Top 5 tips for opening day of dove season

Kelly Neuville, owner/general manager of Buckfins-N-Feathers in Broussard, shared a few key tips to keep in mind in preparation for the opening day of dove season.

Step 1

Make sure your gun is cleaned and functioning properly

Nothing dampens opening day like a gun that won’t fire when the barrage begins, so clean it up and make sure it’s good to go.

And be sure your plug is inserted – that will be one of the things enforcement agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will be checking.

Step 2

Buy the right ammo, and enough of it, to get you through your hunt

“I like shooting 8 high-power because it’s a better spread with more, smaller BBs,” Neuville said. “It does less damage to the birds and puts more BBs on them.”

Step 3

Use the right choke

Typically, on opening weekend, the doves won’t be as high as they will later in the season.

“I would say improved cylinder to modified would be the way to go,” he said.

Step 4

Make sure you have appropriate dry-fit clothing

“Drake has a short-sleeved shirt called the Vented Wingshooter,” Neuville said. “It’s 100-percent polyester instead of cotton, and will keep you cooler early in the season.”

Step 5

Get a good bucket swivel seat for a more comfortable hunt

“I like the bucket seats because you can put your shells and a little ice chest inside, and it swivels,” he said. “Find some shade if you can, and bring along plenty of water, a good wide-breamed hat and some sunglasses.”

Dove hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset EXCEPT for opening day of the first split on WMAs and LDWF leased dove fields where shooting hours will be 12 pm (noon) to sunset, EXCEPT for Elbow Slough WMA, which will be open one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

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Patrick Bonin is the former editor of Louisiana Sportsman magazine and LouisianaSportsman.com.