Column: Dove hunters take aim at hard target

By Jim Robey
Dayton Daily News

Thousands of Ohio hunters have been spending time at state dove fields since the dove season opened on Sept. 1 and many are finding this is not an easy bird to hit.

The rapid-flying game bird moves quickly over the fields in an erratic flight and poses a challenge for the hunters. Some of the more experienced shooters have admitted the bird is not an easy target.

Phil Bourjaily, a veteran sportsman writing in Peterson's Hunting Magazine, said he had a tough time trying to hit doves when he first started.

"The doves I shot at streaked by with their eyes and their throttles wide open. Experts brag about shooting a limit of doves "inside a box," taking 10, 12 or 15 doves. (One box contains 25 shells.)

"I easily bag my limit of doves 'inside a box.' Unfortunately, it was one of those big boxes that holds 10 smaller boxes," Bourjaily said.

...According to Ohio Outdoor News, about 14,300 people hunted mourning doves in Ohio last year. Collectively, the hunters bagged 284,000 birds.

This hunting challenge has become very popular in Ohio. The first few days of the season hunters lined up at state areas where dove hunting posts were awarded by a drawing.

...The split dove-hunting season runs to Oct. 14 and resumes from Nov. 10-25. The daily limit is 15.

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