Post by Woody Williams on Aug 27, 2006 13:14:45 GMT -5
Early dove hunting often fast, furious
STEVE FORD, Staff writer
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Finding doves on opening day has never been much of a problem.
Managed ground, whether public or private, offers a near guarantee of action when crops like sunflowers or millet are mowed prior to the opener, which this year is on Friday, Sept. 1.
Early season dove-hunting action tends to be fast and furious, but also short-lived.
Doves aren't the smartest birds in the animal kingdom, but even these pea brains will find a new place to fly after they've been shot at for a couple of days.
That's because most hunters don't have the discipline to let the birds rest for a day or two. They just pound on them until they're gone. Then it's time to scout up more birds or call it a season.
Evansville-area farmer Steve Miller was familar enough with that mindset that he thought some dove hunters might pay for an improved chance at the birds.
Miller gambled by plantting three plots of sunflowers in the Ohio River bottoms about eight miles west of Evansville this year with the hopes of attracting hunters willing to pay for some fast dove action.
"It's going to be $30 for day hunts or a limit (15 birds)," said Miller, 40. "If guys can put together groups of six or more, then it's $25 apiece. You wouldn't believe the doves that are using the place right now."
Miller's plan was to plant three separate plots of about six acres each, all in sunflowers. Then he recently started mowing a few rows at a time, which started pulling in the doves, which seem to be thick across the area.
"Every three days we mow a couple more rows, but most are still standing," said Miller. "That seems to be working pretty good. We'll see what happens on Friday at 11 a.m. I think opening day's going to be crazy."
But Miller isn't going to just let hunters blast away and chase the birds out. After opening weekend, he plans to hunt just Tuesday, Thursday, Sautrday and Sunday and never before 11 a.m.
"I'm hoping that will keep the birds around a lot longer," said Miller. "And then those days off should allow new birds to come in, too."
Miller said two of the fields are near a gravel road with corn on the other side, while the other field has woods on one side and beans on the other. All have power lines nearby that have been thick with birds. He might even combine some corn.
"I've put out sunflowers before, but never for the public," said Miller. "Some years the blackbirds got them and other years, there were no doves. This year everything seems about right.
"The way I'm going to do it is I'm never going to book more than 18 hunters, so it will work out to about one hunter per acre. I've already gotten some reservations in response to an ad I ran. I might have standby hunters early in the year, too."
Miller also will allow one of his fields to be used at 11 a.m. on Saturday for a youth hunt sponsored by the Posey County Chaper of the National Wild Turkey Federation. For more information on the youth hunt, call Mike Boerner at (812) 833-0752.
For more information or reservations on Miller's dove fields, call him at (812) 985-3239.
STEVE FORD, Staff writer
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Finding doves on opening day has never been much of a problem.
Managed ground, whether public or private, offers a near guarantee of action when crops like sunflowers or millet are mowed prior to the opener, which this year is on Friday, Sept. 1.
Early season dove-hunting action tends to be fast and furious, but also short-lived.
Doves aren't the smartest birds in the animal kingdom, but even these pea brains will find a new place to fly after they've been shot at for a couple of days.
That's because most hunters don't have the discipline to let the birds rest for a day or two. They just pound on them until they're gone. Then it's time to scout up more birds or call it a season.
Evansville-area farmer Steve Miller was familar enough with that mindset that he thought some dove hunters might pay for an improved chance at the birds.
Miller gambled by plantting three plots of sunflowers in the Ohio River bottoms about eight miles west of Evansville this year with the hopes of attracting hunters willing to pay for some fast dove action.
"It's going to be $30 for day hunts or a limit (15 birds)," said Miller, 40. "If guys can put together groups of six or more, then it's $25 apiece. You wouldn't believe the doves that are using the place right now."
Miller's plan was to plant three separate plots of about six acres each, all in sunflowers. Then he recently started mowing a few rows at a time, which started pulling in the doves, which seem to be thick across the area.
"Every three days we mow a couple more rows, but most are still standing," said Miller. "That seems to be working pretty good. We'll see what happens on Friday at 11 a.m. I think opening day's going to be crazy."
But Miller isn't going to just let hunters blast away and chase the birds out. After opening weekend, he plans to hunt just Tuesday, Thursday, Sautrday and Sunday and never before 11 a.m.
"I'm hoping that will keep the birds around a lot longer," said Miller. "And then those days off should allow new birds to come in, too."
Miller said two of the fields are near a gravel road with corn on the other side, while the other field has woods on one side and beans on the other. All have power lines nearby that have been thick with birds. He might even combine some corn.
"I've put out sunflowers before, but never for the public," said Miller. "Some years the blackbirds got them and other years, there were no doves. This year everything seems about right.
"The way I'm going to do it is I'm never going to book more than 18 hunters, so it will work out to about one hunter per acre. I've already gotten some reservations in response to an ad I ran. I might have standby hunters early in the year, too."
Miller also will allow one of his fields to be used at 11 a.m. on Saturday for a youth hunt sponsored by the Posey County Chaper of the National Wild Turkey Federation. For more information on the youth hunt, call Mike Boerner at (812) 833-0752.
For more information or reservations on Miller's dove fields, call him at (812) 985-3239.
