Doves in abundance, perfect weather align for season-opener

Ray Sparks, Nixa, takes aim at a dove on opening day of the 2016 dove season. (Photo by Ken White/Special to the Daily Mail)

The song, "What a difference a Day Makes," could be applied to the opening day of the dove season, and the following day for many Missouri dove hunters this year.

It couldn't have been a better day for opening the dove season at the Sloan Conservation Area, as hunters had plenty of targets along with weather unusual for Sept. 1.

A cool and cloudy morning was just right for hunters' comfort. Most of the hunters at the area commented that on most opening days it was hot and humid, with sweat pouring down their necks while they checked the sky for doves.

Ray Sparks, Nixa, was one of the hunters who had his limit of 15 doves around 9 a.m. He said, "I have been hunting doves for 25 years or longer, and this is one of the better starts of the season. It is the first time I have hunted here at Sloan.

"It was really busy for the first hour and a half, and there were plenty of doves on the area. With weather nearly perfect and lots of birds, it has been a very good start of the season."

Sparks has a special recipe for grilling dove and said they are really good when grilled.

My son, Brad, visiting from Florida, is another dove hunter who had plenty of action on opening day. He picked a spot beside a sunflower field that the birds had been using. He kept his gun barrel hot as the birds came in all the time.

Sometime there were so many doves flying by that it was hard to pick out witch one to shoot. He said, "It was one of the best opening days I have had. The weather was great for a September 1.

"The overcast sky made it easier to see the birds flying. I think most of the hunters on the area had a good hunt with plenty of action. You could tell it was a typical dove hunt, as it took more than a box of shells to get a limit of 15 birds. The way they twist and turn makes it a challenge for hunters."

After the dove hunt, Brad and I hit the lake, where the fishing was nearly as good as the hunting. After catching bass, crappie and bluegill, we called it a day and started thinking about the next morning. As it turned out, that song, "What a Difference a Day Makes," turned out to be a reality.

Getting an even earlier start at the Sloan Area, we walked to the same spot where we had all the action the day before. However, we found a lot fewer hunters as well as very few doves.

After 40 minutes just seeing a few birds, Brad finally had one fly to close to him. A quick shot dropped the bird which, as it turned out, to be the only one we had that morning.

The weather was much different as well. A bright sunrise made it hard to see the few birds on the area and the temperature was also much different. It was more like a usual start of the season.

Fishing was also much different. After fishing the same spot as the day before, it took a while before we caught two small bass, and that was it. Another angler at the lake said, "You should have been here yesterday." We told him we had been and knew what he meant.

Jim Morris, Cassville, was hunting doves on private land in Barry County where a pond near a small sunflower field had attracted doves. He said, "As I pulled into the field, a pair of doves flushed so I knew it should be a good spot to hunt.

"It didn't take more than an hour before I had seven birds, which was enough for a meal. Most of my shots were close, so I didn't use a lot of shells like I usually do. I usually find a few blue wing teal on the same pond on the opening day of the teal season, so I know where I will be next Saturday when the teal season opens.

"I might get both teal and doves the same day. It has happened before. Two years ago, I shot two teal, six doves and caught several big bluegill at that pond. The cloud cover and cool temperatures this year helped make it one of the best opening days of the dove season I have ever had."

Other hunters said hunting those fast-flying doves helps you get ready for the speedy teal when that season opens next Saturday.

They both are a challenge.