Denizens of dark and dreary skies

[Stan Hillis]

There is no wing shooting that draws me like doves. I have enjoyed many other types of bird hunting but these great speedsters haunt my dreams like no other. Late season doves are a special breed ......... wary, fast, tough and capable of changing direction at speed in ways that will leave the most adept gunner scratching his head. I have often tipped my hat when I missed one due to an aerobatic "shuck and jive". Yesterday afternoon was a typical late season day in the peanut field ....... cold, windy and drizzly. But they came, as the elements that try men seem to give them impetus and "drive".

I used Susie, the LC Smith 16 ga. FWE Field Grade. It's 32" barrels are choked .025" and .026". It is an ejector gun (obviously), and it has a HOT: a most unusual set of options for a Field Grade gun. But it is ultimately suited for late season doves. I used Fiocchi Dove Loads, 1 oz. at 1165 fps mostly, but employed a couple of ancient Western Xpert vintage papers for fun. Missed with one of them, but connected squarely with the other and a big old mature dove became tablefare with a shell that is likely as old as me. Not a limit, but a hard earned "mess" of ten. Fifteen would have been no more satisfying.

https://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/70669_800x600.jpg (https://www.jpgbox.com/page/70669_800x600/)

[Arthur Shaffer]

Drew

When does your late season end? Our season is generally Sept-Oct and then a 1 week December season. Our birds have mostly migrated out by New Years.

[Garry L Gordon]

I'd call that taking dove in "grand fashion" (a phrase my Pop would often use). There's so much more to hunting than just killing birds. You have a great recipe for doing right by your quarry.

[charlie cleveland]

I enjoyed this hunt with you......charlie

[Stan Hillis]

Drew

When does your late season end? Our season is generally Sept-Oct and then a 1 week December season. Our birds have mostly migrated out by New Years.

Don't mean to barge in on your question for Drew, Art ......... but ours ends Jan. 31, same as ducks.

[Dean Romig]

Stan - what is a "HOT"?





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[Garry L Gordon]

Stan - what is a "HOT"?





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Hunter One Trigger

[Dean Romig]

Thanks!





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[Stan Hillis]

Sorry, Dean. I'm bad to use abbreviations carelessly.

Thanks, Garry.

Forgot to mention a little personal "triumph" of the afternoon, a double. Birds number 8 and 9 came straight towards me with another dove. I took the first, no. 8, straight on. At the shot the other two veered to my left and I took the second, no.9, with the left barrel, as a crosser. Maybe three seconds separated the two shots.

Bird no. 10 was a hard left to right crosser with a stiff north tailwind. When I picked it up I paced the distance back to my blind. Though I shot it at a much closer distance, between it's forward speed helped by the stiff wind and how high it was it had fallen 134 paces from where I shot it.

[Mills Morrison]

Our season on the coast is effectively over after the first few weeks in September. I miss the Thanksgiving and late season hunts we used to have, mostly when top sowed wheat was still legal.

[Stan Hillis]

Our season on the coast is effectively over after the first few weeks in September.

Why do you think that is, Mills? Lack of food sources?

[Mills Morrison]

The general consensus is the decline of real agriculture in the area. Destruction of roosting and other habitat is another problem

[Dean Romig]

My neighbor in Vt just put 200 acres into a land conservancy or land trust. The best option if you want your land to stay wild but still allow for “traditional use.”




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[Mills Morrison]

Dad put a conservation easement on his property. Every responsible landowner should do the same if they want future generations to enjoy what we enjoy.