OK I did something rather odd. I love decoying doves and since I hunt them alone throughout the season I have to do something to get them within reach of the Perazzi.
So I went and ordered me a pigeon magnet from the UK and in the process of rigging it up.
I would like to hear from our friends over there how well the magnet actually works.

Mike, I can testify that it works like gangbusters on pigeons. Spinning wings work ok on doves, although they make birds come in too low for my comfort on a group shoot.

My intuition says it would be too much motion for mourning doves. Let us know how it works out for you!...Geo

I have a Mojo dove setup on a pole that raises it 14' off the ground. I can set it up either in the center of the field or along the side in the middle of a natural v in the hedge row. It works too good sometimes. I've had dove try to land on the decoy for a little love action. Funny thing is that after several days the dove will wise up and shy away from the Mojo. I guess the dumb one are on the grill by then. Decoys still work as long as they don't move too much.

I had a Mojo and a few decoys set out near Lake Oconee and an eagle swept down and tried to grab my Mojo! Bobby

I always spend the last couple of weeks before the September dove opener checking fields to decide where to shoot. The commotion of a few thousand mourning doves in the stalks of a sunflower field would make you think that too much motion wouldn't deter the birds. Experience dictates otherwise...Geo

Geo motion helps early with ducks but by the seasons end mojo decoys are danger flags to ducks. I like them for the first few days in dove season but tend to shut them down or use a add on a friend made for them which allows the wings to cycle for a few turns and then stop for five seconds. Gives the impression of a dove flying along in a lazy manner. Just beating enough to go a little farther. Heck mojos work too well at getting birds down low. That's why I put mine up high. Rather have a dove buzzy him up 15' than at two feet. Safety first on those low birds.

I've watched videos on using these pigeon magnets and they seem to work well. I already have a pole that I place decoys on along with some flappers and some doves I place in and around the field.
I usually put up a blind as well.
When hunting large fields after opening day you need something to get their attention.
The pigeon magnet is rather inexpensive now and shipped to me rather quickly. Just another thing I want to try.
Dove hunting is my favorite and doing it with decoys adds a special level to it.

Did you ever decide to go all the way over the top. One year I saved 20 or so late season doves and stored them in the freezer. That set the feathers a little extra. Then I skinned them one by one and mounted them on a old tv antenna I salvaged. Ended up with ten stuffers mounted on that antenna that I would put up a rig 30' in the dove field. It was a true dove magnet. Space was left open to allow real birds to land and rest. Sometimes there were almost as many live birds as stuffed one on that rig. The mounted birds only lasted a couple years but while I had them it was great. Truth is that I enjoyed the off season work as much as the in season work.

The high pole works great for the dove Mojos, but nothing works as certain with a Mojo as setting it up on top of the pipeline of a center pivot. Unreal good with two or three plastic ones lined up on either side.



Not all fields we shoot are irrigated, however, and the two piece pole Gil gave me works like a charm where there isn't a pivot.

79 days and counting.
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SRH

Stan, next best thing to center pivot plumbing is a fake powerline. I've hunted two fields where the owners installed dummy powerlines down the fields' centers. Not up to Floyd's artistic standards, but here are two powerline decoys I whittled out of wood from tupelo gum buttswells. I tie mono to the eyebolt and toss'em over the line and pull them up where they snug on top and stake out the loose end. They work just as well with eyebolt on top and snugged tight just below the line. Good to hear you find use for the system I gave you. Gil

See what I mean about "artistic standards"? Even the shotshells and shell box are carved and painted wood.

I've used the power line trick lots of times, too. Our sunflower field, that I plant every year, has a homemade "power" line across it, too. Greg put it up about 10 years ago. Here it is with a few birds sitting on it just before the season opened.



I also have used real power lines to hang the plastic doves on. I use old fishing reels and rods and throw the decoy over the bottom line, which is always the neutral (not energized), then reel the decoy up tight underneath the wire and let the butt of the rod sit on the ground with the line taught. I've had doves light on either side of the decoy, which is underneath the line, with no apparent concern that it does not look normal. I guess if they are sitting all over a tree some are are underneath others. They sure don't seem to mind. I don't believe you could fool a crow like that.

Regarding Floyd's work ...... I have often thought, as I viewed pics of his carvings, that he just has to be the best at what he does. I cannot imagine carving that could possibly be done better, or more lifelike, than his.

Thanks for starting the thread. Can't get my mind off them anyway, might as well discuss it.

SRH

Stan, Floyd's back is giving him fits and he is working on getting it in shape for woodcock season (under 6 mos. away). Don't recall if I ever told you the time years ago that during a visit to his shop which often has dead bird specimens lying around so he can match colors, feather patterns, etc., on the overturned hull of a Bishop paddleboat was a dead snipe. Two weeks later, it was still there without any change in appearance. I poked it. It was a carving. Gil

Bobby, I've seen that happen with mojo type duck spinners on both water and on field shoots. I don't think it is particularly unusual. Not many eagles around dove shoots though, except in Argentina where they congregate to feed...Geo

I've had hawks try to grab my Mojo doves many times in fields ......usually something like a Cooper's Hawk or "Blue Darter".

They are not usually successful.

SRH

Doves and old doubles go together.

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SRH

Don't get too caught up in electrified toys. If you get a good decoy pattern and a "flight line" you'll get plenty of shooting. I have added a link to a video below. In the video is Major Archie Coats, who was Englands only professional pigeon shooter for many years. His personal best was 550 pigeons in one day. There is a bit of an introduction, but it soon passes.

https://youtu.be/Ic_vWg39dDs

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I was recently notified by the guy who runs my dove club that his flowers got drowned out twice and it's now too late to replant. So it looks like I'll have to make alternate arrangements for this September. And I just bought a new 28 gauge Silver Pigeon I'm itchin' to try out! (1500 at my local Gander Mt closeout)

Can't wait till opening day myself, I'll be running my RBL through its paces.

STAN! STAN! Calm down Dude! We gonna have to get you on some meds, son! We were gonna start cutting wheat today, but had a light rain so couple more days..We do have a LOT of local doves here, way more than usual, in addition to the collared kind. Got my garden in, Destroyed the car on the way back from a Rodeo inn Kacee Wyoming..I MEAN destroyed it..Hit a herd of deer at 80 MPH. If I was younger, I woulda said, jes a Rodeo Saturday nite..

I'm calm.

I'm just extremely focused.

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I'm with you Stan. To me, September 1st is one of the best days of the year.

Goillini, tell your dove field man to replant the field with brown top millet. It will make in about 60 days, and doves love it. No fertilizer needed. That was all we planted for many years until we began with sunflowers in the late 70s. The trick is to have a fairly sparse stand of it so the ground will be bare in places for the birds to land. The only other way is to plant it thick, mow it and windrow it after it matures, then bale it, or burn the windrows. The mowing and windrowing will leave a majority of the seed on the ground for feed.

SRH

Thanks Stan. I will tell him.

The fields I've hunted make use of brown top as well. Crop manipulation, including burning, is legal for doves but will land one in big trouble with ducks. Gil

Let's hear about some good dove recipes. I took my skeet shooting buddy dove hunting last year, then after the hunt I cooked some rare on the charcoal grill. My buddy started gagging..... he didn't hurl, but it was a close call. ;-). I thought they were o.k., but not all that great. Sure not quail or grouse. I'm guessing there's a way to make them tasty, but I just haven't figured it out?

Breast out the doves, soak the breasts in cold water for three days, change out the water daily.
Use aluminum foil on the grill to prevent hot air from drying out the meat.
Sprinkle the doves with Tony Chacherre's Original Creole seasoning.
Cook to medium rare.
Serve with wild rice, green beans, and raspberry sherbet.
Mike

p.s. remember they are DARK meat, do not try to treat them like light meat.

p.s.s L.D. Pleased you are OK and posting after the deer run-in

DOVE RECIPE! BACON WRAPPED POPPERS
use only the breasts and let them soak in salty, icy water for three days...change out water each day.
filet the pure meat from each side of breast leaving two pieces of boneless meat.
pkg of thin, smoked bacon...cut each slice into two pieces.
lay one side of a dove breast on a bacon piece, place a piece of onion, a slice of jalapeno, and a slice of water chestnut on the dove meat, wrap the bacon around it and secure with a toothpick...no other seasoning is required, but you can certainly do so.
These are very good grilled, but are superb cooked on an electric smoker. You must use thin sliced bacon; if thick cut bacon is used, by the time the bacon is fully cooked, the dove meat is overcooked.
When these poppers are almost done, bathe them in any good BBQ sauce that has been thinned down to a soupy consistency and let them finish cooking until the bacon is crispy....the sauce glazes on the popper and gets down around the ingredients.
My BBQ Sauce: Sweet Baby Ray's sweet & spicy brand - pour into a pot, add some water to thin it, a little vinegar, some Tiger Sauce, a dash of lemon juice and a few shakes of Tobasco sauce and heat.
Appropriate liquid refreshment and a good after dinner cigar enhances the experience of these finger-lickin' good dove poppers. NOTE: this recipe works equally well with chicken, deer backstrap or tenderloin, fajita meat, etc. etc.

Those recipes do sound good. Gary, ever tried thin prosciutto ham with your recipe instead of thin bacon? I bet that would be good too and prosciutto is very thin. Sams Club sells prosciutto btw if you want to try it.

Buzz,

I usually let the breasts sit in cold water for a day. Then let them sit in terryaki sauce for a day. Wrap the breast in bacon with a piece of pineapple underneath the breast bone. Put them on a grill and don't overcook. Even my wife will eat a few of these!

Ken

never tried the ham Buzz, but I use bacon because wild game meat is usually drier and the bacon keeps it moist as it cooks. I'll try it.....try these first and experiment. I think some strips of Canada goose breast or sandhill crane used in these poppers would be "de bonus good" as well.

Tedious Dove

I save several dove that were head shot only for tedious dove. We all get these from time to time. Then the work begins. Pick all the feathers off and pull the entrails, tedious because it take a bit of work. Soak for a day or two in salt water. Then place a wedge of orange in each, wrap in bacon and grill until juice run clear or lightly red. I like them a little rare. Serve on a bed of wild rice and a nice chilled beer or white wine. They look great like a little miniature turkey. My wife loves them and will willingly eat them when I make them.

There is no reason to soak dove in water, brine, moonshine, etc. unless you want to. OMMV. I prefer plucked whole, but will sometimes breast and filet the breast meat to saute rare to medium rare for a minute or so on each side. I flash roast whole dove on my version of a beer can cooker sans beer made out of a wire coat hanger. It will support 4 doves upright on the grill to be cooked at high heat on a skillet to prevent flame up. My new gas grill has an infrared cooker so I dispense with the skillet on it. I have two such 4 bird supports so I cook 8 at a time. Olive oiled, salted and peppered. On the grill cooked over 500-600 F. When using the kitchen oven, 500 F. Depending on size, 7-8 minutes which yields rare to medium rare. I like the taste of bacon, and I like the taste of game birds, but I never mix the two. OMMV. It takes me 30-45 minutes to pluck and draw a limit. Gil

I've always just bacon wrapped the breasts and marinated in italian dressing. The bake on a tray in the oven. Works for me...Geo

Billy sent me photos of the club field today. Sunflowers are starting to open; should be going full bore next week. They are in the front 20 acre field along with corn rows. Bottom photo is a back field of 10 acres planted in corn, browntop and benne (sesame). The benne is the shortest vegetation next to the corn on your right. What a difference rain makes. Hopefully we won't have a tropical storm come through like it did last summer. Same hopes regarding a hurricane. Gil

Gil, your picture of the benne crop reminded me of years ago when it was a common crop down here. The deep root system requires no irrigation. If left for the seed pods (which always reminded me of okra) to open on their own, the birds will stay on a field through the entire season...Geo

George, nothing like sitting on a benne field waiting for the flights while nibbling on the raw seeds. Next best thing to eating raw peanuts on a pulled peanut field. Gil

Too many of them (benne seed) will give you the "squirts". They are very high oil content.

My favorite recipe, among 4 or 5 ways we prepare them:

Sautee green pepper, onion (if you like them), and fresh sliced mushrooms in olive oil. Remove them and put salted and peppered doves into the same pan and simmer them very slowly until slightly browned. Put peppers, onions and 'shrooms back in with the doves and add some worcestershire, and simmer for just a few minutes. Before doves are fully ready, add 1/2 cup Blue Nun wine and cover for maybe four minutes. Uncover and serve quickly.

I enjoy doves many different ways, but this is my favorite ......... I think.

SRH

Just a public service, in case some of you die hard dove shooters have forgotten .......



43 days, 4 hours and 30 minutes

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SRH

Stan, I for one am ready. Ammo loaded up for the first five days shooting then it will be using the stocks on hand from last year. I always seem to load too much. Fields lined up and in great condition. Gear cleaned and gathered with everything I'll need. Bird numbers are decent for a month plus away. Rain on tract for cover and feed growth. In fact we could stand a little less rain up here to let things dry out a bit.

30 hours sooner here on the left coast Stan!

What to shoot? What to shoot? What to shoot?...Geo

Doesn't matter because I'll change my mind at the last minute anyhow!

.410, .410, .410 ...SRH

Originally Posted By: Geo. Newbern
What to shoot? What to shoot? What to shoot?...Geo

28. 28 28...

Geo that is the dilemma!

I bought a Beretta Silver Pigeon 28/.410 two barrel set on close out from Gander Mtn so I think I'm set.

.410, .410, 28, 28, 20, 16 first six days out.

.410 Late uncles Crescent which he killed everything with.
.410 Winchester 42 I just bought.
28 Winchester model 12 which was a Christmas gift at age 12.
28 Ithaca Model 37.
20 Grandfathers Ithaca Flues with 30" barrels.
16 Fox A grade my father killed his last limit with.

Ammo loaded for everything, perhaps two times as much as needed. I like to be ready. Until then I will be taking each out for a round of skeet or sporting clay. Guns need practice too.

Getting ready
410s on opening day, different shotgun every day after that
What fun, what fun
Mike

This 16 ga. AE Fox will get a workout this year on the dove fields. I finally got around to fitting a Silvers pad to it, as per factory letter, and it fits me much better now.




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SRH

You just love to rub it in, don'tcha Bob?

Just kidding ......... I'm happy for ya'.

SRH

That should be a wonderful dove gun for you. I have been shooting a Silver Pigeon II Sporting 20 on doves for 14 years. It's been South of the equator chasing them twice, , put tens of K shells through it, and I cannot think of a way to improve upon it ................. except if it were a three gauge set. I hope it is as great a gun for you as mine has been for me.

I do have a Verona (F.A.I.R.) 28/.410 LX692 with 30" barrels that fills in when I want to shoot the really small gauge stuff. I will open the season this year with it, and the .410 set in place. I finally got it shooting flat enough for me, by adding a 1/4" rib to the top of the vent rib . I did this on both sets of barrels in lieu of having the stock bent. Many of the Italian O/Us, with the exception of Beretta, shoot way too high for me ............. they're just stocked too high. When I order my new Fabbri that won't be an issue.

SRH

He ain't kidding. He posted last year's season tally on another site (don't think it was here, but it could have been) and listed the guns and bag number of birds taken. Gil

You won't catch me doing that; just not fond of being laughed at by the better shots around here!...Geo

Years ago we took a photo of a fellow who had three doves in his bag. Around him were hundreds of empties. It seems every friend of his would drop off their empties on their way out of the field. So it looked like he had shot hundreds of shells for those three birds. Framed it and gave him a copy for Christmas. It was a funny photo.

Thanks Stan. I took it to my club and shot a couple rounds of 5 stand and a couple rounds of wobble trap and I think it's going to work just fine. Only has 28" barrels and I'd much rather have 30 but this is what they had.

I've only been to Argentina once and didn't take my own guns. I'm going back in 2018 and may take my own guns this time since I know a little bit more what I'm doing.