Texas Dove Hunting - what to bring?

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canucklehead

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Boys - I just booked my flights to San Antonio for a Dove hunt this December. I'm trying to see what gear I should bring, and wondering if you guys have some ideas?

- brush pants
- game vest/blaze orange
- bug spray/camo
- Snake boots??? Not sure if they are needed in December?
- ???

Planning on bringing my Fabarm O/U and my Benelli M4... trying to line up a chopper for some hogs as well. :)

Anyone have any other 'must haves' or items that might not be obvious?
 
Usually we hunt from a stationary place around the fields. Snake boots are always a good idea down South. So are brush/briar pants, big snakes strike thigh high on a tall Texan. Bug spray and sunscreen also.

Of course a stool with a cooler for water/soft drinks and plenty of shells, maybe a back up shotgun just in case.

All public lands(National Parks/Forests/Grasslands ) require hunter orange, except for migratory birds(doves were considered migratory)

Have fun. Lead the hogs from behind except when banking, keep the spent casings outside and the muzzle always pointed down(away from the rotor) Lol.
 
1- bring tough pants and wear snake chaps.... snakes are a problem year round and lots of the brush there fights back

2- if you are providing ammo, buy lots and be prepared to be humbled

3- if you want a helinhog hunt do pork choppers, did mine their and was awesome

4- for a more conventional hog hunt, look for farmers who run online ads as you can have a hunt over a feeder and shoot as many as you want for as little as $150 in my experience......

5- have fun and report back!
 
Superbrad said:
1- bring tough pants and wear snake chaps.... snakes are a problem year round and lots of the brush there fights back

2- if you are providing ammo, buy lots and be prepared to be humbled

3- if you want a helinhog hunt do pork choppers, did mine their and was awesome

4- for a more conventional hog hunt, look for farmers who run online ads as you can have a hunt over a feeder and shoot as many as you want for as little as $150 in my experience......

5- have fun and report back!
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Good tips all - I have brush pants, and was thinking a tall set of snake boots might be good enough? Chaps too? I'm going with seasoned Texas hunters and don't wanna look like the foreign goofball all PPE'd up!

For hogs, apparently they just call their buddy with a chopper (R44) and they do it all on private land! I'll be go-pro-ing the crap out of that heli if it's a go. :)
 
I have hunted Texas several times (never for doves) in the winter and have never seen a snake, nor have I ever worn special boots or chaps. Back in them days all I ever wore was riding boots (cowboy boots for you dudes) and blue jeans.........that's all the locals wear pretty much year around. Rattlers are all you really need to worry about and they are pretty docile this time of year and usually just move off when they feel you coming. If you get too close they'll let you know, and then allow you to back off, then they will go find another place to sleep. Chances are you won't be doing a lot of moving around, all the dove shooting I did in Africa, we just stood at the edge of a millet field with the bush line to our backs and just hammered them from about 4 PM till dark. We had fetcher guys to find and retrieve our birds and we hardly moved at all, WE (the PH and I) never ventured into the grass, so no worries about mambas.......for us !!
 
Awesome - thanks guys! Last night I ended up scoring a new set of Rocky waterproof snake boots off Ebay for $30. :) Maybe a bit overkill, but I needed a set of warm weather hunting boots anyway.

Will definitely post some pics of the results... I greatly appreciate the input from you guys!
 
One more question....

Hunters Ed 'proof'. Every website I've seen says I need a hunters ed 'card' or something to produce on demand. I've been hunting in AB for 15+ years, and haven't seen that certificate since the next day after passing the course. Is my WIN card and past licenses count as proof? You can't get a hunting license in AB without it, so wondering if the Texas fish cops would consider that adaquate?

Form 6NIA approved in less than a week - Texas here I come!
 
canucklehead said:
One more question....

Hunters Ed 'proof'. Every website I've seen says I need a hunters ed 'card' or something to produce on demand. I've been hunting in AB for 15+ years, and haven't seen that certificate since the next day after passing the course. Is my WIN card and past licenses count as proof? You can't get a hunting license in AB without it, so wondering if the Texas fish cops would consider that adaquate?

Form 6NIA approved in less than a week - Texas here I come!
Click to expand...

Must have your Texas Hunting Licence already to get 6NIA approved, I would think that would be sufficient with your AB License..
 
