Doves......

[Destry L. Hoffard]

A little over two weeks away......

I've been shooting a few rounds of skeet for the past several weeks with the O frame VH 16 gauge to warm up.

Past couple years I've taken Grandpa's little Stevens 20 gauge but I figure he would forgive me if I shoot a Parker just this once.


DLH

[Bill Holcombe]

I am gonna try to get out opening weekend, but if I can't I am definitely taking my VH 12 and my superposed down to south Texas in mid September.

[Frank Childrey]

For doves,I alternate between a Model 21 20 gauge and a VH 16. The VH has 28" barrels bored cylinder/full from the factory. The 16 was my Dad's #1 bird gun; he gave it to me saying, "You'll get your limit with this one." On my first bird (bobwhite) hunt with it, I didn't get my limit, but I did score a true double on the second covey rise. The Model 21 also has 28" barrels, but it is bored modified/full.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

My little 16 gauge is opener and open, according to my plug gauge. I'd really rather pass shoot doves that are a little higher, but where we hunt they're always buzzing the field close. This gun should work for that just fine.


DLH

[Bill Holcombe]

We like to set up by a tank near a corn field and let them come to us to roost. They tend to fly higher that way then when we setup along the fence rows they fly along.

[Mills Morrison]

Well, got a call from Classic Gunstocks today that Julia's VH 16 is fixed. It was off face and had Miller Single Trigger problems. Just in time for dove season.

[Eric Eis]

Doves, that is one tradition I would really like to try. The hunt, family and friends, the whole nine yards, something I would love to do.

[Jerry Harlow]

September is always so hot. All the nut cases are out there the first day and Labor Day. Last year under a power pole and a dove landed right above me. From uphill shooting down towards me 100 yards away (you can imagine the pattern size), he shot at the dove on the line. 20 gauge time.

October is better. Only true dove hunters there. Shoot at daybreak when they all have to come in. 16 gauge time.

The Christmas season is the best. Everyone else is deer hunting, doves are fat migratory birds in large flocks, and you can get your limit everyday in about an hour if you scout where they are. Especially rainy days and around power lines. 12 gauge time.

[Bill Holcombe]

I enjoy sept and october. I am always too dang busy to hunt at christmas time. Plus, the one or two times I have tried it, I haven't seen squat.

[Mills Morrison]

Several people and dogs had or almost had heat strokes at the opening day hunt a few years ago. I just don't enjoy shooting when it is hot. Unfortunately, September seems to be the only time people have birds around here.

I would gladly trade dove hunting for the ability to grouse hunt in October.

[charlie cleveland]

today i bush hogged the sunflower s..lots of birds on the field i just hope i can hold them till opening day..been cleaning up around the field where maybe we can find the birds better if we hit one that is...that 16 of destreys should really be a great close up dove gun..best gun i could ever hit with was a 26 inch clyinder bore model 11 remington.wish i had kept that one.the 3 frame 12 i just got is one i can hit with too....charlie

[Eric Grims]

I am envious as there is no dove season here. The doves we have could be wiped out in a season or two given one can get pretty close and there aren't any big flocks. When I lived in Chester Co., Pa years ago it was high fast flyers in the evening standing on the edge of a corn field with my Ithaca 4e single barrel with no safety - clunk bang! I miss it.
Do you guys eat those doves?

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I don't mind the heat, it's just part of it really. We meet at around 2pm, take to the field around 3pm, and shoot till 5pm. My friend picks his crowd pretty close, so they're a good buncha boys.

After it's over we head up to the barn, all sit in a big circle and clean doves while chatting over our hits and misses. My buddy Tim and I usually have a cigar, not much of a drinking crowd (other than me) so the cool refreshments are usually tea or Coca Cola.

Dad and I always take the farm owner (Mr. Russell) a case of shells to get his season started. It's good to have a friend so generous and we always try to be as generous as we can be in return.

The first Saturday after opening day he puts on a youth hunt. He and Dad are both Hunter Safety Instructors so they pick the kids out of their classes each year. Kids have to bring one non-shooting adult with them. They shoot for two hours, only allowed one shell in the gun at a time. They're shown how to clean their birds and the game warden always comes out to check everybody. That seems odd but Mr. Russell actually invites him, just so the kids learn about how the law works and what a game warden is. After that he hosts a BBQ where they eat all the doves we shot opening day.

Actually my favorite parts of the hunts isn't doves. He's got a set of big grain bins on his place that draw a lot of barn pigeons. We shoot them over decoys the morning before the dove hunt. Now that's real fun!

[Stephen Hodges]

Are doves good eating?

[Daryl Corona]

Yes.

[Phillip Carr]

I am starting to get the itch for September 1st. Arizona just made our season an all day hunt and upped the limit of morning doves from 10 to 15. Whitewing limit is only 10. Eurasian dove is unlimited. Plenty of places to shoot if a guy scouts ahead of time. I hope this year will be the one I can get a doubles pin on dove. I think the straight gripped 16 on the 1 frame will be the gun I take out for the opener.

