Dove opener good for some, others scratching their heads
Story by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News
This story originally appeared in the Sept. 9 issue.
The opener of dove season didn’t pan out as expected for many hunters. Season previews suggested looking for water, but in much of the state, water came naturally before (and after) Sept. 1.
The rains caused birds to scatter and move, as usual. For some, the birds came into their hunting areas. For others, they left.
“They were coming into the pond to water, but now they can drink anywhere,” said bronco71 on the Texas Hunting Forum.
Excellent reports came from the Panhandle, especially near Lubbock. At Dust Devil Outfitters, a large group of hunters in a milo field managed 350 birds.
Red Eye Outfitters, also in Lubbock, reported a good start to the season as well.
Near Wichita Falls, Joe Spurgin said there were plenty of whitewings to keep hunters busy.
“We finished up in time for breakfast,” he said.
Comanche County missed out on the heavy rains, but got a few inches before the opener, causing the bird that were around to leave. Hunters bided time shooting skeet in the shade.
Reports from Haskell area hunters and outfitters indicated more birds moved into the area after the rains and cool front. Outfitter Justin Hill said his bird numbers were on the rise, and Guy on the Texas Hunting Forum shared photos of his limit claiming he “scratched out” on opening morning.
“Just trying to stay out of the mud,” he said.
To the south and east near Throckmorton, the birds left one of the popular fields just before opening day. A few days earlier, more than 1,000 birds were hitting the wheat field. Then they were gone.
Paul Thornburn said his three friends shot limits by 7:30 opening morning near Sealy, and he did “pretty well” the next day.
Strobes posted that he hunted public land near DFW and said the “birds were outnumbered by the hunters.”
“Three times birds were in range for me, and other hunters said they did not fire a single shot.”
Some hunters brought in birds with nubs for feet, surviving more than a year after the Feb. 2021 freeze event.
