Where did the doves go?

[dragonsdaddy]

Tpwd doesn’t admit it, but there is a serious problem with the dove population. Other than the loss of habitat as cities expand, what could have decimated them? I drove across the dove capital of Texas last week twice and saw a total of five doves. It is tough to get excited about opening day.

[Box-R]

I didn't shoot any for the last 2 seasons after I saw so many frozen to death in the big winter storm a few years ago.
My small part to let them rebuild the population maybe.

[Low Fence]

Tpwd doesn’t admit it, but there is a serious problem with the dove population. Other than the loss of habitat as cities expand, what could have decimated them? I drove across the dove capital of Texas last week twice and saw a total of five doves. It is tough to get excited about opening day.

Big freeze hurt state wide. After that poor year every single place I hunt has been epic. I had multiple hatches this year as well. Your area has changed and moved them….. but they ain’t in a decline I promise you that

[Static1968]

We used to have a decent amount of Dove at our lease in Gonzalez County,
Like any other area the birds would come and go with the cold fronts, but we had plenty of good hunts to go with the bad.
When the Oil boom happened back about 10 years ago the oil companies came in and put in new road's, new powerlines and fracking ponds on every piece of property all around our place. We no longer had the only powerline in the area that the birds used for a flyway and with so many new ponds around the lease our ponds are now not as productive. Since then, the early season for us has not been very good. We have plenty of Sunflowers, but our hunts get better during the second season once the GOAT weed pops after the first good cold snap.

[Lslite]

Land use has changed and the birds have moved to different areas.

[wytex]

They are loafing up here, we used to get a big cold front every Aug 30-31 or so and push them down. Last few years they have hung around til mid Sept or so.

[Smart]

We are loaded in the places I hunt according to reports. Your doves must not have gotten the memo.

Most folks in my little dove hunting circle are saying they are seeing great numbers as well.

[RiverRat1]

I've seen zero dove in 2 days. Oh well I'd just miss them anyhow

[Quackerbox]

wait a gall darn minute!!!! this thread says there is record numbers of doves????????????

Record Breaking Dove Season Ahead! - TexasBowhunter.com Community Discussion Forums

[dragonsdaddy]

I can say I counted ten doves between Fredericksburg and south Denton Cty from dawn til 1100 two weeks ago. I’m glad to hear that some areas have birds. Hamilton used to be a shooting gallery most of the first season but now I wouldn’t waste my fuel. Big sunflower fields are empty, at least along the back road I took. The rains this year should lead to great hatches but around Baird and points south I’m not getting good reports either. Oh well, I need to get busy repairing all the damages hogs have done since last season anyway.

[BlackHogDown]

We are loaded in the places I hunt according to reports. Your doves must not have gotten the memo.

Same here! Huge dove and quail numbers in falfurrias. They must be coming from all these guys' hunting areas.

[Dusty Rivers]

you sure that driving during a certain time of day in a certain month is a large enough sample size to make a conclusion?

[AM Cloutier]

Down near Hebbronville was loaded a couple weeks ago. Probably waiting for the day before general opener down there to leave. Special white wing will probably good if the rain doesn't scatter them.

[powderburner]

My lease we have them all over the place and the second split if it did not always hit with the rut we would just shoot doves. We have stupid amounts of doves each year. Its just 5.5hrs and 100+temps that keep me away now

[Man]

Went to my hunting lease in Nacogdoches last weekend. Seen maybe 5 doves up there the past 5 years. They just got done clear cutting last month and its now just fields of goatweed. I was kicking up limits left and right. (and I just put $150 down on an el campo dove hunt) Doh!