WaterfowlForum.Net

Fronts have rolled early and often this year and it’s been great. Been up at the farm several mornings at daylight training June and enjoying the cooler temps.

9/6/25 Opening day of dove season. Afternoon from 3-5. 90 degrees with (thankfully) mostly cloudy skies. “Triangle field” as we call it. About an acre and a half we burned 2 weeks ago. Came up in volunteer brown top and barnyard grass after a spring application of roundup.

3 hunters, Dad with a friend of his, and me with June. My kids Beau and Anne Holloway both declined the invitation when I let it slip it was going to be 90 degrees. Said they’d catch a morning hunt.

Most doves I can remember us having in the 30 years we’ve had the place, which relatively isn’t a lot but it’s a lot for us.

I picked up my 15th dove about 430 right as the wind kicked up from outflows off a thunderhead that passed to the north. Made for some sporty shots for the guys still shooting. I think one picked up 6 and the other 8 but it wasn’t for lack of opportunity. Good time was had by all regardless.

I about wore poor June out looking for several doves that fell in tall ragweed and partridge peas. I wouldn’t have found half the birds I shot had it not been for her. Wife bought a little 20v dewalt fan during Beau’s baseball season this summer and it was June’s saving grace yesterday.

Duck Engr wrote:Wife bought a little 20v dewalt fan during Beau’s baseball season this summer and it was June’s saving grace yesterday.

Soon as I read you took her on a 90-degree afternoon, I thought "Poor little wooly dog." Nice to see you had her covered.

Nice hunt. I miss dove hunting. All of the places I had to hunt doves in years past are long gone.

Congrats on a good dove hunt! Those little 20v fans sure help when the heat hits our "miserable temps". I had a neighbor buy me one last year, after seeing me upon return from a crabbing trip. The Bimini top on my boat is only good for minimal relief when there is no wind, and that fan makes it somewhat tolerable.

9/14/25

Daylight dove shoot on triangle field.

3 hunters with Beau observing and spotting doves. He has a very sharp eye and is quickly becoming an asset afield instead of a hindrance.

A very pleasant 57 degrees at daylight with just a breath of light and variable wind.

Wasn’t as many doves as the first weekend but still plenty of birds around. Shooting time was 6 am and we had not fired a shot by 630. Action picked up in the 7 o’clock hour. Decided to pack it up around 8 with 34 doves total. Don’t know what got into me, but I shot uncharacteristically well. Killed 14 with a little less than a box of shells. Even had my buddy across the field chirping that I must be letting Beau shoot to be hitting more than I’ve missed.

June had a good morning. She’s progressing with each hunt. Found several in the thick partridge peas that I’d have missed completely. Had a little indiscretion chomping a bird she found for my buddy at the very end as we were packing up. Had a stern talk with her and hopefully have that straightened out going forward.

On the way out Beau decided he wanted to shoot his little Rossi Tuffy .410 at a target. Gun is so light it kicks more than a .410 usually would but he handled it fairly well. He was proud he hit the target.

Duck Engr wrote: He has a very sharp eye and is quickly becoming an asset afield instead of a hindrance.

Have seen that with my own son as well, nice hunt !

I betting you told your buddy how well June was doing just before her hiccup.

Rick wrote:I betting you told your buddy how well June was doing just before her hiccup.

Ha! It wasn’t me. It was my dad. He walked up and mentioned how good he’d seen her doing.

Darren wrote:

Duck Engr wrote: He has a very sharp eye and is quickly becoming an asset afield instead of a hindrance.

Have seen that with my own son as well, nice hunt !

That’s been a lot of fun to watch and will be helpful in the coming years as I bring along his two younger siblings.