Went to Yuma over the weekend for my first dove hunt in 30 years. I have buddy that lives there, and we planned this a couple months back. I couldn’t make the opener, and the weekend following the opener, he had to be in Texas for a wedding.
Nuts and bolts:
I left my house at midnight, made a quick stop for groceries and gas, and straight on to Yuma. I arrived about 4:20 am, transferred my gear to his truck, and off we went.
We got to the fields about 4:45 or so and neither of us he’d much idea of the area or the birds. At grey light, we decide to sit at the field we parked at with little action happening the time we sat there. We saw birds flying in other fields and decided to go for a walk. That turned out to be the better decision.
On our walk we encountered a lot more birds, and most would take flight before shot range, but we did manage to waste a good amount of rounds. I did manage two birds (scotch doubles) for the morning hunt. We left the fields around 10am, and went in to town for a quick trip to sportsman’s for a few needed supplies, and got lunch on the way back to his house. After lunch a nap was desperately needed. Slept till about four pm and went back out to the fields. We parked on the road, and hiked to the further fields where we encountered more birds earlier. Our shots were terrible, but we both managed a couple to take home.
Sunday:
We went back to the same spot at about 5am, and hunkered into the flood gates along the canal. This offered us some cover, and our success was much better. The morning hunt provided us both with nine birds each, except I did lose one in the field. I searched for it for at least a half hour and decided the hawks need to eat too. Sorry to that dove left wounded.
it was a great morning, and we came back in the afternoon around 5:00 with the same plan. We managed another five birds, and plenty missed as neither of us got an afternoon nap prior to going back out.
With all the smoke from California’s fires, the temperatures were bearable, low 70’s in the morning and only reaching 100 in the afternoon. We both had a great time, and can’t wait for fall season when we have the option to take quail as well (we saw them too).
this isn’t all of the birds, but I tried for the classic tailgate pic.
I love Arizona, and can’t wait to call it home!
Nuts and bolts:
I left my house at midnight, made a quick stop for groceries and gas, and straight on to Yuma. I arrived about 4:20 am, transferred my gear to his truck, and off we went.
We got to the fields about 4:45 or so and neither of us he’d much idea of the area or the birds. At grey light, we decide to sit at the field we parked at with little action happening the time we sat there. We saw birds flying in other fields and decided to go for a walk. That turned out to be the better decision.
On our walk we encountered a lot more birds, and most would take flight before shot range, but we did manage to waste a good amount of rounds. I did manage two birds (scotch doubles) for the morning hunt. We left the fields around 10am, and went in to town for a quick trip to sportsman’s for a few needed supplies, and got lunch on the way back to his house. After lunch a nap was desperately needed. Slept till about four pm and went back out to the fields. We parked on the road, and hiked to the further fields where we encountered more birds earlier. Our shots were terrible, but we both managed a couple to take home.
Sunday:
We went back to the same spot at about 5am, and hunkered into the flood gates along the canal. This offered us some cover, and our success was much better. The morning hunt provided us both with nine birds each, except I did lose one in the field. I searched for it for at least a half hour and decided the hawks need to eat too. Sorry to that dove left wounded.
it was a great morning, and we came back in the afternoon around 5:00 with the same plan. We managed another five birds, and plenty missed as neither of us got an afternoon nap prior to going back out.
With all the smoke from California’s fires, the temperatures were bearable, low 70’s in the morning and only reaching 100 in the afternoon. We both had a great time, and can’t wait for fall season when we have the option to take quail as well (we saw them too).
this isn’t all of the birds, but I tried for the classic tailgate pic.
I love Arizona, and can’t wait to call it home!
