I’ll take the sure thing before I’ll take the risk. Give me a savings account with two percent over anything on Wall Street these days. I play poker like that too, which might be why I’m not very good at it, and I rarely bet on sports, even when I know the Gators will crush Vanderbilt. And while I might not get rich quick, win a golden bracelet, or parlay a correct pick-em, I am a fan of certainty, and one thing is firm both in my mind and on the paper calendar on the wall – fall is on its way.

So while I wait for the waffling of Brett Favre to come to one end or another (or maybe he goes all Roger Clemens on us and plays the last half of the season for $16 million?) I know that when it does, the first hunting seasons of the year will already be under way, starting with one of my favorites. And while the targets might not be the biggest in the bunch, you can bet that dove hunting is one of the best ways to kick off autumn.
I can still remember the first dove hunt I went on with my dad. We walked out to the middle of a farmer’s horse pasture and sat on the earthen hill of excavated dirt and overlooked the waterhole our perch once occupied. As the sun set, gray-winged mourning doves swooped in from all directions. My dad fired his shotgun several times that night, and I watched as most of his targets bobbed and weaved themselves out of harm’s way. By the end of the night, dad had three little birds in his game vest, and we cooked them in a frying pan when we got home, sharing the tiny spoils of our night afield.

My next dove hunt didn’t happen until I was 23, after I had graduated from college, and that summer’s Hunter’s Education course along with nearly all of the twelve-year-olds in Barnes County. But it wasn’t long before I was patrolling stock ponds, sitting on treelines and swatting mosquitoes in the evening air as the dipping and diving doves made their way across the horizon that fall.
From there I was hooked on these little birds, and the earliest of the hunting seasons. Since that first year, I’ve honed my shot, scouted fields and I am now prepared for yet another season in pursuit of doves – a simple pleasure that all hunters should pursue, but very few in these northern climates do, in comparison to grouse or pheasants. But doves provide a unique challenge on the wing and a tasty reward for a successful shot.
Mourning doves inhabit the entire length of the upper Midwest and are huntable from as far north as the Canadian border for at least part of their federally set season (September 1 to October 30) they can be found flying and flocking around small grain fields, shelterbelts and water sources. Most of the time though, these migratory birds are clear of the region before their season ends.
Because of their transient nature, hunters who pursue them are required to relay their hunting data to the Harvest Information Program (HIP) to provide researchers with the information from each year’s hunt and harvest. Beyond getting a HIP number, dove hunters need only a small game license in most states, and a little bit of pre-season scouting.

Mourning doves, as alluded to earlier, are drawn to small watering holes, grain fields and safe roosting areas like shelterbelts. Finding where the birds fly each evening can provide hunters easy direction to an exciting hunt all in an hour or two after work. From that point, one can set up a small chair, don a camo shirt and hat, and prepare for an evening of hunting – or at least shooting.
Generally size 7.5 or 8 shot is used in the pursuit of these small upland birds, as more shot in a shell makes for a better chance at hitting these birds with vital areas about the size of a ping-pong ball. Having a dog on hand to retrieve also adds to the hunt and limits lost birds, as their gray plumage blends well with dry grasses and other plants. What also helps up the success rate is a little practice prior to the hunt. Shoot a few rounds of clays to be ready for these small targets before the season, and maybe warm up at the range before an evening hunt on the weekend.

The meat from each bird only amounts to two tiny breast fillets, but there’s a good opportunity to take a few birds on each outing. The internet abounds with hundreds of delicious recipes for their full flavored meat. My personal favorite is a dove popper recipe, consisting of two breast fillets sandwiching a piece of pepper jack cheese and a jalapeno slice. Wrap the ingredients in bacon for moisture and flavor, and hold it all together with a toothpick. Place a dozen or so on a tinfoil-covered grill and cook on medium-low. It’s a perfect appetizer for what’s to come this season!
If you are a longtime hunter, or just starting out, dove hunting is tough to pass up when you’ve endured enough of August’s heat and can’t stand any more of FavreWatch2010. It’s a guaranteed good time, and kicks off September in surefire style. Plan a few nights afield this fall for our smallest game bird and rest assured that the season is just around the corner…in our outdoors.

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Mourning doves are abundant all over the US

As a young hunter in North Dakota 20 years ago, mourning doves were synonymous with the kick off to autumn. At that time, dove hunting opened earlier than any other major bird season, so doves were top priority for a week or two until we could hunt sharp-tailed grouse and partridge.

