This years dove crop is insane. I'm driving through Corpus right now and they're flying the fields thicker than I've ever seen them. I sat out on a recently grubbed land development site off Saratoga Blvd for about 30 minutes earlier and bet I had close to a thousand birds fly over me. Hope they make it up our way, we could be in for a really special season!
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Dove numbers
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Last: 1 hr ago by TheMemeGuy
And I've seen 2 covey of quail just driving down fm 665.
I feel like I've been seeing dove at our place in northeast Callahan county all year but especially the last month or so.
Spoke to two guys from Hondo who lease hunting land and they said not many birds this year, said last three years on NW side of 90/173 have been real slow. Bummer. Sounds like need to head south…
Most places haven't started shredding fields.
That happens soon, and will change the bird numbers. In mass.
That happens soon, and will change the bird numbers. In mass.
They have moved in thick in NW Houston.
TXPW usually has a press release with their population survey in mid August, I'll be curious to see what their numbers show. Anecdotally, the last two years of hunting have been some of the best in a long time for me in Burleson County. And while that matches up with TXPW showing increasing population numbers, I know of people who havent had great hunts around us. Just got to be in the right spot I guess.
I'd say I've seen a normal amount of birds so far, but no matter what, I'll be out there opening day. One of my favorite days of the year, and I always look forward to it.
I'd say I've seen a normal amount of birds so far, but no matter what, I'll be out there opening day. One of my favorite days of the year, and I always look forward to it.
For most Texans, dove season starts this year on a holiday, Monday, Sep 1, Labor Day.
Should increase the number of hunters out and about, which often helps on seeing birds.
Should increase the number of hunters out and about, which often helps on seeing birds.
NRA Life
TSRA Life
TSRA Life
those birds will disappear the night before the South Zone opens!
It's always hit or miss. Some years insane, some years the birds are thick a few weeks before the season, then nothing; then they come back a few weeks later.
It's always hit or miss. Some years insane, some years the birds are thick a few weeks before the season, then nothing; then they come back a few weeks later.
What do you boys want for breakfast BBQ ?.....OK Chili.
Numbers are thick in Coleman county until a huge thunder storm comes through opening weekend and wipes them out. 2 years in a row. Fingers crossed we catch a dry opener and 1-2 week prior this year.
Howdy, if ya went by Aransas Co. (4th smallest in Texas) you would have to say the state will be totally OVERRUN with Dove, they be everywhere here in Rockport!!!!
Gig'em, Ole Army Class of '70
Yes they have! Might be a great year for our groups in Waller area.
Reel Aggies said:
Spoke to two guys from Hondo who lease hunting land and they said not many birds this year, said last three years on NW side of 90/173 have been real slow. Bummer. Sounds like need to head south…
We hunt around Uvalde/Sabinal every year and the last 2 years were great, but 3 years ago was pretty thin.
Noticed a good number yesterday. Lots of big, long tailed dove so hopefully there's a new hatch coming soon also.
DUman08 said:
Yes they have! Might be a great year for our groups in Waller area.
Sure hoping that is the case! Noticed a ton more all around the area.
That's a good many birds!
Excited to sit on (ok game wardens, "next to") my tailgate and watch opening morning birds work the mojo
Excited to sit on (ok game wardens, "next to") my tailgate and watch opening morning birds work the mojo
We dove hunt all four of our family ranches ( Falls, Milam, Coleman and Menard counties).
By far we kill the most doves in Coleman and Menard counties.
For the last 3 years our group of 15 hunters nearly limits out (about 80 to 90%) in Menard county.
That's everyday over a 3 day hunt.
We kill our biggest mature deer during the peak rut in Falls & Milam counties.
Most of them in the middle of large farm fields.
By far we kill the most doves in Coleman and Menard counties.
For the last 3 years our group of 15 hunters nearly limits out (about 80 to 90%) in Menard county.
That's everyday over a 3 day hunt.
We kill our biggest mature deer during the peak rut in Falls & Milam counties.
Most of them in the middle of large farm fields.
Lotttttta good wing shooting in Coleman county
TikkaShooter said:
Lotttttta good wing shooting in Coleman county
Hellz to the yesssss! We border Coleman/Runnels. Tanks all holding good water as well.
I have been so busy saltwater fishing and prepping to put on a CCA banquet next week, that I haven't had any time to do any scouting around my place. I need to rebuild a fence crossover soon, so I need to get out there and take a freshwater rod and do my scouting while casting for largemouth in the tank. Maybe this weekend I will roll that way.
Class of '93 - proud Dad of a '22 grad and a '26 student!
Mowed strips in our sunflower field last weekend. Will update with numbers. Average number of birds while mowing. Hopefully more find it.
Anybody have any good recipes or plays on the usual?
I love me some dove fajitas. Soak breasts (off the bone) in beer, lemon juice, and a generous amount of fajita seasoning of your choice. Cook in hot cast iron skillet, on a Blackstone, or grill on a pan/sheet that keeps them from falling through the grates. Serve with Mexican rice, flour tortillas, and salsa.
Be Yonder said:
Anybody have any good recipes or plays on the usual?
we quit deep frying probably 25 years ago but tried it again last year. i brined them first then fried them uo. i decided i prefer that way over bacon, jap and cream cheese.
Saw a recipe for dove breasts and dumplings instead of chicken and dumplings. Thought that would be worth a try.
We pick the birds and pressure cook them in chicken broth. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Serve over rice. All time favorite meal.
We also cook squirrel the same way
We also cook squirrel the same way
aggiebrad16 said:
We pick the birds and pressure cook them in chicken broth. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Serve over rice. All time favorite meal.
We also cook squirrel the same way
What does "pick the birds" mean. I'm intrigued, but I need a process breakdown.
Instead of pulling the breast out like most people do, we cut the head, feet, and wings off. Then "pick" the feathers off the dove. We then take a shear and cut down its back and pull the guts out.
The finished product looks like a whole chicken you'd buy at the store, just dove sized!
This leaves the skin on the bird which has all the flavor in my opinion, and some more meat to eat.
The finished product looks like a whole chicken you'd buy at the store, just dove sized!
This leaves the skin on the bird which has all the flavor in my opinion, and some more meat to eat.
do you have burn off pin feathers or do they pick clean when you pluck?aggiebrad16 said:
Instead of pulling the breast out like most people do, we cut the head, feet, and wings off. Then "pick" the feathers off the dove. We then take a shear and cut down its back and pull the guts out.
The finished product looks like a whole chicken you'd buy at the store, just dove sized!
This leaves the skin on the bird which has all the flavor in my opinion, and some more meat to eat.
They pick clean! Younger dove tend to have stronger pin feathers but they pull out just fine. You don't have to singe feathers on dove like you would if you picked a duck.
aggiebrad16 said:
Instead of pulling the breast out like most people do, we cut the head, feet, and wings off. Then "pick" the feathers off the dove. We then take a shear and cut down its back and pull the guts out.
The finished product looks like a whole chicken you'd buy at the store, just dove sized!
This leaves the skin on the bird which has all the flavor in my opinion, and some more meat to eat.
That's the way my grandfather taught me to clean them. They are pretty good battered and fried that way as well. Skin keeps them from drying out.
Here is a delicious recipe for something like that
https://www.themeateater.com/wild-and-whole/wild-recipes/dove-with-citrus-glaze-recipe
https://www.themeateater.com/watch/cooking-game-fried-whole-dove
https://www.themeateater.com/wild-and-whole/wild-recipes/dove-with-citrus-glaze-recipe
https://www.themeateater.com/watch/cooking-game-fried-whole-dove
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