Sandhills Dove Hunt 2010 is on the books.  Charles and I were joined by our old friend Mike on our hunt near Valentine, Nebraska.   While the morning was cool and we had the energy, we started the day off jump shooting different windmills.  If you’re not familiar with jump shooting, you simply walk up and see what jumps up in front of you.  In regards to dogs, dove hunting is a little like duck hunting with a blind: we only use them to retrieve the fallen birds when necessary (which it is typically not).

Dove Hunting

Mike and Charles going to jump shoot for dove at a windmill

Dove Hunting

First dove on the ground

Dove Hunting

Charles shooting at some dove in flight

Dove hunting

Mike shooting at doves in flight

Dove hunting

Mourning doves in flight

Mike, his dove and his Baikal 12 gauge over/under

Once the day heated up, we decided to pick a windmill and set up some decoys.  As the windmills are the sole source of water on the open prairie, the doves cannot resist flying in.

Dove Hunting

Sam and Sue help Charles set up at the windmill

Dove hunting

Charles setting up dove decoys on the windmill

Prior to getting settled in our spots, we let Sam and Sue out of the truck for a break.

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Sam cools off in the stock tank

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Sue cools off in the stock tank

For awhile we had Sue sit with us at the windmill and used her to retrieve our birds for us, just for fun and practice.

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Sue retrieves a dove

I was primarily focused on taking pictures, but towards the end of the day I took up Charles’s 12 gauge and was able to take a dove.

Me, my dove and Charles’s SKB 12 gauge over/under

Dove hunting

Saturday’s dove total: 13

The birds have since been cleaned and eaten in a corn stuffing.