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Went out behind the house about 9:30, walked into the pecan orchard and along the line of cedar trees in the wind break. Took the new to me Model 37 Winchester, 16 ga of course, marked "choke" and 5 rounds. Fired 3 times, got 2 birds. Good start for a new to me gun. Helps your confidence in it when the first 2 shots result in dead bird. I believe the "choke" stamping is accurate. There are some bigger doves than the native morning doves here, got one of them, hope to get some more for closer examination and to see how they taste. They squawk rather than coo like the morning doves. Birds eating milo and corn, the milo is the other side of the pecan orchard, don't know where the corn came from.

Nice break from work and paying the bills. Maybe again this afternoon about 3 I'll take a break and walk out again.

Beautiful weather today in the Texas Panhandle. Clear, Low 60's, gentle NE breeze.

rayb

Member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 665 Location: Louisiana

rayb--was in your area for the September First opener. The sunflowers were still green but we managed to find a nice flyway and did well.
The "bigger doves" you are seeing may well be the Eurasian Collared Dove (ringneck dove)--lighter gray in color, red eyes, dark ring encircling the neck, larger that mourning doves but not so much bigger than a Whitewing. You've got the sound they make right. They are indistingushable from the more common varieties of dove on the table, at least as far as my taste buds can tell.
TPW sez they are not counted against your limit (as long as they are identifiable) and early reports indicate concern that they are more 'aggressive' than the Mourning dove and tend to displace our local birds from their nesting sites. We'll see much more of this bird.

Ron

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

First shot-first dead bird whether feathered or clay is a great memory Wink