Last September, I was a guest of Ducks Unlimited and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation at a writer’s camp at Hackberry Flats in Frederick. The informative event showcased arguably the state’s premier wetland area, and was punctuated with morning teal hunts on the premium area.

The morning before we arrived, several limits of both blue-winged and green-winged teal were taken by DU personnel in short order. As luck would have it, a cool snap moved many of the teal south, offering us few chances at the avian acrobats.

Our day was spent in meetings with biologists bemoaning the grim conditions of the Central Flyway before adjourning for a late-afternoon dove shoot on nearby fields.

DU Regional Director Larry Kramer took Steve Marosovich and me just a couple of miles away where we all took positions around a well-used dove field. For nearly three hours, doves came in singles, pairs, and bunches of as many as 15. The shooting was intense, and soon I amassed a pile of doves nearing a limit, though the area near my feet was ankle-deep in spent shells.

A few miles away on another field, another group of writers and DU “brass” blasted away, as they, too, were besieged by gray ghosts. The distant booming of their shotguns told me their hunting was stellar as well.

Being careful to stay within our limits, our group of hunters met that evening and what we found was truly amazing. Everyone had been a party to plenty of shooting, and our game vests revealed we had taken three species of doves — mourning, Eurasian (collared) and white-wing.

Never before had I taken any other doves than mourning doves, but this bag limit was much different. I was met with mixed reactions when I later mentioned this anomaly to friends, but some hunters had experienced the same mixed bag.

Maybe I’m sticking my neck out a bit, but I believe the dove shooting in our state is as good, or better, than I have ever experienced! It’s true: Doves are one of the toughest wingshooting challenges out there. If you’ve never sat on a stool near a well-used pond, or taken a stand near a sunflower or milo field, then you owe it to yourself to see what you’ve been missing.

So, don some lightweight camouflage, bring along a stool, and don’t forget to bring plenty of shells. The action will be intense if you find the right spot. You will have your pick of some of the state’s best public hunting areas, and I’ll include a few outfitters that offer day hunts. So, kick back and read up on everything you need to know, before pursuing Oklahoma doves this fall.

DOVE FACTS
Although the Sooner State has three species of doves, mourning doves are by far the most common, being found statewide. The mourners prefer agricultural areas where a variety of seeds can be found.

According to Josh Richardson, migratory bird biologist with the ODWC, we are now seeing more Eurasian doves in the state, but they have a penchant for urban areas. Though white-wing doves can appear anywhere, they are mainly confined to the extreme southwestern part of our state.

Doves eat a variety of crops, such as croton (aka dove weed), pigweed, sunflower, maize, milo and wheat. When you’re looking for a hunting spot, keep in mind that the birds also eat small amounts of gravel, which is retained in their crops and is necessary for them to digest grain.