The author and his hunting buddy, Rip, scan the horizon for incoming doves. Photo courtesy of Ronnie Garrison.

"Behind you, over the trees!" I yelled. Then when seven heads within earshot swiveled and scanned the trees behind them, I realized I needed to be a little more specific.

"Uncle Adron, behind you, over the trees," is what that taught me to say.

I was on my first dove hunt in a blind by myself and was about 12 years old. After many days in the blind with Daddy over several seasons, acting as a retriever, and then a season in the blind with him while holding my .410, I finally was allowed in a blind alone. Boy, did I feel grown-up and I was trying real hard to do like Daddy taught me.

That dove shoot was on my Uncle J.D.'s field behind his house in McDuffie County. Back in the 1960s, almost all dove shooting was on family or friends' fields and you always knew everyone in the blinds around you. That has changed a lot over the years and now, unless you pay to have a field or go to a pay shoot, your opportunities are limited.

Fortunately, most of Georgia's wildlife management areas allow dove hunting all around the state. Many have managed fields that produce good dove shooting, while others are open for dove shooting over habitat where you might find doves.

Many WMAs even have youth/ adult hunts, an excellent opportunity to take your kids to a dove shoot. They offer fast action, and younger hunters usually love dove shoots. A WMA hunt won't be exactly like hunts of my youth where everyone on the field was a relative, but with the youth/adult hunts, everyone on the field will understand the importance of taking young people hunting. This is likely to make it a better experience for the younger hunters.

What makes a good dove field? Georgia Wildlife Resources Division wildlife biologist Don McGowan works in Region 3, but specializes in dove management and is coordinating statewide dove banding and wing studies. And he loves to shoot at doves. He shared some of his thoughts on what makes a good dove field and how to select a spot to shoot.

You need a minimum of five acres to have a good dove field, and hilltop or hillside fields seem better than bottomland for some reason. A nearby water source helps as does perching places like power lines and dead trees.

But the key is the food sources.

"Seed available for an extended time is the main key to a good dove field," McGowan said.

Managers try to plant a variety of crops at different times on the WMA fields so the forage is present as many months as possible. This keeps seed on the ground over a long period to attract and hold doves. You should plan your field like this rather than waiting until the last minute to plant.