shade. The majority of them seem to follow a path. You can be in the same field with others and the guys on the other side of it are getting all the action.

Pass shooting is usually tougher to hit cause the birds are moving along pretty good. When you get a lot of hunters around things can get pretty dicey. Really common to get peppered. And a low flying dove can make things dangerous.

Jump shooting them is relatively easy. Middle of the day while they are feeding they are usually hunkered down in a sunflower patch or wherever and will jump up making a bunch of racket when you get near.

[Bisley]

In my mind there are two types of dove hunting, pass shooting (my fav) or jump shooting.

While that is absolutely true, you would be surprised how many don't know it and will call you crazy and a liar when you talk about jump shooting them. That is how we have done it for as long as I can remember (up until a handful of years ago) in Inyo county. I now hunt in Korn (Kern) County, and must say that it is a whole different ball game. Especially after opening day. Besides the birds having to be high enough to clear the orchards that are usually around us, they are also flying extremely high. I suspect that is because probably 90% of Kern County hunts, and it doesn't take long for the birds to wise up. They are already 20-30 yards high when flying straight over you, let alone a ways beside you. And it is a very rare occasion we get one flying low enough to be any danger. This is also why I suspect we have so many crippled flyaways with 7-1/2's out there and why we went to much faster loads and even 6's in some cases this year. I don't know where or what county tonyd is hunting, but I would take a few different rounds to cover all bases, ie. 6's and 7-1/2's just in case. If the 7-1/2's work, cool. But have the 6's ready just in case. Nothing worse than being out there and needing something you don't have with you. And leave the call but consider a decoy. We saw them work so well the last two years that I am very seriously considering a few myself this year. They do work, at least for our party.

[sxshooter]

I'll second the decoy use. I have shot dove for several years over decoys. The best arrangement I have found is a combination of static decoys and a battery powered spinner. My friend has a free swiveling arrangement of 6 on a turntable. I've put decoys out 25 yrds behind my pickup and had them fly right over me and the truck. If you don't use decoys, try them. You'll never leave home without them after using them.

Those of you looking at buying a Stetson should take a look at Mackey hats. Better quality for the money, in my opinion. Having spent many years on a horse, I've bought a pickup bed full of cowboy hats over the years. I've bought them from a good number of custom makers like Rands, Jackson Hole Hats, and some others, as well as the standard Stetson, Resistol, Charlie One Horse, etc.. None of them give you as much quality/durability for the money as a Mackey. http://www.mackeycustomhats.com/

[tawnoper]

To me at least, dove hunting was always more of an event than an actual hunt. Rows of people sitting in lawn chairs or on dove stools chatting away waiting for the next wave of birds to fly by.

We used to take the ski boat down to the river on Labor Day weekend. Across the road from our camping area on the river was a row of palo verde trees. Early in the morning we'd walk over and setup near the end of the trees or where ever there was an opening. You could tell when the birds were starting to fly by the progressively louder gunshots working your way. It was like a warning shot. We'd stand up and usually here'd come a few...boom boom. Sit back down and wait a couple minutes, repeat. Than we'd go back to camp and spend all day on the river and come back for the evening shoot. Not really hunting in my mind, but still fun stuff.

I retired from those super busy river trips years ago. Nowadays I much prefer to find a nice little spring in the dez and wait for the afternoon blitz. A lot of fun shooting my little 20ga or even the 410.

[sxshooter]

Agreed. It's not "hunting" in my book either. I mostly refer to it as dove shooting. Agree on the .410 too. I see no reason for me to take out a gun any larger than a .410. The goal is enjoyment, and the .410 gives me much more enjoyment regardless of how many birds I kill.

[tonyd]

My first DFG Dove hunt is behind me and damm was it fun. Advice I received from members here was spot on.
Arrived at 4:30 am, DFG personnel was friendly and helpful. In my check in, I admitted this was my first attempt at shooting anything that wasn't on the ground. He advised me on a good place to set up by one of the food plots there. by 5 am I was ready and waiting. I did my best to stay a decent distance form other people, at least the ones I could see. 6:04 was legal shoot time. The birds and pellets started to fly around 6:15. With the light of day, I could see there were many more shooters around me then I thought. I counted 5 times where I closed my eyes, put head down and waited for the pellets to stop hitting me. I was shooting ahead of the birds as you should, but I was not preprared for just how fast those Doves really fly, turn direction and seem to come form nowhere. The Doves were never more then in groups of 2 or 3 and I would GUESS total numbers I saw all day to be around 100-150.
No Decoys or calls were used by anyone. With many missis, I changed my choke and ammo combo early on but soon realized it was ME and not my gun or ammo that was the problem. I stuck with a modified choke using #7 and #8's, When all was said and done, I droped 2 birds, I'm far to embaressed to write here how many shells I went thru.
Leasons learned, take up skeet shooting and learn to take good shots, and when there are hunters every 30 yards or so, plywood camo wouldn't be such a bad idea either.

TonyD

[zippy1970]

TonyD ,

But that is the only way to really " learn " how to do it . As far as rds to bird count , they run high . My 1st Quail was 23rds . I posted that last year , I think , but thats why you take LOTS of shells with you , get some birds ( if not a limit ) & have FUN !

Funny how Gun rhymes with Fun ?

Andy

[Bisley]

Glad to hear you got your feet wet and had fun. And don't feel too bad, Had years where I have walked away from an opener with only a few birds also (darn opening day parties). Now that you know what you're up against, you will be better prepared. And now you see why we use larger shot and V E R Y hot loads. After watching bird after bird loose feathers and fly away, he finally used my reloads and started dropping birds like boat anchors. That is, as soon as he realized you don't have to lead them with hotter loads . And I absolutely suggest a decoy if you do it again. Like I said earlier, after seeing what they do, I used one for the first time this year. We actually had birds that were just shot at (and missed) still try to land near the decoy like it never happened! And we even saw a few change directions 200-300 yards out after spotting it!

Now that you know what you're doing, clean that shotgun up and go find you some public land this weekend to set a decoy on and let the birds roll in