oxy-moron huh.... I'm an older guy, 66, don't think I've missed a dove opener in many of those years. I've become tired of all the BS which goes with it now. I am looking for a hunt where I will never see these again, good luck to me.

1.100 pick ups, racing to the field to get the "best" spot
2. the hungover jack azzes who show up late and drive around the fields stirring up dust clouds.
3. The greedy "outfitters" who book 300 guns, who all end up in the ONE field holding birds.
4. The Dogs who were never trained, turned loose to screw up everybody else's hunt including the owner who passes out yelling for his dam dog all day.
5. The outfitter who says, man you guys should have been here yesterday or, "we killed them here LAST YEAR"
6. 600 hunters meeting at the Section Hand Steakhouse fill in the blank, wearing their brand new, starched camo, tags still attached, dogs running everywhere. Everyone freaking out, afraid they wont be first in line heading to the fields.
7. The outfitters guides, who get lost going to the correct fields in the dark, have to stop, call the outfitter, get directions and have 25 pick up trucks all towing un-needed ATV's for SHOWING OFF, turn around .
8. slob hunters who shoot over their limits and don't pick up as many hulls as they can find.
9. My last hunt, last year, the land owner was VERY good and kindly told my buddy and I where to set up. Other hunters who got there late were pissed at him cuz we were in "their" spot. Hunting was not very good.

I'm sure there are 1000 other things. I love dove shooting, yes, I love getting my limit if I pay $$, I expect at least having an opportunity at getting a limit. I've got a few ideas for this year, we'll see how it goes. I'm booked on a prairie dog shoot next month, if it goes well, it may take the place of dove hunting. I also could find a good place where later season dove shooting is good.
Yep, I'm getting old.

Go hunt with John Jones aka Stompy on here. 214-803-9908. You will not have any of that BS hunting with him. He always has birds or will tell you if he don't. Best I know!

Buzz you make many valid points.

Argentina

Stompy will do you right. So will Ranger Creek, Texas Best Outfitters, Hailey. Got to pay to play. Sometimes the birds just leave.

We had a really good lease out west but most are taken by outfitters now. They know how to manage the fields for the landowners since the leasers trashed the fields I guess. When the outfitter harps on picking of shells more than anything, that tells you something.

Also, an uncrowded field can mean birds don't move as well. Got to keep them moving or they sit and eat. I have tried that and can be as equally frustrating with 500 birds and no guns but mine.

I'm with you all the way, especially those outfitters that take your good money and already knew that birds were thin in the area. "We just provide the opportunity"!!!!

hunting with Stompy!

Thanks guys for the kind words, I do my best but weather and birds are unpredictable at times. Just so folks know, I'm already booked up for the first two weekends of season.

I’ve got openings on my 320 acre place in Throckmorton County. 50 acre field in the heart of my property is where is put my paid guests. Would love to have you out. I have a max of 30 guns on any given day. 817-733-3005.

We have 300 hunters on 10500 acres in Fannin and Grayson County... private fields in Foard, Baylor and Archer County... hunt alone, or in a crowd, your choice...

I's find a place between Throckmortan and Cisco. Stomp's place is in that line. So is my lease. I've hunted 40 days in the last 3 seasons and walked out of the field with 37 limits. Lots of birds in that part of Tx.

I'm getting old, too, I guess. I'd rather have a semi-private hunt with my friends and family and only get a handful of birds than deal with crowds. I'm done with the big local leases. Nothing against the folks running them, there are just too many jackwagons out there with no experience.

Got a deer lease out west now and there are enough birds. It isn't limits every day, but quite a few early on.

I've had a lot more hunts where I wished there was a couple more guns than I've thought there are too many guys on the field. Advantage of being a poor son of a gun.

You can come hunt my place in Coleman after the first two weekends or during the middle of the week would be fine also

I was done with the local leases in my 20s. I rather go to the deer lease and pop some or a paid hunt. I popped more at the deer lease than any dove lease though.

Make the switch to waterfowl - its much less frustrating

been there, done that

never again

I always wanted to get a group of like minded guys together to go in and buy a good field. Just a dream...............

Last several years I just dove hunt open weekend, and that is enough for me on dove. Early teal normally the next couple weekends then I’m into scouting for big ducks...

For dove I'd never do that. Its so much more economical to find a quality place and do a lease thing.

Until 5 years ago did the outfitter hunting thing, but I found one of my old acquaintances hunted doves but was getting long in the tooth and was going to give it up because he couldn't keep up with the ranch. I told him he didn't need to give it up. that I bet you have several friends who would help him out on the ranch. So 4 of us helped mend fences, water the stock and mow where needed and the biggest was running off the astounding amount of trespassers on opening week. We now have 167 acres of dove hunting heaven right here within 10 miles of the metroplex. We work our butts off but it's worth it for the companionship and the joy of watching a 86yr old shoot birds and get as excited as a a kid shooting his first.

that's cool, you earned it

The dog thing bothers me the most. I am lucky that I haven't had any awful experiences like that but I do hate people constantly yelling at their dog throughout the hunt.

