I think the heat of summer is finally getting to me.. I'm starting to think crazy... Thinking about dove hunting this year with my bow. Anyone done this? If so do you used SGH's, broadheads, field points? I can't imagine it would be to productive, but it has to be fun!
I've thought about it quite a bit. But that's as far as I've gotten. Gotta be very hard to score but it would be fun tryin'.
Just think of all the looks you would get if you went to a big dove shoot with all the shotgunners!
There is a video on you tube featuring a bowhunter shooting doves on the wing and nailing them. Problem is, it was done with a wheelbow .Search for "the dove bowhunter"
Tim wells does it and hits plenty. I would think field points would be just fine, doesn't take much. Good luck!
Check out Clark Broadheads, some great stuff for bird and small game hunting.
I've been hunting dove with a slingshot for years, I mostly get them on the ground, but have tagged a few in flight. I don't suspect a bow to be much more difficult.
I hate to brag but I did shoot 1 p&y dove from 60 yards with a longbow. My favorite birds to eat.
I try for them. Got one But it was sitting in a tree. Hey by missing a dove in flight by a few inches is still good . Can't do it watching the boob tube.
Funny, I was just thinking about this also as I'm moving back to Southern California at the end of this month and remember some great dove hunting in the Imperial Valley. I assume Flu Flus are the way to go? How about shots? Those crossing shots would be darn hard. the head on shots would be easier but I can't imagine they wouldn't jink out of the way of the arrow since they seem to dodge the shot easily enough. Maybe the going away shots would be the ticket.
I knew a guy years ago who killed a limit of 10 with his bow. He set up by a dead tree next to a waterhole and would shoot them as they flared to land on the tree. A waterhole gets a lot of activity from doves
On YouTube double bull archery has Brooks shooting doves and ducks with flu flus and snaro heads and he didnt do half bad I thouhht
It would be fun to try. I have a hard enough time hitting them with a shot gun so at least I would have a good excuse for missing.
A little off topic but I just received a survey from NC Wildlife and from all the questions it seems they are gearing up to use steel shot and get rid of lead.
I tried it at Patoka Lake in Indiana back in 1987 or 1988. I made up a bunch of flu-flus and used a Bear Type 1 B Takedown. I had two store-bought snaro heads and made a couple more. The doves could see the arrow coming and dodged them.
The best I did was to get a couple to look at the arrow -- you could see their little heads turn. We sure entertained the shot-gun hunters though -- it was a public dove hunt.
Heck I have a hard enough time with a 12 gauge !!
Good Luck to you
Glenn
in-flight doves with a bow... right! Like Coonbait, I have enough trouble hitting `em with my 28, and I teach instinctive shotgunning! I did take a blue grouse with my bow last year, though, and I'll be packing a flu flu again this deer season just in case, so "theoretically" it's possible, right? :D
I can't hit them with a shotgun as it is! They are so fast I just don't see it happening. I'm sure someone somewhere has done it though. Good luck!
I have been on the dove quest for the last two seasons. I have not gotten a dove out of the air yet, but I am getting closer ans closer every time I try. The very first thing I learned was that they are too fast for flu-flus! I have also been using a snaro bird point, hoping the extra surface area gives me a better chance. I have to wait 2 more months for the season to open to give it a whirl again. I am also going to try for geese and sandhill cranes this fall if I get the chance. The bigger birds will be easier than the dove will be.
Bisch