Dove hunting dos and don’ts

When they start hunting, Mississippi dove hunters need to remember the rules and regulations, as well as safe hunting practices before going to the woods.

“One thing hunters can do is go to a good range, like the (MDWFP’s) Turcotte Shooting Center and do some shooting,” said John Satterwhite, a native Mississippian and former four-time U.S. International Skeet Champion who oversees the state wildlife agency’s Markmanship Program. “Not only can they sharpen their shooting skills with the many different disciplines the range offers, but it gives them the opportunity to be reacquainted with handling their shotguns.

“That encourages safe gun practices when they go hunting and are around their friends and other hunting partners.”

Short of that, shooters can remember these safety tips:

Shoot high

Never shoot at a bird flying lower than 45 degrees on the horizon. Any lower and it endangers other shooters across the field. To find 45 degrees, point an unloaded gun straight ahead, level and parallel to the ground. Then raise it directly overhead, forming a 90-degree (perpendicular) angle to the level aim. The halfway point between level and straight overhead would be 45 degrees.

Locate other hunters

Know where your neighbors are in the field, and be alert for any hunters who leave their stand site to retrieve birds.

Establish safe firing zones

When hunting in pairs, like a father and son, be sure to discuss each hunter’s firing zones to prevent one from swinging a shotgun around on the other.

Load and unload alone

Never load your gun before reaching your assigned or chosen shooting position. Do not load in a crowd. By the same token, unload your gun prior to leaving your stand site. Leave the action open on all guns when around other hunters.

The right stuff

Believe it or not, one of the most-common mistakes dove hunters make is showing up to a hunt with the wrong shells for their gun, like having a 12-gauge shotgun and 20-gauge shells. It is both embarrassing and dangerous, if an improper shell is loaded and discharged.

Be legal

Since doves are considered migratory, all shotguns must be incapable of holding more than three shells. That means one in the firing chamber and two in the magazine. Guns capable of holding more shells must be plugged to prevent holding more than two in the magazine.

Legal shooting hours for dove are 30 minutes prior to sunrise to sunset.

Licenses are required for all hunters aged 16 to 65, unless exempt for medical reasons. All migratory bird hunters in Mississippi are required to have satisfied the HIP (Harvest Information Program) requirements at the time of electronic license purchase.