November 18, 2007
Hunting (and eating) the international symbol of peace
The second half of dove season began November 10, and I decided to do a little bit of research in order to improve my chances of bagging the limit, not having had much success so far.
Game & Fish has some good common-sense advice for hunters.
Scout The Field: First, it pays great dividends if you have done your "homework" and familiarized yourself with the specific nuances of the field. This is the only reliable tactic that can tell you such vital things as where the birds are coming from, when they start arriving, and where they concentrate their on-the-field activities.
Manage The Light: When picking a set-up spot on a dove field, take several factors into consideration. Let the sun and its relationship to where you are setting up be high on your list. Keep the sun to your back whenever possible. Doves are tough enough to hit under ideal circumstances. Don't handicap yourself by having to stare into the glare of blinding morning or afternoon sunbeams.
Don't Be Seen: When it comes to proper camouflage as a major dove-hunting consideration, [hunter Will] Jester downplays its importance.
"Notice it sometimes," he said, "a hunter has himself set up in what looks like the ideal location. He's got the sun angle all figured out, he's surrounded by good dove structure, and he's camouflaged in the latest trendy pattern the outdoor catalogs are pushing that season. Yet, the guy has birds pitching in and flaring off well before they come into range. Look again and see what he's doing. Chances are, he's fidgeting, getting up and stretching every few minutes, and generally exhibiting motion that is very suspect to incoming doves with very good eyesight.
"The best camouflage pattern in the world is generally worthless if the person wearing it can't keep still," Jester continued. "Camouflage is good, and I'll be the first to tell you breaking your outline is very important, but sitting still is definitely your main concern. A smart dove hunter remains perfectly motionless until the very moment he decides to stand and shoot. I've watched hunters dressed in all colors imaginable, even one or two wearing white tee shirts on a hot day, take doves with consistency just because they weren't moving when they weren't supposed to.
"Sit still while you're on the field and also carry all the supplies you need when you first leave your vehicle. Don't be running back and forth to the truck a dozen times during a hunt," he concluded.
Don't Stand Out In This Field: Finally, when considering your set-up opportunities, don't neglect the relative elevation of the terrain around the perimeter of the dove field. Ridges, hills, even the smallest rise can give away your location to incoming birds. If you must shoot from an elevated position, pay close attention to what is at your back. There should be some type of "screen" to help break up your outline. From a raised position with no silhouette-break, you stand out like the proverbial sore thumb.
I've been pretty good about trying to shoot from a position of relative concealment, but could use some work on staying still until I'm ready to take the shot.
Doves have incredibly keen eyesight; coupled with their amazing maneuverability, they're about the most challenging game bird to hunt. They'll spot the fidgety hunter and change course in an instant, swiftly winging their way out of range.
But, as with fishing, it seems everyone's an expert -- and the experts most definitely do not agree.
The author of this article is a big believer in camouflage giving the dover hunter an advantage over the wary bird, as opposed to the first fellow's disdain for "trendy" field-wear.
But one thing the second article recommends sounds like it could greatly increase the weight of your game-bag by the time you call it a day.
By the time you read this, it’ll be too late to do much about what the birds are flying in for. You may be on a cut grain field, as mentioned above. If you hunt the afternoon alone or with just a buddy or two, you might want to think about setting up at a waterhole. Doves use them, and the action can be fast and furious.
Another great late-day hunt involves advance scouting to identify the whereabouts of roost trees. Setting up near them to ambush birds coming in from feeding and watering also provides some wonderful action. Here, too, the better your shooting, the fewer birds you’ll be educating.
This guy's absolutely right; learning the lay of the land -- as well as the flight patterns of the birds -- is extremely helpful. Doves are often plentiful near weddings, funerals and magic shows, although researchers are unsure why.
I kid, I kid.
He goes on to give some horticultural advice that he promises will bear fruit. Feathered, flying fruit.
More than one biologist I’ve talked to about these little acrobatic flyers has referred to sunflowers as “dove candy.” If you can hunt fields of sunflowers, do so. If you have a chance to influence the landowner or farmer planting the field you hunt, ask for sunflowers around the edge of the field next year, or maybe among the rows to be left standing at harvest.
It's a bit late in the season to do any planting; maybe for next year's hunt. In the meantime, I'll break out the bugspray and gun-oil, and see if any of this advice makes a difference.
Posted by Mike Lief at November 18, 2007 11:10 AM
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