It’s hard to believe, but hunting seasons are soon to begin.
I know, woodchuck hunting has been going on all summer, and I even managed to bag one myself, but I’m talking about our typical fall hunting seasons.
Over the years, my typical start to the fall hunting season was pursuing the elusive, fast-flying small gray bird — the mourning dove. If you’ve ever wanted to sharpen your shotgun shooting skills, a dove hunt might be a good activity to add to your schedule. Doves have been hunted in Pennsylvania since 1945.
Because the mourning dove is a migratory bird, hunting regulations fall under federal regulations. The states set hunting seasons and bag limits within a framework set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In Pennsylvania, the mourning dove population usually peaks as we begin to move into the fall months. Adults and the locally produced young increase in numbers when they are joined by migrating birds from the north.
The diet of the mourning dove is made up of weed seeds and waste grains, which are responsible for about 98 percent of their diet. The dove is a bird of open woodland edges and farmland with scattered trees and shrubs. They can also be found in open woods, evergreen stands, orchards, and even suburban gardens, but they typically avoid heavily wooded or dense areas.
Obviously, hunting a tree line between two grain fields is certainly a good location; the trees provide some concealment, and shooting can be anywhere as the doves fly in and out of the fields to feed.
Another great hunting spot where I’ve had some of my best hunting is setting up somewhere near a pond. Don’t set up too close to the water because you don’t want to drop any birds into the middle of the pond where you can’t retrieve them. A tree line or some brush 40 yards from the pond is probably a good location.
Needless to say, these birds are fast flying and can exhibit some sudden erratic movements, putting your shooting skills to the test. My guess is that most serious dove hunters probably use a 12-gauge shotgun for their dove hunting. I like my Winchester semiautomatic since I can operate and maneuver it more quickly than my pump shotgun.
I’m not saying a lighter gun like a 20 gauge or even a 410 wouldn’t work, but these gauges may be a little “under-gunned,” and the larger 12-gauge load may increase your chances. I have a good friend who is outstandingly skilled with a shotgun, and he has taken more than his share of doves with a 410, but he is no doubt an exception.
Dove season runs Sept. 1-Nov. 28. and there is a second season from Dec. 20-Jan. 3. There is no Sunday hunting for doves.
Keep in mind that in addition to your regular hunting license, you must also have a Migratory Game Bird License since doves are migratory birds. You are allowed to take 15 birds in a single day. That may sound pretty liberal, but trying to bring that many down on a single hunt can be a real challenge, at least for me it is.
Not only is dove hunting a challenge, but it’s also great fun, and the weather is often very pleasant. Another plus is that although the dove breast is small, if you manage to bag enough, they make a great meal.
