doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Opening day friends.

I've seen that phenomenon as well. First day of dove season, then back to the golf course. Same with the deer opener; once and done. I don't get it...Geo

Man I wish Michigan was closer, as I would jump at a chance to go dove hunting (Can't hunt them in MI, we just raise them for you Southern Boys ! ) I try and get out bird hunting whenever I can but have cut back on deer hunting love going to camp but doesn't matter to me if I get a deer or not.

Read this thread one morning earlier this week , prior to leaving for the Dove Field.....Thinking of people I know , (shooters with varying levels of enthusiasm) I conclude most Dove Hunters/Shooters of my acquaintance are opening weekend types.... It is a social event for most .

Me....I really admire them as a target..... I live , by choice, where large populations occur, and like Jon, put considerable effort into making shooting opportunities more certain....
That said, I am by nature a solitary shooter on most outings.
Have enjoyed getting some young men I am quite fond of into the Field , and their enthusiasm is strong....If distance and careers did not interfere they would certainly be here much more often....
I think there is indeed slight interest by the average Outdoorsman in Dove shooting as a Season long pursuit ....

Me, I am going to a top notch field this afternoon, I have open invitations out to a FEW friends who share my interest in the shooting.....Whether they join me or not I'll have a fine outing ....Thinking about taking the .410 , but those gusty winds tell me it could be quite frustrating.....

I hope everyone's early season outings have been successful.....It is the BEST time of the year....and only going to get better as other seasons open.

I fixed my hinting problem. I took three younger hunters. Two had hunted with me and my sons and one who never hunted dove before. It was a great day. Wait until they find out you don't get limits every time out. Polite, safe and enjoyable company there were. When finished one said he never knew hunting was this much action. I did explain to him that most times it is not. More like a lot of waiting then frantic action.

One hunter asked me if I was going hunting Sunday. Then he and two others convinced me that I should go, and take them for good luck. Took a lot of effort. We went to another field today and had steady shooting for two and a half hours. Another great day.

Best lesson they learned beyond gun safety at all times is to find birds. Put two shooters on a peg and had one spot for the one who was retrieving. They found everything they shot. It did take a few minutes in a couple cases. But when I explained that I don't shoot more birds if I have one lost they understand the rules. You shoot it, you need to find it. My fields are fairly clean and easy to find birds in. Plus I always figure if you learn to do it right the first time you can do it right every time.

So next week we all will shoot again and even one of the fathers is going to come with us. He better not shoot poorly or fail to find a bird because his son knows what is expected. I did warn the youngsters that weather could send the birds out of here any day. We have food, water and even a couple good roost but mother nature decides where the birds will be.

Me too, Eric- we almost had us a dove season in The Great Lake State, but the "antis" prevailed. I go down to Southern Indiana in late Sept. with a hunting pal who grew up in that area-- about every other year. So far, this Sept has been dry and exceptionally warm in Central MI--do see a few doves on area farms I hunt for off-season barn pigeons and the Sept early Goose seasons- sure wish they were a legal game bird here.

Love deer hunting, now I share a blind with a son-in-law (also my Summertime woodchucking partner)-- but don't really care if I ever shoot another white-tail here in MI--Like the late Gene Hill once wrote:"Sometimes you come to discover the great joy of owning a good gun is the greater pleasure that comes from not having to shoot it."

I wish I lived closer. Vt considers dove to be song birds and as such there is no open season.

Mergus

Tasty song birds for certain.

Reminds me of the old joke about a man caught ahooting a Hawk. In court he claimed he only killed it was because he was starving. The judge said if he was starving, eating a hawk was not a real crime and dismissed the case. Then told the game warden to show a little compassion to a starving fellow. As the fellow was leaving the court the Judge asked him what hawk tasted like. Not as dry as a snowy owl but more than a falcon was the reply. Case closed.