The dove opener is coming. Here’s how to scout smarter, shoot better, and savor the hunt.
With dove season just days away, Phil Bourjaily breaks down what makes a successful opening day in the field, from finding productive cut corn and alfalfa fields to choosing the right spot on public land. He shares practical dove hunting tips on scouting, decoys, shot selection, ammunition, and recovering downed birds without turning a good hunt into a search party.
The conversation also gets into dove guns, including why Phil favors a 20 gauge, how barrel length and balance affect a gun’s performance on fast-flying birds, and why a slightly heavier shotgun can make swinging on crossing doves easier. He explains the toughest dove shots, including overhead birds and doves floating into a decoy, and how shooting skeet can build the repetition needed to make those shots instinctive.
Then T. Edward Nickens returns for a reading of his Field & Stream classic, “The Healing Hunt.” Nickens reflects on an opening day spent hunting through bad weather, personal setbacks, and a friend battling cancer, ultimately finding something much bigger than a limit of birds.
From practical wing-shooting advice to the reasons we keep coming back to the field, this is a celebration of dove hunting and everything that makes opening day special.
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Get to know your host, Colin Kearns: https://www.fieldandstream.com/authors/colin-kearns
Join the F&S 1871 Club and experience a membership dedicated to the outdoor culture of sporting traditions, storytelling, and the conservation of our lands: https://www.fieldandstream.com/1871-club/
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