| As is often heard, "a picture is worth a thousand words" and this remains a fact, but although I took my digital camera on my dove hunting trip I got engrossed with dog work and failed to snap a single picture. I would still like to share the story and let others know what a nice time can be had by getting out in the early season. For me as a bird hunter it is a long time between the end of January and the next bird season, so like many of us I look forward to the dove opener to get back out into the field. I took my young dog and headed out to Kansas the day before, which gave me some time to scout some properties. It is a little different, when you look for doves as opposed to deciding where to spend your time pheasant hunting. I tried to remember all the cover scenarios from last year's pheasant hunting, but quickly realized the cover back then would have nothing to do with where I might find doves, so the scouting was necessary. After a leisurely drive around some properties I was satisfied with several spots and headed back to my motel to drink a cold beer and have a little BBQ in the RV lot, where picnic tables and shade trees made for a comfortable evening. As hectic as pheasant hunting is, I can't tell you how relaxing this trip was, no pressure, no need to make big plans, no need to worry about weather or roads, etc. The first morning I rose in time for breakfast and to get to my chosen spot just before sun up. As I arrived and parked by the property, I could see about 20 doves sitting on an REA wire that ran up to the old abandoned house, there was no doubt that I could shoot my limit here and I did just that by 09:00 a.m. As usual I missed an amazing number of birds, but considering I was shooting an unfamiliar gun (new 28 ga.) I didn't feel too bad about the shoot. My dog (Cooper) retrieved everyone, did not lose a bird and I dropped several in some really thick, green stuff, so he did a nice job in recovery. My goal was to get him to be steady by the blind (so to speak) and steady to shot and fall, but the activity was so hot at times, we both abandoned that drill and just enjoyed the hunt. On the 2nd day we worked harder on that drill with some success, but some preseason work over pen raised quail (from a remote release) should finish up the mastery of that skill. After I cleaned my doves we drove around looking at some more properties (pre-season scouting) and headed back to the motel. With the whole afternoon left, I decided a little BBQ and R&R was in order. I pulled out the little BBQ kettle I brought along, threw in the Matchlight briquettes, lit the fire and sat back and drank a couple of cold beers and enjoyed a nice summer day in the shade. The bacon wrapped doves and baked beans (warmed right in the can) on the grill were fantastic, along with a little music from the boom-box! The next day we chose a new location and as I drove up to this property, I noticed a few birds, but not as many as I saw previously. (Incidentally I never saw one dove hunter or heard a shot during the time I was up there hunting!) After getting out I decided to walk up to a hillside to look over some ground I could not see from the road and as Cooper and I walked across the recently harrowed ground the doves starting getting up in droves (they blended in with the ground so well, they could not be seen from the road)! After scaring up which had to be no less than 200 doves, I decided we did not need to venture any further, but we did have to figure out how to get in range of these birds. First, we sat quietly in the grass next to the field where they had been feeding, but few returned and I decided this was not going to be a productive strategy. Just as we were walking out, I suddenly noticed that the birds were returning, although not landing in the field to feed, they were passing over a tree lined draw quite consistently, on a flight path to who knows where. At any rate we set up along the edge of the trees and had an absolute ball, pass shooting overhead birds through the tree tops.....by far the most fun and challenging dove hunting I have ever experienced! As we closed in on our limit and the heat from the sun began to intensify, we headed for the truck, cleaned the birds and drove / pre scouted some more properties before retiring to the motel for another round of beer and BBQ. Again, I apologize for no supporting pictures, but I can assure you that an early season dove hunt can be very relaxing and provide a good opportunity to pre-season scout some properties from the road. If you are not taking advantage of this activity you are truly missing a great opportunity to get out and get the rust off yourself and the dog and get a leg up on the upcoming bird season. |
|
|
|
