Dove Hunting
By: Ron Hustvedt
The second modern Minnesota dove hunt is rapidly approaching with a September 1st opener and the time to go after them is right away because the doves don’t stick around. Even though the season through October, most of the doves are long gone by then. The best hunting opportunities exist in early to mid-September and decline from there. Dove hunting is still new in Minnesota. Last year’s hunt was so productive, there are sure to be more wing shooters afield this fall looking to take opportunity of this low-cost, high enjoyment hunt. Figuring out the best way to be a successful dove hunter is something very few people in this state can claim to know. Most lifelong residents have only a few seasons under their belt meaning they must turn to recent migrants for advice on pursuing the migratory mourning dove. Mike (Stone) Jackson is one of those migrants who also knows a thing or two about dove hunting. He hails from Kentucky and has dove hunted ever since he was 8 years old, which was a few decades ago. He’s lived in Minnesota only for a few years but not long enough to forget what dove hunting is all about. “If you have a shotgun and a few boxes of shells you can do it but there’s a lot that can be done to spice it up from there beginning with some camouflage and a few dove decoys,” Jackson said. To be sure, Jackson is an avid hunter and not just for doves. He hunts most everything with wings that has a season and owns more gear than the average hunter, but dove hunting is a way for him to get back to the basics.
Great for young hunters
Dove hunting is great for getting young people into the sport of wing shooting, he said. “You don’t need to get up early, the kids won’t sit there freezing to death, and you can easily keep track of them, even speak with them when there aren’t birds in the area,” he added. Young hunters will have a lot of opportunities to shoot if they go dove hunting and it’s a great way teach them how to prepare for the shot. “It’s how I got into it and I’d bet that’s how a lot of other southerners got into wing shooting,” he said.
Different from the south
The limit in Minnesota is 15 birds and hunters can chase after them from sunrise to sunset (except on the waterfowler opener). In most southern states, shooting hours last half a day. The big difference between here and there, Jackson explained, is that doves in Minnesota are on the go because of changing weather conditions. “Get most of your hunting done in early September,” he emphasized. Another big difference in dove seasons is that south of the Mason-Dixon Line, dove hunters tend to congregate in crowds of 40 to 50 hunters spread out over a large dove field. “It’s a big social event that begins with everybody meeting at lunch time to eat then spend a few hours shooting in the afternoon—we all get back together again at the end to tease each other about the missed shots of the day,” he explained. There are a lot of those missed shots, Jackson said.
All about the lead
It has been estimated that nationally, the ratio of doves to cartridges fired is one to six meaning that for every shot that downs a dove, there were five others that missed. “It’s a challenging wing shooting sport much more than a lot of new shooters think and it will really challenge your skills as a pass shooter,” Jackson said. Doves fly on an average of 30 to 40 miles an hour though they can hit 60 miles an hour no problem. His preferred gun is a 12 or 20 gauge with seven-and-a-half shot and he likes the premium trap loads meaning there’s an ounce and a quarter or an ounce and an eighth of shot. “It’s worth spending the extra dollar because they throw a better pattern which is exactly what it’s all about,” he said. Some hunters who are talented wing shooters go after doves with smaller gauges like the 28 or .410. In every case, the ideal shots are those that can be made when the shotgun is choked to an improved cylinder meaning the doves are, at the most, 20 to 30 yards away. “If you are shooting a full choke and doing well then you aren’t in the right spot—you need to get closer,” he said.
Where to set up
Finding a field that has been recently plowed is like finding a diamond in the rough because every dove in the area will be around. Because most of Minnesota’s doves leave before the crops are pulled, finding the best spots can be a challenge. Jackson’s advice is to pay careful attention to what part of the field you hunt and not worry as much about if the field is ideal. If there are any doves at all, there will be more than a few opportunities to do some shooting. A hunter needs to sit along a fence line, field edge or something else that will break up their outline. Jackson said a lot of hunters set up close to trees, but he said a tree only makes for something to shoot around. “Of course, it gets pretty hot in September and if that’s the only shade around it’s tough to bet,” he said. There are dove decoys that work well on a fence post or branch of a tree with no leaves. There are even spinning-wing dove decoys on the market. For the most part, these decoys do not entice a landing, but merely give the birds confidence to come in for a better look, “Those doves want to see what those other boys are up to so they swoop in closer meaning you better be ready to do some pass shooting,” he said. Unlike waterfowl hunters, who have to be paranoid about the fields they select, dove hunters can manipulate the crop to bring in doves as long as they don’t bring in outside feed or feed that has already been removed from that field. Check the regulations for a thorough listing of what’s allowed and what isn’t allowed.
Dogs can help
Dogs can also come in handy on a dove hunting trip though they need to be kept well hydrated. Jackson is the owner of Little Morgan, a two time gold medal winner in the big air (dock jumping) competition at the Great Outdoor Games. Morgan is a high energy dog to say the least, but he goes dove hunting with Jackson. Morgan does fine as long as there’s enough water and he doesn’t run around too much. A dog who is good at retrieving can be very useful while dove hunting since they tend to blend in with the ground once they are downed. Always be sure to pick up what you shoot immediately to prevent over harvesting.
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