FINALLY SOME DOVES WITH AN AE

[J. A. Early]

Three weeks into the season I finally found some doves. Not a normal year. Mosby and I had a great morning, shooting a Fox AE with skeet and modified. I shot this gun better than I had shot in a long time. I chose the open barrels over the modified and full set. As Dizzy Dean used to say, "It a'int bragging if you done it." 15 birds/ 20 shells in thirty minutes at daybreak

[Jeff S]

That’s a dandy picture. Beautiful gun, dead birds, and a tired dog. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing the photo.

[Researcher]

Pretty darn good!! Long ago, Jack O'Connor wrote that the national average was a Dove brought to bag for every seven shells expended and that if you were keeping it under three you were doing good.

[fox-admin]

Happy lab!! Great shooting. I sure wish we had a dove season in NY.

[Jim Cloninger]

That is fantastic! You have a good dog, Black Labs are the best.
What state are you shooting doves? The season is closed here in CA now, but will open again in November.
Jim

[J. A. Early]

Jim,

Mosby is actually a Chocolate Lab; I call him a Dark Chocolate. I'm in Virginia and we now have a long first season from the first Saturday in September until the end of October, then another one at Thanksgiving, then finally the third and best one usually starting on Christmas Eve and going until the middle of January. The last one is my favorite as I am tired of deer hunting and love to go out at daybreak in freezing weather when all of the plump male birds (the only ones that stay around) have to feed.

[vaturkey]

Great job. I miss my Va days of chasing doves. Farm we hunted for over 20 years was sold and that was that. Used to have amazing evening hunts over a waterhole. PS. How much Drop at Heel on your gun? Looks like a good bit, but sometimes my eyes deceive me.

[J. A. Early]

Great job. I miss my Va days of chasing doves. Farm we hunted for over 20 years was sold and that was that. Used to have amazing evening hunts over a waterhole. PS. How much Drop at Heel on your gun? Looks like a good bit, but sometimes my eyes deceive me.

I've never measured it but the pad added in place of the original butt plate gave me a good fit. I need the length and like extra drop. I'm fairly tall so most standard length guns don't fit well. But I take a different gun on every dove hunt and usually have to add a slip on leather pad if original. There seems to be less and less corn in Virginia now as soybeans have taken over, all of the dairy farms that used to cut silage in September have disappeared, and lots of farms have mini-mansions now covering the fields.

[Silvers]

Nice work Jubal and Mosby. How do you prepare the birds for the table? Favorite recipe?

[Researcher]

In my quarter century of shooting Doves around Mt. Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley, I never made the late season. Something else always going on, often goose hunting.

[Sporrns]

Ditto here in NOVA and adjoining MD. The first few weekends after opening day (1 SEP hereabouts) are decent, then usually overhunting by the nimrods and the onset of cool, rainy weather (like today) pushes the birds south. And as Dave mentions, "other things" sort of get in the way and take over (Rail, Grouse and early duck shooting). By this point in time I'm typically pretty much done with it for the year. Kevin

[J. A. Early]

Nice work Jubal and Mosby. How do you prepare the birds for the table? Favorite recipe?

Thanks. I filet the breast and used to use Zatarains Chicken batter but can't find it anymore. I now use Kentucky Kernel and drop the battered breasts into a deep fryer with canola oil until they float to the top. I can eat a limit if I'm hungry. To heck with counting calories.

[Silvers]

Thanks Gerald, sounds good. I haven't shot doves in many years but I'll try that recipe with grouse and pheasant breast fillets. frank

[DarylC]

Nice going Jerry. We wouldn't expect anything less of a performance with a Fox. How old is Jubal now? It's tough on a dark dog of any age in the heat of the early season. My favorite season is the second split season where you can start at daybreak, the temps are down so you are not worrying about your dog overheating. By then the larger stronger flying migratory flocks have moved in. Not many people bother with them so it's easier to get permission. Some of my really good dove fields from years past now sport McMansions and 5 acre manicured lawns.

For doves, quail, pheasants or any gamebird try soaking them in buttermilk, dredge in eggwash then seasoned flour and fry in your normal manner. I use a deep cast iron skillet with just enough good oil to cover the birds. The longer you soak them (min of 8 hrs) the more the acid of the milk has to work in tenderizing and flavoring the meat.

[J. A. Early]

Nice going Jerry. We wouldn't expect anything less of a performance with a Fox. How old is Jubal now? It's tough on a dark dog of any age in the heat of the early season. My favorite season is the second split season where you can start at daybreak, the temps are down so you are not worrying about your dog overheating. By then the larger stronger flying migratory flocks have moved in. Not many people bother with them so it's easier to get permission. Some of my really good dove fields from years past now sport McMansions and 5 acre manicured lawns.

For doves, quail, pheasants or any gamebird try soaking them in buttermilk, dredge in eggwash then seasoned flour and fry in your normal manner. I use a deep cast iron skillet with just enough good oil to cover the birds. The longer you soak them (min of 8 hrs) the more the acid of the milk has to work in tenderizing and flavoring the meat.

Mosby will be three this October. I took him on Labor Day and it got up to the 80s in the afternoon. But we stayed in the shade. Then a cold snap came in where we are and I think where you are also and the mornings were in the 50s. That's when I go. For the first time ever VA had opening day start at 12 p.m. but after that it was daybreak. It used to be not until October could one hunt at daybreak so I like the change. I'll have to try the buttermilk. But you know here in the South we fry everything. Thanks.