I think the emergence of an early Canada goose season in North Dakota a few years back has taken some of the early fall spotlight once directed at doves. However, doves were, and still are today, a respected and highly popular game bird.

Their small body size and manic flight pattern combine to put doves near the top in terms of degree of difficulty to bag. Veteran dove hunters have always related that shooting a limit of doves (15) with a box of shells (25) is a pretty tough challenge.

In recent years, I haven’t specifically hunted doves as much as I once did. What used to be full day dove hunts have become a couple of hours or an evening walk along the edge of a sunflower field to hopefully get a crack at a few doves making their way between feeding fields and their roost.

History and biology

North Dakota held its first mourning dove season in 1963, and another followed in 1964. But after two years, state lawmakers voted to end dove hunting. Efforts to restore a dove season continued over the years, and in 1979 dove hunting was restored and has remained open ever since.

Mike Szymanski, North Dakota Game and Fish Department migratory bird biologist, is a dove fan both personally and professionally. “I take dove hunting pretty seriously,” Szymanski says. “I love hunting them; they’re a challenge and a pretty tasty bird.”

Morning doves, as usual, all in a row

Mourning doves typically nest from April to September, and may raise more than one batch of young during the nesting season in North Dakota. In warmer climates, they can rear five or six clutches. The typical nest contains two white eggs, with an incubation period of 13-15 days. Young are in the nest from 12-15 days before they can fly.

Currently, biologists across the country are trying to learn more about doves. North Dakota is one of 26 states participating in a three-year study, during which more than 85,000 mourning doves will be trapped and banded. Biologists hope to determine harvest rates, estimate annual survival, provide information on geographic distribution of harvest, and develop and refine techniques for future banding.

The banding project got started in North Dakota in 2003, when 758 doves were trapped in the state and fitted with small metal leg bands. In 2004, the number of birds trapped and banded jumped to 1,294 birds. “The biggest part of the project is updating our data and improving population models, which enable scientists to make better harvest management decisions,” Szymanski said.

Mourning doves are the most numerous migratory game bird in North America and more doves are harvested by hunters than all other migratory game birds combined. “Dove hunting is serious stuff in most states,” Szymanski said. For example, according to federal estimates in 2004, the No. 1 dove harvest state was Texas where hunters bagged nearly 5.7 million birds.

In North Dakota, mourning doves aren’t as actively pursued as in Texas. In 2004, according to federal estimates, only about 57,500 doves were shot in the state. “People in North Dakota don’t often recognize doves as viable targets because they are so small,” Szymanski said. “Plus, a good portion of the birds leave the state before the season even opens on September 1.”

As the mourning dove banding study continues and data is analyzed, more questions will be answered. So far, doves banded in North Dakota have been taken Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Mexico.

An interesting find this summer is that researchers have recaptured several birds banded in the state last year. These returns identify doves that survived a long migration south, a return trek north, and a host of other hurdles that include predators, weather and hunters.

This fall, as you cruise by doves perched above a waiting sunflower field, imagine the places those birds may have been.

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Hunting mourning doves is a great way to kick of the hunting season.

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.

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If it's wet where you're at in the outdoors, expect mosquitoes to be there.

The nice thing about mosquito season is that there is no limit. Unfortunately there isn’t much meat on the little buggers. Furthermore, in January here in the upper Midwest, I almost find myself longing to hear the buzzing of these pests in my ear during the humid dusk hours of summer.

All kidding aside, it is getting pretty vicious out there. The state health department has confirmed this year’s first death from West Nile virus, and has accounted for 23 confirmed cases this summer. West Nile virus is extremely dangerous for those with weakened immune systems but can pose a threat to anyone’s health.

With dove season and early goose season approaching, and no killing frost in sight, parking yourself by a waterhole in a few weeks will leave you susceptible to the swarms. What follows are some tips to keep the skeeters at bay.

Protect yourself

The obvious recommendation is to avoid high-activity times for mosquitoes as they are drawn out in search of food. However, if being out around dusk and into dark is going to be necessary for better fishing, scouting for deer or early-season hunting, be prepared or be bitten.

With nightly lows beginning to drop, covering up most of the body is easy and quite comfortable. A pair of jeans and a sweatshirt will allow you to fish or take nature walks with little bother from the bugs, and will also keep you warm on cooler evenings. Light gloves will help your hands remain bite free.

