Hunters anxiously await start of dove season, Sept. 1

In less than a month this will be a common scene on a dove hunt as hunters try to hit a fast flying dove. (Photo courtesy of MDC)

It's hard to believe that, in less than a month, hunting seasons will be opening (Sept. 1). Starting with dove, snipe and rail, hunting will get started with a bang.

Of course, squirrel season has been going on since May 28th, and frog season started June 30th, but most hunting doesn't get going until the dove season starts Sept. 1.

This year, the Missouri Department of Conservation has extended the dove season an additional 20 days, opening Thursday, Sept. 1 and lasting until November 29, with a daily limit of 15 birds and a possession limit of 45, combined of all three species of dove in Missouri.

Tom Glasgow, who loves to hunt dove also loves to fish. He said, "I can't believe it's August already. School will be starting soon and football games will soon be underway. I still have a lot of fishing I want to do before hunting seasons start to open."

Glasgow is like a lot of outdoorsmen who combine fishing when dove hunting. Last year, he took a limit of bass and dove on the same trip.

"The hunter/angler said, "When September gets here, I take my shotgun along on most fishing trips. There have been too many times when fishing one of my favorite ponds and I didn't have my shotgun along, and the doves were everywhere.

"There had been days, during the teal season, I had my shotgun with me, but didn't see a bird. I have a pond in Webster County where I can fish from the bank and catch bluegill, bass and crappie while watching the sky for doves. Last year, it really worked for me."

The MDC reminds dove hunters who are looking for a place to hunt, that there are more than 180 conservation areas around the state where dove hunting is allowed.

Nearly 100 of these areas have planted crop fields that attract doves. Crops include corn, sunflower, wheat, millet and buckwheat. Starting in mid-August you may pick up the 2016 Migratory Bird Hunting Digest booklet that will give you more information on dove hunting. It should be available where hunting permits are sold.

The fast flying and hard to hit snipe (yes, there is a real bird called snipe) season will have a daily limit of eight birds and a possession limit of 24. The few rail hunters in the state will have a daily limit of 25 birds, which is about enough for a small family meal. The possession limit is 75 of these slow flying migratory birds.

Teal season will follow the dove, snipe and rails as it opens Sept. 10 with a daily limit of six and possession limit of 18. Teal numbers are up over the past two years and another good flight of both blue and green wing teal are expected in the Mississippi Flyway.

A mourning dove perched on a sunflower. A field of sunflowers is a great place to find doves on opening day of the dove season Sept. 1. (Photo courtesy of MDC)

As for other hunting, most bird outlooks are bright, including turkey. Fall hunters should have plenty of targets. Dale Russell, a farmer from Bethany, said, "Last year was a poor quail season, but I have heard and seen more birds this summer so maybe it will be much better.

"I know there are a lot of peasants in the area. Only time will tell how good the quail and pheasant seasons will be, but I look for an improved season this fall."

With all the heat this summer, hunting has been a distant thought. However, it is less than a month away when hunters will be taking to the fields in the Show-Me state. Meanwhile, of course, there is a lot of good fishing to be had, including some great topwater white bass.

The whites have been hitting early and late in the day in most of the big impoundments. Last week, Paul Gregory and son David, were fishing for crappie on Stockton when the cove they were fishing exploded with white bass chasing shad on the surface.

The pair of anglers caught 26 whites before the action stopped. Gregory said, "When those whites are hitting on top, you can't get any more action. Hunting will take a backseat for awhile because there is a lot of good fishing still ahead."

Though, it won't be long before the unofficial start of hunting on Sept. 1.