Dove Hunting in the US

[Firebird]

I’ve been thinking about a trip to Texas for white wings, I would come to a get together and shoot some doves!
Good luck to all of you!

 

[Ridge Runner]

Wow.. I’ve never heard of a state that doesn’t allow dove… I’m sure there are others.. but they are so plentiful across the south east and even most of the south west that I’m actually surprised at the limits imposed in some places down this way…

Yeah, for years now, ever since I saw a hunting outdoor show where hunters can go to Mexico or Argentina to hunt doves all day long with virtually no limit, yet here in the USA every state that has dove season(s) has a daily and possession limit on doves.

I enjoy dove hunting. I enjoy cooking and eating dove. But I can't see myself shooting a 500 shells a day, nor killing more than 15 birds per trip. Having to cleaning/ breast a lot of birds by myself at one time, prepping some for cooking and some for the freezer is time consuming and several messes to be cleaned up. Especially when it is the weekend and trash pick up isn’t till Tuesday. Or recently the trash convenient center doesn’t open till 10 o'clock Tuesday morning. Then there are/were, since remedied, three nights spent protecting the garbage cans from feral cats, neighbors cats and/or dogs, and coons.

 

[mdwest]

Yeah, for years now, ever since I saw a hunting outdoor show where hunters can go to Mexico or Argentina to hunt doves all day long with virtually no limit, yet here in the USA every state that has dove season(s) has a daily and possession limit on doves.

I enjoy dove hunting. I enjoy cooking and eating dove. But I can't see myself shooting a 500 shells a day, nor killing more than 15 birds per trip. Having to cleaning/ breast a lot of birds by myself at one time, prepping some for cooking and some for the freezer is time consuming and several messes to be cleaned up. Especially when it is the weekend and trash pick up isn’t till Tuesday. Or recently the trash convenient center doesn’t open till 10 o'clock Tuesday morning. Then there are/were, since remedied, three nights spent protecting the garbage cans from feral cats, neighbors cats and/or dogs, and coons.

We've done dove hunts in Argentina twice... while we dont do it, there are lots of guys that shoot 1000+ shells a day while in Argentina.. the skies are freaking black with dove at times.. its an unreal experience..

We're more on the shoot maybe 8-10 boxes of shells a day side of the equation (which is still a lot) and then spend time sipping wonderful Argentinian malbecs and eating incredible argentinian beef and dulce de leche about 10 hours a day crowd lol...

 

[Ridge Runner]

My hunting and fishing buddy. My buddy's grandson.

FYI don't mention boat, hunting or fishing after meeting him. We still haven't found his hearing range limit yet.

As we were setting up and waiting for noon on his first dove hunt, I was messing with him about not having his hunting license on him and what the game warden could do.

He said he had never met a game warden before and wanted to meet one. He met 2. Later in the afternoon, this is one of the 2 TWRA agents he met earlier, he asked the agent if he could get a picture with the agent. I think it made both their day.

 

[Firebird]

Correct me if I am wrong but in Argentina they are a different species of dove (eared?) and can decimate acres of grain due to their numbers. Hence the high volume shooting and donating birds, tipping bird boys etc. I would love to do it sometime!
Stateside, our limit is ten per day

 

[mdwest]

Correct me if I am wrong but in Argentina they are a different species of dove (eared?) and can decimate acres of grain due to their numbers. Hence the high volume shooting and donating birds, tipping bird boys etc. I would love to do it sometime!
Stateside, our limit is ten per day

Correct.. there are a few species, but the most common is the "eared" which is very similar to our mourning dove...

they do indeed absolutely decimate the crops down there.. when I say there are tens of thousands in the sky at any given time, Im not exaggerating...

when we did our first trip the primary roost we were hunting had over 1M birds in it... on our most recent hunt the primary roost had an estimated 2M birds in it...

nothing at all like hunting them in the US... the single biggest challenge for me in Argentina is target selection.. at any moment there might be a dozen birds in shotgun range and another 50 approaching... its easy to get confused in the chaos and end up not focusing on the bird that you could have shot.... the other challenge is with so much going on at any given time, keeping your mind clear on leads necessary to shoot at a wide variety of angles and ranges... you might squeeze on one bird approaching head on and get him at 20 yards.. and then the very next bird (just 3-4 seconds later) is at 35 yards hard crossing, etc..etc..

 

[Hunt anything]

Went and checked on our sunflower field today. They should be ready for our 9/14/24 opener.

