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Are the eurasian doves larger than the mourners? I don't recall ever seeing one. Chops

Yes, Eurasian collared doves are larger than mourning doves:

http://www.tpwmagazine.com/archive/2004/apr/ed_3/

and they don't count towards your limit here in TX.

From TP&W website:
"Eurasian collared doves and rock pigeons (domestic pigeons) are not protected. There are no season length or bag limit restrictions. Hunters taking these species are advised to retain evidence of species (head or wing) on the carcass until reaching the final destination."

Great afternoon shoot today in a clear-cut in southernmost Ga. With rain predicted, we kicked it off early at 1:00 with about 60 guns. The promised weather system out of the Gulf of Mexico arrived with rain promptly at 3:00 and we broke it up and left. Everyone I spoke to had a limit of 15 birds...all mourning doves.

You know it is really nice when a plan works out as hoped. My brother and I had been watching these birds for three or four weeks, and took the chance of skipping the opening weekend last week to shoot it today. If anything, the birds from nearby fields that had been shot last weekend migrated over to our clearcut. My 1908 Ithaca Flues performed like a champion with 1oz. #7.5 RST's. Home with a limit of birds cleaned and put in the freezer by 4:30...Geo


Beat the heck out of my 'snake-doctor' shoot last weekend.

Big concentrations are scarce here. I've been out four times and shot seven doves! Can't wait to get to Manitoba for grouse now, as we didn't seem to get much of a hatch on sharptails. That season opened yesterday.

Our doves in Carolina vamoosed the day before labor day. We had hundreds if not thousands at Beaver Pond and most left before the big day.

We're hoping some will drop in before the first season ends. We normally have really good shooting in the later seasons, though.

Opener was a might skinny where I was, but the company was excellent. Took the lone bird within range of my spot @3P w/model 31 20ga.; reduced the % to 50 w/a hail Mary at 5P on a 'jinker' @ too far. Hey, its why they call it hunting.

For the weekend went a dif direction, 300 miles W rather than 125 SW & into three inches of rain, but enough birds were about to make it big fun & a couple of limits to come home with. An old 20ga. Mod 12 w/26" full bbl. did the trick.

Two old pumps should qualify as a sorta-double, right;-? Major wet here now; much needed rains are a real blessing. Hoping the rain may subside long enough for me to grill a few of those dove for the bride & I later. We'll see.

Kind regards,
tw

Dove season hasn't opened here yet but I did shoot some moorhens yesterday. Talk about a sporting bird.

Reading about ya'lls shooting(or lack of it!)has been great fun. I enjoy the whole deal so much that I have spent many hours scouting fields for birds, or sitting and watching others still on the field shooting after I limited. I am celebrating my 50th season this year, having started going with my grandaddy at age 8 with a J.C. Higgins Tenite stocked .410 double. I remember it as clearly as if it was yesterday. The love and patience shown me as a kid wanting to hunt, by Grandaddy and neighboring landowners, was not wasted on me. I now have three grandsons, one old enough to accompany me on the field and watch how gentlemen behave in the outdoors, and my pledge is to give them the same opportunities that I had. Two have shown great interest already, and I could not be more pleased. I'll never push them, just because of my affection for gunning, but simply wish to expose them to the great blessings that I have been given.

I hope others have the opportunity to introduce youngsters to the sport, and will do so.

Gosh, how I love this time of year!!

Coots and Galinules??? I guess they do come in early along with Marsh-hens, don't they. Sporting birds indeed! Well, the Purple and Florida galinules are tasty anyway...Coots not so much...Geo

I just got back a couple of hours ago from Yuma. We hunted Saturday and Sunday mornings. Still lots of birds, mostly whitewings. Today's limit took about 40 minutes with a .410. Worked out so well that I bought all the .410, 2-1/2", #7-1/2 I could find, which was a total of 7 boxes spread over three stores. I am a fan of the .410 for doves, but was absolutely amazed at what a difference the bigger pellets made in those short shells.

There are a lot of Eurasians around Yuma, but they seem to be more concentrated than the mourning and whitewing. When you find Eurasians, there are lots of them, but you just don't find them in that many places.