How to Make the Most of Every Dove Hunt

Dove hunting is one of the best ways to spend a day in the field, but if you’re like me, it often gets overshadowed by the impending deer season. That’s why when I dove hunt, I do everything I can to make the most of it. Here are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years to make every dove hunting trip a success.

Hunting on opening day of dove season is a tradition in my family and all across Texas. But it’s not just a tradition–it’s also a cheat-code-level hunting strategy. You can still get into birds if you go later on in the season. But after opening day, and especially in the South, there’s always a chance that a cold front pushes birds away and nothing comes in to replace them. Opening day birds are more likely to fly over a tree line since they haven’t been shot at yet that season, and they’ll still be around in high numbers since it hasn’t cooled off yet.

I’m an active dove hunter. It doesn’t take many birds to fly over a distant field for me to leave my original spot and head for greener pastures. It’s more comfortable to sit on a stool, but I want to give myself as many opportunities as possible. I’ll often kneel in the grass and the cover, get as low as I can and wait for a bird to fly over. This is especially effective in the later parts of the season when birds are avoiding tree lines and other places hunters congregate. I will use decoys, especially the kind that clips to fence lines and I can easily carry with me. But I’ve found that moving to intercept the birds where they’re already flying is more effective than hoping they’ll be attracted to a decoy.

Part of what people like about dove hunting is the easy-going vibe, and I like that, too. But going the extra mile (or more like the extra half-mile) gives me more shots at more doves, which means more bacon-wrapped dove breasts on the dinner table.

Doves aren’t the fastest game birds, but they’re one of the smallest, and they aren’t slowpokes. They can be tough to hit, and most hunters miss their fair share (me included). The better shotgun skills you have, the better your odds of shooting a limit. That sounds obvious, but September 1st can sneak up on you. Set yourself a reminder to get out to the skeet range a few times during August, and you’ll have a lot more fun when September rolls around.

The good news is that practicing your shotgun skills is just about as much fun as you can have. Most people know me as a bowhunter, but I would rather shoot a shotgun at winged animals than anything else. I think shotgunning is the coolest thing in the world, and I love practicing whenever I can.

If you aren’t hitting as many birds as you’d like, don’t be afraid to switch up your shotgun and bird load. Most dove hunters have great success with an improved cylinder choke and #7 ½ or #8 shot, but I like a modified choke with #9 shot. That lets me take longer shots and have more opportunities on more birds while also covering my bases on short-range shots. Choke and load selection gets more attention in the waterfowl world, but dove hunters could benefit from some creative thinking in that category, too.

Doves are underrated table fare. That’s why when I dove hunt, I always go for a limit, and I always turn that limit into the main course–not just an appetizer. And I’m not alone. When I talked about this with Danielle and Jesse, they agreed that doves are definitely underrated.

If you don’t believe me, keep in mind that squabs are considered fine dining, but they’re just rock doves. They’re young and farm-raised, but you get my point. There’s no reason to relegate doves to Superbowl food or, worse, forget about them in the freezer.

I keep things simple in the kitchen, and doves are no different. I use a slice of bacon to wrap a dove breast, half a jalapeno, and some cream cheese, put it over the coals, and tuck in. To check out more dove recipes, click here.

There’s still one stop on the MeatEater Tailgate Tour. Stop by, grab some free food, and hang with the crew—we hope to see you there!