School me on Dove Hunting

[wk05]

So, I've always loved going and shooting trap/skeet/sporting clays and feel like learning to dove hunt could be a lot of fun, and a valuable skill at that!  However, I know NOTHING about hunting dove.  Where should I start and what should I read to learn?  What about gear needed/recommended?  The game plan is to hunt the WMA fields TWRA leases around the Chattanooga / Knoxville area for the upcoming season - and go out as much as possible during the season to get some experience.  I remember a thread being "stickied" on the Hunting and Fishing forum about How to Start Deer Hunting, and it provided an awesome insight to all aspects of getting started, Im looking for something similar for dove hunting.  Anybody who could advise me/help me out with how to start dove hunting, I would really appreciate it.  

 

 

[DixieDawg]

Honestly easiest way is to just go find a good millet field or corn field when they come in on approach then drop them that's how I learned anyway I live up east of Knoxville in Jefferson county if you're up this way I can teach you when season comes back around -Dusty-

[DaveS]

Honestly easiest way is to just go find a good millet field or corn field when they come in on approach then drop them that's how I learned anyway I live up east of Knoxville in Jefferson county if you're up this way I can teach you when season comes back around -Dusty-

That's awesome of you to offer to take him out!

 

Dave

[DixieDawg]

I believe in paying it forward the only way to keep the outdoor sports alive is to pass it on down the line to anybody wanting to learn -Dusty-

[bersaguy]

I can agree with most of what you said on how you get them Dixie but you made it sound a lot easier than it is. You left out the part about after the birds have been shot at a few times their approach to the fields change some and when they come into the field with a good tail wind they are moving a lot faster then any trap or skeet bird does by about 15 to 20mph and you better lead the bird a little farther...........lol. Grew up hunting them and love them any way they can be cooked. And I have seen many a bird fly wide open with tail wind and go full length of a 3 acre field with 10 shooters and out the other side with all it's feathers intact and I'm talking about some really good shooters fired shot at the birds. One thing is for sure, on a good day in a good field you can really have some fun and really get so great food. I have not been able to go in a few years now because of my shoulders and can't swing fast enough any more.but last time I did go about 3 years ago I did manage to bag 11 but shoulders punished me about it for a couple weeks..................jmho   

[DixieDawg]

I figure the hard stuff comes with experience I've got a couple corn fields I take beginners to and usually do pretty well but you can spook off a new hunter if you start telling the hard stuff but you're definitely right late season they can get spooky and hard to get in on a good approach -Dusty-

[bersaguy]

I figure the hard stuff comes with experience I've got a couple corn fields I take beginners to and usually do pretty well but you can spook off a new hunter if you start telling the hard stuff but you're definitely right late season they can get spooky and hard to get in on a good approach -Dusty-

 

LOL........One thing every newby learns real fast is it ain't like trap and skeet. The doves by the 4 or 5th day have been shot at so many times if they are still flying they have learned to come in low and fast. I have seen birds come in slow low and so fast that no one could shoot because of hunters on the opposite side of the field being in the same line of fire as you are and the shooters that even had a chance to shoot was last two on the end of the field and they seldom got a bird going away. I use to have a farmer that grew 5 acres of Mullet right in the middle of a big corm field and the birds would come in over the corn tops making them easy shots but by mid season when he took the corn down except for just a row of two around the mullet for us to stand in it made for some very interesting shooting but a lot of fun and really challenging.............lol

[DixieDawg]

Sounds like a fun day -Dusty-

[Wingshooter]

I've never hunted doves, but it sounds like fun.

[TnShooter83]

First you will need to practice with clays. The faster the clays fly the better.

That helps a lot, but Doves seem to be able to change direction almost instantly and that makes things even harder.

If you plan to hunt public fields it really hard as after the first 30 mins the doves "catch on" and fly higher. Not only that

but you have the people on the edge of the public fields that feel the need to shoot at doves much to far away to make a good clean hit.