In case of extreme swarms, add a mesh face cover which can be purchased at nearly any outdoors sports supplier, such as Cabela’s or Scheels. This guarantees a bite free body.

If it is a warm night, or you simply don’t want to cover up, make sure to use ample amounts of insect repellent containing the chemical compound Deet.

These sprays are available in many household names such as Off Deep Woods or Cutter. Many have now reduced the noxious odor in their products, but still provide protection against bugs, including mosquitoes, horseflies and buffalo gnats.

There is one drawback to these sprays – their chemical scent. If just a trace of that chemical ends up on your hand, and your hand lands on your hook, you might as well kiss your late summer crappie outing goodbye.

Fish react in a highly negative manner to the chemicals in mosquito spray. I know this from experience, which is why I tend to cover up with clothing instead of spraying down. If you are going to use spray-on repellant, have someone else who is not going fishing spray it on the exposed parts of your body, as just the slightest trace can send the fish running in the opposite direction of your lure.

Fight the good fight

Although we do live in North Dakota, and it seems like a killing frost could happen at any time, don’t expect Mother Nature to help in the war against the winged. Instead, take some steps to insure that mosquitoes don’t set up a beachhead in your backyard.

One of the main things to do is prevent water from becoming stagnant on your property. If little Johnny’s plastic swimming pool is becoming a bit green, tip it over and make sure all of the water is removed.

Also make sure to check there are no tires, fishbowls or other junk laying about that could collect rain and provide a breeding ground for these biting bugs. If you see little twitching worms about the size of rice grains floating around in standing water, get rid of it, or reap the whirlwind of mosquitoes when they hatch in just a few days. Remember, these insects can breed and turn from larvae to adults in a matter of days, and need only a matter of a few inches of water to do so.

To keep mosquitoes from hiding nearby, it is recommended to cut your lawn regularly. Mosquitoes live around the bases of tall grasses during the day and if no fields are nearby to support them, the longest lawn on the block will inherit the most mosquitoes. By keeping the lawn cut short, you can trimthe number of mosquitoes in your area.

If you notice any flu-like symptoms after a night in the woods, or feel achy, tired or out of sorts, contact a doctor immediately. As the sooner West Nile is addressed, the sooner it can be treated.

So be safe this summer regarding mosquitoes, whether it is to avoid a few itchy bumps or some well publicized problems. Cover up or spray down and do your part to help keep mosquitoes where they belong…in our outdoors.

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Well, the countdown has begun and at the beginning of September, dove seasons all across the country will be opening up. Most recently, 2 new states are being added to the list; Minnesota and Michigan. They’ve been waiting for a long time for this possibility, but this also means there’ll be plenty of first-time dove hunters taking the field. To help speed up your learning curve, here are some dove hunting tips from my experiences which could help you spend less time waiting and driving and more time wing shooting.

Before you set out to hunt doves, you should get a basic understanding of them first. Doves are just like other migratory bird species in their ability to be patterned. They are normally found in areas where there are a lot of trees. Around first light in the morning, they’ll leave the roost and head to the fields to feed. I find doves mostly in feeds planted with millet, canola, barley or sunflowers. Occasionally they’ll bounce back and forth to water to drink. I’ve found they’ll feed many miles away from the nearest water so they aren’t afraid to fly to find what they’re looking for. As soon as they’re full they’ll head back to the roost or another similar set of trees to rest, and will head back out later in the afternoon to repeat their morning routine. On a windy day, they’ll spend most of their time in sheltered roosting areas out of the wind. I’m far from a biologist, but this is what I encounter with doves.

After the small primer on dove habits, I’d like to get into how we’ve learned to hunt them. I like to fool birds, and to do that means you’ll have to set yourself up to pass shoot or bring them close with decoys. I’ve always been a diehard waterfowler, especially geese, and a lot of that knowledge applies to the way I like to hunt doves. I spend some time scouting right before the season, looking for roosts, frequent feeding fields and water holes. They tend to reuse the same areas up until they migrate, so hot spots in late August should produce in early September. The trick to scouting is to also figure out the most consistent flyway the birds use during the day.. There are generally 3 places you’ll want to set yourself up to shoot doves: along trees, fields or water holes. Which of these will work best is up to you. Are the birds all taking the same route to and from the roost? Are they all using the same field, and which part of the field are they entering and exiting? Which water holes are they using and at what times of the day? Get yourself comfortable with the area you intend to hunt right before the season and the answers should unfold.

