late season dove hunting

[YoungBuckTX]

I've heard talks about good late season hunts, but have yet to see one.

This is our third season planting corn and flowers on 13 acres. Prior to that it was harvested corn, and doves were thick after cutting only. Now we have birds for 3-4 weeks, but I would really like to kill some later in the year. A family shoot on Thanksgiving would be really cool.

The field is surrounded with good loafing trees, access to water and grit. A powerline runs 2/3's around the field, and I have fenced it in to keep the deer out.

Last season I left corn standing and cut a strip every week or two. I also tried a couple hundred pounds of winter wheat. Neither have kept more than 2-3 dozen birds around.

Are late season doves still a thing? Here and gone the next day?
What could I do different?

20210716_092858 Corn Small.jpg
20210716_103820 Flowers Small.jpg

[YoungBuckTX]

What about a late summer sunflower planting? Have them blooming in October?

[dubs]

One thing we have learned.... Its hard to compete when you are doing things right and fields around you are baiting like its going out of style.

Just interested to know, have you ever looked on Google Earth to see what kind of competition you are dealing with in your area? Know anyone in your area that hammers them in the late season?

[Avery1213]

I've heard talks about good late season hunts, but have yet to see one.

This is our third season planting corn and flowers on 13 acres. Prior to that it was harvested corn, and doves were thick after cutting only. Now we have birds for 3-4 weeks, but I would really like to kill some later in the year. A family shoot on Thanksgiving would be really cool.

The field is surrounded with good loafing trees, access to water and grit. A powerline runs 2/3's around the field, and I have fenced it in to keep the deer out.

Last season I left corn standing and cut a strip every week or two. I also tried a couple hundred pounds of winter wheat. Neither have kept more than 2-3 dozen birds around.

Are late season doves still a thing? Here and gone the next day?
What could I do different?

20210716_092858 Corn Small.jpg
20210716_103820 Flowers Small.jpg

[QUOTE=YoungBuckTX;2998216]I've heard talks about good late season hunts, but have yet to see one.


I plant similar to you, 20 acres sunflowers, 4-5 acres of corn, and I let a farmer plant 35 acre in milo. Don’t ask me why but, they never seem to get in the milo after it’s combined. We shoot doves all the way through January. The last two seasons we have had some really nice late season shoots. I bush hogged 2 rows of corn at a time about every week or two depending on rain and leave all my flowers standing. We had several shoots with 500+ birds after first season. The problem we usually have is not having enough people. They land in the field and feed while we are shooting.

[BigBrother]

Top sow wheat late season.

[dubs]

That was going to be my next comment - I also see size of field playing a big role in later season shoots. Don't get me wrong - I would love to have a 13 acre field like yours but stacked up against your competition its probably average sized. Combine that with the fact that IMO, a lot of later season birds are regionally migratory, and they are going to those bigger, established fields, imprinted to some extent like a duck. That's 100% my opinion though, don't have anything other than anecdotal evidence to support.

[Fat Lab]

What about a late summer sunflower planting? Have them blooming in October?

That shouldn't have anything to do with attracting them. We've had some really good shoots late in the year. But, when you see they are there you better run home and grab the shotgun quick. They aren't going to hang around; at least not on my field. I've witnessed them move in and move out within a few hours. My field is 100 yards from my house so I have a pretty good visual of what goes on in the run of a season around there. Mid morning and mid afternoon shoots late in the year seemed to be more successful.

[Southernduck]

It doesnt make a damn how pretty your field is, if it isnt in the right spot it will be mediocre at best.

[buckpro]

What's amazing is how many birds we pickup after Jan 1 when everyone quits feeding deer.

[Avery1213]

It doesnt make a damn how pretty your field is, if it isnt in the right spot it will be mediocre at best.

Bingo.

[drwilly]

It is hard to "bank" migratory birds. Best to shoot them when you have them. That being said, having your fields right a week or two before when you want to shoot is ideal but that time of year they are migrating and can be there 1 day and not the next for no reason. sounds like you are doing everything you can do legally.

[Buckin Bronco]

It doesnt make a damn how pretty your field is, if it isnt in the right spot it will be mediocre at best.

Or if you have 10 other dove fields around you.

[Southernduck]

Or if you have 10 other dove fields around you.

That impacts it for sure but I can take you to a field that will have barn burners all year regardless of the fact that there are 6 other fields within 1 mile as the crow flies. Just like the real estate business its all about location, location, location.... If you feed them they will come does not apply to a dove field.

[Gregory]

Plant all sunflowers and DO NOT cut them. You will have plenty for late season.

[DJP]

The good late season dove hunts that I go on are always last minute. In other words, we hunt when the birds are there.

That can't be easy unless you live close to the field.

[trash2]

What's amazing is how many birds we pickup after Jan 1 when everyone quits feeding deer.

Absolutely

[Big Time]

The key that I have found to keeping birds is having a field in the same spot every year. And planting as many sunflowers as you can. I generally still have seeds in the flowers when I get ready to plant the following season. The dove seem to be imprinted on the fields and come back year after year. Then be ready to shoot when you see them. Good times!

[Duck cutter]

The good late season dove hunts that I go on are always last minute. In other words, we hunt when the birds are there.

That can't be easy unless you live close to the field.

Must have been two years ago, I was in Clemson one day for work

Got the call we had birds and I hauled tail from Clemson to Saluda only stopping at the house to grab my gun and we smoked them that afternoon on a storm system moving in

[Palmetto Bug]

I think you also stand a better chance of having a good hunt if you coordinate with other local dove clubs and shoot the same days. Otherwise after the first shot, doves will go to the fields that are idle and safe.

My luck was opposite last year. The doves ignored the sunflowers in the first two splits and showed up in moderate numbers for the third, over mowed corn.

[DRDUCK]

You got to go find them. Silage pits, soy bean fields is where we used to get um and you got to understand when they feed and the weather has alot to do with it. It's tough hunting and takes a good shot to really do any good and it don't last long as they will move quick. TRUST ME