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Phillip Gentry

The opening day of dove season marks the unofficial start to the 2008 Hunting Season. These Ross Mountain Field dove hunters look forward to a good season.

Monday marks what I consider to be the opening day of hunting season. Of course, I realize that deer season opened in the lower part of the state two weeks ago and I also know that several die-hard hunters chase hogs and coyotes all year long but for me, Monday is the day.

Two things happen on Monday that mark the start of hunting season. The first and most obvious is dove season, which starts at noon. Dove season is segmented into three seasons by the game authorities and the first season always gets the lion’s share of attention. I’m told that some of the best shooting can be had during the late dove seasons in November and December, but for me those are deer and duck seasons, respectively, and I don’t know too many people who care for dove hunters blasting away on a field while they are up in a deer stand trying to get that Thanksgiving buck in the crosshairs.

The second event is a little know early waterfowl season for Canada Geese that opens half an hour before sunrise on Monday. The problem as I see it with this season is golfers aren’t too fond of hunters setting up around the golf course pond and blasting away when geese come in. Maybe there should be a coordination of seasons where golfers take a day or two off and they open golf courses to public goose hunting for a couple of days in September. I’ll say this about the geese. Don’t complain about the mess they make on your dock or lawn if you’re opposed to people hunting them. Another interesting fact is the early goose season limit is 15 per day which used to be 3 more than the per-person daily dove limit until they changed the dove season this year to match.

This week’s much needed rain hopefully will put a couple of precious inches back into our lakes and maybe help some of our food plots for the- only two weeks away- bow season deer opener. The outlook for having a good dove shoot are always iffy during drought years but the preliminary report from Richard Morton at the Clemson DNR office was hopeful. He said he had been seeing a good many doves on his fields in Pickens, Oconee and Anderson.

If you don’t have arrangements for a dove field on opening day yet, here’s a list of public fields that are available in the three counties. The Ross Mountain, Porter, and Evans Field are closed opening day for special youth or draw-only hunts but then become available on a first-come first serve basis the following Saturday. Contact the Clemson DNR Office with any questions at (864) 654-1671 ext. 16.

Anderson

Evans Property - US 178 at Lebanon, 25 acres Saturdays Only, Afternoons Only, Dove Hunting Only. Opening day participants selected by drawing. Apply by Aug 15 at Clemson DNR office.

Clemson University - Fant's Grove WMA From US 76/ SC 28 south of Clemson Take SC 187 to Fant's Grove Rd. 1.5 miles W, 45 acres Sept. 1 & Saturdays Only, Afternoons Only. FIELD CLOSED OCT. 4TH

Oconee

S.C. Forestry Commission - Piedmont Forestry Center From SC 130 north of Salem Turn Left on SC 11 & follow signs to nursery, 18 acres Sept. 1 and Saturdays Only, Afternoons Only Dove hunting only. 3rd season – Closed.

U.S. Forest Service - Ross Mtn. Field About 7 miles north of Walhalla on SC 28, Turn on Tunneltown Rd., Turn on Ross Mtn. Rd, Field on Both Sides of road, 35 acres 1st Season, Saturdays - Afternoons Only, Beginning Sept 6 Open 2nd & 3rd seasons – Saturday Afternoons Only

Pickens

Clemson University - Gravely WMA - Causey Tract From SC 11 Go south on Sec Rd 112 at Cendy's Store, Turn east on Sec Rd 114 & Go 0.5 miles; 25 acres Open 1st, 2nd & 3rd seasons Sept. 1 & Saturdays Only, Afternoons Only.

Porter Field 183 from Pickens, Go 5 miles to Mtn. View Church Rd. Right 1/10 miles, Field on Right Saturdays - Afternoons Only, Beginning Sept. 6 3rd Season – Closed. Dove Hunting Only