Another try at Doves

After a short week in Iowa City, ( that felt like a month) for a paver job,

Yesterday, I was able to pull myself together enough to take another shot at doves this season. This time Nick was in Western Iowa with Ethan, and he got me permission to hunt the same field again.

It ended up being my buddy Ned Parker, and another friend Aaron Steffen accompanying me for the morning's hunt. I had told them about our previous hunt out of this field but warned them that this particular morning may be a little slower.
It was almost 40 minutes before we even saw a bird. We were able to finally pull down one. Another flurry came through and we pulled down one or two. A lot more singles and pairs this go around. Finally a flock pulled a loop around Aaron and he let them come around to us. I think we unloaded our guns to have Ned harvest his first true single dove. Had it not been for Mocha, we would have never found that bird in the weedy standing corn. Aaron had only fired a shot after an hour. I sent him to the hayfield with his mojo and pup. I knew he wouldn't mind and would probably stir up some birds in the process.

This proved vital to our success. Ned and I did all kinds of shooting after Aaron stirred up the pot. This was Ned's first dove hunt and he had some difficulties with the little feathered rockets. With that in mind so did I. We each had a small pile of birds and decided to walk around like last time. No birds down and more shots fired.
We pulled a loop and met up with Aaron. He had 11 doves and a bonus pigeon he folded earlier. We walked the remaining loop and decided to call it a day. Before we even got back to our spot Aaron had two more while walking back to the Blazer.

Ned and I counted our birds with Ned's 4 and my 5. Low numbers for two boxes of shells each...
Nevertheless it was an enjoyable morning.

We decided with Aaron's 13 and our 9 we had to complete at least Aaron's limit. We would do this via the grave roads. Iowa law dictates as long as you don't slues them off of the telephone wire, it is legal. We drove all of a quarter mile and Aaron lays on the gas...
Three doves were on the road.

Only two got away.

That makes 14.

We drove a couple miles with the only doves being adjacent to a house. At a farm about 4 miles North of where we started, another flock sat in the road.

Five on the road.

Four fly away.

Again we back up and pick up yet another bird.

That's 15 for Aaron without two shots fired.
I asked that we at least make ten for our birds. I borrowed Ned's gun as we stopped for a slow bird on the wire. Pasted him.
We let Ned try his luck at a few more but that didn't pan out so we called it a day. It turned out to be a productive day with 25 doves and a bonus pigeon.
That evening we enjoyed the fruits of our labor at Aaron's place with cream cheese bacon wrapped dove baked in butter.

With all of this working in the heat, and getting up early I am used and abused. The allergies are killing me and I am weary. Hopefully this abates soon.


Stay tuned