Dove hunting in Oregon

2LEYS · 06-30-2003, 04:21 AM

Is there any decent dove hunting in Oregon. I never thought much of it but a freind at work from New Mexico said it is a blast and wants to go.

Get Bit · 06-30-2003, 08:08 AM

2leys,

The wheat fields of Eastern Oregonn seem to be the place mentioned most. Never been over there but we seem to always get side tracked by the early goose season. I have done some limited dove hunting in the Willamette valley but the results have varied widely. NEver really put much effort out either. See if you can hook up with somebody that lives east or makes the annual trip over there. I think you'll find success. Hope this helps.

Get Bit

Mojo · 06-30-2003, 08:12 AM

There are a ton of doves in the Snake River Valley. Look over near Ontario, Nyssa, Adrian. I'd bet there are good numbers out by Burns as well. I have never hunted over by Umatilla, but the area screams doves to me.

GutshotApe · 06-30-2003, 08:15 AM

Most westside doves don't stick around long after the first autumn rains begin. I've had a few successful dove hunts west of the Cascades...but there seem to be a lot more birds on the eastside. My best dove hunts were on a private ranch in northern Malheur county near the Snake River.

Lovestafish · 06-30-2003, 12:42 PM

Hey Skein, or anybody else, I've heard that if a dog gets a mouthful of dove feathers, it can ruin them... any truth to that? Something about they're so small the dogs can't get them off their tongue....

GutshotApe · 06-30-2003, 02:23 PM

My ol' springer didn't like to pick up doves...and my lab wasn't much better. Both dogs would go out, find the downed bird, pick it up then spit it out. Doves don't smell right...or their feathers come off in the dog's mouth...or something. I know trainers use pigeons but doves are birds of a different feather, so to speak.

Wingmaster · 06-30-2003, 07:15 PM

I have hunted a farmers harvested and disced winter wheat field in the Hillsboro Area for the past three of four years and each year i see more doves than the last. If only I was a better shot, and it the darn things wouldn't crash land in the tall grass I would have had a mess of doves last season.

skein · 06-30-2003, 07:34 PM

Hey, Wingmaster, welcome. Good to have you aboard.

Custom is for you to tell us a story so we can kinda get to know you. How about more about that dove field and your prowess with a "Wingmaster."

Doves are a real tuneup for ducks and grouse, but you sure need a buddy who won't laugh - and a dog who won't get disgusted with you. :grin:

Tell us a story!

Skein

duck-boy · 06-30-2003, 10:05 PM

this is my 2 cents worth but if you want to hunt in the valley u need to find a place by a filbert orchard. our farm is right in front of a 50 acre one and the pass shooting is unbeliveable everynight. its in north cornelius and great shooting. we got 4 farms next to orchards and their all great shooting 2 hours before dusk, so if you pick the right spot.... oh bye the way my lab has no problem brining all our doves back.

duck-boy

XXL · 06-30-2003, 11:04 PM

My experience over here on the east side is that the first storm or two that blows through in Aug/Sep sends the few doves south. Dove hunting looks like it would be fun, but I've never found them in numbers to make it worthwhile. I certainly wouldn't drive 200 miles for a weekend of bad shooting.
XXL

skein · 06-30-2003, 11:43 PM

Lots of doves along the John Day river. Check out the Spray, Monument, Kimberly area. Scout ahead and ask permission so you have a place nailed down before you go.

The first time I sent my lab after a dove she looked back at me like, "This? You want me to bring you this? "

Skein

Wingmaster · 07-01-2003, 12:16 PM

Well I don't know if I have a good story, but I do shoot a wingmaster 870 12ga., I hunt geese, ducks, doves, deer, anything else I can afford a tag for and have the time to go after. I hunt some private land around hillsbro/cornelius and some at Sauvies. Since I'm only 17 I can't get too hardcore into a club or fancy gear cause I just don't have the funds. The dove field is about 80 acres. This year its planted with oats, so I don't know what that will do to the dove numbers but I think it should turn out ok. Soon as I remember a good story I'll fill ya in.

Lured In · 07-01-2003, 03:39 PM

While I have yet to go out of my way to hunt doves here in Oregon, I hunted them a lot when I was back east and down in southern CA.

I have had spotty success out at Sauvie, but they are few and far between. A good day would be 2 birds. Our best day was 4 birds each for two of us.

I have heard there is some decent shooting around Maupin and on some of the private land down around Sisters.

birdhunter · 07-01-2003, 08:27 PM

It's closer than you might think. Just east of the mountains. Tygh Valley, Dufur and Friend. Especially there just north of Friend, lots of private wheat fields. Doves abound. Some public land too on the White River Game Refugee. Small plots of public wheat fields interspersed with oaks and watering holes - doesn't get much better than that.

1pump · 07-01-2003, 09:13 PM

I used to hunt a stock pond on a ranch near Ashwood. We'd sit in lawn chairs around the rim of the pond just before dusk, and when the sun started to set, dove rush hour began. The pond was in a little gully and the birds would scream in and wouldn't see us until it was too late. The shooting only lasted about a half-hour, but it was intense.
I'm surprised nobody got killed by low shots. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

Tilla · 07-01-2003, 10:44 PM

Those early goose/ dove hunt combos really confuse the young dogs, but they seem to recover. 12 lbs to 6 ounces, is sure keeps 'em on their toes.

Trout Tako · 07-01-2003, 11:59 PM

I've had luck making combination hunts for Dove/early Goose floating the willammette north of Corvallis. Most of the gravel bars and small islands in the river hold a few dove on them & occasionally you can get into some good pass shooting. Late in the evening the geese use the river as a flyway & can provide some good shooting as well. The only problem comes when you're loaded for geese & a dove comes by - they fly right through triple bb patterns

Beaver93 · 07-02-2003, 06:29 AM

Find a Canola field and beg the farmer to hunt there in the evening. Mustard and saflower (sp?) are two additional up and coming rotational crops that seem to be magnets for them as well.

CN

sportsman_21 · 07-02-2003, 11:15 PM

I love to hunt doves because it is so hard to hit those little gray rockets. Every September 1st I just have to go dove hunting or my lab will have a fit, it's a great way to start a pup. I have never done it over east but on this side of the mountains you can get into some good shoots. I only hunt doves in the evening so all of my experience lies there. The first and foremost thing I look for in a spot are power lines. I like to hunt at least w/in 100yrds of them if not directly under them. Even just one wire will do but it has to be there. They need to be located next to some sort of roosting area (trees), my favorite are orchards of any kind. Apple, pear, cherry, walnut, or whatever. Second favorite is the tall cottonwoods etc. along the riverbanks. Next (equally important as the power lines) there must be some sort of water source, my favorite are irrigation canals. Put these things together and you will see doves. I have done really well in corn field as well, standing or cut. But there must be power lines and water near by. They love to land on rocky shores and islands along the river. Good luck!