2018 eastern NC dove hunt

Ethan Gurganus · Aug 31, 2018

Anyone else absolutely pumped up about the start to all hunting seasons?! labor day weekend for as long as I can remember is the only day that rivals Christmas morning. lol. waking up to a cooler morning (wish it wasn't going to be 90 by mid day) and cooking some breakfast with the boys before we hit the field and set up the mojos. cleaned up the shot guns, (stoger p350) got all our gear together, dogs fed up and well groomed (for show haha), and full camo pants shirt and boots (overkill I know). between the 7 of us, we each have 200 shells haha. little rusty to start the season so we may miss a lot. I love dove hunting for many reasons, but mainly because of how social it can be and the experience to show someone who may not like hunting how thrilling it can be when you have 6 dove coming in to land on your mojo. If you cant tell....im excited!! haha! oh and I forgot to mention how wonderful they taste....like all game I kill, we will feast on the fruits of our labor!! happy hunting to all and the best of luck!

Ethical hunter
Hunt to Eat
Conservationist

Ethan Gurganus, 21
Bath, NC

genesis273 · Aug 31, 2018

I've said for years, Sept 1st should be New Year!
I'm with you on the dove hunt! Especially when taking a youth or kid along for their first hunt with a good group of friends!

cgarner · Aug 31, 2018

Can't wait for tomorrow morning.

teej89 · Aug 31, 2018

Can I pick your guys's brain about stand locations?

I've never hunted them and am trying to get the dog on birds before ducks and pheasants. Anywho it's public land, a "managed dove field" there's 8 but I liked this one because it's not right beside a parking lot.

See the attached image, it's 3acres, 1010ft long and it crowns in the middle with the west side being lower than the east and high point in the middle. It has a stand row of millet(see yellow line below, maybe 10ft wide) and plowed fields either side of the millet(20-30ft each) for a total managed field width of 80ft and all around is overgrown field...

For my morning hunt I was thinking bout staying on the east side, maybe 100ft off the treeline however should I sit up in the middle of the field at the crown with some mojos? What are your thoughts? Or am I just totally over thinking stand locatino and just sit with the sun to my back?

Ethan Gurganus · Aug 31, 2018

Teej89... If it was me, I would do exactly what you suggested...east side with my back to the trees maybe 50 to 100 feet off the tree line... mojos should have em coming right in! looks like a nice location too! Let us know how the hunt goes and best of luck!

Ethan Gurganus · Aug 31, 2018

amen brother!!

teej89 · Aug 31, 2018

Ethan Gurganus said:
Teej89... If it was me, I would do exactly what you suggested...east side with my back to the trees maybe 50 to 100 feet off the tree line... mojos should have em coming right in! looks like a nice location too! Let us know how the hunt goes and best of luck!

Thanks! Good luck to you too!

DRS · Aug 31, 2018

I drew a permit hunt on gamelands for tomorrow. Never hunted there before. We'll see how it goes.

WildWill · Aug 31, 2018

Teej89 your plan is good the only thing I would add is there looks to be a fence row where you drew the top red line. I would sit on that fence row for added cover set the mojo up towards the crest and attach any clip on decoys to fence.

Good luck tomorrow everyone and stay safe.

tarheel · Aug 31, 2018

Tomorrow I'm going retro. My Dad bought me an Iver Johnson Champion when I was 11 and I cut my teeth on doves with that little .410 so tomorrow I'll be out there at 75 reliving my youth with that same gun in hand. On top of that we're mentoring my DIL who'll be shooting a Ruger Red Label 20 bore. If it gets too much for her I'll let her use the .410 but she should be OK.

tarheel · Aug 31, 2018

DRS said:
I drew a permit hunt on gamelands for tomorrow. Never hunted there before. We'll see how it goes.

South Mountain???

genesis273 · Aug 31, 2018

Teej89, I've been scaring doves for 40+ seasons. My take on your map is, I only hunt that close to a tree line if I have a good dead tree along the edge, and I'll favor that. They will often land in a dead tree before pitching down into a field. But if you get too close to a tree line, you will often see them after they pass you going to the field, and tree top high, and you will be doing more sky busting than anything. If you have dovea leaving the field, they will still be tree top high. If you don't have too many buddies hunting the field, I would be along that hedgerow line in the middle of the field at the highest point. Plus, you will loose alot or birds that fall in the woods.
However, watching a field a morning or two before opening morning would give you the best answer.

Sorry to highjack the thread! Now back to the original post!

DRS · Aug 31, 2018

tarheel said:
South Mountain???

Actually it is Lower Roanoke River gamelands, Conoho Farms tract.

119bowhunter · Aug 31, 2018

Hunted one of the NC WRC managed dove fields last year for the first time and had a great shoot, had lots of birds come in...this year we were drawn for Wednesday and next Saturday so no dove hunting for me tomorrow

good luck to all y'all who are going!

tarheel · Aug 31, 2018

DRS said:
Actually it is Lower Roanoke River gamelands, Conoho Farms tract.

That's a long ride down to Martin County, hope you have a good hunt. There are almost always more birds down in the Eastern counties.

DRS · Sep 1, 2018

tarheel said:
That's a long ride down to Martin County, hope you have a good hunt. There are almost always more birds down in the Eastern counties.

I think you may have me confused with someone else. Although I was born and raised in Catawba County I now live down in Pitt County just outside of Greenville. I only had about a 45 minute drive this morning. Had a decent shoot. Ended up with 9. Enough for a mess for my wife and myself. Probably could have set up better on the field to get more shooting but I was trying to also stay in the shade as much as possible. My gosh it was hot and humid.

tarheel · Sep 1, 2018

DRS said:
I think you may have me confused with someone else.

I do indeed, confusing you with a guy from Hendersonville with similar moniker from the NCH&F forum. Go Pirates!

Ethan Gurganus · Sep 4, 2018

Hope yall did better than me! 12 birds in 2 full days of hunting (stopped for lunch) too hot for the dove I think... lots of fog in the am too. still had a great time but worst opening weekend ive had in 7 years. cant kill if you aint in the field tho!

genesis273 · Sep 4, 2018

Ethan, same here. It was slow and HOT! My worst opening day since the early 80's! But, great fellowship and food. Basically, went to a social event, and a dove hunt broke out!

2018 eastern NC dove hunt

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