GON Kids: Pics From Opening-Day Dove Fields

Chad Hargrove sent in this picture and said, “Labor Day dove shoot in Newton County. Birds were flying good.”

There seemed to be more talk this year about folks going dove hunting. In addition, there seemed to be more of a buzz from GON subscribers taking their youngsters to a dove field. Many of them had kids too small to shoot, but they took them to the field anyway, which I feel is fantastic.

Grant Chastain, 6, of Eatonton, with a bird shot over millet in Putnam County.

We had some of our GON family share their dove photos from the state’s first season with us, and we’ve posted a few pics on this page.

Here’s Hunter Pass and a dove from his first dove hunt, which took place in Jackson County. Thanks to GON subscriber Dustin Pass for sending in the picture through Facebook.

I spent a morning and an afternoon during the first season with my 10-year-old daughter on a millet field in Putnam County. She’s a little too young to shoot a scattergun, but she had a blast playing “bird girl.” 

Cory Scarborough, Andy Gordon and Adam Gordon Jr. reported a great day at the Redlands WMA dove fields.

We didn’t bring home a limit, but we did get to shoot a good bit, and we brought home enough of those gray rockets to wrap in bacon and stick on the grill. She ate her first dove and now understands the whole process of a dove hunt, starting with tractor work and ending at the table.

Jackson Simms, 3, of Greensboro, enjoyed an opening day dove shoot in Greene County.

The camaraderie with a couple of great friends and their kids, coupled with time to sit back and wait on the birds to fly with my daughter reminded me just how much I love to sit on a dove field when there’s a hint of fall in the air.

Make plans to take your kids on a second- or third-season dove shoot. Refer to the Pay Dove Shoots list in the August issue of GON. Several of those fields have later shoots.