Dove Hunting

HABITAT

Most hunters concentrate on areas where the doves feed. Their diet is almost exclusively seeds. Weed and grass seeds are supplemented by waste grain from farming operations. Having feet that are designed for perching, not scratching, they look for their food on standing plants or on the surface of the soil. While some seeds may seem to be preferred at a given time, the dove is primarily a bird that takes advantage of the opportunity of the present day, and they will change their feeding location frequently.

Doves typically need to have two visits to water daily. During wet periods, rain puddles and heavy dew may , but they will go to suffice streams or ponds for water. The best watering locations will include stretches of mud flats or sandbars where the birds can sit in the open to get water with no ambush cover for ground-based predators.

Preferred shelter for doves is the canopy of the forest. The majority of the nests will be found here. However, in some locations, they may be found as ground nesters where they are vulnerable to more predators. In the natural world, doves are the prey of many animals from hawks that catch them in flight , to snakes (primarily raiders of nests), and housecats that have gone wild.

While the mourning dove is primarily a migratory species, some individuals may be less inclined to migrate from the south during the spring or to the south in fall. Normally, they begin to gather in flocks during late summer and most of the flock departs to the south with the first cold weather. The failure to migrate south in fall creates problems during severe winters, as the birds do not have enough fat reserves to survive repeated cold days, and they can not scratch through snow to find food.

TIPS

Check Field for Baiting

It is the hunter’s responsibility to follow the law. Review the laws on baiting and make certain the

field you are hunting has not been baited. If you have questions, call the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife first, not after the hunt.

Food Plots

Food plots, with small areas of seed producing grains and grasses, will attract doves. Many landowners cooperate with the Department to establish dove fi elds and open them to the public. For private land that is available for these hunts, contact the Department information center.

Mow Field

One method that works is to mow the field in strips. Leave some plants, such as sunflowers, stand while mowing grasses, grains, etc. Doves will feed in the entire area, and downed birds are much easier to find in the mowed areas.

Shoot only High Birds

Dove shoots typically have several hunters shooting over a small area. By shooting only the high birds, incidents will be avoided. These high flyers also offer the most challenging shots for the shooter.

Use a Retriever

Ethical hunters strive to retrieve every bird. When the birds are flying in large flocks the hunter may be able to down more than one bird at a time. A good retriever will assist the hunter in finding crippled and dead birds. It is recommended that the birds be retrieved as soon as there is an opportunity. They can then be laid in the shade to cool, plus an accurate count toward the limit can be maintained.

CLEANING

Most hunters report that they use only the breast of the dove. They simply split the skin on the breast, peal it back and cut the breast out of the bird. Some hunters prefer to pick (or pluck) the feathers off the complete bird and eat wings, legs and breasts. To remove the entrails from a picked bird, it is recommended to split their back for easy access to the small body cavity. Birds that have been picked may either be cooked whole or in halves.

Doves do not need to be cleaned in the field, as their body heat is apparently lost due to the small size of the body. However, if you prefer to pick them, it can be done during a time when doves are not flying. Cutting out the breast or removing entrails is usually done after the shooting is complete and the gun will no longer be handled. If birds are cleaned in the field it is simple courtesy to the landowner to either bury or carry out the feathers and entrails. As with all game, carefully remove all shot before freezing or preparing your doves. To freeze them, use the same technique described in squirrel cleaning.



RECIPES

Most hunters recommend wrapping dove breast in bacon, doused with different marinades and broiling them. Here are some other ideas.

Dove Breasts Stroganoff

Arnold Mitchell, Retired Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources