Dove birds!

kansasbrittany

kansasbrittany

Banned
I've been seeing a bunch while driving around:thumbsup: The boys and I like to pretend we're shooting them as they flush from power lines and pass over the truck/road. I've always heard hot and dry are ideal conditions for dove; my experiences from last year (hot, dry one) and this year to-date support what I've heard.

So, where will you be on September 1st? I'll hunt within 10 miles of home, in the same spot I've hunted for the past couple years. Me, my boy(s), my shootin' stick, and my hairy dog will be in the wheat stubble and sunflowers about 30 minutes before 1st light in just a few short weeks:cheers:
 
Most likely one of the area conservation department fields here in Missouri, haven't scouted them yet to see if any sunflowers made it through the summer or not. Have had many openers where it took an hour to limit out and that was with less than great shooting.

Have been buttering up the elderly farmer thats my neighbor with lots of produce out of the garden as well, he's got lots of wheat, corn, and beans within walking distance of the house, hopefully the fruits of my summer will yield well this fall.
 
Lotsa doves! Will be pond side Sep. 1 on the high plains of western Kansas. Trigger finger very itchy at this time.
 
And I just remembered I've got a 60 year old Ithaca 37 16 guage in pieces in the garage that I need to get the stock refinished on and put back together. Don't think I've ever even shot a 16 guage, but this one with a modified choke is gonna see opening day of dove season.
 
I've seen more doves locally, than the past few years. Always gets close to September 1, and a cold rain sends them south fast. This year a cold rain might be welcome!
 
I think I'm gonna try the opener this year. I think the KSU game is a 6:00, so that should allow a morning hunt if I stay local.

Like you all, I have been seeing a lot of doves this year. Kinda makes me miss Ol' Rusty though. I have never really trained Daisy to sit at heel and wait for action. Hard to say if she will enjoy it or not.:confused: I guess we will do a lil' training and see what September 1 brings...:thumbsup:
 
Sounds like a great opener. Maybe we want to get recipes for birds thast are my least on my favorite list! Ironically, I shot more of these than any other bird. Before the "patriot act", I had a concession for about two miles of double set siding of RR tracks, surrounded by crops, ponds, open country. My uncle was the Chief Engineer, hopper cars strewing wheat, constantly, doves were like sparrows. All the recipes I'm tried leave me a bloody piece of dark meat, that seems to NEVER get through oozing blood. I cure in salt water, all the things to draw out blood, eventually eat them that way. I like to try a real treat, from a great gamebird. This weather is magic for doves, unless the Iowians shoot em all now!
 
Soak the meat in brine for a day to leach out the blood. Wrap the breast half fillet along with a slice of apple with bacon and grill over charcoal. Yum yum.
 
BritChaser said:
Soak the meat in brine for a day to leach out the blood. Wrap the breast half fillet along with a slice of apple with bacon and grill over charcoal. Yum yum.
Click to expand...

We used this idea of yours last season BC and it was great!! I highly recommend trying it this way. It seems to add moisture or at least prevent the meat from drying out during the cook (the bacon obviously helps with that too). I took it one step further and put a slice of jalepeno in each wrap, but the family stuck with the apple slices and enjoyed the heck out of 'em.
 
I'm thinking I am going to be sitting in my yard selling watermelons to the car show folks at the homecoming and shooting the town birds as they fly to my pond:thumbsup:, should be a hoot:10sign:
 
kansasbrittany said:
We used this idea of yours last season BC and it was great!! I highly recommend trying it this way. It seems to add moisture or at least prevent the meat from drying out during the cook (the bacon obviously helps with that too). I took it one step further and put a slice of jalepeno in each wrap, but the family stuck with the apple slices and enjoyed the heck out of 'em.
Click to expand...

Pepper, onion, carrot, scallion . . . anything like that that will hold up over charcoal. I tried pear slices but they disintegrated. I think the sugar of the apple helps offset the metallic dark meat taste (along with the brine soaking).
 
Last edited:
O.K., is this like the carp and the board theory? where we do all kinds of manipulations with the carp, but at the end of the day, we throw the carp away, and eat the board? I get the tater tots and the kids, ( wifes and inlaws, friends), my kids only eat the national animal, chicken particles. What amazes me, I shot these birds forever, never had a real sumptious meal. All this time, this bird ONLY eats grain, no insects, or animal matter, seems like there must be a suitable recipe in rice, or something, that makes us spring to the table, rather than take the "long route home", with a bag limit. I will do some research.
 
I like to soak them for two days in salt water one day in fresh water changing often then brown them pour in two cans cream of mushroom soup two cans milk and simmer. Put that over smashed tators. My family loves it.
 
OaN. Let the breasts hang out in the fridge for a few days then pound them relatively thin and chicken fry them. Delicious, tastes like venision to me. They also make good soup, chili, and fajitas. :cheers:
 
Last edited:
Jubilee said:
I'm thinking I am going to be sitting in my yard selling watermelons to the car show folks at the homecoming and shooting the town birds as they fly to my pond:thumbsup:, should be a hoot:10sign:
Click to expand...

I have heard that some people sell more produce when they are not swinging a gun around and shooting in the air.:D
 
oldandnew said:
O.K., is this like the carp and the board theory? where we do all kinds of manipulations with the carp, but at the end of the day, we throw the carp away, and eat the board? I get the tater tots and the kids, ( wifes and inlaws, friends), my kids only eat the national animal, chicken particles. What amazes me, I shot these birds forever, never had a real sumptious meal. All this time, this bird ONLY eats grain, no insects, or animal matter, seems like there must be a suitable recipe in rice, or something, that makes us spring to the table, rather than take the "long route home", with a bag limit. I will do some research.
Click to expand...

I'm with you. I am looking forward to trying BritChaser's tip about the apple, but I have always thought that dove was, at best, "okay". I usually just bacon wrap them and eat them fresh, grilled. The bacon is good, and the dove is there too...:rolleyes:

Actually, I think I got ripped on this forum a year or two ago for saying that I probably wouldn't hunt them if there were other seasons open. Several people said that dove was their FAVORITE game bird to eat. Maybe they are drinking a lot of beer? I have no doubt that they are better cooks than I am though.

But I'll try the saltwater soak, and the apple. Maybe I can become a believer too!:D I would hunt them harder if I enjoyed eating them more, that's for sure!
 
Jubilee said:
I'm thinking I am going to be sitting in my yard selling watermelons to the car show folks at the homecoming and shooting the town birds as they fly to my pond:thumbsup:, should be a hoot:10sign:
Click to expand...

Thayer must be a tolerant place. ;)
 
I think it never fails that a couple days before Sept 1st we will have a cold snap and most of the birds move on. This year I wouldn't mind missing out on a few doves for some cooler temps that's for sure. I'm heading up to Marshall county to see if I can't miss a couple off some wheat stubble. I'll miss opening day and have to start the season on Sunday because someone scheduled a football game that day. It is a 6 o'clock start so I'll have to be up early getting primed for some K-State football. :cheers:

GO CATS!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top