checked the field about one hour ago what a sight....about 20 young turkeys were feeding and was lots of doves feeding also only 2 weeks to go....hope the birds stay and the weather dont get to hot again...charlie

big rain storm last night not many doves on the field this evening...charlie

Plenty of doves here. Will shoot a .410 on opening day, with a couple of Underlifter 12s in the mix.

We have an invitation on September 1. Trying to decide which gun to take now.

Going Sept. 1 as well. Warming up at the club rhis evening. Have not popped a cap all summer. Twist barrel hammer .410 double, only been test fired with Kirk Merrington a couple weeks ago, (he relieved a tight chamber), and my Lindner Daly Diamond Grade 20 that I had restored last year, have yet to fire it!

Thinking maybe none of my guns are just right and I might need to get a new one:rolleyes:

Hafta to miss the traditional dove opener down at home this year. Going to stick pretty close to my place as I've got a lead on some early goose shooting around the Jack Miner Refuge. One of my life goals has always been to shoot one of this big wide bands with the Bible Verse on it. Tried for 17 years to get hooked up over there with somebody, maybe this is finally the time.

DLH

Mills, you have the right idea. You need a new gun. Yesterday, I went to our local skeet range and there were two guns in the clubhouse with "for sale" signs on them. One was a Savage Fox Model B, 16 gauge, 28" barrels, absolutely brand new, for $350. It was the cut checkered model, double triggers, vent rib, splinter forend, engraving on the floorplate. I got that beauty into my truck before I asked who I had to pay. I guess that is my latest acquisition.

So, Mills, what is the latest acquisition for you?

A GH 12 with 32 inch barrels. Nothing too special, but it is new

It hasn't arrived yet, but is on the way

Thought you promised Linda no more shotguns.............:rolleyes:

I did the same thing. It happens

done my final bush hogging around the dove field today maybe them boys can find there doves now...coupla the guys bring there dogs i enjoy watching them work...3 more days then wakeup morning it will be the start of a new season...charlie

it came a small thunder storm middle of the evening i drove to the field to see what was out there i seen about a hundred birds on the power line and musta seen 250 more birds fly in and feed...then comes along 2 big turkeys jakes...they walked around like they owned that field both of them...suddenly they both flopped their wings several times scared about 100 doves into the air about half of them circled and came back did not bother them turkeys...my wifes lab was in the truck with me she really growled at them turkeys for the longest....looks like we may have a good shoot....charlie

Sure am glad to here that. Once every five years isn't to much to ask for. Maybe now you can get those turkey's to stay there till spring.

You have definitely put in the effort and hope it pays off in spades.

field was really covered with birds this evening should be a good shoot...got to get up early i d better set the alarm clock tonight....charlie

It better be a Parker alarm clock. :whistle:





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all the work i did payed off we had a really good shoot...all the work payed off...charlie

Maybe if your lucky you can shoot that field some more if not to many other places for them to feed. Long time ago we hunted a field close to the house that had about 200 birds working two weeks after opening day. Had a great shoot and all of us shot about 100 doves that first day. Come back the next weekend since we were watching the field some and maybe saw 50 birds working during the week but on Saturday it was well over 100 birds working that evening shoot.

We hunted that field every Saturday afternoon for 6 weeks straight. We figured we killed 400 birds out of that field that year. It seems just about every bird we took out got replaced the next week. Shooting also got dang hard as they wised up really had to camouflage and stay still like duck hunting. There was always a mob of about 30 birds that hit that field all at once from different angles on 4 or 5 different times each hunt. It would be furious shooting for 10 minutes straight then nothing. And 20 minutes later another flight would hit. It was like they had a coordinated attack plan to take the field. Seems like when we left there was always about 20 birds still flying and I guess their activity brought in the others.

BTw we did not bait this field it was essentially a hay field with round bails. It was really confusing but we figured there was millet seeds strewed when they cut that hay mixed in with the bermuda that left plenty of feed for them to keep coming in. Knew the guy that bailed it and scalped the grass trying to get as much as he could. It also did not rain and that grass stayed real low.