Bird Hunting Seasons set for 2015 - 2016

Dove hunters will be ready and waiting on Sept. 5

If you are a wingshooter, then the longest layoff of the year is nearing a close. Once Canada goose season opens on September 1, it is followed by a string of bird hunting opportunities, including the most popular pursuit of them all – dove hunting. While it’s good to know the season dates to begin planning your outdoor pursuits, this knowledge also signals that it is time to gather the shotgun shells, camouflage and other tools of the trade necessary for time spent in the field.

            

Reports up in Canada are beginning to reveal that some birds are moving South. Migratory geese can be part of that first wave of migration, along with colorful songbirds and other avian life. Of course, resident Canada geese are the main target of the month long season that runs until September 30, but migratory geese can mix in with their flocks. It takes a commitment to scouting in order to locate any geese, and even then the daily bag limit of 15 geese per day would be a challenge to meet.

            
Dove season begins on the Saturday before Labor Day, and the first three days from Sept. 5 – 7 will allow only afternoon dove hunts. Between a Saturday season opener, and the Labor Day Holiday on Monday, this should give wingshooters some great days to get the proverbial rust off of their aim. Also, the beginning of dove season ushers in the social settings that many Lowcountry dove hunting enthusiasts fondly recall as the best part of the hunt, where equal parts of good food and good stories help to flavor the bird hunting ritual.

To read this feature article in the Colletonian click here.

To view past blog entries click on Preparing a Dove Field - 2014 Regulations Update - September's Sporting Song