TN Whitetail Freak
Well-Known Member
How long before a shot dove field become decent again...dove disappear after opening weekend...how long does it take before field is shootable again or is it a one and done thing
RE SHOOTING A DOVE FIELD
- Thread starter TN Whitetail Freak
- Start date
All depends on how the field was shot and weather.
If everyone got n and got out and allowed some birds to feed, then you could hunt it the next day. If you shot it till dark and hammer'ed all day, then I'd give it at least a week.
Or a cold front could come in and push birds out. Give it a week or so and birds should be back.
All this is dependent on if there's still food available.
If everyone got n and got out and allowed some birds to feed, then you could hunt it the next day. If you shot it till dark and hammer'ed all day, then I'd give it at least a week.
Or a cold front could come in and push birds out. Give it a week or so and birds should be back.
All this is dependent on if there's still food available.
A corn/silage field won't draw birds after a week to 10 days usually. After a rain or two any grain remaining goes bad I guess. Sown wheat germinates and starts coming up.
Now, if you had sunflowers, etc., and can bushhog more down, then I guess it could draw birds for a good while.
I'm not sure if any birds have started migrating yet.
Now, if you had sunflowers, etc., and can bushhog more down, then I guess it could draw birds for a good while.
I'm not sure if any birds have started migrating yet.
mjwendorf
Well-Known Member
Guess it really depends on the field and how many birds are around. Also depends on what other fields around and the amount of food available.
The field I have been hunting has been a good one this year. Had a 10 bird avg opening day, 8 guns then did about the same that sun. I also hunted it on afternoon between that and killed 12. Hunted it again yesterday and saw a lot of birds. Had several good groups fly in. One with at least 30 birds in it. 3 of us hunting and we all limited out. I went back this morning and shot my limit in an hour.
The field I have been hunting has been a good one this year. Had a 10 bird avg opening day, 8 guns then did about the same that sun. I also hunted it on afternoon between that and killed 12. Hunted it again yesterday and saw a lot of birds. Had several good groups fly in. One with at least 30 birds in it. 3 of us hunting and we all limited out. I went back this morning and shot my limit in an hour.
mjwendorf":u6of12el said:
Nice! What are they feeding on?
mjwendorf
Well-Known Member
PalsPal there feeding on 2 acres of sunflowers and winter wheat.
MidTennFisher
Well-Known Member
If you're referring to the TWRA fields I'm fairly certain they do nothing to the fields after opening day to attract birds. They don't disc the ground, plant anything else, etc. so after the first couple weeks, all the food is gone and so are the birds.
nick2720
Well-Known Member
Doves are a migratory bird ..... when it gets cool it might push out local doves but new ones will migrate down . Also every dove field I know gets loaded in nov Dec and January but most people don't hunt them bc deer and duck is open . The twra fields iv been to are loaded with sunflower seeds still
TN Whitetail Freak
Well-Known Member
the fields im referrring to are TWRA sunflower fields this particular field has very little sign of hunters....hunted there this morning and seen 2 birds hunted last week seen 0 hunted there 3 days after opener and seen 2 birds.....so either birds arent using it or this field is no productive....unfortunately i didnt scout it before season opener to compare bird activity
Tn, been seeing the same thing at the twra fields I have been hunting regularly. Went out opening day and only 10 birds appeared on that one. Since then, I have been out 8 times to this field and 3 others and have only seen 1-2 birds each time. Plenty of food on the ground, but they just aren't there. Been looking at the surrounding fields with no signs. There are plenty of cut corn and milo fields and no birds. Hoping that a change in weather patterns bring in some fresh fliers.
Headhunter
Well-Known Member
If you can coordinate this, the way to hunt a field (provided it is one a lot of birds are using) is shoot it only in the evenings, NEVER in the morning. When shooting in the evenings, shut it down about 5 to 5:30. Only shoot it 2 to 3 times a week. Doing this I have had a couple of fields we limited out on for 7 or 8 hunts in the first season and had all the birds we wanted to shoot at each hunt.
