Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    Wess,
    
    Going out tomorrow also.  In Colorado we hunt wild sunflower patches on
    public land.  Have to do a bit more walking but 10 - 15 birds a day is
    average in the early part of season.
    
    I haven't been out skeet or trap shooting this fall so it should make
    for and interesting day.  Will post a note after the hunt.
    
    Good luck tomorrow.
    
    Mark

    Well, I took off opening day, mainly to take my wife to the baby
    doctor, and did a little hunting.  I went out early and took a limit of
    squirrels with my .22mag, took my wife to the doctor, and got ready to
    go dove hunting.  I forgot all about painting the living room and
    hallway!  Why can't women ever have a memory lapse?  I went ahead and
    painted because saturday I am going to a better shoot(hopefully).
    
    A friend went yesterday and ended up getting his limit(15), but he
    said the birds were acting like they had been shot at for 3 weeks.  
    He said he had to take a lot of 40+yard shots to fill the limit, and
    they were dodging and darting the whole way.....sounds like fun to me!
    
    What about it?
    Wess

    
    Wess,
    
    Went hunting on the first with my father.  We really put on a shooting
    clinic.   NOT!!!!  Each ended up with 10 birds - only hunted until
    1:30.  Birds were really jumpy - a lot of wind.  Took a lot of long 
    shots.  Figured that we shot 40% - which is really poor.  With a little 
    practice we usually average around 75% + on dove.
    
    Well anyway, BBQed the birds that night.  Too good.  Going out again for 
    another 1/2 day hunt with my brother on Saturday.  
    
    Good luck on Saturday.
    
    Mark

   Morning doves are illegal in Ohio.  Legistature is not doing anything
   about it on their own, even though the Divison of Natural Resources
   has been recommending it for years.
   
   So, there is a petition going around the state to make the morning
   dove a game bird.  If you are an Ohio hunter, call your county
   wildlife officer so he can tell you where you can sign it.

 Same in NH. They are reproducing unchecked, and are becoming a pest.

    
    Doves in NH, they must not be the same bird as out west. Can't see
    how anyone would be a bad enough shot to hit only 40%. Geez, all I
    gotta do is sit on my deck and pop them off the bird feeder, should 
    take about 10 minutes to get 10-15 of them.
    
    --Bob
    
    
    Lots and lots of :-)
    

    Well, I went out Saturday and had "Big Fun"!  Two of my friends and I
    went arrived at the shooting place about 12:00 (legal shooting time),
    I had 4 on the ground before one of the guys could get his gun out of
    the van.  We had a great time.  We all limited out in about 1 1/2
    hours.  We probably shot about 65%, not bad by my book--of course I
    don't shoot them out of the bird feeder sitting either.
    
    The birds were a little slow at first, but a cloud front moved in and
    they started coming in pretty good.  I managed to get 4 doubles(1 on
    pigeons)and even took another double on pigeons with one shot.  I
    missed quite a few "gimmie" shots, but what the heck, nobody is
    perfect.
    
    This was the first shoot for one of the guys.  It was really funny
    watching him trying to shoot those first few doves coming in at 50+mph
    darting and diving.  He shot about 1 1/2 boxes before he started 
    connecting.  He did really good though, better than me on my first
    shoot.
    
    I hope to get back out this weekend and pop a few more.  I hid the
    paintbrushes so I might have a chance.
    
    Good Shootin'
    Wess

    re: .6
    
    Bird feeder?  We shoot the birds while on the wing.  It is viewed as 
    unsportsman like to shoot while not in flight.
    
    We have only mourning doves in Colorado.  And believe you me, they are
    fast. 
    
    
    Went out on Saturday with three other people and it was probably one
    of the best days I've had in a long time.  Started hunting about 7:00
    and I was finished about 8:30 (15 birds).  Spent most of time pass
    shooting at bird that were hauling.  Shot about 68 % on the
    second outing of the season.  It is amazing how easy it is once you
    stop to think about what you were doing wrong.
    
    Ended up walking down to where my brother was hunting and bringing
    him back to my spot.  He limited by 10:30.
    
    Spent the rest of day flushing for 2 other guys that averaged about
    20% on their shooting.  It really made for a long day.  They both 
    ended up with 14 birds a piece.
    
    Knocked off about 7:30, cleaned the birds and reflected on number of 
    birds that were in the area that day.
    
    Next big bird outing is in November - ringnecks.
    
    But until then, the big game hunting is sure to fill the time.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Mark
    
    
    
    

    
    re .8
    
    >re: .6
    >
    >Bird feeder?  We shoot the birds while on the wing.  It is viewed as 
    >unsportsman like to shoot while not in flight.
    >
    >We have only mourning doves in Colorado.  And believe you me, they are
    >fast. 
    
    Just in case it didn't come across as such, .6 was meant to be funny
    (notes can be like that sometimes). they are the same bird and though
    I have never hunted them, i know they are fast, don't go straight,
    hard to hit etc. Problem is that we can't hunt them in NH, every year
    they try, but every year another group tries to get them classified as
    a song bird, neither succeeds.  It isn't due to scarcity, in a 5minute
    walk around my neighborhood I would say that I see about 40-50 sitting
    on wires and in trees plus just flying around, add the many many many
    that come into our bird feeder and it is clear there are enough to 
    support a hunt. Besides, they get a rest in NH and MA, but I believe
    they get shot in other New England states, I know that Rhode Island 
    hunts them and I believe Vermont and Maine do as well, so NH is merely
    a resting point to let them calm down for the states down south.
    
    --Bob
    

    
    re .9
    
    Nope.  Classified as a songbird in VT.  A refugee here as well.
    
    Kevin

    Mark,
    
    Sounds like you had a great time too!  You are right about Dove season
    filling the time until big game season.  Although we don't have
    anything but whitetails here in KY.  My wife is really glad we don't.
    
    I classify them as songbirds too, I like to hear the "music" of my 12
    guage and the sweet melody of a bunch of them frying in the skillet.
    
    If you guys get a chance to go to a quality shoot, even if you have to
    drive, you ought to try it.
    
    Wess

    
    
      Nope.  Can't hunt them in Maine.  Some people have tried to get a
    season on them up here too.  Unsuccessfully.
    
    
    Chuck

    
    Hey Mark,
    
    	Is your brother as bad a shot at dove hunting as he is at
    	duck hunting?  :*)  
    
    	Tell him Clay says howdy.
    
    Clay

    Bob,
    
    Sorry.  I wasn't sure if you were joking (:^}) or not.  Too bad hunting
    is not allowed - quite an overlooked resource and very pleasing to the
    palate.  In fact, it's dove and dumplings tomorrow night.
    
    
    Wess,
    
    Ditto on the music.  Hope you have more of the same luck when you
    get out again.
    
    
    Clay,
    
    Dave never tells me about the ducks/geese he misses.  I'll be sure to ask
    him about his duck hunts this year.
    
    
    Good hunting to all,
    
    Mark

    I went to a dove shoot on Sunday, arriving about 4:00pm.  The birds
    were just starting to come in.  The shooting was a little slow at first
    but got better around 6:00pm.  I finished out my 15 bird limit about
    6:50pm.  Most of the shots were on singles, although I managed one
    double.		
    
    Wess