Why hunt doves?
Mourning doves have all of the requisite qualities of a gamebird. They are abundant, a successful hunt is an acquired skill, and they make excellent table fare. Since doves feed almost exclusively on weed seeds and small grain, the meat has a mild flavor that can be accented with your favorite red meat marinades and sauces. Doves are prolific breeders. Although a hen only lays two eggs per nesting attempt, they nest early and raise several clutches in a Wisconsin summer. Chicks hatch, fledge and are on their own in only a month’s time. Animals with such high birth rates subsequently also have high death rates, and doves provide food for many animals in the food chain. Regulated hunting accounts for a small portion of their mortality and will not influence the future size of the population. In fact when you compare long-term population trends across North America, you can’t tell which states allow dove hunts. As with all wildlife, habitat and weather determine the population. Don’t let
