KILGORE’S CORNER

With temperatures hot enough to cook bacon and eggs on a car hood, the weathermen have promised a bit cooler temperatures just in time for dove season which opens statewide September 1st. For those looking forward to a productive dove season, now is the time to begin scouting one of our state‚s most popular migratory birds..

The ODWC office said that northeastern Oklahoma counties have not seen large numbers of doves but that the corn harvest should start and that would help concentrate any local birds in the area. The cooler weather has started midweek and that may also help with migration of doves.

Wildlife biologist for Camp Gruber and Cherokee Wildlife Area Brent Morgan added that that as dry as it has been, water sources may be the key for early in the season. They will have some fields disked and others planted by the season opener. Morgan said, “With the cold front, I‚m hoping some birds will push down.”

J.D. Ridge, senior wildlife biologist over the northeast region, said, “In my area over the years, a lot of traditional farming has gone by the wayside so the cornfields and wheat stubble areas have declined, things that have drawn birds to the area in the past.”

Dove season runs Sept. 1 through Oct. 31 and then again from Dec. 1 through Dec. 29.

Some interesting history I like to cover each fall is the fact that mourning doves or “gray rockets” are found statewide and have been clocked at speeds up to 55 miles per hour. Mourning doves are quick and maneuverable while in flight and can escape most predators. A streamlined, plump, migratory bird with a small head and weighs a little more than four ounces, on average, has a long, pointed tail with a brownish back that is flecked with black spots and the breast is tan to light rose. The white-edged tail feathers are visible when it spreads its tail with light red to light purple feet and legs. The mourning dove gets its name from its low, moaning “coo-ooo-ooo” sound it makes.

Doves prefer to eat on bare ground because their legs are not strong enough to scratch through litter nor their bodies long enough to clear most obstacles. The birds typically like a shallow pond with a clean, open shore — one without grass and a bank with no erosion for easy walking. Breeding from late March to September, we have a resident population of doves in Oklahoma but a majority of birds migrate down from Canada through the Sooner state down into Mexico.

Start the scouting process by checking out traditional areas where you‚ve seen or hunted doves in the past. Pay attention to the direction from which birds are coming and what their travel route is. Scouting is best done from daylight until about 10 a.m. or in the evening after about 4 p.m. until sunset. Early cool fronts and rains often change dove use patterns so scouting the week before the season is best to confirm the doves you located two weeks ago are still using the same area.

Dove hunting is always better with warm dry weather. Farmers will sometimes plant wheat, corn, millet or sunflowers to attract birds. Often, doves will fly along tree lines when entering a field. This is where hunters should set up. Most sportsmen know, as with any hunting ground, some places are great, some middle of the road, and many that are just so-so.

Unlike most other types of hunting, more hunters on a field can be a good thing. Dove season is a great way to introduce a youngster to the world of hunting and a break from the computer and today‚s social media environment. Getting a youngster involved on a redhot field will provide endless hours of enjoyment. Using the right shotgun can make a huge difference with a youngster, perhaps a 410 or 20 gauge shotgun using 7 to 7 1/2 shot. It‚s often much easier to get permission from a landowner to dove hunt than to get permission for other types of hunting. A couple of things you must have are a plugged shotgun and an HIP permit.

Years ago, a friend of mine had on a pair of sunglasses and looked up just in time to see a guy swing through on a bird. It broke the lens out of his glasses and had pellets stuck just under the skin on his neck. The guy had slipped in unannounced and left the scene without checking on my friend‚s wounds. Those kinds of things give me the creeps. As with all hunting, safety in the field must be Priority One to ensure everyone comes home safe and sound.

Check regulations for the specifics. Get out, scout, and above all, think safety – including wearing eye protection.

Reach John Kilgore at jkilgoreoutdoors@yahoo.com.