Late Season Dove Hunting...

Let me preface this by saying I am a relatively new Dove hunter with lots to learn...but loving putting in the time and learning the lessons....

Yesterday, I headed out before dawn to do some late season Public Land Dove hunting. It's been a warm fall here in KC, so the Doves have been hanging around.

I got all setup on cut sunflower field before sun up. As I was watching all the birds pass over the field, they seemed purposeful about where they were going. I decided to take a little hike...

Sure enough, there was a fresh cut corn field not too far away.

I hurried back to where I had set up my Mojos and passive decoys...got everything in my Mojo bag and headed to the cornfield.

I picked a spot about middle of the field where I could see birds coming from most directions...I found the sun behind me lets me see the bird shadow coming over me, so I don't sweat the birds approaching from behind me.

I had the field funneling to my left to water...I had roost...I had a gravel road...Everything looked good for a productive spot

I got my Mojos and passive decoys setup about 20yds out. I went back to the spot I picked and started to cut some cornstalks down to make room for my chair. As I turn around....

A small flock of about a dozen doves swooped in and dropped right into my decoys....AWESOME!!!!

All except the most important part....I didn't even have my shotgun out of the bag yet!!! I spun around grabbed my shotgun bag...got my A400 Upland Field out, released the safety...and by that time, all the commotion and movement spooked them and they were getting out of there. All could do is point and say "BANG!....BANG!...BANG!" as they were well out of range by then.

The lesson for me...landscape, setup my stand, and have my shotgun ready BEFORE I setup my decoys.

I didn't end up getting any doves...but it was a beautiful day and I learned another valuable lesson.