Well that was my first and LAST public dove hunt.

[GeauxLSU]

Got drawn for Walton county to take my son on his first dove shoot.
I had heard all the jokes and comments but figured it was exaggeration. What a freaking disaster!
Apparently there has been some new technology developed where shotguns and loads have some very impressive new capabilities. What's that? 50 yards? Pshaw! How about WELL in excess of 100 yards! Even more incredibly, you can shoot (at) pigeons 200 yards away! Maybe they 'look' closer and like doves since they are so big? (I wish I was joking.)
In addition, if a hunter in front of you, doesn't shoot at a bird because it's too far away in front of him, it's perfectly OK for you to shoot over his head at that same bird with your special extended range double top secret weapon. Also fine to set up 25 yards away from another hunter. "Low birds"? No such thing. You didn't shoot the bird that got shot? No biggie, go claim it anyway.
As near as I could tell the average number of shots per bird was at LEAST 10 and that's only because the bird generally flew over the entire field and was safely on his way to less noisey environs.
We left the field at 4pm just when the birds were starting to really fly and were VERY glad to get out of there unscathed (except for the fact my son has ZERO desire to ever do THAT again. )
The saddest thing is the adults, who obviously have absolutely no clue how to shoot/hunt, are passing that on to another generation. Awesome...
One thing is for sure, those fields will never be anything but dove fields. The lead abatement costs alone will insure though.

 

[Cadcom]

What's a Pshaw?
Is that like an air powered Pshotgun?


But your right! I'd rather hunt Dove in a parking lot with some seed and a hammer than shoot a public field.

 

[dtbeck]

As we were setting up Saturday at noon a saw a hunter shooting across the ground at a dove, when we got to our spot a neighbor came out from across the gravel road holding his neck wonder who shot him. I knew then it was going to be a great day.

 

[Laufen]

I used to hunt them on dirt roads that intersected creeks in the Midwest. It was a constant stream of doves from 30 minutes before to 15 minutes after sunset. I've never heard of people standing in fields to hunt them.

Sounds like a terrible experience. I don't even like grocery shopping with the general public, I couldn't imagine if they were all armed.

 

[Cartman]

On my pay hunt this year, our guide and his wife got nailed for not having their hunting license.

 

[rugerceltics13]

didn't realize doves were such an overpopulation problem that they have to be hunted

 

[Dawn2Dusk]

It's sad but public hunting can and is risky business. You can be successful at it but you'd "drop loads" in your fruit of the looms to know how many close calls you had no idea you've been a part of. I gave up WMA turkey hunting b/c guys got to recognizing my truck and coming in to find me, get between the bird and me and shoot them out from under me. Idiots!

 

[Laufen]

didn't realize doves were such an overpopulation problem that they have to be hunted

It doesn't have anything to do with controlling their population, it is sustainable and stable, therefore hunting is allowed. The dollars hunters pay to harvest the birds go back into making sure the population continues to thrive.

 

[linebacker]

I tried the public dove hunt thing once and only once.
I also used to dog hunt with a club until one day a new Florida member got out of his truck with a 30/06, walked 2 lightpoles down from me on the same powerline to his stand.
Now, I hunt ALONE or with a family member.

 

[GeauxLSU]

It doesn't have anything to do with controlling their population, it is sustainable and stable, therefore hunting is allowed. The dollars hunters pay to harvest the birds go back into making sure the population continues to thrive.

It's amazing how sane and informed you are about SOME things.
The thing I hate most about it is, it REALLY was not even remotely the experience I was hoping for my son...