Strategy 1: Find the Hot Spot

Don’t waste time sitting in spots where doves aren’t flying. They are creatures of habit, so a little scouting goes a long way in patterning doves. Birds frequently navigate along tree lines and field edges as well as across the middle of fields, where terrain features help them navigate.

Doves like to be able to see, and feel protected at the same time. Once you’ve identified their “flyways,” look for spots that satisfy their need for security, and your need to get off a shot. Key on gaps in a tree line (1), a saddle on a hill, converging crop fields, a dead tree (2), windrows (3) and even a high spot (4), such as a lone dirt mound in a field.