Want to do my research before dove hunting comes around, can someone PM me what they would recommend as a good place to Public hunt Dove in the DFW area? I'm new to public hunting up here, and know i have a few choices, but not sure where a good starter place would be for taking my son dove hunting, to actually have a fighting chance to shoot a few. He is 9, and i will be getting him hunters education licensed soon, and plan on starting him out on a 410.

I tried hunting public land around Houston with no success.People on this forum are generous...Pl.
help DoveMaster....ME TOO..If some one can.

Now is a great time to find places. Download the outdoor annual app and start looking. There's several public dove hunting opportunities.

There are several public places to hunt dove. Check out the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website and find your area or an area you want to hunt and start mapping it out. Just remember, get there early to stake your claim, early bird gets the worm most of the time and look at going weekdays VS weekends, that helps. Also, look at a used youth model 20 semiauto. It will save you money in the long run. best of luck to you!

You might look into getting a season leasee on one of the reputable dfw dove leasees. Kids can hunt free sometimes


look at dj farms and doveblasters

Do your hw if you do hunt public and try to find a place away from the masses

Your best bet would be a Doveblasters membership. I have yet to find a public area near DFW that holds fair amounts of birds. Not that it doesn't exist. I just haven't found it.

I hunt doves on public land around San Antonio, and it's definitely a challenge. Be prepared to do some walking to get away from the crowd. Check out the TPWD booklet and look at Google Maps satellite photos of your areas to find good spots like clearings along treelines, ponds, etc. Get to your spot before sunrise and be prepared to shoot at legal light. I take two Mojo decoys plus six foam decoys, and that helps some. On my best day I probably shot 5-6 doves. Public land is tough.

You might also check out the Public Hunting forum on this site -- good info there.

PS you'll hear other opinions, but I think a .410 is perfectly fine for dove hunting.

.410 is a good starter shotgun for a kid because it is lighter, and easier to shoulder correctly than say a 20 ga. I would start kid on still targets tho, not flying targets. Let kid make skillet shots on dove, or tin cans after the hunt..

Kids should learn to hit still targets with a shotgun first, then move on to flying clay targets at skeet range...when kid can hit clay targets at a skeet range, then they are ready to hit flying birds. Otherwise you are setting your kid up for failer and frustration. Hiting a flying target with a .410 is for expert shooters. Until kid can shoulder a 20 ga, I would keep him on still targets, unless kid is some kind of natural sharp shooter.

And set expectations real low hunting dove on public around DFW area. You will be lucky to bag one or 2 birds. Step up to a $150 dove lease, and expected birds shot goes up a couple birds. For the most part, you get what you pay for. Your kid will have a lot more fun, and learn more, shooting tin cans with a .410 than missing the very few flying birds you will see on public.

If hunting public, scouting a couple weeks ahead goes a long ways. Go early morning before sunrise and in afternoon to find flight pattern. That is if you live close enough to do this. Just going out there blind is a crap shoot. When I hunted public I lived within a few miles of them.

Being cautious of people around, in front, and behind you is important as well. I've never had a problem when i hunted public, but there are dumb butts in every crowd.

Dont know anything about public land up there, im much further south. Like I said scouting goes a longways, up to the day before opener, cuz things change quick with these birds.