Hunting & Fishing Dove hunting question?

[BenY 2013]

So I know it doesn't have to do with a rifle but I'd like some info on dove hunting. I live on a couple hundred acres of farmland (cattle pasture and trees, no crops) and have been interested in dove hunting for the past several years just never had much luck. My dad isn't going to let me disc up a field to plant for dove so my question is what would be the best way to hunt them? I have several stationary decoys and a call. There is a pond on the place and a ton of what we call "goatweed" which they love being brush-hogged down right now.

Would walking the fields and shooting them as they jump be best or decoying them be better? I have heard the MOJO motorized dove works really well...worth the money?

I am brand new to this and would appreciate any help I could get thanks!

 

[TNtrg.300]

Re: Dove hunting question?

Position yourself between their food source and your pond and you should do just fine if there are dove around. Be sure and blend in withe the background you are using for cover and keep your movement to a minimum.

 

[The_Duke]

Re: Dove hunting question?

Second the mojo dove, works great

 

[wfjames22]

Re: Dove hunting question?

I would do whatever you can to talk your dad into letting you have at least one acre to plant in sunflowers, even better if you could do it around the pond you referenced. Obviously, it wouldn't be for this year, but it's your best bet IMO. It's not hard to grow a decent sunflower crop for very little money. We took 2.5 acres of a cotton field this past spring, disked it up, broadcast sunflowers and put ammonium nitrate on it once about 3 weeks after the sunflowers came up. We have about $500 tied up in it, including subleasing the ground back from the farmer for $250.

We had a hell of a nice sunflower crop and killed 175 doves on it last Sunday afternoon in about 3hrs with 13 hunters.

 

[BenY 2013]

Re: Dove hunting question?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MtnCreek</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hunt the water. Decoys will help and the mojo is worth the ~$50, IMO.

You'll need to check this with your State laws: Bait an area far enough away that you're not hunting over a baited field. Wheat and rock salt will work great. Doves will hit the waterhole mid worning after feeding and mid afternoon just before feeding.

How messy a farmer are you? Are you finishing off any caves with grain? .......

</div></div>

No grain for the calves...this is an "all grass" farm for the cattle, however we do feed our hogs a grain ration and it is a big bare area where we feed them...I sometimes see several dove around that area. I think I may check in the MOJO dove and hopefully get some birds down soon!

 

[wfjames22]

Re: Dove hunting question?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MtnCreek</div><div class="ubbcode-body">wfjames22,

I would not post that in an open forum; the damned goldfinches may read it and clean your flower patch out.

</div></div>

I hear ya! Our biggest "pests" in the flower patch this year were armadillos. Those bastards dug up a ton of our sunflowers at the roots to get at the worms/grubs, at least that's my assumption. Luckily they didn't really start until after the seeds had mostly matured, so the only real damage was to the plants where the head landed face down and the seeds rotted.

 

[WTW]

Re: Dove hunting question?

The one thing you need to remember with doves is that they can only eat the seeds that are on the ground. If there is not food on the ground for them they will not be eating there. This is why brush hogging sunflowers work, cutting strips through the grass etc... You just have to be familiar with your state regulations. We shot over a corn field this last weekend that had been shelled and the stocks bailed up. There were some big power lines running through the field and we shot 5 limits in 45 minutes. This was on an over cast day. The day before they shot 4 limits under 30 mintues and the day after they averaged 11 birds for 8 people. Stopping after 2 hours.

If the birds can get to the seed they will be there. We were shooting over 2 mojo's and they work!

 

[RTH1800]

Re: Dove hunting question?

Do not use rock or any other salt, It baits them, but also kills many doves. Baiting is federally banned. Do not push the edge on this issue.
RTH

 

[volguy10]

Re: Dove hunting question?

I am in no way a farmer and I do lot know what the possibilities are on your farm but the farm in which I hunt has a corn silage pit and we cannot keep our guns loaded there are so many birds. The farmer said the deer will eat it up as well he won't let us deer hunt there. YET!!!

 

[JUNO]

Re: Dove hunting question?

Do not leave home without the mojo!

Ive used it for 3 years now and have hunted some public lands with them. Mojo's will decoy or bring a dove closer than any decoy Ive had.

We have the best luck hunting till around 11am and from 3pm till. We have noticed that they tend to feed early and roost during the heat of the day. If there is pressure they will fly but if its not opening day then those hours work best for us.

You need to hunt the edge of the woodline 20-40yds from the woods, far enough that no doves surprise you if they are flying to the fields from the woods. Set your Mojo 20yds off and enjoy (decoy 60-40yds from woodline and set up 20-40 yds from woodline, Depending on wind direction and speed as doves can fly pretty fast if windy).I like points on the woodlines as it allows more visibility and more possibility to seeing more doves.

Another good option would be powerlines, set mojo underneath powerline and 15 yds from where you are (I prefer leaning on Pole).

Third option would be if there is a path, dirt or gravel, you will have some type of activity by the doves. You can use decoys here and they seem to work fine.

 

[SingleShot85]

Re: Dove hunting question?

as said check the exact rules for planting a potiental food source.........you don't want to get you ass in a sling ove a little dove hunting...

I'd just set the MOJO's out by the pond and be done w/ it.

good luck,,,,,,,if it flies it dies, happy hunting

KT