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Options galore for start of dove season

By JIM BREWER For the News & Messenger
Published: August 16, 2008

Have you checked out prices on ammunition lately? You might sit down and take a deep breath before you do. Prices are way up over last fall. AA loads, for example, that were $6.99 last year are pushing $12 this year. It’s because the Chinese are buying up every piece of lead they can get their hands on. Steel, too. Also, freight is higher this year and shotgun shells and rifle ammo are heavy. So this year, more than ever, we should prac-tice shooting before the season, not only to reduce cripples, but to save money. At $12 per box, a single shotgun shell now costs 48 cents before tax. If you bang away three times on a speeding dove and miss each time, that’s a buck-fifty down the old choke tubes.
Interestingly, there is an organization staging a dove hunter’s practice day. The Cedar Mountain Youth Sporting Club will be hosting a dove hunter’s shooting event on August 13th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the club’s range in Culpeper. The five-station, sporting clay 25-round course has been specially designed to simulate doves in flight to improve your skills for the opening of dove season on Monday, September 1st. Instructors – people who really know how to shoot - are available to assist new shooters and even old shooters who could stand to improve their averages. I once read that the average number of doves killed per box of shells is less than five birds. Those would be expensive dove breasts on the charcoal grill.
The club says all are invited to the simulated dove shoot, but bring your favorite shotgun, some shells and have some fun. The cost is $8 per round with all proceeds going to support 4-H youth firearms safety and re-sponsibility programs.
The Club is also hosting a Handgun Practice Day on August 30 featuring four tactical courses of 75-100 rounds. For this, you must be 21 or older to participate. New and inexperienced shooters are welcome and instructors are available. For information and directions for both events call John Dodson at (540) 543-2070.
Coming Attractions. The 16th annual Eastern Shore Birding & Wildlife Festival will be held this year on September 18-21. For those who have never attended, this is perhaps the premiere wildlife viewing event on the entire East Coast.
Virginia’s Eastern Shore is a natural funnel for birds of all descriptions. Huge numbers of migrating song-birds, raptors and shorebirds annually migrate up and down the Delmarva Peninsula. This spectacular natu-ral event offers a unique opportunity to appreciate Virginia’s wild heritage. The keynote address will be given by world-renowned birder and author Pete Dunne. The Eastern Shore Birding & Wildlife Festival offers boat and land based trips to a variety of beautiful spots on the shore - many not generally open to the public. The Wildlife Viewing Platform at Willis Wharf will be dedicated in a ceremony at 3:30 p.m. on September 19 in conjunction with the Eastern Shore Birding & Wildlife Festival.
A boat with an experienced guide is the only way to discover the Eastern Shore’s chain of remote seaside is-lands. Climb aboard and observe numerous shorebirds and peregrine falcons soaring above in this United Nation-designated International Biosphere Reserve.
And while you’re there, bring your fishing rod. Kiptopeke State Park is nearby and the very best fishing of all in saltwater happens in September on the Eastern Shore.
Plug away. Hunters are reminded that they need to have their shotguns plugged for dove, crow, ducks, brant, geese, swan, coot, gallinules, rail, snipe, and woodcock. The new unplugged shotgun rule does not apply to dove and other migratory fowl listed. Many shot gunners falsely think the plugs are now just for waterfowl. For details refer to 2008-2009 Hunting and Trapping in Virginia - Regulations digest.

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