Dove Hunting For Newbies

Dove Hunting For Newbies

Acquainting New Dove Hunters to Dove Hunting

Learn the basics of dove hunting before you take your shotgun out for your first attempt to bag your limit of doves. Basic information for first time dove hunters.

Dove season opens in early September in most states, and this means hundreds of dove hunters flock to the fields itching to bag their limit of birds. A large portion of these hunters will be first timers. Yes the newbie dove hunters have taken to the field. As with all hunting, there is some learning to be done. Below are a few tips to help the newbie make their first few hunts a little more enjoyable, and hopefully more successful.

To begin, learn a little about doves before you start hunting. They are migratory birds and those are able to be patterned, normally found in areas with a large populations of trees. At or about first light they leave the nest to feed. The doves fly to the fields in search of millet, canola, barley, sunflowers, and other suitable forms of nourishment. From time to time the birds will seek water. While hunting you'll notice that doves will feed a far distance from a source of water, so they have no fear of flying distances to find food and water. Then they fly back to their roost, or find another group of trees to rest before doing it all again later in the afternoon. When the wind is up they tend to stay in their roost hiding from the wind.

One way; and I've found to be the best way for myself and possibly the best for the newbie; is to hunt dove is very similar to waterfowl hunting. Basically you fool the birds and bring them in close with decoys. Scouting the hunting area pre season is a good idea. Look for nests, roosts, feeding and watering areas. That way you have an idea of where to hunt. Most often you'll find that dove frequent the same spots that they use in late August right up to the migration, so the same areas should you find them in August should produce good results in September. While scouting, pay attention to fly patterns that the birds use during the day.

Set yourself up to shoot along tree lines, fields, or waterholes. You'll have to experiment to find which place works best for your personal dove hunting. Some dove hunters swear by one, and others by a different hunting area. It pretty much depends on which is best for you. But again scouting will tell you where the birds roost, feed, and water, set up according to that information and to which is most comfortable for you to shoot while hunting.

Decoys work well because a large population of dove attract more birds. There are many varieties of decoys, but I prefer the full body decoys, they just seem to work best. Dove like to perch, often too high up to reach. But if you take large branches and stick them in the ground by the edges of watering holes or near the tree lines, then when you have the branches secure attach a few dove decoys to them you will possibly have some luck bringing the dove in closer. Then adjust your camouflage, set yourself up in your hunting area, and wait for the dove.

The rest is up to your shooting ability and the doves fight pattern. Doves are quick flying birds with eratic patterns. Practice is the only way to improve your productivity when it comes to shooting. I often find that if I haven't hunted in a few months, a good round or two of skeet shooting warms me up when I get rusty. It also helps you in hitting your target consistently.