Dove Hunting

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         · Three meals per day plus all beverages and snacks

         · Comfortable accommodations at new lodge

         · Lodging for up to 40 guests

         · Sporting clays (13 stations)

         · Unlimited shells for clays and doves

         · Doves cleaned and vacuum packaged

         · Well-trained dogs (may also bring your own)

         · Full access to smoking room, gym, laundry, fire pit and all lodge amenities

         · Field and airport transportation

         · SAFE, private, guided hunting expedition 

There’s something rejuvenating about spending a misty morning or an evening with friends watching doves dart across the distant horizon of a September sunset sky. It reunites us with our passion for the outdoors and lifts our spirits after a dull, lingering off-season that seemingly lasted forever. 

Dove hunting is one of the most fun and rewarding hunts due to the thrill of shooting a bird that can change direction on a dime. Mourning doves are one of the most challenging gamebirds – not because they are wary or because they have excellent senses – but rather, simply because they are hard to hit. Doves tend to provide plenty of shot opportunities. Their speed likens them to winged-torpedoes, and many a hunter can easily burn through a box of shells with scant bounty to show for it. By being in the right position and knowing the natural tendencies of these speedy migrators, hunters can greatly increase their chances of acquiring a delicious spread of wild dove breasts for their next backyard barbecue.

Doves have their routines just like us and luckily they are pretty much the same every day so we can use that to our advantage. Hunt at sun-up to catch them coming off their roosts and mid-late afternoon while they are looking for some food and water prior to going back to their roost for the evening. Dove don’t like cool rain and will move on when it comes through but if we see that a cool front is on its way to our hunting area that might mean that we’ll hit the jackpot and get a whole bunch of birds flying through that are trying to stay ahead of it. This could be an amazing hunt with many limit opportunities.

Location is everything when it comes to dove hunting. Acquiring the knowledge of where doves want to be, and thus, where hunters should be at the onset of their hunt, is as simple as doing a little homework. A casual evening drive through the country is all it takes to confirm a prospective dove hotspot, but it’s also important to know the best areas to target along the way. Doves require a place to roost, a place to feed, and both grit and water to help aide digestion. Find the right combination of these ingredients, and we have a consistent recipe for success. 

In early fall, doves are heavy feeders. They prefer freshly cut grain fields above all else. Standing corn, soybeans, alfalfa, sorghum, sunflower and foxtail will all attract doves, but not nearly as much as if it were lying on the ground. Fields currently being harvested can be a goldmine, as alternately cut rows will provide feed for the birds, while standing crops will provide cover and concealment for hunters. Dirt or gravel farm lanes provide an excellent source of grit for doves to break down the hard seeds that compose a large portion of their daily diet. Likewise, small streams or retention ponds also provide a prime water source for hydration, and fields with a combination of both are excellent. 

Doves love to roost on power lines or along tree-lined fencerows.  They will often make a temporary rest stop when traversing from one field to the next, pausing briefly to survey their surroundings. It is not uncommon to see a half dozen or more doves congregated on the same roost tree or power line at any given hour of the evening. Pinpointing these locations is helpful because they serve as natural fly zones where birds will consistently gather, or in the least, pass by somewhat regularly. These hotspots should be considered prime setup sites. 

Doves have very good eyesight and can see us from a long way off. If we are dressed in color and clothing that makes us stick out from the ground, shrubs and trees then we’ll probably start wondering why the birds are always flying just beyond our reach. It is imperative that we at least wear drab clothing that helps us better blend in with our surroundings. Wearing camouflage or muted colors to match surroundings is suggested, as is having a comfortable cushion or five-gallon bucket for seating. Nestle into some cover with the sun at your back near roosting sites that overlook frequently visited grain fields and get ready to shoot.

Most of all, have fun and be safe and hopefully we’ll shoot some doves along the way! Daily limit is 15, and possession limit is 45.

$700 per person per day   

As with all our hunting and fishing packages, 50% deposit is required to hold your dates, and your deposit is non-refundable but valid for three years.