Photo by Mark Romanack

My son Evan and I scanned the horizon and soon found a distant line of doves winging their way toward us from the south. Propelled by a gusty wind, the avian speedsters dipped and dived as they zeroed in on the sunflower patch in which we waited.

As a rite of passage, Evan was on his first upland hunt, armed with my trusty 20-gauge single-shot, which I'd handed down to him. With doves rapidly approaching, we eagerly awaited our chance to get the new hunting season started.

Soon I gave the "Take 'em!" call, and Evan and I rose to fill the air with a barrage of No. 8 shot. Unfortunately for us, we failed to knock even a single feather from the doves -- which seemed to taunt us as they flew by.

We quickly reloaded before resuming our vigil, reasoning that more lead was needed for the next flight. A short while later, after expending what amounted to a small mound of brass and only toting home six doves, we vowed to improve our shooting skills at a nearby trap range.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed my time in the field with Evan. Although doves can be downright frustrating for a young hunter to bring down, the hunting fraternity gained a new member that day.

What more can I say? Oklahoma dove season brings out the best and worst in wingshooters everywhere.

The small, acrobatic doves are native to Oklahoma and concentrate here every summer, their numbers peaking in September and early October -- providing, of course, that the first real cool snap of fall doesn't come early and send them southward.

So what does this fall hold in store for Sooner dove enthusiasts? Jeff Neal, assistant migratory bird biologist with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, believes this season will be another good one.

"The season will no doubt be controlled by the weather conditions as opening day approaches," he said. "Most of the doves that Oklahoma hunters will take the first few weeks are native doves. As the season progresses, and the weather up north gets cooler, flocks of migrating doves will pass through Oklahoma and give hunters additional opportunities."

Neal dispelled a myth that some dove hunters believe to be factual. "Most hunters believe the doves that migrate into the state from Kansas and other states are larger than our birds. But actually, those non-resident birds are larger because they are older, and ours are smaller because they are younger."

Dove hunting, which typically is enjoyed by all ages, signals summer's end and fall's approach. For all of the hunters who have been itching to take to the field and bust a few birds, the time has arrived! So break out the shotguns, don some lightweight camouflage, and find a good dove field or waterhole near you for some fast upland bird action. One piece of advice: Bring plenty of shells. Averaged nationwide, the ratio of doves bagged to shots fired is 1:7.

DOVE FACTS
Mourning doves are one of the most popular game birds in Oklahoma. They're found statewide, usually near agricultural areas where ample seeds can be found. Many even congregate around backyard bird feeders in residential areas.

According to Mike O'Meilia, ODWC migratory bird biologist, doves eat a variety of wild and crop seeds in Oklahoma such as croton, dove weed, pigweed, sunflower, maize, milo, and wheat. They also eat small amounts of gravel to help digest the grain.