Well that was my first and LAST public dove hunt.

[Cobalt 60]

Was on a pay shoot this past weekend. Shooters were placed way to closely in the field. Hit 7 birds on Sat, but took home 4, as three were claimed by neighbors.

Day two was crazy slow. A line of yahoos lined up at the tree line made sure to unload at anything with wings that stuck its head over the treeline, ensuring that all the birds, some of them actually dove, got turned away from the field.

The guy next door to the field apparently got pissed about shot falling on his property and so decided to take a few potshots our way with a .22. Fun listening to those whiz by you.

Even with all that, had a pretty good weekend. Gotta be sure to position myself better next time. Think I will spend the rest of the season on friends' and families' fields though!

 

[Bear44]

I have tried for many years to find a good dove hunt. I think they are a myth. It's always to many people (public or private shoot), or few birds and most common of all to many hunter AND few birds.

The closest thing I have come to a good shoot was one several years ago that my brother and I drove to extreme south Georgia for. There were a good number of birds and not to many hunters. We were not in a good spot so got little shooting to start, but as folks limited out the shoot organizer moved other people into those spots. The birds started really flying at about 3:30. At around 5:30 we got moved into a hot spot and started to get some shooting in. And then.......the shoot ended at 6:00!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's right! It was announced the shoot was over and everyone had to leave the field. WTF! Nobody said anything about that when we booked the hunt.

I'm going to try again this Saturday on a public field. Hopefully enough people have gotten it out of their system that the field won't be overloaded with hunters and there will still be a few birds. But at this point I feel like it's going to be another exercise in frustration.

 

[Offroadtek]

I hate to hear that GeauxLSU, I don't doubt a word of it. I was on a public field in NW GA that was great, birds and other hunters. The closer you get to the burbs the worse the hunters tend to be. Not all of them are bad, but a lot. Opening dove day is always the most crowded day, but you might try going back later in the season once deer season opens. Public fields are pretty good then and you son will no doubt enjoy it more. I'm heading back tomorrow for another fun day in the sun.

I'm sorry your first experience was terrible, when hunting any game on public fields you have to go at it with the same mind set. I gotta be ready to walk farther than most people. Most public hunters are lazy and hunt by the gate or truck. I love hunting public land, and have great walking boots and a good backpack.

 

[meastt]

There are idoits at any PUBLIC GATHERING whether it be dove fields or chess tournements, people will be people. Last year i went to a WMA and clowns were shooting at any tweety bird that flew over. This year I paid $75 to go on my first "dove field" shoot and it was awesome. Everyone got to shoot and those that didnt limit out only didnt because they were unable to wing shoot like they should. Either way it was a great time.

Shooting doves on a busy field is a ton of fun and it is FAST AND FURIOUS after 4pm.

Great dove shoots DO EXIST!!

 

[GeauxLSU]

Anything like Crow?

Don't know what that tastes like... but I did blackbirds growing up, quite a few times.

 

[GeauxLSU]

Man I am sorry to hear about your less than enjoyable dove shoot. I've experienced one or two in my day but nothing like what you are talking about. Only slow, unproductive shoots. I suppose the good ol' days of hunters helping each other and being respectful are gone. Low birds and 100 yard shots? Sounds like fun. Also sounds like they had way too many hunters in the field. I know it is a pain but next time you should do a pay hunt with a limited amount of hunters. They are not usually very expensive....And there should be a next time. You should definitely take your son on another dove shoot sometime. Some of my best memories of hunting are way back when my dad would take me on the opening day of dove season. We had a blast, literally, and always had a good, safe time. Give me a shout if you ever need help finding a good shoot around the metro area.

I did not even know they had pigeons in Walton County. I've never seen them down there.

They did but even though it's was a quota, it's not 'managed'. People are simply free to go wherever they want and the warden on hand, while a nice guy, did NOTHING at all to make sure the event was safe/sane. I won't comment further on him and a few other things as he was nice guy doing a thankless underpaid job.

I hate to hear that GeauxLSU, I don't doubt a word of it. I was on a public field in NW GA that was great, birds and other hunters. The closer you get to the burbs the worse the hunters tend to be. Not all of them are bad, but a lot. Opening dove day is always the most crowded day, but you might try going back later in the season once deer season opens. Public fields are pretty good then and you son will no doubt enjoy it more. I'm heading back tomorrow for another fun day in the sun.

