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What happended to the birds??
#8372645
09/02/21 05:47 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 22,268
7mag
OP
THF Celebrity
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OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 22,268 |
For the very first time in all my lifetime I finally went out on the opener of dove season. Private lease in Crane County. Huge acreage and have hunted it before with KWRS in past yrs and it was on fire. Yesterday? Only thing on fire was me as it was high 90s close to 100. Hunted a tank we had scouted and seen a few birds last week. Yesterday? It was scarce. I took 6 and couldn't find 2. All mourning dove no white wings. In yrs past hunting with Kent the white wings were so thick it was just shooting into a cloud of em and hitting a few. I keep reading the severe freeze this past yr killed many off? I don't know. Huge mistake I made and I know better. Take my chair and take water, lots of water. I was hurting pretty bad yesterday evening. Brush was stupid grown more so with goat head stickers. I was smart enough to wear my snake chaps to keep em off. I am not giving up. Trying back Saturday and Sunday morning. Hope yalls dove season goes well
"Laugh with many, but don't trust any"
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8372652
09/02/21 05:52 PM
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 19,135
TCM3
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 19,135 |
Didn't see any yesterday AM, but there were small groups of 3-4 flying to roost yesterday evening... It was just me and i couldn't cover the whole clearing.
Do not forget to entertain strangers, For by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels Hebrews 13:2 (R-TX)
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8372817
09/02/21 08:09 PM
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Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 65
HTXdude123
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 65 |
Interesting... I've been getting TPWD emails about how the population had a good spring/summer and this is forecast to be a good season. Maybe still a little early? Last year I had the most luck 1-2 weeks after season open. And then again the last week of the second split.
Keep it Safe, Keep it Clean, Aim High.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8372829
09/02/21 08:16 PM
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 733
jseago
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 733 |
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373229
09/03/21 01:34 AM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 150
Kooch
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 150 |
We had the worst opening day I have ever had in Breckenridge. 4 birds between 4 guys
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: HTXdude123]
#8373247
09/03/21 01:45 AM
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 19,135
TCM3
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 19,135 |
Interesting... I've been getting TPWD emails about how the population had a good spring/summer and this is forecast to be a good season. Maybe still a little early? Last year I had the most luck 1-2 weeks after season open. And then again the last week of the second split. They say that every year,
Do not forget to entertain strangers, For by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels Hebrews 13:2 (R-TX)
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373334
09/03/21 02:48 AM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,404
Texasbdog
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,404 |
Birdless near College Station so far,
" What lies behind you and what lies before you are of little consiquense when compared to what lies within you" R.W.E.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373420
09/03/21 04:08 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,952
Sniper John
gumshoe
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gumshoe
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,952 |
I ended up having a pretty good day hunting south young county opening day, but the Dove were gone today. None. Zero. Local birds had left. I was the only hunter on my field so it was not hunting pressure that moved them.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373440
09/03/21 04:54 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 60
cy100
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 60 |
I hunted in Central Texas yesterday. It was very slow. I usually got my limit in the opening day for many years in a row, just matter how soon it was. But, I only took 5 birds the whole day of yesterday. Everyone I met was the same or worse. All birds I got are mature, no young one. So, I think the winter storm of early this year did impact the population of doves.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373449
09/03/21 08:21 AM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 198
TexasATC
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 198 |
Hunted Haskell county. Managed a limit but it took the whole day. Last year, same spot, had a limit by 10am....birds were slow but still plenty around.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373460
09/03/21 10:40 AM
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 88
Hailyeah
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 88 |
Hunted Haskell county. Surprising how much of that land is getting leased up for hunting. But with all the rain this year, there is feed everywhere, not just where it is being managed for dove hunting. The birds have a lot of places to feed. And all the tanks were full. So they didn't have to concentrate for water as much either. We did well and saw a lot of birds in some places, but I also saw a lot of sunflower fields that were partially shredded for hunting with not many birds on them. Why it's called hunting.
[Lone Watie hears a gun [censored] behind him; turns and sees Moonlight]
Lone Watie : It's not right, this damn woman doing something like this to me. I used to have power. Now old age is creeping up on me.