[Frank Childrey]

Dove recipe: breast the birds, place a water chesnut in the cavity, wrap with bacon and secure with a tooth pick. Place the doves on your grill, turn frequently, and baste them with Worcestershire sauce and melted butter. Some add a little French dressing to the baste. I served these as an hors d'oeuvre at an after-hunt party in Stovall, Mississippi; the doves were gone in less than 60 seconds.

[charlie cleveland]

heh frank are you from mississippi too...i m east of tupelo about 40 miles..i think were gona have a few birds this year all up to the weather..charlie

[David Noble]

Here in Texas we put a jalapeño pepper slice in the breast, wrap in bacon and grill over mesquite wood. Damn good eaten!

[Jerry Harlow]

Fillet the two breast pieces out of the skinned bird.

Wrap with 1/3 slice of "center cut" bacon (less fat, more meat), held by toothpick.

Dip into beaten egg.

Batter with Zataran's chicken frying batter.

Drop into deep fryer for three minutes or until they float just below surface (don't over cook).

Eat all thirty pieces from your limit. You can't stop.

Go hunting again. Repeat.

[Stephen Hodges]

After reading all of this I sure wish we could hunt doves here:)

[Dean Romig]

And here...

[Jerry Harlow]

After reading all of this I sure wish we could hunt doves here:)

One of the little known reasons we seceded. Afraid it would happen to us!:whistle:DIXIE

[Frank Childrey]

Charlie, I was born and raised in Richmond, VA where I now reside. I lived in Oxford, MS while attending graduate school at Ole Miss. The university hired me as an English instructor and senior staff writer for the Center for the Study of Southern Culture. In my eighteen years in the Magnolia State, I had many friends in the Mississippi delta; we had spectacular dove hunts in Stovall, Itta Bena, and Clarksdale. As you well know, the state has gotten a bum rap down through the years; I'll say this: the good people are as nice as one will find anywhere on earth, the food's great, and, Lord have mercy, but it sure has some pretty women! I thank you for asking. With kindest regards, Frank
PS: While teaching at Ole Miss, a student, Bob Kirk, approached me after class and asked if I would like to meet his grandfather, John P. Bailey, of Coffeeville, MS. Flabbergasted, I asked, "Do you mean THE John P. Bailey of Coffeeville, Nash Buckingham's dear friend?" "Yep, that's the one." Through that, I got to know and hunt with Mr. Bailey at Quail Hills--mounted quail hunts over first-rate pointers. Mr. Bailey usually shot a Model 3 Ithaca 16, though on our first hunt he shot an A grade Parker 16; the gun and the 2,000 acres that comprised Quail Hills were left to him by Tom and Jerry Webber of Detroit. Mr. Bailey had served as their guide when they brought their private railroad cars to Coffeeville to serve as their headquarters during their annual hunts.

[Mills Morrison]

I came real close to going to law school in Mississippi and kind of wish I had gone there. Oh well. It is a beautiful state.

Back to doves, our season is creeping up fast. Deer season opened in SC and half the people at Duke's BBQ in Ridgeland had camo on today. Getting psyched

[Bob Hardison]

We have dove shoots here in Georgia but I would gladly swap that for the Grouse and Woodcock you have up north. Bob

[charlie cleveland]

frank them were some kind words about ole miss..i ve been around a bit of the world and theres no place like home...be it virgina or else where...thats a mighty fine storey that fella musta been one fine guide....ever around fulton miss drop by sometime not hard to find... i think its all right to say it would be hard to find a purtyer gal than one from mississippi....charlie

[Gary Laudermilch]

We have doves here and a season but it is hard to find any concentration of birds and we are not permitted to manage a dove field. Nevertheless I am waiting anxiously because I want to use my VH 12 that is choked full and fuller for the first time on real birds. I have been smashing clays with it but cannot wait to try it on doves.

Although I am awaiting dove season, grouse season is only two months away. With morning temperature at 48 this morning I took the dogs out for the first run of the year. Moved 4 grouse in a bit over an hour. Our bird numbers have been way down the last two years so this is good news for me. Will October never come!

[Bob Hayes]

Waiting on dove season eagerly also down here in hot and wet south central Florida.Everyday that gors by is one closer to fall and cooler temps.But thinking like that seems to want to push the years by to fast.
Took a couple photos of our dove fields and everything is right on schedule.We are about a month behind most openers further north but should be good year if cold fronts push down.
Good luck to all this season.

[charlie cleveland]

mighty fine looking hunting spot you got there..i m with you hope the cold weather pushes the doves our way.charlie

[charlie cleveland]

was up early checking on the doves looks like we mite have a few to shoot opening day one thging for sure plenty of crows..14 days and counting...charlie