Those who have the luxury of managing their own private fields should keep this information in mind. Proper management throughout the year can result in much better shooting than will a haphazard last-minute approach based on the hope that as the new kids on the block migrate their way through the state, they’ll somehow pick out your field from all the other prime habitat.

Even with proper field preparation, dove hunting isn’t always as easy as plunking down on a 5-gallon bucket with a case of shells beside you and shooting until your shoulder can’t take any more abuse. As mentioned earlier, the most successful hunters are those willing to make the investment in scouting prospective areas to make sure they are in the right place at the right time.

One other thing to keep in mind: responsible harvest. When you hunt in tall vegetation, it’s very easy to lose a dove that you’ve put down. When the action’s fast, you may make a great shot, and be rewarded with a satisfying puff of feathers. After grinning at your buddy to make sure that he’s seen your feat of wingshooting prowess, you go to retrieve your dove -- but another flight comes in, and you pull up to shoot; after a couple of misses, you continue on to retrieve the downed bird. The problem here is that, in all the excitement, you’ve lost track of where it landed, and finding the bird may take time that could be better spent shooting.

When hunting high cover, follow the bird to the ground with your eyes and walk directly to it before scanning for more potential targets. By doing this you get more shooting in the end than by wasting half the afternoon stumbling around the field looking for lost birds.

Doves are great on the table, with a very mild flavor. To make the most of them, treat them right from shot to table. A dove left to bake all afternoon on the ground in the September sun is not going to taste as good as one properly cared for. Some hunters even prefer to carry a small lunch cooler into the field to place their birds in to keep them cool and out of the sun.

Dove breasts marinated for a few hours, wrapped with a piece of bacon, and grilled make for some fine eating. Another favorite is to make kabobs: Stick the breasts on skewers sandwiched between chunks of your favorite vegetables; place those over an open grill for a few minutes, and they’re ready to go.

This September, give North Georgia public dove field hunting a try. The Department of Natural Resources’ Game Management staff puts a lot of time and effort into preparing these fields for public shoots. Fields like Berry College WMA have been consistent producers over the years, and this year should be no exception.