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Hunting mourning doves is a great way to kick of the hunting season.
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From where I sit right now, cleaning out the three tiny flecks of residue left in the barrel of my twelve-gauge, I wish the tail end of this summer would wrap itself up. For dove season is fast approaching.
Punch Drunk Doves
Sure, that peaceful "coo-hoo" and the bobble-head walk make the dove seem like an easy and unaware target. But once this little bird takes to the sky, keeping an eye on the flight path is about as easy as watching an intoxicated person stagger home from the bar.
Scientists studying the dove have clocked it flying at well over 50 miles per hour. Add to that a wicked juke that would fake any linebacker out of his pads and the goal of sighting in this little bird becomes a difficult achievement at times.
Shot in sizes 7 1/2 and 8 is the ticket in getting your pellets to hit the golf ball-sized vital area of a dove. A steady hand and a well practiced shot also helps. Try a few rounds of trap or sporting clays to get the rust out of the joints and the glint back in the eye. Practicing for mourning dove season will eliminate some of the embarrassment of leaving the sky full of holes at the end of the day.
The mourning dove can be found in every county throughout North Dakota. One need only drive down a gravel road to see the small gray sentinels sitting on the fence lines or pecking at the side of the road. The chances of finding doves in general are very good on any given day from the traditional season opener of September 1 through mid-October.
Walk or Stalk
Pursuing doves is a great way to get both your aim and your body in shape for other hunting seasons later in the year.
The first and most common practice is to locate a water hole, cover up in light camouflage and wait until the birds fly in around dusk for a drink. Staying low and not moving is important in this situation, as the keen eyesight of the dove will have them pulling out well before a gun can be pulled up.
A secondary option involves more work, but is a great way to get in shape for other upcoming upland game seasons. Locating a field full of sunflowers and a tree row nearby provides the perfect place to start a dove drive.
A favorite tactic involves having two hunters walking the length of the shelterbelt and flushing doves as they walk. The birds usually break at an angle from the trees, providing challenging shots and equal opportunity for both hunters to get a chance at the birds.
Walking a few miles over recently-tilled dirt and through fallen branches is a great way to prepare for the cattail sloughs and broken terrain of grouse and pheasant hunting seasons which will soon follow.
Limited Time Offer
The only drawback to dove hunting season is that it doesn't last long. The season is open until near the end of October but the birds are packed and on their way south as early as the first weekend of that month.
Since time is limited, a person should get out in the field, or miss out on a culinary treat. The birds are incredibly tasty; they make a delicious appetizer in small numbers and a great meal when served in larger quantities with wild rice and other fall favorites. Try dove in casseroles or fried and wrapped with bacon. The taste alone can put you in the field the next day chasing this crafty bird.
Whatever the reason for the pursuit of mourning doves, be it food, fun, or as the kickoff to a new hunting season, there are few better ways to wrap up a summer...in our outdoors.
