TWRA Dove Hunting 2010

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Dove Hunting 2010

Dove season opens at high noon on Wednesday. Do you have a place to hunt?

If not, you may be in luck as several public fields will be available thanks to both private lands leased by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and acreage on some of its wildlife management areas.

In times past many hunters have voiced disgruntle feelings about the lack of hunting opportunities but this year there will be five different fields across the county. While the number of doves using the acreage is always “iffy”, most are glad to have the options and welcome the effort by the agency this year.

Here in the Henry County area TWRA has leased three separate fields from landowners that have sunflowers, silage cut, and wheat.

In the northern portion of the county two leased fields are located in the Puryear sector. Signs posted by TWRA will help direct hunters to the fields and directions are also posted at www.tnwildlife.org

If you do not have internet service call TWRA’s Jackson office at 1-800-372-3928 for public fields and their locations across West Tennessee.

Directions for the first of three leased fields are as follows: From Paris go north of Puryear on U. S. highway 641 and turn left on Crossland Road. Go 2.7 miles and turn left on gravel road where field is nearby on right. This location is a 40 acre silage field.

A second field offers 12 acres of sunflowers. From Paris go to Puryear and turn left on Highway 140. Drive 4.1 miles and turn right on Mills Creek Road and then travel 3.1 miles to field on right.

A third field is east of Paris. Take U.S. Highway 79 north and watch for Elkhorn Road, which is a short distance passed the red-light at the junction of highway 79 and 218 bypass. Turn right on Elkhorn Road and travel .3 miles and take Alman Cemetery Road on right. Then travel .3 miles and field is on right. There are 12 acres of sunflower and 12 acres of wheat.

On TWRA’s West Sandy wildlife management area there will again be a field on Old Union Road on the hill near the entrance to boat ramp where it has been in times past. This year there are 15 acres of millet there.

Another field offering 12 acres of millet is located at Big Sandy wildlife management area. The location is past the boat launch area where duck hunters park during the winter and access by turning off highway 69A.

Small yellow signs will direct hunters to all fields off the main roads.

And where are the most doves? A spot check of fields across the whole area this week did not reveal much as very few doves were concentrating around grain fields as season approached.

“We’ve got a lot of food for doves but it seems the birds are just not using the areas just yet,” said TWRA’s Ronnie Cole. “Hopefully we’ll see some improvement by the time season opens next week.”

Other TWRA units offering dove fields will be Harmon’s Creek and Camden Bottoms WMAs in nearby Benton County.

Bag limit will again be fifteen per person, same as last year. After the noon opener on Wednesday hunters can take to the field for morning hunts at first light.

As season approaches it’s a good idea to visit a local shooting range and polish up or help introduce a novice hunter to the do’s and don’ts of gun safety.

Remember to update your hunting licenses too and check to make sure your gun is plugged and incapable of holding more than three shells.
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With Tennessee’s 2010 dove season beginning at 12 noon on Wednesday, September 1, hunters can go to www.tnwildlife.org and find a complete list of public fields across Tennessee on TWRA’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), plus dove fields that TWRA has leased. The web page will include maps of each region with the dove fields identified, along with additional information about each field.

The page will be updated as new information becomes available. Hunters who do not have access to TWRA’s website, contact the TWRA Region I Office for dove field information. In West Tennessee call 1-800-372-3928 or (731) 423-5725.
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Keep your doves separated, says TWRA.

“Every year several dove hunters receive citations for not following this simple rule,” stated Major Brian Thompson, TWRA Region I Law Enforcement Manager. “Dove hunters need to be aware that Federal law states that no person shall possess more than one daily bag limit on the field.”

Thompson added, “if a dove hunter wishes to give their doves to another, this must be done after they have left the field and the doves are to be tagged by the hunter with the following information: The hunter’s signature, address, the total number of birds involved by species and the dates the birds were killed. No person or business shall receive or have in custody any migratory game birds belonging to another unless such birds are properly tagged.”

This means a hunter who gives his or her doves or other migratory species (ducks, geese, etc…) to another person and does not follow this procedure is putting themselves and the other person in violation of the law.

The first segment of Tennessee’s 2010 Dove Season will go through September 26 with a daily bag limit of 15

Steve McCadams is a professional hunting and fishing guide here in the Paris Landing area. He has also contributed many outdoor oriented articles to various national publications.

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