We have numerous season long leases (both splits) throughout DFW. We don't put anymore than one hunter per 10 acres for example max of 10 hunters on 100 acres field. This is a lease and not a guided hunt, we can't predict what the birds are going to do 5 month before the season starts. We do our best to max the best habitat by planting the perimeter in seed producing plants but mother nature can trump that. It is your responsibility to scout and pattern the birds. If you are looking to burn up your barrel every time you hit the lease, I am not your guy. But if your looking to spend a couple hundred dollars to have a place to go within 30 minutes of home, shoot a few birds in an afternoon and be home for dinner? Then we have a lease for you. If weather cooperates like Stompy said and you do your scouting then yes you are going to shoot the occasional limit, but it is still North Texas dove hunting.

I yelled and chased mine last year once. He was chasing a cripple that was flying 3' above the ground. I thought I lost him for sure because the field was full of hunters. But directly here he came back with the bird. He hasn't done that again because the collar went on and his hearing improved.

I have been hunting with Robert Echols (903) 235-3250 in Sweet Water the last 5-6 years. We normaly go the first weekend in October and he has 25-30 people. Only had one hunt that we did not see a lot of birds, a cold front came in that Saturday so the birds did not fly much.

Bobcat,,, you would shock a dog for chasing a cripple bird ??? If my dog refused to chase a crippled bird I would get rid of him. I guess your dog is mostly for your children to pet, not to hunt with.

Nate I guess I needed to make myself clear. He would only be shocked for not heeding my command to stop. It was 100 degrees or better and when a bird flies that far in front of other guns I prefer my dog to stop and come back when I say here so he does not get overheated among other safety and courtesy to other hunter reasons. I have had one overheat before and its not pretty.

As far as my children the youngest is 28 and the oldest 40. They don't play with my dogs. I suppose you have no idea of actually training a dog to obey commands but I do and it usually is for their own safety. If I tell a dog to come or whoa I have a reason for it. Yes he brought back the bird but I have no idea if another hunter killed it in front of my dog or not and I don't know if they shot it how close he was when they did. He is probably the best natural dog I have ever had but I expect him to obey. If he was about to run in front of a car or get bit by a snake I want to have control of him. So you let your dog be all natural and I'll train mine.

I have never heard of a complaint of a dog retrieving a bird. The complaint was hunters yelling at their dogs , which I totally understand. --------- let him retrieve, just don't yell at him --would seem to be the solution.

I couldn't care less about somebody yelling at his dog. As long as the dog isn't consistently running around close to me screwing up my opportunities to shoot, I'm good.

Not ideal, but doesn't change my hunt. BTW I never blame the dog... it is the owner that is the problem for not putting in the effort to train ahead of time.

He got loved up for bringing the bird Nate. I was proud of him. He has tremendous prey drive. I love the dog so much I didn't want him accidentally shot or fouling up someone else's hunt like Larry mentioned. Thus the hearing aid was put on and it ever only takes one mild shock to remind him to listen. That bird would have went down a lot sooner if he wasn't chasing him. Then he could go fetch. By the way I never in almost 50 years of dog training ever shocked a dog when retrieving or pointing birds. Only for disobeying direct commands.

Have a nice day.

How does a dog screw up your opportunities to shoot? I won’t have out of control dogs around me but I don’t think one ever kept me from shooting a dove. Were these dogs waving flags?

I’m with you on this one Bobby. I had a Brittany and my buddies lab retrieving dove for us and 8 others on a field in 100F heat. We hunted and killed limits on this field every day after work in San Angelo. We were nearing a 10 man limit and the dogs were looking bad. I kept a big ice chest full of water in the shade. I told the mutts to get in the ice chest and stay. They sat for several dove being shot. My Brit decided to break on a soaring bird. This was before I could afford a shock collar. I hollered whoa and that SOB kept running. I peppered him with the 20GA. He whoad then but was too close and I hit him way too hard. That’s the last dog I ever shot but from that moment on I could whisper whoa and he’d stand there all day. He might have died if he had run that dove down.
Shock collars have made dog training much more humane and enjoyable. I have one gyp that wears one every time she runs. I didn’t hit her with it one time last year but she listens at a word as long as it’s around her neck.

On the big leases I’ve done in the past, which won’t happen again, I’ve had it happen. Hunting a freshly harvested field so the birds were coming in real low. Low shots with a dog running around is not good.

Zactly! We used to take the lead shot out and put maze in it's place back in the day. It worked great on dogs wanting to bust birds before I could flush. They sure staunched up good after that. E-Collars have certainly made training much easier for me.

Posting on this thread as I am interested in finding me a dove hunting option. I run solo, and live in the North area of DFW. I did bookmark a few of the websites mentioned on this thread. Thank you.