I'm planning to go. Anyone else? It's Sept 1-5 this year. I hear it's a blast.
IL DNR Dove Permit Lottery Opens Today
chibeemer
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perhaps, but in WI since its just down the road. Bong is 20 mins away plus relatives N of Milw
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An update on this subject. I went and hunted dove this year. It was hot. Hunting starts at noon so you don't get to take advantage of early fliers. Hunting also stops at 5pm.
The birds never really started flying until 3:30pm. Only after did it really become interesting.
Fields are about 300 yards across and have a cable line extending through the middle where birds rest. Fields are planted with sunflowers or wheat. When doves take flight, shooters on either side commence firing when the birds go in one direction or another. This is a hunt where the more hunters you have the better since the advantage is to have the birds circling around the entire field instead of resting on the cable or trees on either side of the field.
My take was average this year: 2 birds. That's pretty low but I was looking at statewide takes and they were all very low. Must have been the hot weather.
Bottom line, if you are an experienced hunter or especially if you are new or new to shotguns, you will definitely get to shoot a lot of shells at fast targets. Hunting the state land wasn't an issue and might actually work to your benefit in stirring up the birds to take flight.
The birds never really started flying until 3:30pm. Only after did it really become interesting.
Fields are about 300 yards across and have a cable line extending through the middle where birds rest. Fields are planted with sunflowers or wheat. When doves take flight, shooters on either side commence firing when the birds go in one direction or another. This is a hunt where the more hunters you have the better since the advantage is to have the birds circling around the entire field instead of resting on the cable or trees on either side of the field.
My take was average this year: 2 birds. That's pretty low but I was looking at statewide takes and they were all very low. Must have been the hot weather.
Bottom line, if you are an experienced hunter or especially if you are new or new to shotguns, you will definitely get to shoot a lot of shells at fast targets. Hunting the state land wasn't an issue and might actually work to your benefit in stirring up the birds to take flight.
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Nice! I always wanted to do it, but the idea of a bunch of guys of which I don't know with guns in close proximity to me firing at fast moving objects kept me away. I was always hoping to get on private property to hunt over some sunflowers, but it never materialized.
Chris
Chris
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I understand the concern but it was fine. You are 50 yards from the next hunter, lined up along the edge of the field. Everyone is shooting forward.
If you hit the bird the hunters on either side see it as well. You must leave your shotgun at your hide and walk out to retrieve. That's the hard part because after you shoot you absolutely can't take your eye off the bird or you lose it in the field. You just shoot, drop the gun, yell out you are going to retrieve and head out to the field.
A few guys told me that last year they felt shot coming down on them from above but they weren't concerned since the birds are up in the air. I just made sure the hunters on either side of me knew I was heading to the field. No one shot when I walked out but I made a decent effort to introduce myself to the guys on either side of me and note, where they were.
The birds weren't really flying after you walk out to retrieve but accidents can happen.
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DNR? Do Not Resuscitate? Lol. 
perspective is everything.
perspective is everything.
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so wait, you have to enter a lottery to get to hunt dove? And you can only do it between noon and 5pm?!?
Yet another reason for me to never come back to that state :laughing
Dove hunting is fun as hell though. In a field though, not in a circle jerk you describe.
Yet another reason for me to never come back to that state :laughing
Dove hunting is fun as hell though. In a field though, not in a circle jerk you describe.
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I won't argue with ya. IL isn't the most hunter friendly state. But that's where we live and work. Also, a lot of people live and work here so we have to compete with each other for these types of activities.
That being said, the IL DNR didn't turn down any walk ons on the day I showed up with my permit. So I think it's mainly an attempt to provide some structure. It's clearly not really acceptable to have too many people attempt this at the same time.
I sincerely congratulate you on your non-permit hunting capacity but not many of us can realistically move to KS or want to for other reasons for that matter.
That being said, the IL DNR didn't turn down any walk ons on the day I showed up with my permit. So I think it's mainly an attempt to provide some structure. It's clearly not really acceptable to have too many people attempt this at the same time.
I sincerely congratulate you on your non-permit hunting capacity but not many of us can realistically move to KS or want to for other reasons for that matter.
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