basics for dove hunting (help needed)

[BIGINNER]

what are the basic things you need to know about dove hunting?  i have several awesome places for dovr hunting, but i've never done it before.
would you typically take a dog dove hunting?
what are some tactics?

thanks.

also anyone els that need help dove hunting feel free to post more questions 

[Heredoggydoggy]

Back when two buddies and I bird hunted, it was tradition for us to take our dogs to a certain water hole that the doves stopped at on their way to roost, every late afternoon on September 1st.  We hunkered down with our dogs around the water (mud) hole and waited.  when the doves came in, the shooting was hot for about 15 minutes.  Finding the downed doves in the tall grass was the dog's work.
We are all old and worn out now, and our dogs are long dead, but what memories!

[CedarPants]

Keep both eyes open, stay focused on the bird, and swing all the way through before pulling the trigger.  Those things are FAST

[h20hunter]

Have LOTS of shells on hand.

[Armadillo]

we always drive around till we find where the're concentrated. Pass shooting is best late afternoon when they're going to roost

[carpsniperg2]

A lot of shells! Well if you are in a good area lol. Not much to it just set up in a area they are using. Mornings and eves are always best.

[rtspring]

Hunted them for years as a kid, You have to find the area where they are eating and roosting. Lots of shooting on their way to and from these spots..

I know you are from tri cities, if you can't find birds head off to Prosser, Whistran area along the Yakima river. Lots of good shooting out there and farmers usually have no issues with you wanting to hunt... Just don't shoot the cows....

[C-Money]

Morning and evening, sit on the edge of a field or in a centerpivot, and blast em! Great times!

[wsucowboy]

Bring lots of shells, they are FAST! I've only gone dove hunting a few times but it was always a good time

[Andrew]

Morning and evening, sit on the edge of a field or in a centerpivot, and blast em! Great times!

What's a centerpivot?  I'm guessing it's the hub of the irrigation system...  My location speaks volumes, I get the 'grain' and 'corn' thing...those would be the plants that I buy in a can, but as for this centerpivot I'm lost. 

[C-Money]

No problem, Ya, its the begining of the irrigation system on a circle field. You can get by the "pivot" and break up your silhouette a bit. I usually goose hunt fields next to the centerpivot as well.

[BiggLuke]

Yup... listen to these guys. They're called "Morning Doves" for a reason.

Morning and evening are the best times for them.

Find a water source or a gravel source.
All birds... including Doves... must eat grit or gravel in the morning time to process and digest the food they collect during the day time.
Gravel pits, gravel roads, and such are great in the mornings.
Water sources are big in the eveneing for the same reason. Digestion. They need water to digest what they have in their craw.


Food plots, or fields are productive all day long.
Some times just posting up with really good camo on the edge of a wheat field can be very productive.

OR...  find a roost.   I.E. a big patch of trees in the middle of wheat country. All the doves have to sleep. so... get them coming FROM roost in the morning, or going TO roost in evenings.

All birds see in color... so remember to wear camo. It can increase your odds just enough to make the difference between 80 yard shots and 15 yard shots.

Good luck Brother....

[Old Dog]

Yup... listen to these guys. They're called "Morning Doves" for a reason.

Actually they are mourning doves, because their call sounds as though they are in mourning for a loved one.  

[DOUBLELUNG]

Based on your other post, sounds like you should take your wife to the field, and pick up her birds for her. 

[BIGINNER]

Based on your other post, sounds like you should take your wife to the field, and pick up her birds for her. 

Hey careful. Thats a soft spot

[BIGINNER]

Ok. Couple more questions.  I went out twice this week, and got 2 birds.  Dunno what I'm doing wrong,  do you guys prefer walking in the field, or just sitting and waiting?  Do decoys improve my odds?  How should I set up decoys?  Should i not wear my orange vest? How far is too far to shoot the doves? (12ga.) What shot size should i use? Thanks. 

[BIGINNER]

So far I went in the evenings. And there's tons of birds. But they keep their distance.   

[Buckmark]

Ok. Couple more questions.  I went out twice this week, and got 2 birds.  Dunno what I'm doing wrong,  do you guys prefer walking in the field, or just sitting and waiting?  Do decoys improve my odds?  How should I set up decoys?  Should i not wear my orange vest? How far is too far to shoot the doves? (12ga.) What shot size should i use? Thanks. 

