Any dove hunters out there?

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Moderator: ripjack13


Copper BB
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:29 am
PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:22 am
If there is a better bird for a 28ga it must be a woodcock. I've never hunted woodcock but when I lived in Arizona I chased them a lot. That's where I learned to appreciate the 28ga. I bought a Ruger O/U and started shooting a lot. I say a lot because there were a lot of targets and your limit was 10 birds a day. It usually took me two boxes of shells to get my limit, but, hey, some of the 12ga guys didn't do that well.

Best shootin' I ever had was at a dairy farm near Phoenix. We'd just stand with our back to the cows and shoot at incoming doves. They'd come in so fast that a dozen doves would pass overhead before you could reload and get shooting again. Usually took 45 minutes to get 100 birds with 10 shooters.

The farmer sold his farm to a real estate developer so that ended a great time. Had to go jump shoot them in the desert. Again, that was fun also. The dairy farm was almost all incoming shots. The desert would offer many different shots.

I don't live in Arizona anymore but I have often thought I'd like to go back and try some of that rapid-fire shooting again.

Just another thought: Everywhere I read that mourning doves migrate out at the first sign of cold weather. I live in central Oregon and there is snow on the ground and doves roosting in juniper trees right now. Is this just an Oregon thing? Do the doves stay around in your neighborhood? Also, do you have the Eurasian Collared Doves in your area yet? Oregon has declared them "feral" and you can shoot them anytime.

Sorry for rambling. Got a little nostalgic.
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.270 WIN
Posts: 422
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:21 pm
Location: phila pa
PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 11:48 am
i think doves are kinda like waterfowl

meaning while most migrate some will stay local if they have food/water/shelter.

that being said , i have not seen any mass flights of doves since the late 70s in my parts .
but you can see pairs of doves through most of the state most any time of the year readily

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