Californian 2016 Dove hunting opener Thursday, lots of public land opportunities

By Jim Matthews
www.OutdoorNewsService.com

The September 1 dove hunting season is expected to be similar to last season across Southern California. Preliminary reports show that dove production was similar to or above last year’s hatch, and that means bird numbers remain stable or slightly up from last opener.

There has also been far less tropical thunderstorm activity in the southern deserts, with most of the storms not crossing the Colorado River into California. These storms are frequently blamed for running doves out of the region just before the opener each year.
Overall, almost everyone contacted for this report agreed the 2016 dove opener should be equal to or better than the 2015 season.
Hunting are reminded they must use non-lead ammunition (steel shot) for doves on state wildlife areas and ecological reserves, which includes many of the lands listed below.

Here’s the region-by-region summary of the public land hunting areas with hot spots highlighted.

See the hunting areas and the complete VVDailyPress article

Southern California Seminar Series Helps Bird Hunters Find Public Land Places To Hunt Dove, Quail And Chukar

Do you have enough good places to hunt doves, quail, and chukar on public lands in Southern California? Do you know where the guzzlers are located in our local deserts and mountains? Are you positive you are hunting on legal hunting ground when you go out? Do you believe there are more good places to hunt gamebirds than there are upland hunters left in the region?  If you answered “no” to any or all of these questions, Jim Matthews, a long-time WON writer and editor of the highly-acclaimed Western Birds newsletter, is doing a series of 20 seminars from Ventura to San Diego in August and September to help beginning, intermediate, and even veteran hunters find more places to hunt game birds and help them be more successful in the field. The first seminar will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Fountain Valley Turner’s Outdoorsman store, and that will be followed with another 10 a.m. to noon session on Sunday, August 10, at the Oxnard Turner’s Outdoorsman. The seminars continue thought October 4. There is a complete list of times, dates, and locations on Matthews’ website, www.OutdoorNewsService.com. Cost for each seminar is $50 per family (all members in the same household), and it includes a trial two-issue subscription to Matthews’ Western Birds hunting newsletter, which he calls the “most detailed scouting report published in the world.” For more information about the seminars or the Western Birds newsletter, call Matthews at (909) 887-3444 or go to his website at www.OutdoorNewsService.com. Read the complete article for more information

Dove hunters ready for early start

By Peter Ottesen

The most anticipated upland game bird hunting season in California opens Sunday when the first half of the mourning dove shoot gets underway and runs through Sept. 15. Approximately 87,000 shotgun enthusiasts are expected to go afield.

"There is greater participation among hunters who seek doves than for any other upland species," said Scott Gardner, upland game bird coordinator for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. "It's the first shotgun hunting season of the autumn and people experience a high success rate. They usually harvest some."

The daily bag is 10 doves per day. The possession limit is triple the daily bag after the first two days of the season. The second half of the season runs Nov. 9 through Dec. 23.

San Joaquin County residents, especially those near the outskirts of towns or in rural areas, should expect plenty of gunfire when the season opens at 6:05 a.m. Sunday, a half-hour before sunrise.

"The dove hunting tradition is extremely strong," Gardner said. "People plan trips around the season, perhaps to the desert or Sierra foothills. Many enjoy an after-hunt barbecue with neighbors and family. Since a typical dove shoot can accommodate quite a number of hunters, camaraderie is a big part of it."

State and federal scientists cooperatively band and annually assess the dove harvest and its effect on the overall populations.

"Doves are among our closest monitored birds," Gardner said. "There are plenty of them."

Read the rest of the RecordNet.com article

Dove Hunting in El Centro, CA - Video

Watch this fun documentary about dove hunting in El Centro, California. You will also get to know "Dieter" a one of a kind Munsterlander bird retriever.
Brought to you by http://southerncaliforniahunting.com

For More Bird Hunting Videos Visit BirdHunterTV.com

Application Approaching for San Diego County Dove Hunt

BY AHUGHAN

The application deadline for dove hunting in the at Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve is approaching quickly and hunters are encouraged to apply immediately. Only 20 hunters will be allowed to participate.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Upland Game Bird Stamp Program manage this unique opportunity to hunt for dove in the Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve in San Diego County. Applications are due Wed. Aug. 14 at 4 p.m. and are available on the CDFW website athttp://www.dfg.ca.gov/hunting/.

The dove hunt is Sat. Sept. 7, from 6 a.m. to sunset at the Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve in east San Diego County, between the towns of Jamul and Dulzura. The selected hunters will have access to the reserve from check-in time to sunset and may hunt in parties up to four people. Use of dogs is optional but dogs much be kept on a leash and in the owners immediate control at all times. CDFW will not be providing dogs for the hunt.

All hunters must have a valid 2013 hunting license and the proper hunter safety equipment in order to participate and will be allowed to take a maximum legal limit of dove. CDFW wildlife officers will be on hand to check equipment and ensure compliance with hunting laws and regulations.

For more information contact Nick Bechtel, CDFW Region 5 at (805) 965-3059.

Applications are available http://www.dfg.ca.gov/hunting/, for questions regarding application process please call (916) 445-3565.

Media Contacts:
Nick Bechtel, CDFW Region 5, (805) 965-3059
Andrew Hughan, CDFW Communications, (916) 322-8944