 

[Jay Kelley]

I'll be on 5 acres just outside of Levelland, TX. Sunday is the Lord's day for me, but I'll be in the field Monday morning!

 

[Jay Kelley]

How many 20 gauge shells does it take you to kill your limit?

A lot!

 

[Drywaller44]

Last year was

In about a month, I’ll be back in Seymour, Texas hunting doves with my buddy @Jeff505 and several more friends. The early dove season is the start of our high social season. This year, I’ll take my tried and true Winchester Model 101 12 gauge, and a newly acquired Rizzini BR 550 side by side 20 guage that I bought at the Tulsa gun show in April. As I get older, the joy of hunting with real friends becomes more important than the bag. However, I’m expecting a fantastic shoot this year. Seymour has already exceeded its annual rainfall average! There’s plenty of grain and seeds.

Anyone else planning to shoot “at” doves in a few weeks?

Looking forward to hunting with you and the guys again in Seymour. Doves might not be as exciting to kill as a deer or turkey but hunting with a good group of guys makes up for it.

 

[randallhebert]

The only way to eat Dove. Any way else is just eating a dried out bird. Now, Quail, that's another story.

You have never had them pot roasted then. If the good lord made anything better eating, he kept if for himself.

 

[randallhebert]

Your choice of using a 20 gauge and choke could also be a factor limiting the amount of damage, number of wounded, and lost birds.

Most of us use 12 gauges with modified chokes and BP 10 gauges with open barrels and respectively light moderate and medium moderate powder charges. Those using BP 20 gauges, or equivalent, have long 30+" to 40", "swamp" barrels.
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About 3 or 4 years ago invited deer hunting buddy's 7 or 8 year old grandson on a dove hunt. The grandson had a single shot 410 he shot his first dove, and later that season his first squirrels with it. The next season and since when he is with me he gets to use a 28 gauge semi auto.

Yes....I will admit that that little 28 gauge is fun to use and I do use it occasionally for dove and small game.

I nor anyone that I dove hunt with has ever tried #9 shot in either of those two forementioned gauges.

Sudden thought....

Considering: closer shot ranges, less powerful, less number of pellets, the 410 and 28 gauges might work better using #9 shot.

Has any member used or know anyone that uses a 28 gauge for dove hunting?

What size shot is used?

At what distances?

That's what I use. Have a Beretta 28 auto and a yildiz o/u that I shoot dove and teal. Also use during big duck season and do well as long as I do my part it handles big ducks out to about 30 yds

 

[randallhebert]

Your choice of using a 20 gauge and choke could also be a factor limiting the amount of damage, number of wounded, and lost birds.

Most of us use 12 gauges with modified chokes and BP 10 gauges with open barrels and respectively light moderate and medium moderate powder charges. Those using BP 20 gauges, or equivalent, have long 30+" to 40", "swamp" barrels.
_____________________________________________

About 3 or 4 years ago invited deer hunting buddy's 7 or 8 year old grandson on a dove hunt. The grandson had a single shot 410 he shot his first dove, and later that season his first squirrels with it. The next season and since when he is with me he gets to use a 28 gauge semi auto.

Yes....I will admit that that little 28 gauge is fun to use and I do use it occasionally for dove and small game.

I nor anyone that I dove hunt with has ever tried #9 shot in either of those two forementioned gauges.

Sudden thought....

Considering: closer shot ranges, less powerful, less number of pellets, the 410 and 28 gauges might work better using #9 shot.

Has any member used or know anyone that uses a 28 gauge for dove hunting?

What size shot is used?

At what distances?

That's what I use. Have a Beretta 28 auto and a yildiz o/u that I shoot dove and teal. Also use during big duck season and do well as long as I do my part it handles big ducks out to about 30 yds

 

[Doug3006]

Last year was

Looking forward to hunting with you and the guys again in Seymour. Doves might not be as exciting to kill as a deer or turkey but hunting with a good group of guys makes up for it.

Same here! See ya then.

 

[swashington]

The heat isn’t my favorite part….but it’s a part of it alright! Try a late season hunt in South Texas. The heat Is gone but the birds are still there!

For out of Texas people do you have any suggestions on where to go? I haven't hunted them in almost 40 years but loved every minute of it as a teenager.

 

[Doug3006]

I’m also an “out of Texas” guy. I’ve had great dove hunts in Seymour TX with Ranger Creek Ranch. I’ve hunted them in George West and near Raymondville. Also, check out Texas Dove Hunters Association. They are online and there are adds for numerous outfitters who specialize in dove hunts.