PEKS said:
Must have your Texas Hunting Licence already to get 6NIA approved, I would think that would be sufficient with your AB License..
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Actually, you don't need a 'reason' anymore as a Canadian. I applied without even referencing the Texas license and it was approved. Also, the Texas regs (and right on my tag) says "Hunter's Ed required" and apparently you need to carry a 'card' as proof. I'm guessing/hoping/assuming that an AB WIN card, plus last years hunting license+migratory + RPAL will be good enough!
 
canucklehead said:
Boys - I just booked my flights to San Antonio for a Dove hunt this December. I'm trying to see what gear I should bring, and wondering if you guys have some ideas?

- brush pants
- game vest/blaze orange
- bug spray/camo
- Snake boots??? Not sure if they are needed in December?
- ???

Planning on bringing my Fabarm O/U and my Benelli M4... trying to line up a chopper for some hogs as well. :)

Anyone have any other 'must haves' or items that might not be obvious?
Click to expand...

When I was at Hawkeye Lodge, the only thing I ''wanted'' for was a small camelback. Your O/U will be far superior to the Benelli for a droving hunt. Faster on target, faster swinging and follow ups for doubles. Practice reloads at home. 3 Gun shell caddies work great for this too I used to bring the OU and the Autoloader, but 1 day convinced me the OU was better in every way. Mod and IC chokes work great.

My favorite vest is from Columbia with the shell holders built in if it is available.
bug spray is not needed usually. Comfortable light hiking boots, wicking socks, and light layers work best.

Unless near a waterway, you do not have to worry about cotton mouth snakes.

PS, see if your guides will take you on a boar hunt one day. Phenomenal fun!!!
 
canucklehead said:
Well - tomorrow is the big day! Never flown with guns before, so I'm a little sketched out by letting them out of my sight.

Pics to follow soon!
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They take you to a room to make sure they are secure and unloaded. They treat you like you are nuclear but not a big deal. The US side is much better. One thing is nice. The VIP treatment when you declare your gun. Hahahaha. What lineup?
 
Well - back in Canada... MAN was that ever FUN! Tons of birds, and limited out every day. Plus a few Eurasians (which don't contribute to your limit) so you can stay and be choosy with your shots. Also had the chance to push some fields and get grouse and a couple other game birds. Great experience all around. Also nailed a wild hog from a deer blind, but that bugger kicked around on the ground for 5 minutes spewing blood before he jumped up and ran into the bush! He's dead of course, but still wanted a pic with it.

The ranch I was at had the biggest deer I'd ever seen. Probably saw over 100 bucks that would score 160+ and a bunch over 200. It's bananas what those guys do down in Texas. High fence hunting isn't really for me, but at 6000+ acres it can still be a challenge. Although EVERYONE down there uses feeders and can draw them in pretty easy.

If anyone likes wingshooting, I HIGHLY recommend going dove hunting. The birds are challenging to hit and takes a while to figure out how they act. They flare when they see movement, so being absolutely still when they come into the field is key. Camo is not needed. Personally guided by the 'Duke of Dove' Sammy Nooner of Hondo Texas. What a guy. Knows more about these birds than anyone in the state, and maybe this continent.

On a funny note - I limited out QUICKER with my Benelli M4 with green triangle RMR than I did with my Fabarm O/U. Dunno why since I'm better at clays with the O/U, but it was still a blast. Sammy didn't like that sight at all. :)

I'll post a few pics in the coming days. Border hassles were minimal, although the metrosexual arsehole CBSA guy in Calgary must not have been much of a hunter. "Dove hunting? Seriously?" He accused me of having ammo in the case and showed me on the x-ray.. Dude - those are choke tubes. Sigh. Pretty much threw my paperwork back at me (actually, he DROPPED it when my hand was out to take them - just to be a ####), but since it was all above board I didn't have too much trouble. Starlight case was good investment - I flew 5 legs there and back, and the case is scratched and scuffed MUCH more than I thought it would be. A lesser case may not have fared as well.
 
OH - any got to shoot a couple AK's and a suppressed AR-15 and Rem 597.

Suppressors rule. AK's blow. I was underwhelmed. I'd take a VZ-58 ANY day of the week. Seriously disappointed with the AK family. I guess the grass is always greener....
 
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