Dove season opens Monday...this is where I'll be

[roundball]

As I drove slowly along under the lines, Doves kept flying off ahead of me”¦decided to stop and “take a couple shots””¦think I’ll set up here first thing Monday morning.

 

[roundball]

Forgot to mention...planning to use my .62cal Early Virginia smoothbore. Will get the gear pulled together and loaded tomorrow, then be there and set up on that field 30 minutes before sunrise. Might not have a single one come in range, but for sure I won't have any in range here at the house.

 

[Roguedog]

Good luck and let us know how the hunt goes. Sounds like a lot of fun!

Jeff

 

[wattlebuster]

BBQ dove :hmm: mmmmm Good luck RB

 

[Vaino]

Always wondered how dove tastes....not that many here so never hunted them. Seeing they're one of the "swiftest" birds, the breast must be all muscle...don't like tough meat. I'm awonderin' if the shooting is better than the "eats"?.....Fred

 

[Dave K]

I will admit, I do love hunting them more than eating them, but I will never waste them. I am sure there is a recipe that will bring the best flavor out of them. I have tried wrapping them in bacon with water chestnuts on a stick over a grill, this is the best I have found so far.But, it is still only fair eating. Got to be a marinade or something that really makes them mouth watering. The way we make them, it still taste like liver. I don't care for liver. Sorry, I should start a new thread.

 

[roundball]

I don't eat Doves, I just like to hunt and try to get after the doves a couple times to get the fall season jump started.
There's a needy family out in the country-side near where I hunt and she gets everything I manage to take...doves, deer, squirrel, turkey...win-win for everybody.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Always wondered how dove tastes....

I always thought they tasted a little liverish and lord are they tough; at least the way I cook them. I surely like shooting them though.

 

[Loxahatchee]

Dove hunting is a blast. And, to me, are as good eatin as duck. We cook both birds the same way- wrap each breast half in bacon with a pepper inside the wrap, and skewer it with a skewer. Then grill it. I think my dad usually marinades the breast meat in some Mojo marinade. Dove and duck never lasts long in my house :wink:

 

[roundball]

"...think I’ll set up here first thing Monday morning..."

Thunderstorms been hammering for a couple hours now and continuing through the night...supposed to be an absolute steam bath Monday and Tuesday. Then the front is gone, temps will drop 10-12 degrees.
Starting to have second thoughts about tomorrow morning vs. waiting 48 hours and going Wednesday morning with a great weather forecast... :hmm:

 

[roundball]

I came ahead in spite of the weather.
Amazing all those doves Sat., probably haven't seen 10 birds since first light...took a couple long shots and missed them both.
I'll pack it in at noon but at least I got the fall seasons kicked off OK

 

[Vaino]

Bacon will cover up "some sins of taste" and that's why I never use it because the meat ends up tasting like bacon.

For years while ruffed grouse hunting, we'd shoot a lot of woodcock over the dogs' points and although the grouse breasts were treasured, the woodcocks were given away.

One year in a low cycle for grouse, we shot a lot of woodcock and I got to thinking...let's eat some of "those things". What a pleasant surprise! Although they did have a slight liver taste, the olive oil, garlic, onions, seasoning and a very hot skillet surely did produce a mouth watering meal. None were given away after that.

Only jump shot ducks, but one gray afternoon heard a whole buch of mallards quacking in some low land flooded by a beaver dam. Sat awhile and finally went to my Dad and told him to get ready because I was going to fire a couple of shots in an attempt to get them airborn. Fired 2 shots and only one green head mallard came our way and I downed it. Didn't quite know where it came down so removed my boots and waded in the near freezing November water to no avail. My Dad in the meantime found the bird on dry land.

My Dad was a gourmet cook and we really looked forward to a nice, plump mallard for supper....on the spot where it landed, corn kernels came from it's crop.

Well...the duck was done and ready for eating and what a disappointment.....this bird was inedible. Now I never ate wild duck before, having given them away but if there ever was a case for bacon strips, this was probably the time.

Took the duck out to Spot our birddog, he sniffed at it a couple of times, lifted his leg and told us what he thought of our "offering".

So...I guess bacon does have it's place in cooking, afterall.....Fred