By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
In less than two weeks, mourning dove hunting seasons kick off in most states with a Sept. 1 opener being the most common, but according to Huntwise.com, the opener is Sept. 6 in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and Louisiana, and Sept. 27 in Florida.
Some states remain closed to dove hunting (i.e. Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont) but elsewhere, now is the time for wingshooters to be unlimbering their shotguns, stocking up on shells (No. 7, 7 ½ or 8 seems to be the prevailing favorite choice, and Winchester offers a new Magnum Dove round in 12- and 20-gauge featuring a blend of No. 7 ½ and 9 shot) and doing some scouting. In addition to the new Winchester loads, one can also find ammunition choices from Federal, Remington and Fiocchi (see related story).
According to Game and Fish magazine last year, the Top Ten states for dove hunting are Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, California, South Carolina, Kansas, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi, in that order.
Two things worth consideration:
- Buy more shells than you think you will need, because you will need them.
- It’s okay for grown-ups to cry.
Anyone who has hunted or even watched mourning doves can attest to their remarkable ability to dart, weave, roll, tumble and warp past your position, seemingly invincible to your shot pattern, and they tend to get savvy real fast when the shooting starts. Years ago, when I was editor at a now-defunct Northwest outdoors publication, I wrote that dove hunters should buy stock in ammunition companies to at least experience some semblance of breaking even!
Most dove gunners of my acquaintance hunt with 20-gauge shotguns, though some stick with the 12-gauge and others have fallen under the spell of the 28-gauge, which has, in recent years, enjoyed a surge in popularity as many companies have introduced semi-auto or over-and-under double barrel models to meet the demand. Modified and/or or Improved Cylinder chokes seem to dominate, and the lighter the shotgun, the better as this is a game which involves a lot of swinging on birds.
I own a couple of 20-gauge smoothbores, one a Franchi Instinct O/U with 28-inch barrels and single selective trigger, and the other a Stoeger Uplander S/S with double triggers and fixed chokes and Both guns have proven themselves in the field, and of the two, I think the Stoeger swings a little faster because of its shorter barrels.
Out here in the Pacific Northwest—Washington and Oregon didn’t make the Top Ten list, though they do seem to produce a fair number of birds—one learns quickly to arrive early wherever you plan to hunt, and don’t be surprised to have competition nearby. Keep an eye on wheat/grain fields, especially near water sources, and keep your eyes peeled for doves around power lines (don’t shoot them on the lines, just watch their flight patterns!) and establish where the flyways are.
I’ve known of folks who get to the hunting grounds on the day before the opener and just break out a pair of binoculars to possibly pinpoint birds. I’ve learned to never question someone else’s hunting techniques, especially where doves are concerned, and in my pursuit of western grouse, a pair of binoculars has occasionally come in handy.
Really serious dove gunners will use camouflage and match it to the vegetation in the area they’re hunting. I’ve known some guys to use dove decoys successfully, but they still get out ahead of the season to sharpen their shooting skills on clay targets because doves can be notoriously hard to hit.
This year’s Sept. 1 opener is on a Monday—Labor Day—and for those states opening on the 6th, it’s a Saturday gig.
Be sure to check the hunting regulations for your state, and those folks capable of limiting out on a regular basis can consider themselves shotgunning “aces.”