Ok so to answer as i can, dove hunting is easy and a ton of fun with a few basics.
In no particular order
1) shot size: #9 prefered but can be hard to find over the counter, #8 work great and 7.5 will do, carry 50 on you...
2) Wear camo or green or tan clothes, NO orange, white or brite colors etc, just kinda blend in, a hat is a must.
3) improved cylinder for a newby...
4) Decoys NO, you do not need them, ever in this state.
5) Find a travel/transition route and sit still, sit as still as you can while scanning the horizon for birds coming in, use your eyes and only move when your ready to swing and shoot them.
6) Doves for the most part will seek out 4 things, find them all together and you will have a blast.
Roosting trees (russian olives, old or even new fruit orchards), water, grit and feed (seeds, corn, milo etc) find a small field of say beans, corn milo etc, with a gravel road running along it, an irrigation ditch and tress and our set, watch to see where the birds are flying along an edge of it and Bam your in it, they will usually follow a contour/line, like the edge of an orchard..
Or you can just get up at the crack of dawn and drive the ditch roads and blast them off the power lines 
I prefer the mornings until i limit or it gets too hot, bring water in a cooler and some fruit...Have fun..

[DOUBLELUNG]

Ok. Couple more questions.  I went out twice this week, and got 2 birds.  Dunno what I'm doing wrong,  do you guys prefer walking in the field, or just sitting and waiting?  Do decoys improve my odds?  How should I set up decoys?  Should i not wear my orange vest? How far is too far to shoot the doves? (12ga.) What shot size should i use? Thanks. 

Ok so to answer as i can, dove hunting is easy and a ton of fun with a few basics.
In no particular order
1) shot size: #9 prefered but can be hard to find over the counter, #8 work great and 7.5 will do, carry 50 on you...
2) Wear camo or green or tan clothes, NO orange, white or brite colors etc, just kinda blend in, a hat is a must.
3) improved cylinder for a newby...
4) Decoys NO, you do not need them, ever in this state.
5) Find a travel/transition route and sit still, sit as still as you can while scanning the horizon for birds coming in, use your eyes and only move when your ready to swing and shoot them.
6) Doves for the most part will seek out 4 things, find them all together and you will have a blast.
Roosting trees (russian olives, old or even new fruit orchards), water, grit and feed (seeds, corn, milo etc) find a small field of say beans, corn milo etc, with a gravel road running along it, an irrigation ditch and tress and our set, watch to see where the birds are flying along an edge of it and Bam your in it, they will usually follow a contour/line, like the edge of an orchard..
Or you can just get up at the crack of dawn and drive the ditch roads and blast them off the power lines 
I prefer the mornings until i limit or it gets too hot, bring water in a cooler and some fruit...Have fun..

That is all very good advice.  IF you can find where someone is farming either millet or sorghum, these are like crack cocaine and heroin to doves.  If the water source is a pond, I like to sit between the food source and the pond.  If it is a stream or river, take a spot between the roost trees and the food source. 

[Camp David]

Sit in the shade if possible. Remember these birds have most likely been shot at....if they see you they will avoid you. I like to sit in in a stool in the middle of a field with some natural vegetation helping me to hide when i can't find a good shady spot. I like a light modified choke 8s of 7 1/2s.

I'm going out this weekend. I have a little advantage....a lot more birds and no limits 

[ribka]

Ok. Couple more questions.  I went out twice this week, and got 2 birds.  Dunno what I'm doing wrong,  do you guys prefer walking in the field, or just sitting and waiting?  Do decoys improve my odds?  How should I set up decoys?  Should i not wear my orange vest? How far is too far to shoot the doves? (12ga.) What shot size should i use? Thanks. 

Ok so to answer as i can, dove hunting is easy and a ton of fun with a few basics.
In no particular order
1) shot size: #9 prefered but can be hard to find over the counter, #8 work great and 7.5 will do, carry 50 on you...
2) Wear camo or green or tan clothes, NO orange, white or brite colors etc, just kinda blend in, a hat is a must.
3) improved cylinder for a newby...
4) Decoys NO, you do not need them, ever in this state.
5) Find a travel/transition route and sit still, sit as still as you can while scanning the horizon for birds coming in, use your eyes and only move when your ready to swing and shoot them.
6) Doves for the most part will seek out 4 things, find them all together and you will have a blast.
Roosting trees (russian olives, old or even new fruit orchards), water, grit and feed (seeds, corn, milo etc) find a small field of say beans, corn milo etc, with a gravel road running along it, an irrigation ditch and tress and our set, watch to see where the birds are flying along an edge of it and Bam your in it, they will usually follow a contour/line, like the edge of an orchard..
Or you can just get up at the crack of dawn and drive the ditch roads and blast them off the power lines 
I prefer the mornings until i limit or it gets too hot, bring water in a cooler and some fruit...Have fun..

Good advice.
Have had good luck with decoys especially after the first few days when the doves become better educated