Dove season

[Team Mookie]

How's those fields looking? Any new toys this year? Starting to see a lot of doves, but not sure how well it's going to be here up north as we had a cold wet spring/summer for the most part.

 

[Pattersonca65]

California looking good

 

[kburjr]

Last storm front pushed a lot doves down here. Went from having 20-30 birds in afternoon buzzing the sunflowers to maybe 100+ last night. A little early I hope they stay

 

[Pattersonca65]

5 days away.

 

[Pattersonca65]

Last storm front pushed a lot doves down here. Went from having 20-30 birds in afternoon buzzing the sunflowers to maybe 100+ last night. A little early I hope they stay

I live in a different climate than you, but I've always thought the whole temp thing is a bit overblown. Ive had guys tell me the cold snap caused the doves to leave but I think there are other factor involved that cause the doves to move

 

[kburjr]

I live in a different climate than you, but I've always thought the whole temp thing is a bit overblown. Ive had guys tell me the cold snap caused the doves to leave but I think there are other factor involved that cause the doves to move

We get a lot of our doves on the migration from Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. Storms to the north bring the birds south. We also have a large resident nesting population and the young are gathering

 

[Pattersonca65]

We get a lot of our doves on the migration from Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. Storms to the north bring the birds south. We also have a large resident nesting population and the young are gathering

I am not a biologist, just my observations from 40 years of hunting them and observing their behavior. At least in our region, I have found changes in food sources to be the biggest reason for movement, although I have noticed changes in behaviour brought on by changes in season

 

[KansasSooner]

Do you guys have any of the Eurasian collared dove around yet? They have about taken over the towns in Kansas. You can shoot as many of them as you want and they don't count against your limit for mourning and white wings. Just have to keep them identifiable if the warden comes around checking (and they do the first two weeks of the season).

 

[Pattersonca65]

Do you guys have any of the Eurasian collared dove around yet? They have about taken over the towns in Kansas. You can shoot as many of them as you want and they don't count against your limit for mourning and white wings. Just have to keep them identifiable if the warden comes around checking (and they do the first two weeks of the season).

Yes. Their population is multiplying. We used to see just a few now they are all over. Ive got a flock of 100 in front of my place. The have more offspring than the mourning doves. The Eurasians are a bit more like pigeons in their behavior compared to mourning doves

 

[KansasSooner]

The Eurasians are a bit more like pigeons in their behavior compared to mourning doves

Yeah, they aren't as good eating either.

 

[Pattersonca65]

Yeah, they aren't as good eating either.

I haven't tried one yet and haven't shot one. The areas we hunt are pretty remote and undeveloped and the Euros don't seem to like it. Are you from Kansas?

 

[KansasSooner]

I haven't tried one yet and haven't shot one. The areas we hunt are pretty remote and undeveloped and the Euros don't seem to like it. Are you from Kansas?

Yep, almost anyway. Born in Tulsa, moved to Kansas when my dad came out for the oil/gas boom. Basically raised in SW Kansas.

 

[kburjr]

I am not a biologist, just my observations from 40 years of hunting them and observing their behavior. At least in our region, I have found changes in food sources to be the biggest reason for movement, although I have noticed changes in behaviour brought on by changes in season

We may be around the same age. Or I have maybe 10 years on you. I have been shooting at and sometimes hitting doves since my late teens. I also collect old hunting-related books. Illinois is a mid range place. Lots of nesting doves. In this area, the young of the year start to gather in larger groups in August preparing to migrate south. The adults are usually raring their last brood of the year. If we get a perfect weather front and the cold front drops just to the southern Wisconsin border, we get a ton of migrants. Then, if you have food and water in place, shoot til the barrel melts down.

Asian collared are here but in small numbers. Can shoot until you reach a limit in mourning doves

 

[Pattersonca65]

Yep, almost anyway. Born in Tulsa, moved to Kansas when my dad came out for the oil/gas boom. Basically raised in SW Kansas.

I want to do a wild pheasant hunt in Kansas, Nebraska, or South Dakota once in my lifetime. Would be fun. Pheasant hunting mostly sucks in CA now except at the state wildlife refuges which aren't great but can at least be decent

 

[Pattersonca65]

We may be around the same age. Or I have maybe 10 years on you. I have been shooting at and sometimes hitting doves since my late teens. I also collect old hunting-related books. Illinois is a mid range place. Lots of nesting doves. In this area, the young of the year start to gather in larger groups in August preparing to migrate south. The adults are usually raring their last brood of the year. If we get a perfect weather front and the cold front drops just to the southern Wisconsin border, we get a ton of migrants. Then, if you have food and water in place, shoot til the barrel melts down.

Asian collared are here but in small numbers. Can shoot until you reach a limit in mourning doves

What is the limit on mourning over there?

 

[KansasSooner]

I want to do a wild pheasant hunt in Kansas,

This would be a good year to do it. My brother-in-law daughters' husbands come out from Sacramento to hunt here every year. Out of state license is still only $72.50 plus fees (so about $75 all told).

 

[kburjr]

What is the limit on mourning over there?

15/day I have limited in as little an hour when everything works. Usually Opening day is good for a limit, next few days if a good year. They get gun shy real quick

 

[KansasSooner]

15/day I have limited in as little an hour when everything works. Usually Opening day is good for a limit, next few days if a good year. They get gun shy real quick

It depends on the weather here. I've been able to limit out in the middle of October over on the Nat'l Grasslands. Other years, two or three weeks at best.

 

[Pattersonca65]

15/day I have limited in as little an hour when everything works. Usually Opening day is good for a limit, next few days if a good year. They get gun shy real quick

Same here. 15 per day. They raised it last year. I think most states follow the feds on that. LOL, on the getting gun shy. Like flying five miles high and those quick uturns

 

[kburjr]

Same here. 15 per day. They raised it last year. I think most states follow the feds on that. LOL, on the getting gun shy. Like flying five miles high and those quick uturns

Haha. Yep Usually have a sore neck from whiplash by the 8th