A Dove Question - Trees

[justhrowit]

My wife and I own about 70 acres of land in Ellis Co. It's a nice dove highway, and over the last couple years I've done well out here on dove. I've been wanting to plant trees specifically for dove, but don't know what to plant. I have access to my in laws place where they have a lone Gum Bumelia tree that brings dove in from, what seems, every county in the state. I can limit under that tree the whole season. I'd love to find one, but in a two year on/off search, I haven't located one.
Currently the fields are cultivated in Sunflower and Millet, primarily.

That all said.... what trees are advantageous to have in a dove field. I'd love to add some sort(s) of berry tree(s) that fruit in the fall. Any solid recommendations from the wise folks here on the green screen?

picture posted for fun!

J

[Playa]

Dead trees! We had a set up where we cut down 4 or 5 elm trees about 10-15’ tall. Post hole dug holes about 3’ deep and stood them up. Dove prefer to land in dead trees. If I’m selecting a sitting spot I want to find a dead tree or nearly dead to sit near

[Philip-TX]

Just Gotta be where the dove wanna be..based on eat/drink, (rest,shade &roost). I don't think planting dove trees is gonna help ya.

Might try planting some dead trees, too. I see 'em landing in 'em all the time.
Or even plant some high lines or fence rows.

---

[SmTx]

Dead trees! We had a set up where we cut down 4 or 5 elm trees about 10-15’ tall. Post hole dug holes about 3’ deep and stood them up. Dove prefer to land in dead trees. If I’m selecting a sitting spot I want to find a dead tree or nearly dead to sit near

Dead tree over a tank is primo. But that's not really an option here lol

[jerp]

I don't know of any trees that attract dove but that sounds like a long term project. For the time being you might just put up something for them to land on. I use an old rooftop TV antenna attached to two lengths of aluminum fence top rail. Put decoys on it and zip tie to a tpost on a fence line. Dove crossing the field love to swing by for a look

[unclefish]

Gum Bumelia is excellent...its like crack for WW's. Also "planting" a man made hi-line next to the crops planted would be excellent to sit under as well. Dead trees are great too.....they love to land and look before committing to landing on the ground.

[JACK750]

Dead trees for sure but down south you can always find dove in mesquite trees. With that said that's just about all they have down there.

[justhrowit]

Thanks for all the responses. I certainly have a couple of dead trees on the tree lines, and yes, I do sit them, often.
Looks like, so far, unclefish has seen what I've seen when sitting up a Gum Bumelia tree. Honestly... it's insane.
I never thought about the wire option. I like that. I have a couple trees next to each other that I could probably get a wire into or that TV Antenna thing.
I appreciate all the responses.

J

[waterdog]

put up two telephone poles run a wire between them.

[Smart]

gumbelia berries are whitewing crack.... Maybe plant some of the berries and pray they take?

[justhrowit]

gumbelia berries are whitewing crack.... Maybe plant some of the berries and pray they take?

I've tried it a couple times over the last two years, and nothing. I've also tried root balls and using the tree sprouts to create rooting/new trees. I've spoke to several folks who do this with trees and several "in the know" say the Gumbelia tree just doesn't take well. It's not impossible, but its difficult. I meant to try again this past spring, but now it's too late, I guess. I'd give it another go this next spring.

[Low Fence]

Prickly ash. Aka “tickle tongue “. Trash tree that takes over fence rows. Makes berries (non edible to humans) and dove gorge on them. Plant a bunch then chemically kill every other one in several years. Lofting trees and food

[red]

i seem to find a good amount of birds hanging around honey locust trees on a friends place i bird hunt occasionally

[justhrowit]

i seem to find a good amount of birds hanging around honey locust trees on a friends place i bird hunt occasionally

I'm guessing that's due to the thin nature of the branches and leaves, similar to folks suggesting to hunt under dead trees.
At one point, we had a couple hundred Honey Locust Trees, but we removed them all. The thorns are quite gnarly, and they shed branches/thorns often. Those thorns put me in the hospital once. I've had more than several go through shoes and boots causing infection in my foot. My wife calls them The Devil Tree.
In the end, I'm still hung up on the Gum Bumelia tree. I can't get that tree out of my head. I wish there was a way to get one, easily. I've found them in Georgia, at one time, but they wouldn't ship them to TX.

J

[red]

I'm guessing that's due to the thin nature of the branches and leaves, similar to folks suggesting to hunt under dead trees.
At one point, we had a couple hundred Honey Locust Trees, but we removed them all. The thorns are quite gnarly, and they shed branches/thorns often. Those thorns put me in the hospital once. I've had more than several go through shoes and boots causing infection in my foot. My wife calls them The Devil Tree.
In the end, I'm still hung up on the Gum Bumelia tree. I can't get that tree out of my head. I wish there was a way to get one, easily. I've found them in Georgia, at one time, but they wouldn't ship them to TX.

J

i should of added when the seed pods are splitting/dropping seeds. otherwise id say burn em all, those thorns through a shoe sux!!!