Editor's Note: Unfortunately, we didn't get to make Arizona's opening weekend of dove season. Fortunately, our pal Andy Lightbody of Rocky Mountain Television/Productions was there to give us the flavor of what appears to have been a great hunting weekend.

With a crackling of shotgun blasts coming from virtually all directions, the Arizona 2010 kicked off last Wednesday, literally with a big bang! Drawing everyone from the resident hunters to many out-of-staters (including yours truly), for the dove season runs from September 1-15th, and has a late season that picks up on November 19th and finally closes January 2nd.

"Arizona's reputation for excellent dove hunting for residents and non-residents, is a Meca for hunters looking for a great hunting and shooting opportunity that is easy to access a lot of open lands that are managed by the Game & Fish Department," says Rory Aikens, PIO. " Its affordable to virtually all sportsmen and provides plenty of shooting action for everyone! Hunters-- young and old--- literally flock here from around the country to enjoy some of the best wingshooting in the nation."

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2025409.jpg> Shooting time starts 30-minutes before sunrise, and the dove are winging through the area like mosquitoes on a mission! (Photo by Rory Aikens)

Number of both white-wing and mourning dove populations are on a par with last year's excellent numbers, but what is probably the best news for hunters in 10 years is that Arizona now allows hunters to work on limiting out, from dawn to dusk. In year's past, Arizona's early dove season was only open from dawn until noon. But for 2010 those regulations have changed, giving those hunters who have not shot a limit to have more time in the field or relocate to a more productive area, without having to literally-- watch the clock.

This year, our Arizona dove adventure started with an invitation to join Larry Voyles, the Director of the Arizona Game & Fish Department , other members of his staff and a bunch of invited industry folks and outdoor writers. A tradition that was started last year, we all again met for the opening day hunt at the Powers Butte/Robbins Butte Wildlife area. This "open to all of the public" area is a short 30-minute drive from downtown Phoenix, is easily accessed, and provides both mourning and white wing dove shooting that is nothing short of spectacular! Meeting up at 4am, after a 14 hour drive the day/evening before, a lot of us were a little bleary-eyed as the group all got to meet and greet in the parking lot. Joining the group this year were local managers from Cabelas, Sportsman's Warehouse, Bass Pro and Dicks Sporting Goods. In addtion, we had folks from the National Wild Turkey Federation, The Mule Deer Foundation, and several outdoor writers.

Driving the wash-board dirt roads about 7 miles in the dark, our caravan of vehicles looked like a string of military vehicles going out on maneuvers and masking our presence with thick clouds of dust. Into the parking lot and we all got the obiligitory safety briefing by Phil Smith, who is the Supervisor for the wildlife area. According to Phil, while the dove are certainly plentiful throughout this area, a lot of the hunting for them has been enhanced by the many volunteers that come out and assist with everything from weeding to crop planting and all the assistance needed to keep this area a prime sportsman's paradise!

Last year, at legal shooting time, the dove surrounded virtually all shooters like swarms of mosquitoes. They were all around us. This year, we stood there and found the birds were sparse. And for me, way out of range. I stood with my partner, Kathy, and we got one just before sunrise. A few other birds tried to fly close bye, but that was about it, most were way out of range and flying like they were on a mission to get the Hell out of our shooting area.

By 9 am... and with lots of shooting all around us, Kathy and I had a total of 5 doves, between us. Some of our group, were trying their best to walk, look for flight paths and try to scratch out a limit. Not at all like last year, where we were surrounded by birds and in all directions. And in fact, in the distance, where the Robbins Butte Wildlife area was, it sounded like a total war-zone. Come to find out, the vast majority of the dove were over in that area! And left us in the Powers Butte area, kind of high and dry.

All was not lost however. Because, as I pointed out earlier, the Arizona Game & Fish folks changed the regs from having to quit at 12 noon, and gave us the opportunity to hunt all day. Back in the afternoon, and relocated about 3 miles into the Robbins Butte area, it took us less than 15 minutes on the afternoon/evening hunt to bag our limits. We went home as happy hunters, and so did a lot of other fellow dove hunters that evening.

If you, your family, your friends are looking for a relatively easy dove hunting experience, one that is ideal for new shooters and youth hunters.... I can't say enough about the virtues of heading to Arizona and downto the Powers Butte and Robbins Butte Wildlife Area. It is a great area, with wide open spaces, great hunting opportunities, and an opportunity to hunt dove for all sportsmen and at all levels of shooting skills.

After all, for Arizona... its now dove, from dawn to dusk!

--Andy Lightbody
Rocky Mountain Television Productions