So, Naturally the doves fly around the field and not over it.  I personally think #7-1/2 is the smallest you would want to use. Some prefer #8

but when they get flying high, the 7-1/2 shot seems to do a little better.

 

As far as fields you should look for Corn, Wheat and Millet crops. Doves like those a lot.

I've hunt in Camo and I've hunted in jeans and a T-Shirt. It didn't seem to matter to the doves.

They didn't seem the least interested in me until I start shooting.

Edited February 18, 2014 by TnShooter83

[bersaguy]

I use 71/2 also and I shot a Belgium Browning O/U 30 inch double modified barrels with select safety and I had high Brass 71/2 in lower barrel for those high flyers  and I could normally knock down a few with a little more reach with bottom barrel. Yep on with the clay birds but your heads on about the darting and weaving abilities Doves have and after a few days of shooting they seem to get better at it................ :rofl:  :rofl: 

[wk05]

Honestly easiest way is to just go find a good millet field or corn field when they come in on approach then drop them that's how I learned anyway I live up east of Knoxville in Jefferson county if you're up this way I can teach you when season comes back around

-Dusty-

Thanks! I really appreciate it. I'll be shooting you a PM shortly!

[mike243]

Take plenty of shells, I take off opening day almost every year. I also make my own power line

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its fun to watch dove try to land on it lol. its a lot of fun & take the kids too if you have any

[10-Ring]

I gave up on shoots years ago.  Pretty much because I saw an amount of unsafe gun handling around me that I was not comfortable with.  If there was a TGO shoot I'd be all over it as I think TGOers are better gun handlers than the general public.  Since I quit going on shoots I've had some success hunting alone and using decoys.

[xd shooter]

A general rule of thumb for me is to have "GOOD" ammo. The $5 & $6 boxes at Wally world don't cut it. They may for some but not for me or my son.

[DangerDanJD]

I grew up in Jefferson County and have spent many an afternoon out in Strawberry plains. Not as many fields as there used to be, but it's a great place to hunt. As others have mentioned, doves can be a bit frustrating if you are used to shooting clays. Take more ammo than you think you will need.  

 

Honestly easiest way is to just go find a good millet field or corn field when they come in on approach then drop them that's how I learned anyway I live up east of Knoxville in Jefferson county if you're up this way I can teach you when season comes back around -Dusty-

Edited February 19, 2014 by DangerDanJD

[DixieDawg]

Funny you say that I live in strawberry plains and grew up down near carter high school -Dusty-

[Oh Shoot]

I put bird seed on floor of back deck instead of in the feeders and leave the sliding glass door open with pellet gun loaded on kitchen counter. :)

 

- OS

[DixieDawg]

Sounds fun I just really enjoy watching my old lab fetch them up she's been with me many a day in the field and in the blind -Dusty-

[Fourtyfive]

Dove hunting is a blast , my favorite hunt.

[wk05]

September can't come soon enough!

[whiskey]

A general rule of thumb for me is to have "GOOD" ammo. The $5 & $6 boxes at Wally world don't cut it. They may for some but not for me or my son.

 

Good advice. Last year I hunted a private hunt in KY with Winchester AA Super Speed 20ga shells and killed every bird I shot at. The next weekend we went out again and all I had was cheap bulk pack shells. I could barely kill a bird. I would shoot and see a puff of feathers and watch the bird fly off. 

[wk05]

Well, two months away! Anybody have tips on going and getting some practice in on the range?

Can't wait for my first "real" hunting season.

[Slappy]

Best way to practice would be to go to a skeet range and/or sporting clays. Skeet would probably be a little better for starting out. Also, shoot with someone experienced so they can help teach you. Don't get frustrated because skeet and dove hunting can be difficult! The more trigger time you get the easier it will become. So, try to hunt as much as possible! And bring lots of ammo!

One tip: when dove hunting you can load 3 shells in your gun. Never shoot the third shell at the same bird. By your third shell, that bird is far off and your likelihood of actually hitting it is slim to none. That will save you a lot of ammo!

[wk05]

I'll keep that in mind! Has anybody hunted the TWRA fields around Chattanooga?