At age 12 , on September 1 , my uncle and I headed out to the country for my first dove hunt . I don ’ t remember if I got any , but I know I shot a lot . Those birds are fast and they ’ re not very many pellets in a . 410 shell .

In those early days , I was anxious to hunt anything . While I ’ ve not seriously hunted doves in many years , I still love to see them flying around in the early days of autumn . While I prefer bigger birds these days , doves are the bird that kicks off the season here in the Dakotas .

by Chuck Dieter

The mourning dove is 1 of 12 native and introduced species of the family Columbidae occurring in the USA . The most obvious call of the dove is the mournful 5-7 note perch-coo , mainly given by males during spring and summer . There are other sounds given by both sexes during diverse types of behaviors .

During breeding season ( April -- August ), males and females can be distinguished by their plumage . Adult males have a light blue streak extending from the top of the head down the back of the head . They also have rosy breast feathers . Females have grayish brown crowns , brown necks , and tan breast feathers .

North and South Dakota are two of the most important states in the

central flyway for nesting mourning doves . Recent studies have shown a high percentage of adults return to the previous year ’ s nesting areas , and often select new sites within 50 yards of old locations . Mourning doves are so adaptable in habitat selection that it ’ s difficult to pinpoint . They prefer to nest in trees , but nests can be found in a variety of habitats .