I'm sorry your first experience was terrible, when hunting any game on public fields you have to go at it with the same mind set. I gotta be ready to walk farther than most people. Most public hunters are lazy and hunt by the gate or truck. I love hunting public land, and have great walking boots and a good backpack.

It wasn't MY first experience. I've hunted doves plenty, but it was my son's. I'll take him and perhaps his little buddy that has been begging me to take him on his first hunt (of any kind) to our little place. Nothing is planted for birds so it'll be pure luck if we get a shot but it'll be sane, relaxing and we'll get to chew the fat. That will be 'fun'.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm going to try again this Saturday on a public field. Hopefully enough people have gotten it out of their system that the field won't be overloaded with hunters and there will still be a few birds. But at this point I feel like it's going to be another exercise in frustration.

Report back. If for no other reason so we know you're alive.
Hope you wear 'em out.

 

[LARGO9]

Doves. Even though I imagine it might be similar, I've never eaten pigeon. "I've never eaten" is a phrase you RARELY hear uttered from a Cajun....

Man i was going to say when i lived in Lafayette --if it moved- kill it and eat it--sure miss those squirrel brains an eggs---if i ever leave the Keys i'm going back to LA. just for the hunting and the friendly people

 

[GeauxLSU]

Man i was going to say when i lived in Lafayette --if it moved- kill it and eat it--sure miss those squirrel brains an eggs---if i ever leave the Keys i'm going back to LA. just for the hunting and the friendly people

Yep, if it moves... we've got a recipe for it.
I do miss the people and the food... I do NOT miss the weather!

 

[Bear44]

Report back. If for no other reason so we know you're alive.
Hope you wear 'em out.

This morning was the best dove hunt I have ever been on!!!!!!

Even though it was public land, there were not too many hunters and plenty of birds. The closest hunter to me and my buddy was more than 60 yards away and nobody on the filed was an idiot. There was just a little sky busting and even that was just out of range. All of it could very easily have been honest misjudgments on the distance of the birds.

Nobody was unsafe. There were a couple of times that low birds were shot, but the bird was between the hunter and the wood line and there was clearly no one on the wood line. There were several times that low birds flew right through the middle of the hunters and all everyone did was yell low bird and let it go.

Between the two of use we only got three birds, but that has a lot to do with the fact that both of us suck at wing shooting. LOL! I fired 19 shots in about one hour and 45 minutes. All of which were well within range. In fact several of the misses were probably because we were both over choked. We started with Mod and Full and a LOT of the birds were at I. C. ranges. By the time we changed chokes most of the morning flight was over. We kept waiting for a pause in the action to change the chokes, but every time we tried more birds came in. I actually missed a couple of easy shots that way. There were some places better than others on the field, but I think everyone got a good amount of shooting in.

Beautiful morning, lots of birds and good people on the field. The only thing more I could ask for is the ability to actually hit something, but I'm hoping the Orvis Shooting school will help with that latter this year.

Also, for anyone that has been watching my review thread on the 28ga I recently got. That is the gun I was hunting with today and I hit the first bird I killed with the packing.

 

[jcountry]

I have tried for many years to find a good dove hunt. I think they are a myth. It's always to many people (public or private shoot), or few birds and most common of all to many hunter AND few birds.

The closest thing I have come to a good shoot was one several years ago that my brother and I drove to extreme south Georgia for. There were a good number of birds and not to many hunters. We were not in a good spot so got little shooting to start, but as folks limited out the shoot organizer moved other people into those spots. The birds started really flying at about 3:30. At around 5:30 we got moved into a hot spot and started to get some shooting in. And then.......the shoot ended at 6:00!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's right! It was announced the shoot was over and everyone had to leave the field. WTF! Nobody said anything about that when we booked the hunt.

I'm going to try again this Saturday on a public field. Hopefully enough people have gotten it out of their system that the field won't be overloaded with hunters and there will still be a few birds. But at this point I feel like it's going to be another exercise in frustration.

There damn sure are no good hunts in middle ga anymore.

I have been on a few (Pay and Public) over the last decade, and I wasted my time either way.

Maybe there are a few good ones left in south ga. but damn sure are none around here.

(Always tell people who go on a public hunt to wear good eye protection. Lots of people have no idea what they are going on, and will literally shoot at a bird on the ground. Watch out!)