Dove Hunting

[02ducky]

Woo Hoo cant wait Dove hunting in 1 week! Anybody else going? We are gonna be east of Hudson on a little private property! Cant wait!

[patrick0685]

Woo Hoo cant wait Dove hunting in 1 week! Anybody else going? We are gonna be east of Hudson on a little private property! Cant wait!

i would love to go...sadly i dont really know where to go and have never been, ill prob go sometime but not 1 week, i figure if im gunna go learn somewhere might as well not be a bunch of ppl out there

[ridgewalker]

I'm heading out with a bud opening day. Shouldn't be many people out since it is on a Thursday.

If you are looking for a place to go, pick up the DOW's brochures on Walk-in properties, State Trust Lands and State Wildlife Areas. Lots of areas have high dove potential.

Don't wait too long to go though. The norm in Colorado is a cold snap the day before opening. It drives most if not all the doves south.

Suggestion...find a place with some trees (doesn't have to be a lot) with maybe one or two dead ones in it, water (pond, creek, mudhole, windmill, etc) and sunflowers, dove weed or milo within a few hundred yards. You'll have yourself a good spot. It will help to have some dove decoys as well (Walmart has them for $13/6). Wear neutral colors and don't forget lots of water and snacks.

Best of luck

[patrick0685]

thanks for the tips...dress like pheasant season but not quite as warm? I have wednesday thursday off so there hopefully wont be a ton of ppl out there

[Mtn.man]

Remember to wear a dove decoy outfit.

[colocowboy01]

I am taking one of my nephews out after I get off of work on opening day.

[DSB OUTDOORS]

I used to hunt doves years ago. But I picked up my Bow and got back to the Elk hunting! Dove nuggets are ok, but elk can fill the freezer. It is fun though and I do miss it!!

[sniper7]

Remember to wear a dove decoy outfit.

I always wear mine! Cept the damn dog is always trying to fetch ME!

[Geology Rocks]

So ready for hunting season! My father in law gave me a freezer locker that I cant wait to try and fill this year!

joe

[Larry Ashcraft]

Closing my business today and taking a five day weekend (it's slow anyway with the State Fair going on). We have about 15 guys coming to our place for some dove hunting and great food and company.

Can't wait!

You guys don't forget to take some insect repellant. A dove hunt can sure turn miserable without it.

[sniper7]

Looks like me and my buddy are going tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

[02ducky]

Geared up and ready to go... we are using decoys and a couple of those spinning winged decoys too. Can't wait!

[JohnTRourke]

going tomorrow myself.
quite excited

Not really thrilled with the effing heat. (jeez, I'm done with high 90's already, enough, quit!!!!), but should be fun.

[Geology Rocks]

where is everyone going? I am thinking of heading out to the Brush swa, webster near greeley or out to some private land. not 100% sure just yet...

joe

[02ducky]

Good luck everybody, be safe!
[Beer]

[JohnTRourke]

It's 5:30am and I'm off[M2]

[Geology Rocks]

good luck!

joe

[JohnTRourke]

well poof


when he scouted, there were lots of birds where we went.
today
not many at all
everyone that came in range came home with us. (minus one that the bad bird dog ate, (the entire thing, he's going to be pooping feathers))

was fun though. My friend was answering his cell phone (yeah, middle of nowhere and the phones have 5 bars, can't even see a house, but in my home? like 1 bar, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr) and some come flying in. "hey, right at you"
Still holding the phone, with one hand he snaps the shotgun up and fires and one dove drops to the ground. I was laughing so hard I never even got a shot off.

[Hoser]

Headed out before daybreak and got a few by 7:00. Use my little Browning 28 gauge. The heat and water kept them around. Seems like the past few years they have been scarce after mid to late August.

[JohnTRourke]

Used my AyA 28 bore. quite deadly. I'm more and more impressed with the 28.

OH there were plenty. On the sides of the roads, on private land, etc

but where we were????

just a few.

but whatever, it was still fun.

