By MATT WILLIAMS

Outdoors Writer

Sept. 1 marked the opener of the 2009-10 dove season in the North and Central Zones. No need to sweat it if you were working a day job instead of shouldering scattergun on opening day. In many cases, some of best wingshooting takes place later in the season, anyway. And this season is going to be a long one.

Texas dove hunters will enjoy a 70-day season and a 15-bird daily bag limit statewide this year. That's good news for dove hunters, because the framework is more liberal than has been allowed by federal guidelines in previous seasons.

Historically, the North Zone has had a 60-day season and 15-bird bag while the Central and South zones got 70 days and 12 birds. With all zones now operating under identical bag limits, the only differences hunters need be aware are the season dates.

All three zones will have split seasons. The North and Central Zone seasons run concurrently, Sept. 1-Oct. 25 and Dec. 26-Jan. 9.

The South Zone season is Sept. 18-Nov. 3 and Dec. 26-Jan. 17, with the exception of the Special White-winged Dove Area. Season dates in special white-winged area are Sept. 5-6 and 12-13, Sept. 18-Nov. 3 and Dec. 26-Jan. 13.

Judging from the numbers, every dove season is a good one in Texas. More than 40 million doves migrate through the state each year. There are about 300,000 doves hunters in Texas who kill more than 5 million doves each year.

 Not surprisingly, those hunters spend a serious chunk of change playing the game. In addition to the money spent on lodging, food, outfitter fees and gasoline, Texas dove hunters will spend between $7 and $15 million on shotshells this season.

If that sounds like a lot of money dished out on ammo that never finds its mark, that's because it is. Most dove hunters are mediocre shots at best.

The average hunter will collect about 3-4 birds each time he or goes to field and shoot about 21-28 shotshells in the process. That's roughly seven shots per bird killed and about 30 million shots fired at doves in a year's time.

There is a viable excuse for the poor average. Mourning doves, the most plentiful dove species, are lightning fast on the wing.

The birds are capable of flying at speeds in excess of 50 miles per hour. Throw in a stiff tailwind and they can zip even faster. Factor in its darting, diving flight antics and it is not a wonder why hunters rank doves among the most challenging of wingshooting targets.

Doves also represent a great opportunity for a high-quality hunting experience at a price that won't break the bank. For $50-$100 per day, you can pay an outfitter for a spot in a dove hunting field located in the heart of Texas' best dove hunting county.

A word from the wise, here. Not all outfitters are created equal.

The best ones will have enough property under lease so they can rotate fields to give the birds a rest between hunts. Those with limited space won't schedule hunts on the same fields on consecutive days.

A good host also will scout fields ahead of time to learn the birds' flight patterns and direct you accordingly. But even then there are no guarantees. Doves can come and go like the wind.

"They don't call them migratory birds for nothing," said Joe Read. "Mourning doves can be there one day and not the next, or they may not be there one day and be everywhere the next."

Read is a Lake Tawakoni fishing guide who shifts his emphasis to dove hunting every September. He has access to nearly 7,000 acres of property near Sweetwater, which ranks among the top dove hunting hubs in the state. Most of his shoots occur around sunflowers, milo, wheat and water holes.

"I don't like to build it up too much, because things can happen with Mother Nature that we can't control," Read said. "But if there are any birds around, we are usually going to have our share of them. Right now, things are looking pretty good overall."

Read generally stays nearby when hunters are in the field, but he has the keys to enough gates that he can go scouting for more birds in unoccupied fields in case the shooting gets slow.

"Sometimes that is what we have to do," Read said. "I've seen times when the doves were everywhere in a field one afternoon and gone very next morning. It might take some looking, but we've got a enough places that we can usually find enough birds so that everyone has a pretty good shoot."

In southeast Texas, outfitter Jim West is predicting some decent shoots early in the season and better ones later on.

"I think we'll have some fair hunts early, but they won't be shoot 'em up shoots by any means," West said. "If this season like most, the best shooting will be in October, after we get some cold fronts to push a bunch of doves down. I've always got a bunch of birds by the time the first split closes."

West has about 1,000 acres under lease in the Winnie/Anahuac area. Most of the fields are located in close proximity to rice or milo fields.

"We also have a bunch of goat weeds that should be ready to pop sometime around the end of September," he said. "I turned some cattle in on that pasture to clean up the grass underneath, so that should hold a lot birds once the seeds start to hit the ground."

Greg Nelson of Uvalde Hunting Services Uvalde is projecting a good hunting season despite a bust hatch that appears to have taken place as the result of the dry conditions in southwest Texas. Located west of San Antonio, Uvalde harbors one of the state best resident populations of white-winged doves.

"We're not seeing a lot of young birds, but there still plenty of adult pairs around," Nelson said. "We've been tracking quite a few big flocks that are leaving out and hitting fields each day. Most of the corn, milo and sunflower fields are irrigated around here, so there is plenty for the birds to eat."

———— 

Matt Williams is a freelance writer based in Nacogdoches. He can be reached by e-mail, mattwilliams@netdot.com.

Dove Hunting Tips

CLOTHING

Doves have excellent eyesight. Hunters should wear drab clothing, preferably some sort of camouflage pattern to blend in with the natural surroundings. Be sure to shield your face to avoid being seen by approaching birds.

TAKE COVER

Make use of your surroundings. H uddle up next to a bush or tree as opposed to standing in the wide open. This will break up your pattern and provide some shade from the hot summer sun.

WATER HOLE SAVVY

Water will be at a premium this year, especially in areas of the state that have been hard hit by the drought. Stock tanks could draw afternoon birds like a magnet.

SHOT SIZE

The ideal dove loads are numbers 7 1/2, 8 and 9. Premium shotshells cost a little more than the blue light specials, but you will get much better results because your shotgun will throw a more consistent pattern.

CHOKED UP

Improved or modified cylinder chokes are best for dove hunting. A full choke is not advised, because it patterns to tight and leaves little margin for shooting error.

GET COMFORTABLE

Take along a bucket or seat to sit on between volleys. It is also a good idea to bring along an ice chest for cold drinks or snacks.

RULES OF THE ROAD

Doves are migratory birds, meaning they are federally protected. Migratory bird hunting violations pack stiff fines.

• Know the Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 mourning, white-winged and white-tipped doves in the aggregate, including no more than two white-tipped doves. Possession limit is twice the daily bag. It is illegal to take more than one daily bag limit in one day.

• Shooting hours: Are 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset, except in the Special White-winged Dove Area of South Texas. Legal shooting hours there are noon to sunset.

• Baited Areas: Hunting over a baited area is illegal. A "baited area" is any area where feed has been placed or within 10 days after all such feed has been completely removed.

It is not necessary for a hunter to know an area is baited to be in violation for hunting over a baited area.

• Keep birds separate: Always keep your birds separate from birds killed by other hunters in case you are checked by game warden.