Today is opening day. Who is going? I am taking my twin daughters dove hunting tonight. This will be our last hunt together while they are still living at home. Hard to believe they are seniors in high school this year. Where has the time gone?
We got blasted with a heat wave and a threat of thunder storms. I did go up to the field at 10 AM and did see three doves, but they were heading to the next county. What really got me was our Canada Goose Resident seasons started today and there were 300 birds on our farm when we got there and they flew all morning. (of course I had lead 7.5s in a 20 ga. ) The heat and humidity won and I napped in the afternoon. My eldest son drove three hours to a dove shoot in the next state (md) and by 2PM they had over 50.
I truly hope your daughters got some shooting in! You are doing it right.
My 2 sons and I went out to El Centro, Ca. It was hot and dry just the way the dove like it. The limits were raised from 10 to 15 either last year or this year. We found a fresh cut alfalfa field that was around 200 acres. By the time it was light enough to see, you could see around 30 hunters surrounding the field. My oldest son (Garrett) and I both had 13 when we stopped to count and my youngest (Hunter) had 11. Within 10 minutes Garrett and I had or limits and Hunter had his a few minutes later. For the first time in years we got our limits. 45 dove between the three of us, and from looking at the other hunters in the area that were packing up at the same time they had their limits also. There were still hundreds of dove flying in and out of the field.
I remember my days back in the 70's when I was stationed in AZ. The 1st time I went I showed up with a pocket full of shells, dumb, I ran out in a few minutes. Just was used to hunting grouse here in NY. Usually only got 3 or 4 shots a day. Next time I went, I bought a box, and still ran out, but at least I ended up with a few birds. Here in NY they say that hunters elected not to have a dove season, too bad.
WOW! Elected to not hunt! That's sad, I'd never do that. Years ago I read a story that said that the average hunter goes through 100 rounds to take 10 birds. I believe it because I've done it before myself. I also hunted in Parker , Az. on an indian reservation where there were so many dove that I had my limit within 20 minutes with one box of shells. I got three birds with one shot. It was fast and furious. It seems to be hit or miss lately. Last year we hunted hard from sun up to sundown and had 7 birds between us. But it was still more fun than not hunting.
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