[Geology Rocks]

where did you guys go?

private?

joe

[JohnTRourke]

we went on public land.
I think in the 5 hours we were there, we saw 2 cars drive by.

[sniper7]

went up to banner lakes SWA. seems like there was a hunter about ever 50 yards in the trees, some in the fields, some walking.

me and my buddy had our dogs, we walked a bit, then sat in the trees. got a few but it didn't seem like that many were flying.

Watched a guy catch a 20+" pike which was cool.

we heard plenty of shooting but talking to everyone people were only getting a couple birds. we watched several people unload their guns and the bird keep flying. made me laugh a bit.

I haven't done much dove hunting, but I was pretty annoyed that in a SWA there isn't some kind of requirement for at least a orange cap. I just think with that amount of people in such a small area all blasting at every winged creature there should at least be a bit or orange on each hunter. I talked to 2 different guys who got peppered (not by us). I could have easily peppered a couple people but let the bird fly instead.
I also watched one guy shoot at a swallow (not even a dove), and shot directly at the guy who was in bright blue fishing. saw a small spray of dust just beyond and behind the guy. we left after that.

[02ducky]

I had a limit by 930, I have access to private property and the intenational bird of peace (Doves) where fly into our area very steady until about 1100am. I was hunting with 4 other guys and 3 out the 4 had limits by 1030. It was a really good day, going again on Sunday, hopefully this cold snap doesnt push them out of our area.

Pics to come!

[Larry Ashcraft]

About a dozen of us got somewhere around 50 doves. They weren't flying well at all. Maybe it was the heat.

Of course we took the hot middle part of the day off and shot some toys others had brought. A friend of my son's brought about five submachine guns, and H&H brought his .470NE again. So we visited in the shade, then played in the back yard, then had a nice light lunch and then visited some more.

About 4:00 we went back out and hunted until 7:30, then came up to the house and had an excellent dinner of BBQed doves (from the morning) wrapped in Pueblo chiles and bacon , smoked Alaskan Salmon, Gazpacho, and fresh tomatoes from my garden, followed by lemon pie and blueberry cream cheese pie.

A memorable day indeed.

[JohnTRourke]

Larry, you're still alive?????????

I thought of your place as being EXCELLENT for doves.

only 50??????

[Larry Ashcraft]

Larry, you're still alive?????????
Yeah, and I'll PM you next summer for the dove hunt. If I forget, remind me.


I thought of your place as being EXCELLENT for doves.
Yeah Brian, that's what I thought when we bought the place. But up until the Asian Collareds starting showing up, it was pretty crappy hunting.

Two years ago we had 119 on opening day.

[JohnTRourke]

wow
I would have never guessed
I would have thought the perfect place

shows you what I know about hunting. [ROFL1]

[Geology Rocks]

well I went out today and shot 25 shells into the air missing everything that flew by. lol. It was a great day with about 20+ birds flying by. Where I went the corn was still very high so it was tough to see them coming in.

oh well...next time!

Joe

[AK47 Ranger]

Ive got a couple spots out east and south of me.

Couple days couple limits. Ate a bunch with some friends last night and going back for more tonight. This is my favorite season by far.

Next month is cast and blast in MT.

[Hoser]

A memorable day indeed.

Sounds like a nice day was had by all.

[Geology Rocks]

anyone wanna take me out and show me some pointers? this is my first dove season and can kill clays easily but cant a freaking dove to save my life!

joe

[Larry Ashcraft]

this is my first dove season and can kill clays easily but cant a freaking dove to save my life!
You're probably over-thinking it. I do the same thing almost every opening morning.

Once I relax and just shoot the durn things, I start hitting.

