Top Tips for a Better Dove Hunt

1. Scout Before You Shoot

A day or two before the season, drive the backroads or walk your fields at sunrise and sunset. Look for where doves are feeding, watering, and roosting.

Pro tip: Doves love freshly cut grain fields, harvested sunflowers, or areas near small ponds. Find the flight line — where they travel between food and water — and you’ll find the action.

2. Keep It Light

A lightweight 12- or 20-gauge shotgun with an improved cylinder or modified choke is perfect. You’ll be swinging fast all morning.

Load tip: Use #7½ or #8 shot — tight enough to hit, but forgiving when birds slip in close.

3. Dress the Part

Blend in with your surroundings. Doves have sharp eyes and flare from shiny gear or bright shirts. A camo hat and dull clothing make a big difference.

4. Stay Still and Patient

The first instinct when you spot a dove is to move — resist it. Let the bird commit. Move smoothly, mount the gun naturally, and follow through your shot.

5. Decoys and Motion

A few clip-on decoys on a fence line or tree branch can bring curious birds into range. Add a spinner or motion decoy for extra realism. Sometimes one small patch of movement can change your whole morning.

6. Mind the Sun and Wind

Position yourself with the sun at your back and the wind in your facewhen possible. Doves will approach into the wind, and the sunlight helps conceal your movement.

7. Bring Extra Shells — and a Good Attitude

You’ll miss. Everyone does. That’s part of the fun. Bring plenty of shells, keep safety first, and enjoy the rhythm of the day.