Ca dove hunters

[Rico14]

If you live in Ca you probably know you can hunt  Eurasian doves with an airgun. But you can only hunt them during the split dove season and there is no limit. Starting with opening day this year, Sept 1, Eurasian doves can be hunted all year, but only in the Imperial Valley of southern Ca. Fish and Wildlife is hoping to extend this to the rest of the state by or before the start of next season.

[gandalfretlaw]

Doves are frequently in my driveway and backyard. Have to put some decoys in the back tree.

[Rico14]

Doves are frequently in my driveway and backyard. Have to put some decoys in the back tree.

Try a Mojo Voodoo decoy. If you put it on the ground, they will land by it

[drewciferpike]

It's funny you posted this and I just now saw it: I e-mailed DFG an hour ago for clarification, as the regs say one thing in one spot, and another thing in a different spot.

According to the resident small game definition, Chinese spotted doves, Eurasian collared, and ringed turtle-doves should all be legal to take with an air rifle in CA. Then in part of the regs, they're listed with mourning and white-winged doves as "migratory" (which they're also NOT listed as, in a different spot... no kidding! Crazy, huh?).

So, I asked for clarification, but I think it was simply a mistake on their end. I printed out a sheet of the regs listing the three doves species as being resident small game, so if I get questioned by a warden that wants to lump them all together, I'll be ready. Luckily the three look much different than mourning and white-winged doves.

The three:
https://www.google.com/search?q=ringed+turtle-doves&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=BosdUpOVEsi6iwKcnoDwCA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=947#fp=13d6aa3a7d487f41&q=ringed+turtle-doves+california&safe=off&tbm=isch
https://www.google.com/search?q=Eurasian+collared-doves&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=_4odUrmXAuivjAKpioDQAg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=947#fp=13d6aa3a7d487f41&q=Eurasian+collared-doves+california&safe=off&tbm=isch
https://www.google.com/search?q=Chinese+spotted+doves+california&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=E6wdUsHNH6mOiAKhwoHwAw&biw=1920&bih=947&sei=GKwdUrLRBY3riQL0oIDQCg

The two:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Mourning+Dove&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=KIsdUr-ZIMn9igKNhYHQDg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=947
https://www.google.com/search?q=white-winged+dove&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=bZ0dUsDqGsOCiwLQ-oDgAg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=947

[Rico14]

It's always a good idea to carry documentation with you. I always have a print out of what is legal to hunt with an airgun. You'd be surprised how many wardens aren't familiar with AG hunting laws. And being the year round hunt for Eurasians is just going to effect in less than a week, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the wardens are unaware of this change. To me, it's fairly easy to tell the difference between the doves. For one thing, the Eurasians are so much bigger. They also fly differently and their voice is different. The main thing is to look for the big dark spot on the back of the neck. Can't wait for this to take effect state wide. The Eurasians are all over up here in northern ca. I'm going to try to get a few on opening day.

[drewciferpike]

It's always a good idea to carry documentation with you. I always have a print out of what is legal to hunt with an airgun. You'd be surprised how many wardens aren't familiar with AG hunting laws. And being the year round hunt for Eurasians is just going to effect in less than a week, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the wardens are unaware of this change. To me, it's fairly easy to tell the difference between the doves. For one thing, the Eurasians are so much bigger. They also fly differently and their voice is different. The main thing is to look for the big dark spot on the back of the neck. Can't wait for this to take effect state wide. The Eurasians are all over up here in northern ca. I'm going to try to get a few on opening day.

Nice! I'll be gone, this weekend, so my wife's cousin will be torturing me with a hunting debrief...

[Mr0d25]

I will be out there with an my marauder and my trusty remington 870. 

[stevoe0970]

I'll be looking to get some Eurasians with my
.25 Marauder and .25 Condor SS in the IV.

[vinenator]

I remember back in the 70s hunting (probably the now migratory ones) with a C760 pump and little 4-32 scope in No. Calif..  season? i didn't need no stinking season!

i learned their call from an old-timer who taught me how to blow through my thumbs and cupped hands. i still can do it, amazingly enough. the call works just fine on the east coast species as well.

as long as i cleaned them (didn't know how to do that the easy way), mom would cook them. they were great for dinner!

[Rico14]

I'll be looking to get some Eurasians with my
.25 Marauder and .25 Condor SS in the IV.

Good hunting. You're lucky, now you can hunt them year round