[van7559]

was out in kit carson saturday, and sunday. i have to say this was the worst season i have ever seen for doves out there, but still had fun. tons and tons of private, with no birds

[AK47 Ranger]

Darn, another day and 4 of 5 of us limited. :)

[Colorado Osprey]

was out in kit carson saturday, and sunday. i have to say this was the worst season i have ever seen for doves out there, but still had fun. tons and tons of private, with no birds

You must have been in the wrong spot.
I was south of Kit Carson and we all limited out yesterday (sunday)
I shot about 50% Getting close was the problem for us. I must have seen a couple thousand between 3pm and dark.

[van7559]

You must have been in the wrong spot.
I was south of Kit Carson and we all limited out yesterday (sunday)
I shot about 50% Getting close was the problem for us. I must have seen a couple thousand between 3pm and dark.

Man we hunted same sposts we did last year, and just nothing, I mean nothing flying. Last year we had at least 10 out of the 13 guys that go every year limit out several days in a row, to the point we were giving our birds away to keep us out of trouble with the dow. I did smoke somewhere in the neighbor hood of 45 prarie dawgs, a rattlesnake, and even a coyote! So I had a blast, but not what we expected at all for the doves. We are gonna run back next weekend, and see what we come up with.[Beer]

[Larry Ashcraft]

Thursday they weren't flying. Tonight, however, there are quite a few going over the barn.

Maybe because today's high was in the 80s, instead of the 100s.

[Geology Rocks]

so think this colder weather is enough to cause them to move south? Or will I be good in greeley tomorrow?

joe

[patrick0685]

im thinking about going tom but dont know where and when to go, if anyone out there has room for a spare pm me...i dont bite (unless your in to that)

[Geology Rocks]

i went out to webster swa this morning and saw 2 doves both out of range. :( I am thinking of going south on wednesday. anyone have any advice? :D

joe

[birddog]

I hunted up in Wyoming last week on Friday and we killed 60. I definitaly don't thing they have move out of the area. I would look for some sunflower fields with adjoining trees and try to hunt there. Good luck, I back out for elk tomorrow.

[Geology Rocks]

I am thinking of hitting the brush swa and the one off dodd bridge rd in fort mortgan. thoughts?

joe

[Outlaw1]

We've had a good number of birds down here on the gulf coast for the last couple of weeks. I'm not sure how all the fires are going to affect us, but if things stay like this we are going to have a pretty good opening day (9/23) here in the Southern Zone. We're stocking up on the jalapenos and bacon. :)


anyone wanna take me out and show me some pointers? this is my first dove season and can kill clays easily but cant a freaking dove to save my life!

joe

I've hunted dove & quail since I was pretty young and I love it. Setting up close to water with a field on at least one side is how I usually do it. The further I can see, all the better. They're pretty fast, so you have to pick your location according to how they're going to be coming in and where the birds are going to land when you hit them. Just remember the shots you have problems with when you're shooting skeet and try to set yourself up to avoid them.

As far as concealment goes, I've always just worn blue jeans and t-shirts, but that's what I wear no matter what I'm hunting. Dove pick up movement from a good ways off, so try to minimize it.

It's a good idea to take some sort of seat with you. I keep all my things in a 5-gallon plastic bucket that I use to sit on while I'm waiting for them to come in. Typically I carry bug spray, sun screen, field scissors, a rag, waterless hand cleaner, toilet paper & plenty of ammo. I don't miss often *cough cough*, but someone else might need to borrow some ammo. The bucket is also big enough to put all my spent hulls in.

Check the choke and plug (if it applies) in your shotgun BEFORE you leave the house.

Be safe and have fun!

[Geology Rocks]

I woke up this morning and was torn about making the drive out to Fort Morgan. I am glad I did! I got 3 of them, but I lost 1 in the brush. I searched for over an hour and couldn't find it anywhere. I think it hit the bank and went into the river and washed away. :(I was out for about 3 hours total, 9-12, and shot about 40%. Once I hit the first one I relaxed and the next one that flew by and things felt good.

Pictures to follow..

joe

[Geology Rocks]

Here ya go...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/Boostedxt/SNC12927.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/Boostedxt/SNC12926.jpg

Joe