Dove opener: after action reports
- Thread starter lockedcj7
- Start date
45reloader
New member
I went out at 12:00 then back out at 4:30.
No birds flying at all. It was about 82 deg.
Maybe 8 dove I watched total, flying way out of range.Worst first day I can recall.
The one place was 488 acres and about 20 guys,no sounds of guns for 30 minutes at a time.Then maybe one or 2 shots,then back sitting around for another 30 minutes.
Next place was 2,300 acres of public land and no one even hung around to 4:30.Guess it was just as bad there at 12:00.
I had a young doe, still with spots,walk right up to me within I'd say 10 feet.That was pretty cool.
No birds flying at all. It was about 82 deg.
Maybe 8 dove I watched total, flying way out of range.Worst first day I can recall.
The one place was 488 acres and about 20 guys,no sounds of guns for 30 minutes at a time.Then maybe one or 2 shots,then back sitting around for another 30 minutes.
Next place was 2,300 acres of public land and no one even hung around to 4:30.Guess it was just as bad there at 12:00.
I had a young doe, still with spots,walk right up to me within I'd say 10 feet.That was pretty cool.
rantingredneck
New member
Public dove field
Millet
We started off in a bad position. No birds flying at all over our end of the field. We moved closer to the action and got a few shots. Then the weather rolled in and the birds stopped flying and the hunters went home.
I fired 12 rounds and came home empty handed
My father in law fired four times and took one bird.
Our friend fired a box or so and took one.
Millet
We started off in a bad position. No birds flying at all over our end of the field. We moved closer to the action and got a few shots. Then the weather rolled in and the birds stopped flying and the hunters went home.
I fired 12 rounds and came home empty handed
My father in law fired four times and took one bird.
Our friend fired a box or so and took one.
fisherman66
New member
Tough day in N. Texas. Fired 10 shots over 10 hours, knocked down 3, recovered 1. I was surrounded by 10 tall brush and weeds with a tilled field in front of me. I hate wasting, but if they weren't dead in the air I was fighting a losing battle. Canada, send us a cold front!
FirstFreedom
Moderator
pathetic
We saw ONE dove while hunting. Friend took shot. Missed. I had ZERO doves come near me. That's WITH a mojo dove going. Dunno; guess the migration has not yet begun here.
When it was apparent there would be no doves, I did take 5 shots to make a hit on a dragonfly - man, you think doves are tough to hit!
We saw ONE dove while hunting. Friend took shot. Missed. I had ZERO doves come near me. That's WITH a mojo dove going. Dunno; guess the migration has not yet begun here.
When it was apparent there would be no doves, I did take 5 shots to make a hit on a dragonfly - man, you think doves are tough to hit!
Fat White Boy
New member
Colorado River, Arizona Side, C.R.I.T. Indian Reservation. I had a limit of 10 by 8:00AM. But it was slow going as compared to years past. Also- The birds stopped flying at 9:00AM. I think it may have sprinkled the night before and that may have moved the birds out overnight.
I had my first problem with other hunters. We got to our spot and were the only ones there. About 15 minutes before shooting time, 2 SUV's pulled up, parked right next to us then set up 50 yards directly in front of us! I mean there were literally miles of open area on either side of us and these idiots just set up tight in front of us! So much for courtesy and common sense....
I had my first problem with other hunters. We got to our spot and were the only ones there. About 15 minutes before shooting time, 2 SUV's pulled up, parked right next to us then set up 50 yards directly in front of us! I mean there were literally miles of open area on either side of us and these idiots just set up tight in front of us! So much for courtesy and common sense....
We did very well on Saturday & Sunday, hunting ENE of Houston, near Dayton TX. I had two limits (12 birds/limit) by Sunday. By Monday the birds were flying so high, one of the two birds I did bring down had an oxygen mask on. About 70% of the birds, were small young birds.
I used a new Mossberg Silver Reserve (Sunday) not knowing what to expect. I was really pleased with the Over&Under.
I used a new Mossberg Silver Reserve (Sunday) not knowing what to expect. I was really pleased with the Over&Under.
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Dad and I hunted NE of Willows California (2 hours N of Sacramento) on a combined irrigated/dry alfalfa field. There was a disced field that was sunflowers to the south and an orchard to the NE. There were more dove this year than I've seen in at least 10 years. I arrived on the field at 6:15 and was done by 7:15, Dad took a little longer and was done by 8. 20 between him and I. I shot a bit less than a box of shells.
Second day was a little tougher, it had cooled down a bit, and the birds had shifted. Dad managed to get his limit by 8:30a, I took a little longer and was done at 9:30a.
This was by far the best hunt we've had in years. The weather held out and it was in the 90's to low 100's and humid thus keeping the birds hanging around. In recent years it always snapped cold the day before sending the birds south. Unfortunately Dove hunting i all about location. If you can be on a cut grain field (sunflower, Safflower, etc) it tends to be pretty good. If you have trees and water, that will make things better in the afternoon. If you have access to all of this, that tends to make it a good hunt. if you don't have all that, it gets difficult to bring em in.
Second day was a little tougher, it had cooled down a bit, and the birds had shifted. Dad managed to get his limit by 8:30a, I took a little longer and was done at 9:30a.
This was by far the best hunt we've had in years. The weather held out and it was in the 90's to low 100's and humid thus keeping the birds hanging around. In recent years it always snapped cold the day before sending the birds south. Unfortunately Dove hunting i all about location. If you can be on a cut grain field (sunflower, Safflower, etc) it tends to be pretty good. If you have trees and water, that will make things better in the afternoon. If you have access to all of this, that tends to make it a good hunt. if you don't have all that, it gets difficult to bring em in.
castnblast
New member
My report is even worse...I'M STILL WAITING TILL THE 22ND!!!
FirstFreedom
Moderator
So CNB, different dates for different parts of TX? (see dbgun's post above....)
Different zones in TX
FF,
Here is a link that will show the different hunting zones in TX. North & Central opening day was 9/1. South zone will be 9/21 for dove.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/season/migratory_game/dove_hunt_zones/
FF,
Here is a link that will show the different hunting zones in TX. North & Central opening day was 9/1. South zone will be 9/21 for dove.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/season/migratory_game/dove_hunt_zones/
3 weelin geezer
New member
I scored 19 doves and about 6 dragon flies with about 1 1/2 to 2 boxes. Having a single shot makes you really think about it.