The upland hunting season is fast approaching and it kicks off in early September with fast action and challenging shooting. The day that many hunters anticipate after long months of hiatus from the field is the opening day of dove season.

The temperatures are hot but so is the action. If you’ve not tried it before, kick off your upland hunting season with dove. You won’t be disappointed. But don’t confine your hunting to opening day, because they are migratory they provide excellent shooting opportunities throughout the season.

There are plenty of birds out there

One of the main reasons for the popularity of dove hunting is their numbers. Where ever you hunt them in their native range there are huge numbers of birds. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) which manages all migratory birds, the mourning dove is the most widely distributed birds throughout North America.

It varies from year to year but population estimates for mourning dove put their number at about 350 million birds.

Add to that millions of their cousins, the white-winged dove, in the southwestern U.S. and you begin to see why hunting them is so popular.

And the bag limits are usually liberal!

Most states allow hunters to take up to 15 birds daily throughout the season.

The USFWS estimates the annual harvest at only 11 million dove, so their numbers are stable and targets are plentiful.

The dove season

As migratory birds, the dove season is overseen by the USFWS which sets a dove season within the season. Then states set opening dates and specific season dates.

Traditionally that opening date is September 1st each year with many states starting the dove season on the first Saturday in September.

The first part of the season usually continues into October with the full season running into January in southern states.

Depending on the state, the opening day can start at sunrise, with some states starting the season at noon on opening day followed by a sunrise opener the rest of the year. Many southern states offer split season with a long opening period to hunt local birds follow by a later season during the winter months to allow hunters to take advantage of birds migrating south.

Again, hunters need to check state game regulations for opening dates and times.

Traditions are part of dove hunting

Since hunters have languished over the hot summer months the opening day of dove season is sometimes as much a social event as it is a hunt.

Family and friends gather prior to the hunt for lunch near the field and then move to pre-assigned shooting positions followed by a gathering over cold drinks and sharing experiences after the hunt is complete.

Some of these social shoots have been conducted for decades hosted by a farm family or shooting club. Sometimes things aren’t that elaborate but just a gathering of hunting friends over a field as a way of recognizing the beginning of the upland season.

How to hunt dove

To understand how and where to hunt dove it helps to know their daily routine. Dove roost in trees at night to protect them from predators. Sometime around sunrise they get the urge to feed and fly out of the roost to a nearby grain field where they land, gather scattered grain or seed, and then fly back to the roost.

They spend most of the day lounging in the cool shade of the tree and then will return to the field mid to late afternoon to feed again prior to roosting for the night.

For that reason, most dove shooting action is early in the morning until about 9 a.m. or starts mid-afternoon about 3 p.m. The action can be hot and heavy. Some dove fly into the field in singles or pairs.

But it is not unusual to see flocks of 10 – 15 birds flying into a field to feed. So if the season allows, hunters need to be in the field before the sun comes up. Enjoy the hot action for a couple of hours. Like the dove, take a midday break for lunch and escape the heat. Then return to the field for late afternoon action.

Where to hunt dove

There are typically two options for hunting dove – private land or public fields prepared by state game agencies.

The private land option is sometimes just a gathering of like-minded hunters wanting to kick off the season over a harvested grain field. It also might be a private club that prepares a field in advance for the opening day shoot.

If you get an invitation to join one of these shoots, jump on it!

Organizers have planned for the shoot and have good confidence the field will provide hot action.

Sometimes it pays off to cruise country roads looking for dove on power lines near grain fields and stopping at farm houses to ask permission to hunt the field when harvested. Although many farmers may hunt other game, dove are plentiful and they may willingly give you permission to hunt.

Sometimes their field may have a shoot organized and you will get an invitation to join in on the action.

If you don’t have private land available don’t lose hope. The public land option is open to all hunters in the state; with one consideration.

Most state game agencies work hard during the spring and summer months to prepare fields for dove hunting on managed lands. These can vary across the state in size and type of grain provided.

All things considered these can provide fast shooting action just like a private land shoot. There are a couple of things to keep in mind if hunting public land.