Josey Wales : More like old habits than old age.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373462
09/03/21 10:41 AM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,052
Dodge_Rock
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,052 |
February was the "winter is coming" moment for everyone. I found 10 dead bluebirds in one nest box huddled together. Windchill of -20 is too much. I saw several different types of birds go in holes in trees, even a sparrow hawk, to try & keep warm. So you know there had to be a die-off in doves from Kansas to Texas.
Having said that, there was a nesting pair of mourning doves in our yard that had three clutches. That may be what TP&W referred to as good conditions. Daily limit probably should've been reduced this year to help them rebound as well.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373500
09/03/21 11:48 AM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 530
Hogflyer
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 530 |
Zero population around the Brenham Tx area. Hunted 2 pastures, 2 different ponds at sunset, zero birds. Guess a wx change is in order to change up things here.
hunt safe all...
"Buy more ammo, save it for a rainy day."
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373502
09/03/21 11:52 AM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,919
maximum
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,919 |
" What happened. . . ."
That's a dang good question. There's usually a dozen or so at any one time picking up gravel out front Not even a COO COO COO lately
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373705
09/03/21 03:33 PM
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Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 500
65x55
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 500 |
My mojo was luring in lots of cowbirds and blackbirds.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373751
09/03/21 04:20 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 679
Sinkey
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 679 |
No birds where we were either. It sucked!
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373787
09/03/21 04:59 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,503
reeltexan
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,503 |
Very spotty this year. My buddy in Midland had already told us there were no dove and no quail this year down there. We had respectable numbers near Hewitt but I don't think any areas faired too well against the Blizzard of 21.
"If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." Ronald Reagan
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373795
09/03/21 05:14 PM
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 552
KevinT.
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 552 |
Covid prolly got them 🤪
Opening day around Breckinridge was very slow for us as well
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373858
09/03/21 06:39 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,781
Gringo Bling
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,781 |
We hunted Haskell on 9/1 and 9/2. Morning of 9/1 was super slow, but at least there were a few birds coming to sunflowers. 9/1 afternoon was really bad, moved to a tank and 2 of us got a few. 9/2 was absolutely terrible. 4 hunters yesterday morning combined for 4 birds. Everyone but me went back home after the morning hunt. I wanted to try again yesterday afternoon, but I should have just gone home. Nothing flying at all and no shots coming from other fields.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373888
09/03/21 07:08 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 963
Lipan Creep
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 963 |
I'm east of Angelo we have places in Coke, TOm Green, Concho and Runnels Counties. About 10n years ago we started to notice declines in the mourning dove population. Every year we would see less and less. Every place has tanks milo, and wheat fields. You could limit out everyday during the season. Now you don't have any birds until late September when fronts bring them in from the north. Now if you are within 10 miles of San Angelo you will have clouds of white wings and the hutting is excellent. TPWD sees no issues but I'm telling you there is a bad decline of mourning dove in this area.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373893
09/03/21 07:12 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 91,416
bill oxner
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 91,416 |
Same way with wild Bobwhite quail.
Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: Lipan Creep]
#8373898
09/03/21 07:17 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 963
Lipan Creep
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 963 |
If the TPWD is right and there is no decline in bird populations, then for some reason they are abandoning certain areas during the summer. Lots of places here have very few "local" birds.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8373985
09/03/21 08:59 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 133
3kcattle
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 133 |
TPWD wants to sell hunting license. Every year is a good year in their book,
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8374105
09/03/21 10:28 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,478
4Weight
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,478 |
My LO out In Throckmorton says they lost a ton of local birds with the freeze. Says it may be late Sept after some cool fronts before it’s even close to normal.
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Re: What happended to the birds??
[Re: 7mag]
#8374172
09/03/21 11:39 PM
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 7,979
Stompy
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 7,979 |
Hunting 5 fields this week and weekend. Two fields guys shot around half limits this morning, two fields were absolutely dead and one field had a few birds. My 22nd year selling dove hunts and it's the slowest opener I've ever seen.
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