Now here’s a few scenario’s that I play with every fall.

Water Hole

I’ve been lucky and that I’ve lived within a marginal driving distance of some great dove hunting ground all my life. As soon as I got my drivers license in junior high school, I was already on the pursuit of doves close to home. We spent most of our time sitting along water holes early and late in the day. Dove numbers attract more doves, just like waterfowl, so we came up with some tricks to decoying them along water. Doves like to perch, and most perches they prefer are too high up to reach. We’ve taken large branches and stuck them in the ground along the waterhole, in clear viewing distance all around. As soon as you feel its stable enough, start clipping on some decoys on the branches. There’s a variety of decoys available and I’ve used many, but the full body style seem to work the best. After you give the birds something to key in on, all you need to do is camouflage yourself and wait. Seems simple enough, and most times it is if you’re in the right location, but actually shooting and hitting your target consistently is where you’ll have to practice (I highly recommend some trap/skeet before the season). They are quick and fly erratically.

Tree & Field Edges

We started the day of September 1st last year with a nice bag of honkers. Not only was it dove hunting opener, but it was also the opener of early goose season. Unable to talk my hunting buddies into an afternoon dove shoot, I was off on my own down to the areas I grew up dove hunting. I’d already done my homework weeks prior and new where the heavy concentrations were, so it was a pretty easy to come up with a good hunting situation. As I came into my area, I noticed one of the trees just off the roost was already showing some birds resting. The roost holding the birds was a ½ mile shelter belt so I was pretty sure they were in there. I watched the roost for awhile and noticed small groups of birds all heading in a northern direction. I followed some of them a mile until they landed on some power wires along a millet field. Within minutes I noticed birds trading back and forth from the wires to the field, and occasionally birds heading back towards the roost. In-between the millet field and the roost was a very small drainage ditch, and some birds were dropping along there for a drink. In 10 minutes time, I could clearly get a feel as to the habits and patterns of the doves so it was only a matter of finding where to set up. The day was around 80 degrees, not ideal dove hunting weather, especially when coupled with droves of mosquitoes so I looked for the easiest setup to manage. I noticed that when the birds left the roost to feed, most would follow an adjacent shelter belt north in route. Along the end of the belt would be perfect as they’d be constantly flying over going back and forth and I could be easily camouflaged. I went ahead and parked my truck right next to the end of the shelter belt, front end pointing south towards the roost. The birds flying over the trees didn’t see the truck until it was too late, so I had the luxury of being able to sit on the tailgate and wait. It wasn’t long before the action picked up, and for an hour straight singles to groups of over 50 doves would fly within 25 yards of my position. I recall talking on my cell phone to buddies (who decided against going that afternoon), and having to put down the phone every 20 seconds to shoot. It was a great time and I had to let them know what they missed. I harvested my limit and left early to let the birds get back into their pattern for the chance of hunting it again another day.

Dove hunting isn’t as easy as this situation seems, but like all hunting, scouting can pay off huge dividends. Some additional advice I feel I must pass along is proper harvest. If you’re hunting doves in tall vegetation, it’s VERY easy to lose a dove you shoot. Any of you who’ve hunted them know this scenario. You drop a dove and seconds later another flies right over you. You pull up to shoot the second, only to realize you have no clue where the first one lies. At that point it’ll take a long time to find. If you’re hunting in high cover, and you drop a dove, don’t take your eyes off the dove where it landed no matter how many birds are in the air. Walk straight to it, pick it up and then move your eyes to the sky. Sounds elementary, but I’ve unfortunately lost many birds and quality hunting time by doing just this.

Okay, you’ve successfully harvested some birds…now what? If you’re not aware, dove meat is very delicious. I hate to say the overstated phrase, but they do taste a lot like chicken. You can cut out the breasts, and they’ll be around the size of a half dollar coin. The simplest preparation I use is to make kabobs. Stick them on skewers with your favorite veggies and they’re ready to go. Let them sit for an hour in your favorite marinade if you wish, but there really isn’t much game taste to them.

Dove hunting is one of the most challenging birds to shoot. You may think you have a lead on them and suddenly they’ll drop 3 feet or more. Some days I’m embarrassed to say how many boxes I’ve had to shoot to get our birds, but that’s just dove hunting. Spend some days afield trying it and I’m sure you’ll be hooked.

hunter safety course

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