First, sometimes because of the limited size of a field or its location close to large population centers the state may limit the number of hunters allowed on a public field. This is usually done through a permit system where hunters apply through a lottery prior to opening day or purchase an available permit through a license agent. When researching this option be sure to apply or purchase in advance. Many times the permits are all full prior to opening day so don’t wait until the last minute.

Second, even with a limited number of permits there are “hot spots” in the field that everyone wants to hunt. Scout the field several days in advance to find those places. On opening day plan to arrive at the field well in advance of legal shooting time to get a good spot. If there is no permit required but it is just open to all shooters get there several hours prior.

So just what is a dove field

The short answer to that is that dove really like recently cut open grain fields. Those can range in size from 5 to 15 acres. Open primarily for the security it offers and its visibility from a distance as they fly in. Although dove nest in trees they are ground feeders and like to eat small grain and seeds.

Depending on your region of the country that may vary.

In the south many times that means a recently harvested corn field. It is very fortunate that the opening day of dove season usually coincides with the harvest. But all cut corn fields aren’t equal. Some harvest methods cut the stalk down near ground level leaving very little grain in the field. Scouting ahead will let you know how actively dove are using a field.

There are other harvested grains dove like such as wheat or alfalfa. But if you find a field with sunflower in it you have probably hit the jackpot.

First, the large yellow head on a sunflower is easily seen by dove while in flight so they are attracted to them.
Second, sunflower seeds dropped on the ground have a lot of nutritional value.

Many managed fields for club or private shoots will have strips of sunflower planted with cut rows of alfalfa or corn in between.

Is there a best place to be in the field?

As in any other hunting situation that requires a stationary position or stand, like duck or deer hunting, there are “hot spots” in any dove field.

Sometimes getting that spot is beyond your control.

This is more likely if you attend a private shoot where shooting positions are staked out and usually assigned by some random method.

But if you do have a choice of positions here is what to look for. Dove have habitual flight patterns when coming into a field to feed and you can take advantage of that.

Power lines 

Power lines running through a field are a dove magnet. Birds use them as a reference for flying into a field. Once in the field, many times dove will land on the lines prior to selecting a place to feed. This is particularly true in a larger field. Having a stand at the base of a power line pole will provide hot action.

Lone tree 

Next to a power line, a lone tree in the middle of a large field will also attract birds. Like a power line, it is a point of reference during flight and also a place to land prior to dropping into the field to feed. There is one disadvantage here. Early in the season the tree will be full of leaves and your vision will be restricted in at least one direction. Position yourself on the side of the tree from which most birds approach.

Rise in terrain 

Another feature that might attract dove, particularly if there is no other reference like power lines or trees is a slight rise in terrain. Few fields are perfectly flat. A slight rise in terrain may provide your best option. Again, this is a point of reference in flight and also the most secure.

Field borders 

Hunting a dove field usually means shooting position spread around the perimeter of the field. Again, dove have predictable flight paths when coming into a field so not all of those positions are equal. Scouting a field the day before hunting will quickly show where those perimeter spots are that provide the best shooting opportunities.

Fields aren’t the only option

Although hunting around an open grain field is most popular, there may be other options for hunting dove. These may not offer the hot action of the field, but can still get you a limit of birds. All of these require some pre-season scouting to locate.

Pass shooting 

As mentioned earlier, dove have predictable flight paths while flying between roosts and feeding locations. Sometimes stationing yourself along that path can offer some challenging shooting. And it is different than a field. Expect birds to be flying higher and faster than in a field. Tighter chokes and higher velocity loads will be needed.

Water holes 

Dove need water just like they need grain. Their favorite watering holes are small farm ponds with open area around them and a gentle slope to water’s edge.

They will land adjacent to the pond and walk down the slight slope to waters’ edge. You can either set up a small blind close to the water hole or use the terrain to conceal your position to catch birds as they come in to land.

Roost 

Dove roosts in trees at night, typically in the same location if not the same tree. This is usually late afternoon and dusk action, catching birds as they come into the roost after their afternoon feeding session. Like hunting a water hole, birds will be flying low and slow as they approach the trees and can provide some good shooting.

Dove hunting gear: as heavy or light as you want