Dove Hunting

[blazindorito]

Went out last Friday and Shot my limit in a little over an hour. Had a blast. They were all over the place. Didn't know which ones to shoot at. I also got 6 rabbits.


Anyone else go Dove hunting?

 

[chalet2506]

Killed a few. Too much rain down here.

 

[mofugly13]

I need to start bird hunting. There are quail, dove and pigeon where I hunt, but I've never managed to down one. A few times I've gone out to try, but those quail are so damn fast, they're into the next bush before I've even got my shotgun up. One of the guys who hunts my ranch told me, regarding quail, "If you want to hunt, shoot them in the air, if you want to eat, shoot them on the ground.

I am really going to try to go after some quail this year, but I have no clue on what to do if I manage to get them on the ground. Do you gut and pluck them, or remove the skin and feathers as a whole? I hunted squirrel once, but decided they were to much work to clean and prepare for the amount of meat you get, is this the case with the small upland birds?

Someone school me on cleaning/preparing these little guys. I hear quail are real tasty. Anyone got a good recipe?

 

[blazindorito]

They are a lot of work to clean. Quail you just pull the skin and feathers come off, just like a rabbitt. Doves you have to pluck and only meat you can really eat is the breats. I like to either fry, or grill doves. Quail also just grill them. I eat them more like appetizers when I'm watching the game or going hunting for a snack. A lot of work but a lot of fun hunting them. I don't mind because it's just another excuse to be outdoors. My dad and I have a lot of fun. My friend invited me dove hunting for my first time and I took my dad along. We borrowed one shotgun and I never got to use it on the hunt. My dad used it all day. Next day my dad and I both went and bought a remington 870 express. Since then I have upgraded but my pump 870 is the most fun to shoot. Mofugly, you just have to dove hunt. I know you would love it. A hell of a good time.

 

[mofugly13]

Yeah, I hear ya. My dad isn't into hunting anymore, and my brother lives in Oregon now, so I got no hunting partner, and birds seem like a real good hunt to have a companion. I hunt deer alone mostly, which is just fine with me, I can really get into the zone when I'm by myself. I like being able to completely alter my course and not have to let someone know, or have to meet at a certain time. Deer hunting is a really solitary thing for me. Sometime my dad will come along, drop me off at the top of a ridge, and pick me up at the bottom, or at the end of whatever gnarly trail I'm hunting, which is nice. But then I'm not free to change my course or destination depending on the circumstances. My bro was my main hunting partner for a long time until he moved to Oregon. I'll admit I really miss hunting with him even though I was frustrated a lot, he has no stealth. Hunting with him is like fishing with someone who's throwing rocks in the water all day. I still miss it though.

I have heard with doves you split them down the middle and take just the breast meat. I'll try and get on the ball and try and knock some down.