Last Minute Mourning Dove Opener Checklist
Summer is pretty much out the door now at this point, so are you ready for mourning dove season to start? The first hunt of the season for many outdoorsman the dove opener is an annual tradition for many, but it still manages to sneak up on me every year. Here’s a last-minute checklist to make sure you have everything you need for this Saturday morning’s dove hunt. Here’s to hopefully full limits and not too many boxes of shells shot this weekend for ya’ll.
Dove Coverage on AllOutdoor:
- Apex Ammunition Adds Dove Stratified Loads in Lead and Steel
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Streamlines Duck and Dove Hunting Season Rules
- Cook your Catch – Whole Fried Dove from Public Land Hunting in Georgia
- Opening Day in Georgia – Public Land Dove Hunting
Shotgun – Last Minute Mourning Dove Opener Checklist
Ok, hopefully this is a given, but just double-checking for new dove hunters. You need a shotgun that has been plugged to hold a maximum of 2+1 shotgun shells; if your shotgun holds more than that, Mr Green Jeans will make your opener a very pricey hunt. I recommend either a 12ga or 20ga for new hunters, with 20ga for more recoil-sensitive hunters. Just be aware that 20ga shells generally cost more and can sometimes be harder to find in stores.
Shotgun Shells – Last Minute Mourning Dove Opener Checklist
The average US hunter shoots about 5 shells per dove, meaning 75 shells fired for a 15-dove limit. So unless you’re a surgeon with a shotgun, pack at least 3 boxes of shells per dove hunter. I recommend and personally use 7 1/2 lead shot; this gives you a bit more reach than an 8 while still giving you plenty of pellets to hit the dove. Though with early season hunts, 8 shells should still give you plenty of reach while giving you an even denser pellet pattern. Also check your local regulations to see if there are lead ammunition restrictions for dove hunting; as of writing this, lead shot is legal in Georgia for doves. This may not be the case in other states.
Shotgun Choke – Last Minute Mourning Dove Opener Checklist
While your shotgun choke selection will change as the dove season goes on, for the opener I recommend either a skeet choke or improved cylinder choke. Early-season birds generally fly fast and lower over the dove fields. This leads to many shots being taken within the 25-yard range, sometimes within 10 yards. These more open chokes give you a wider pattern, but you do sacrifice range. I need to reiterate, though, this is only for early season and based on my experience with my shotguns. The same choke in a different shotgun won’t pattern the same. So if you can try to pattern your gun before you hunt and see how it shoots.
Chair – Last Minute Mourning Dove Opener Checklist
While many folks may like walking and jump-shooting doves, it’s not how you will traditionally hunt the opener. With a lot of different hunters around the field, it’s not courteous or safe to walk and shoot the season opener usually. So you want to have a nice chair to sit in for the hunt; I personally use the Ozark Trail Director’s chair, it’s a cheap chair that has a side table built in. It has solid legs and is comfortable for the long sit in the dark while you wait for shooting light. Also, the side table has a slot that will hold 8 12-gauge shotgun shells if you want.
Decoys – Last Minute Mourning Dove Opener Checklist
Dove Decoys are beneficial but not as important as, say, decoys for waterfowl. The right decoy, with the right layout, in proper numbers can really pull birds away from the middle of the field towards you. A Mojo Voodoo movement decoy on a dove tree with some clip-on decoys can have the birds flying into shotgun range to see what’s going on. The movement is vital for calling in birds from far out, so other movement decoy options like Dove A Flickers can help a good bit as well.
Cooler – Last Minute Mourning Dove Opener Checklist
While many think coolers aren’t a must, I feel with these early season hunts it is hot enough to sour your doves if you leave them out in the heat. So a small cooler with an ice pack to chill your doves is a great addition to take with you. Additionally, you can also store any drinks and snacks in it as well. The cooler shown above is a Yeti Roadie 15 that easily fits 3 people’s worth of drinks, snacks, and still had plenty of space for doves.
Sunglasses – Last Minute Mourning Dove Opener Checklist
Sunglasses are a must for being out on the dove field. With most people hunting the sunrise or the sunset, you will end up looking towards the sun at least part of the day. Additionally, with any dove opener, there are a lot of folks shooting up across the field from you, so sunglasses act as eye protection from the falling pellets. You don’t need to go out and get new glasses either; I just wear my Costa Rincon IIs that I usually wear for fishing.
Camo Mesh – Last Minute Mourning Dove Opener Checklist
If you’re hunting a public land opener and use a cart to haul your gear out to the fields, get a cheap camo mesh sheet. It’s a good way to cover your cart and hide your profile from the birds flying overhead.
Snacks and Drinks – Last Minute Mourning Dove Opener Checklist
The dove opener is a hot hunt; with the summer heat still lingering, you need to pack drinks at the least. Make sure you have plenty of water and other drinks so you don’t cook yourself out there. Also, snacks are a great thing to have in the field; a great way to pass the time between the birds showing up. I honestly can’t count how many times the doves have shown up as soon as I went to take a bite out of a snack stick.
Clothing – Last Minute Mourning Dove Opener Checklist
Dress appropriately for the weather; it is still early September. The sun will be strong, and it will more than likely be hot out. Many apparel companies like Duck Camp offer lightweight long-sleeve camo shirts that will do a great job of keeping you protected from the sun and wicking away sweat. If you don’t want to buy new camo, pick any natural-colored clothing, like tans, browns, and dark greens if you don’t want to buy camo. Avoid blues and reds, as these are highly visible to the doves.
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