Dove hunting...Anyone else going this weekend?

[indiucky]

Getting up early Sunday morning and hunting with a buddy I haven't hunted with in 20 years.....The two young guys we're hunting with I've been hunting opening weekend with them for the past five years.....Getting out the little Spanish sidelock 20 gauge....The year before I had hunted with the younger guy's using an 870 20 gauge lightweight and couldn't hit squat...I always bird hunt with doubles and I don't know if it's in my head or what but I could see the younger guy's were like, "I can't believe he owns a gun shop and is this bad a shot..."

So last year I show up with my little sidelock of Basque goodness and I am slaying them....I mean every time....I hear their three shots and then the dove would come by me and I would get it with one shot....After about 20 minutes of this I look over and see them with their jaws hanging open...I look up and say, "This is very disappointing.....I am wanting to see how well this gun shoots but I can't seem to ever need my second barrel..."

One of the boys jumps up and hops on his ATV...I query, "Where are you going?"

"To get my O/U..."

 

[510picker]

Have fun! I haven’t been dove hunting in years, but if the birds are moving, it is so much fun! I hope you post a photo tomorrow with your limits of doves and the magic shotgun

 

[mom45]

My cat got a jump start on the season and had one for breakfast the other day. Bad, bad Elvis....I hope the DNR doesn't arrest him for hunting out of season.

 

[Hookeye]

Winamac today.
Not the best spot either.
Still Field A.............put 10 in the cooler. Got a double (actually dropped first, hit 2nd..... but hit him again to drop him in field).

Beater 1100 12 ga, Imp cyl 26" w crap steel shot.
Same rig as last yr.
A bit light w synth stock.

Heavier gun w longer bbl, and mod choke would be better.

Clean it up, put in safe, take it out opening weekend next yr.

 

[yetti462]

Took my 6 yr old out this evening, very proud of him. He got 3 with his .410 shooting 3" 7.5 shot. He had a blast, no pun intended.

 

[Bfish]

I went Saturday morning at a friends. Shot 17, so almost enough for a really good fix. Going to try and get a few more down this week. Waterfowl season isn't far away either!!

 

[Cpt Caveman]

I went Saturday morning at a friends. Shot 17, so almost enough for a really good fix. Going to try and get a few more down this week. Waterfowl season isn't far away either!!

Did they change the bag limit? Used to be 15. Goin out this morning with two friends and two of my boys.

 

[Hookeye]

Bag limit is 15.

Sounds to me like he couldn't find a couple he hit earlier in the hunt.

Use steel shot on a F&W area and expect such.

Now, some folks count every bird hit as part of their "bag limit"...............others do not.
Bag limit.................to me means "put in the bag".

IMHO you lose a couple, it sucks but is tolerable.
Those that hit a bunch and can't find them, need to just golf.

 

[Hookeye]

Some folks bust their arses to find a downed bird.....spend a lot of time/effort.
Unfortunately I have seen some that half arse it at best, or don't even try.
Even if shooting good, I go after em rather quickly to up the chances of recovery.
This sometimes backfires.

 

[Hookeye]

I hit one that made it to sunflowers. Went after it (no other birds flying around).
Got to standing flowers and it took off.
Had I waited 15 mins it might have dropped dead there.
Oh well.
It might still be flying around. Who knows.
Never had this BS running lead.

 

[indiucky]

Well the boys we were to hunt with got likkered up Saturday night and couldn't make it...So me and my buddy went to our new property to explore the rock shelters.....This pic is to give scale to the cave we have cut out by the megaflood of the last ice age at the end of the Younger Dryas....

I didn't get any doves but I did get about 100-150 turkey ticks on me...Because you see the field I was going to hunt was clear ground by a barn but getting to my property involved some brush busting...In shorts...I am covered and woozy as can be....Bastards.....

 

[Bfish]

Did they change the bag limit? Used to be 15. Goin out this morning with two friends and two of my boys.

Let me rephrase my statement. My friend and I shot 17. Not me myself and I shot 17. Limit is indeed still 15.

 

[mom45]

Well the boys we were to hunt with got likkered up Saturday night and couldn't make it...So me and my buddy went to our new property to explore the rock shelters.....This pic is to give scale to the cave we have cut out by the megaflood of the last ice age at the end of the Younger Dryas....

I didn't get any doves but I did get about 100-150 turkey ticks on me...Because you see the field I was going to hunt was clear ground by a barn but getting to my property involved some brush busting...In shorts...I am covered and woozy as can be....Bastards.....

Ouch...That doesn't look good!!

 

[Onebad06vtx]

Get you some lice shampoo and keep them places covered with the shampoo.
Been there done that and that is the only way we where able to get rid of them.

 

[jimb1069]

Going this weekend. I hope they are flying!