2023 Doves

[Cactus5479]

Nice-- ypu gotta put a jalapeño slice under the bacon though, spice things up a little.

People poo-poo the Tristar guns, but I bought a v2 for my daughter and it jas never faltered once. I'd buy another if I was looking.

I agree. I bought a v2 for my grandson. It is the model that comes with 2 different stocks and a barrel extension so he can grow into it. I keep borrowing it back to hunt upland game and doves. It is lightweight and reliable, and I can actually hit a few with it. I have a pretty good choice of guns to use but I keep coming back to this one.

 

[Mcranch]

The sunflowers didn't flower this year due to no rain. Some local birds many were young birds. Late afternoon was better, coming to limited water in stock tanks. Temps at 101 had everyone looking for any shade available.

 

[mnoland30]

I picked up a Mojo Vodoo dove decoy on sale at Sportsman's Warehouse and tried it this weekend. The wings spin fast with almost a strobe like effect. The doves would land within feet of it. I'd step out from the mesquite brush to get them to fly and wait until they got some distance to shoot them. Really impressed with the decoy.

 

[Turkeytider]

I picked up a Mojo Vodoo dove decoy on sale at Sportsman's Warehouse and tried it this weekend. The wings spin fast with almost a strobe like effect. The doves would land within feet of it. I'd step out from the mesquite brush to get them to fly and wait until they got some distance to shoot them. Really impressed with the decoy.

Agree, they can be effective but at least my experience has been they often facilitate really low shots. In fields with lots of hunters, got to be REAL careful with them. In a small, private field with a couple of hunters they can be deadly.

 

[quigley257]

I use both the Mojo and Lucky Duck spinning wing dove decoys. Both brands work well for adding movement which helps to draw in birds. I have a few full body decoys as well as a pile of homemade silhouette decoys. I like to embellish my full body decoys to make them look more realistic than they come from the manufacturer. A little time with some cheap acrylic paint really brings them to life. I included a before and after pic below. The silhouettes are 1/8" craft plywood from Menards with an ink jet printed dove glued to each side and a small spring clamp epoxied to the bottom. I also made a diy "dove vortex" setup that works very well and adds lots of movement and flashing wings. Pretty simple and much cheaper than the commercial units. It is comprised of a 30cal ammo can, a windshield wiper motor, a remote on/off switch, a speed controller and a rechargeable lithium battery. It uses two of the Mojo wind spinner decoys on 6' fiberglass driveway marker poles.

 

[mnoland30]

I dove hunted once at a crowded pond, and decided never again. We drive way out of town, hunt until dark, camp for the night, hunt the morning, and drive home. I love the cool evenings this time of year, and we had an almost full blue moon this year.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I use both the Mojo and Lucky Duck spinning wing dove decoys. Both brands work well for adding movement which helps to draw in birds. I have a few full body decoys as well as a pile of homemade silhouette decoys. I like to embellish my full body decoys to make them look more realistic than they come from the manufacturer. A little time with some cheap acrylic paint really brings them to life. I included a before and after pic below. The silhouettes are 1/8" craft plywood from Menards with an ink jet printed dove glued to each side and a small spring clamp epoxied to the bottom. I also made a diy "dove vortex" setup that works very well and adds lots of movement and flashing wings. Pretty simple and much cheaper than the commercial units. It is comprised of a 30cal ammo can, a windshield wiper motor, a remote on/off switch, a speed controller and a rechargeable lithium battery. It uses two of the Mojo wind spinner decoys on 6' fiberglass driveway marker poles.

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My 16 yr old daughter is very gifted artistically.
I need to put her to work. Impressive on your part.

I'd hate to know what the cost is per acre of what we plant for doves, but a lot of people get enjoyment and fine dining from it.

 

[boulderchild]

This thread makes me happy!! I had to miss opening weekend this year because we just went pending on our house with a quick close so I was packing and getting ready for the move. It looks like it was a great opening weekend for a lot of yall!!

 

[FarmerMatt]

Nice-- you gotta put a jalapeño slice under the bacon though, spice things up a little.

People poo-poo the Tristar guns, but I bought a v2 for my daughter and it has never faltered once. I'd buy another if I was looking.

I picked up a G2 (Turkish gun) 20 gauge O/U with chokes for $360 out the door and it's my new favorite gun…

 

[Groundpighunter]

Well age is starting catch up with my eyes play a few tricks as well as my mind to many skeet rounds 4' in front pull the trigger . While I didn't limit out it's been 3 years. I had a blast with 7 birds and my hound a black lab I have choosen a less than stiller stand for shade for him . He was spot on steady on the shot. Stay steady never broke watching multiple birds helicopter right in front of him in plain view . He was everything I could want and the ones I missed he seemed ok with that. It doesn't get any better.

 

[DesertBoy]

My sons first day dove hunting today in AZ! He got 17 shots off, and is by no means a threat to the population just yet lol.

 

[mnoland30]

He shoots like I do. What gauge shotgun is he using? Are you using decoys? They definitely slow the dove down and make shooting them easier.

 

[DesertBoy]

He was shooting a 410. I bought him a Franchi 20 guage, it just doesn't quite fit him yet. No decoys, just raw open desert shooting.

 

[Turkeytider]

He was shooting a 410. I bought him a Franchi 20 guage, it just doesn't quite fit him yet. No decoys, just raw open desert shooting.

I`m 75 and remember my very first dove. Out walking with my Dad on my grandfather`s farm. Had to have been 9 or 10 with my first gun, a Stevens 311 double, Mod/Full, 16 gauge. Can remember it like yesterday. I just swung and shot at a flock flying by. One of them just sort of peeled off and headed down. Ended up swimming in a small branch, my Daddy sort of swinging from small tree to small bush in pursuit. Thinking back, I don`t think that there was any way he was going to let that dove get away, even if he had to get in the water to catch it! Took it home, he showed me how to dress it, and Mama cooked it. My first lesson in, " You shoot it, you clean it. " Lord, I miss my father even now.