BY JIM NIEMIEC
NILAND – Western Outdoor News sources filed late dove reports for the southern part
of the state. The consensus was that monsoonal thunder shower activity and winds have pretty much scattered mourning dove, likely moved some of the white wing dove south of the border, but the hot summer weather didn’t appear to have much effect on locally hatched Eurasian collared dove numbers.
For dove hunters heading down to the Imperial Valley to hunt dove, the following update was passed on by Cris Crecelius, Wildlife Habitat Supervisor II, at Wister.
“Based on IWA staff reports, the recent storms we have received scattered dove throughout the Imperial Valley. There are still good numbers of mourning and white dove utilizing the upland game fields near Calipatria. Fields 513, 312, Game Farm, Wheat Field and 138 are still holding good numbers of birds. Dove hunters should be reminded that there will be no hunting allowed at Ramer Lake, as it is currently closed due to levee repairs,” said Crecelius.
Other open fields from Niland down through Brawly should be huntable and offer up decent hunting, at least on opening day. Hunters should plan on doing a little pre-season scouting to make sure that flyways are still pretty well established. Due to all the recent hot weather, temps topping 110 degrees in the low desert, water should be a key factor in hunter success.
San Jacinto Wildlife Area should see fair dove hunting over opening week, as there appears to be huntable numbers of mourning dove all around the refuge. The staff at this popular Riverside County gunning refuge, told WON that there are dove winging across most of the refuge, but that there really doesn’t seem to be any really good hot spots. Dove are pretty much scattered all over the refuge, which could make harvesting a limit difficult.
This WON Sr. Hunting Writer just traveled through much of the high desert during what would be normal early morning and late evening flyways. There were not too many dove on the wing, in fact seeing more than 3 birds in group was the exception. Most of the dove spotted, not only along Hwy. 395, but in areas where this editor has hunted desert dove in the past, showed very little movement of birds. Most of the mourning dove seemed to be heading towards available water, but flew as singles, low and fast! One area that might offer up decent dove hunting, at least on opening day, will be the DWP fields between Big Pine and Bishop. Seems this part of Inyo County received a pounding of rains and the valley has really greened up. To the south of Big Pine, down to Lone Pine, the high desert if pretty dry and black due to recent wildfires.
Kern County offers up good hunting options for the unattached dove hunter, but finding the right spot to hunt can be difficult. WON’s contact, based out of Bakersfield, reported that mourning dove are pretty scattered around between Arvin and Wasco. The almond harvest is getting started, but a lot of dove are still using the groves for roosting and then flying off to water in ponds or canals. Day time temps are going to be 100 degrees, or more, and water will be a key factor in getting set up under any good flyway.
Looking at the long-range weather forecast, there could be some thunder shower activity in desert regions, but it’s not predicted to be a major monsoonal pattern. This weather is likely to hit desert spots the weekend of August 29.
