# Dove shoots



## creekrocket (Apr 20, 2009)

I live around the Savannah- Statesboro area and would like to go to some dove shoots this coming season but i dont really know of anyone that has the right land for this.Anyone have any suggestions?


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## redneck_billcollector (Apr 21, 2009)

There will be tons of dove shoots for pay, these types of shoots now seem to be the norm as opposed to the way it used to be.  I used to get invited durn near every weekend of dove season, that has changed, the folks I know that used to hold free shoots have been lured by the money (you really can't blame them) but the up side is, for a little extra cash, you can hunt every weekend of the season even if you don't know folks. I know ZZ Farms is holding one on the opening weekend, drop her a line (she posts on here as zzweims) to find out the particulars.


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## Ole Fuzzy (Apr 21, 2009)

Putting on a dove shoot is an expensive proposition.  It only makes sense these days to do freebies if you have a business and invite enough people in relation to it to expense it.  It is a heckuva lot of work too, speaking from years of experience, it's easier to contribute money and go shoot on someone else's field than to put one on.  It is really disheartening when you do everything right but drought kills your crop, or you have  good crop and the birds just do not show up.  

The increase in commodity prices has made farmers less interested in having property in unproductive uses as well.


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## Doc_Holliday23 (Apr 21, 2009)

check the boards in August, there will be plenty of ads for pay shoots.  there is one in Hartwell every year that benefits a charity that takes kids hunting.  it is just a donation, no set fee.  we went last year and the shoot was just ok, but we had a good time.

I'm invited to an opening day shoot every year, family and friends and I consider myself very fortunate.  Of course, I might kill a limit there once every 5 years or so, but the barbecue chicken sure is good.


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## zzweims (Apr 21, 2009)

Well said, Fuzzy.  Free dove shoots are a thing of the past.  Like RBC, we used to shoot dove on various farms for no charge.  But all it takes is one guy in the neighborhood to plant a field in sunflower, millet, etc. (not the most profitable crops for a Georgia farmer. he has to charge something just to break even), and the birds will flock to him.  You can still sit in a cotton field or hay pasture for free, but you won't see many doves.  Heck, even with a perfect dove field, it is still a gamble as to how many birds you'll see.

Now excuse me, but I've got a date with a tractor and a mess of sunflower seeds.  Time to finish getting the dove fields in.


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## bobman (Apr 21, 2009)

this forum is upland game bird hunting if a dog can't point them its not upland


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## mcallum3 (Apr 21, 2009)

bobman said:


> this forum is upland game bird hunting if a dog can't point them its not upland



Upland Game Bird Hunting  
Quail - Grouse, Woodcock, Dove and more.

You are right about the title of this forum, however, you obviously failed to notice the topics of conversation listed under the title.


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## coveyrise90 (Apr 21, 2009)

Round here, it's still done the old fashion way. I live in a town of 600. Every Thurs. and Fri. of the season, me, my buddy, and a few of the local rednecks, drive around and scout the best fields. We make some calls and a group of hunters (ranging anywhere between 15-60) gets together and shoots the field on Sat. afternoon (we usually shoot again on Sun. morning). No fees. No food unless you bring your own (most bring beer- for after the shooting of course, oysters, and boiled peanuts). Sometimes, you see entire families with wifes, kids, and all. The shoots are usually pretty good because we have access to almost every field in town. Most of the times, the fields are regular ag fields planted in peanuts, milo, or corn. There are a few prepared "dove fields" and they almost always provide the best shoots.

Adam


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## redneck_billcollector (Apr 21, 2009)

Dang Adam, you don't realize how lucky you are.  Those days are long gone here, I am sitting here trying to figure out how a town of 600 in rural alabama would take a ponytailed attorney.....cause I been looking for some place like that for a while.  Ain't been that way around here since the 70's, though I still get invited to one every now and then they seem to get raided for bait, so, depending on who invites me I normally pass.  We apparently have a couple of game wardens that can sniff out a field that is baited.


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## holler tree (Apr 21, 2009)

I've been going to clarks hill wma for a few years now it gets a little crowded but they do a great job out there every year. we have a blast.


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## coveyrise90 (Apr 21, 2009)

redneck_billcollector said:


> Dang Adam, you don't realize how lucky you are.  Those days are long gone here, I am sitting here trying to figure out how a town of 600 in rural alabama would take a ponytailed attorney.....cause I been looking for some place like that for a while.  Ain't been that way around here since the 70's, though I still get invited to one every now and then they seem to get raided for bait, so, depending on who invites me I normally pass.  We apparently have a couple of game wardens that can sniff out a field that is baited.



Funny enough, one of the big landowners  in town and a regular to the shoots is an attorney. Many of the shoots take place on his land, or land of some relative or friend of his. He's just a good ole boy. One afternoon, I was running my dogs on his land and I spotted him on the tractor disking fire breaks.... still in his shirt and tie. I guess he didn't feel like changing. You'd fit in just fine here.

Oh yeah. About the baiting. Few do it in my town.... at least not at the big shoots. One of the game wardens for my county lives here in town! Heck, the opener before last, he shot doves with us (I wonder how he managed to get that day off).

Adam


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## Doc_Holliday23 (Apr 22, 2009)

coveyrise90 said:


> Round here, it's still done the old fashion way. I live in a town of 600. Every Thurs. and Fri. of the season, me, my buddy, and a few of the local rednecks, drive around and scout the best fields. We make some calls and a group of hunters (ranging anywhere between 15-60) gets together and shoots the field on Sat. afternoon (we usually shoot again on Sun. morning). No fees. No food unless you bring your own (most bring beer- for after the shooting of course, oysters, and boiled peanuts). Sometimes, you see entire families with wifes, kids, and all. The shoots are usually pretty good because we have access to almost every field in town. Most of the times, the fields are regular ag fields planted in peanuts, milo, or corn. There are a few prepared "dove fields" and they almost always provide the best shoots.
> 
> Adam



My buddies down in Ft. Gaines, GA have it like that.  I know the Bible says we're not supposed to covet, but I just can't help it.  They shoot doves over peanuts or milo pretty much every saturday of the season.

And they have it the same way with woodie holes, too.  

They're both preachers and you know how preachers just love to get themselves invited to things...


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## sullivanfire1 (Apr 29, 2009)

*Lucky I guess*

I bought 200 acres in Oliver, Ga just outside of Statesboro. I have a 10 acre field and a farmer came to me a couple of weeks ago and asked me if he could plant corn and sunflower. I said why he77 yes as long as you realize I am going to knock over every 6th row and dove hunt over it. He said no problem, so I guess I am lucky. I also had a local tell me it is the best dove field around, boy I can't wait !!

Oh yeh, he also said I can have all the corn I can eat, that's a bonus !!


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## bigtasty22 (Apr 30, 2009)

i could not live without dove hutin its the best there is besides duck and turkey i would not be able to survive if it was not for doves, ducks, tukey


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## MustangMAtt30 (Apr 30, 2009)

I was lucky when I first got started to get invited to some really great shoots.  It was awesome.  Once the shoot was over we usually would fry up the birds along with some fried green tomaters, french fries, okra, and whatever else we had and would tell lies well into the night.

Now, I don't have those connections so I'm forced to go the pay shoot route.  Don't worry, come August you will have your pick of pay shoots.


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## Ole Fuzzy (May 1, 2009)

We used to have a lot of birds in the Etowah Valley in Bartow Co. and Floyd Co. and did it up right on our own place.  The Friday night before entailed steaks and drinking.  Saturday morning was breakfast and killing the hangover, then shooting, a break during the heat and afternoon lull for barbecue (pork, chickens, deer, brisket, other various wild game and meat, and good fixings).  Return to the field around 3:00, find a shady spot, and wait for it to get good.

In recent years we have had too much drought, and even when the crops were not stunted because of drought, there was the inexplicable absence of birds.  There just isn't the agriculture in N. GA that there was back in the good old days, and the hunting is more reliable in areas with a lot of ag.


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## proline123 (May 4, 2009)

your right


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## chase870 (May 4, 2009)

A good field is expensive. I'm lucky my Dad is in a club that has fine dove hunting all season but they put alot of money into it. They plant a lot of sunflowers and keep seed for the birds all season, year after year.


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## green (Aug 16, 2009)

i also live in statesboro ga if you find a hunt please respond. thanks bob


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## Totaloutdoorsman (Aug 17, 2009)

I heard reedsville prison still has shoots.  They did ast year anyway.  Ft. Stewart has four fields too.  Its $60 for a year hunting pass or $15 a day.  Fort Stewart has had good shoots on their fields the last few years.  Thats where I'll be.  Just have all of your regulations squared away before you go.  The DNR out there are federal.  They dont play games and they wont hesitate to bust you on something.


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