Dove hunting, above all else, is fun. It’s a very social hunting experience. It is also, well, rather leisurely.
The most effort I will exert dove hunting will be the quarter-mile-plus walk in to my hunting spot, and then back out. The hunting itself is mostly sitting and waiting for dove to fly through your area, or into your shotgun’s range.
And I do mean sitting, which is the leisure aspect of dove hunting.
If you are going out into the fields to hunt dove come opening day, then grab yourself a stool, one of those five gallon padded bucket toppers, or a chair – all of which should be in camo.
The first time I went dove hunting I think I borrowed a bucket to sit on. It was my first time hunting – ever – so I was woefully underequipped. Subsequent dove seasons I picked up needed gear of my own, including a folding camp chair. And to be honest, that was most likely purchased at a Maryland gun shop, along with my license, on opening day.
Opening day is one of the busiest days for a gun shop, especially one that supplies dove hunters in a region with lots of dove hunting. The gun shop on the way from Washington DC to the Eastern Shore of Maryland is one of those shops, and I have dropped lots of coin there.
However, the ‘I’m waiting until opening day’ is not a great strategy for grabbing gear for dove season. Your choices might be minimal as the product selection is limited or depleted by the time you walk in. I suggest buying now, to make sure you get the gear you want.
And get yourself something to sit on. Dove pick up movement, which is why spinning wing decoys are the way to go, but your standing up, swinging around as you look up for passing birds is not conducive to drawing in doves…ask me how I know.
Stay seated, and camo’d up, to lower your profile. Last season I used my folding camo chair which, because I didn’t properly tag it in the onX app, I ended up losing until I the last day of the early dove season, finding it right where I left it.
This time around I have Dakota folding stool from Browning Camping & Hunting Blinds, an ALPS brand. Two of its features made it a good choice for my hunts this upcoming September.
First, because it’s collapsible and comes in a shoulder carry bag it will be more convenient to haul in and out of the field. With the small pile of decoys I didn’t have last season, portability is an important consideration this year. Second, it has a triangular seat which in comfortable and allows for easy pivoting. I’m counting on it to make me a little more flexible when turning to pick up fast moving birds.
Additional features of the stool are its extra-wide seat area (another point of comfort), and additional leg support for a max weight capacity of 375 lbs. The material is 600D polyester fabric, which should hold up real well.
If there is an issue in the negative for this stool it is the color. It comes in a charcoal gray, and not camo. But I’m not worried about that as I know I plan to tuck into a shooting position that offers some cover from the natural, if limited, vegetation of the Phoenix Valley desert.
If a non-camo stool is a deal breaker for you, Browning Camping has the SteadyReady folding stool which features an insulated cooler bag under the seat, as well as the Dove Shooter folding chair with a back support similar to the one on the Dakota folding stool.
I’ve had both these same style stools before and they work great, so definitely consider these options as well. If you’re in the mood to do some shopping, all three options are currently in stock on the BrowningCamping.com website.
As I mentioned, there are alternatives, under their ALPS Oudoorz brand, there is the Horizon 360° Swivel Stool, which features a padded circular seat that, as the name applies, swivels all the way around.
There are swivel seats for five gallon buckets as well, like the one from Muddy. It snaps onto any standard five gallon bucket giving you both a stable shooting position and extra storage for birds, decoys or whatever. This is an excellent option if you can drive out to your hunting location. Muddy also offers the seat with accompanying bucket.
There are several more options, most of which are variations on a theme, just with different or added features. Regardless of which one you select, plan on getting one ahead of opening day of dove season…and take your seat and enjoy your early morning hunt in comfort.
– Paul Erhardt, Managing Editor, the Outdoor Wire Digital Network