For a change of pace, try gravel-pit dove hunting
When scouting for mourning doves, most Arkansas hunters head straight for farm country, where harvested fields of sunflowers, millet, wheat or other seed crops attract hungry birds.
“Most dove hunters hunt grain fields, and that’s about it,” said Lewis Peeler, a veteran dove-hunting enthusiast from Vanndale. “But that doesn’t mean grain fields are the only place you can hunt. Over the years, I’ve found that gravel pits also attract lots of doves, especially around midday when doves leave feeding areas to get water and grit. A lot of hunters don’t know this, and if they live in an area where gravel is mined, they’re missing out on some excellent shooting opportunities.”
Gravel, a loose mixture of small rocks and sand, is a key ingredient in concrete and is often used for surfacing rural roads. According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture (www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net), deposits are widely distributed across all of the state and are currently mined in about three-quarters of Arkansas’ 75 counties. In many areas, gravel is obtained by removing surface soils and stripping away the underlying gravel with heavy equipment. The open pits left behind are particularly common along Crowley’s Ridge, in the Arkansas River Valley and the Gulf Coastal Plain but can be found in other areas as well. Wherever they are found, these pits attract large concentrations of doves.
“Doves are drawn to gravel pits for several reasons,” Peeler said. “The main attraction is water. A lot of pits aren’t well drained, and water fills the holes left by digging. The water is usually muddy from runoff, and for whatever reason, doves like to drink muddy water. Few plants grow around the water holes, so the banks are open. Doves like that, too, because it lets them watch for danger while drinking and fly away quickly if there are any threats.”
Another gravel-pit attraction, Peeler said, is a readily available source of grit.
“Mourning doves pick up little bits of grit every day so their gizzards can grind the seeds they eat,” he noted. “That’s why you see doves sitting on gravel roads and on the shoulders of highways. And that’s why they flock to gravel pits. There’s plenty of sand and other grit, and there’s no traffic to disturb them while they’re getting it.”
Open perches are an added enticement.
“Anyone who hunts doves very much knows how they’re attracted to dead trees,” Peeler said. “If there’s an old snag on the edge of a field or watering hole, they’ll light in it and sit a few minutes to rest or watch for danger before they fly down. That’s another reason doves like gravel pits. When workers are digging gravel, they push dirt up around trees, and the trees later die. So there are usually several dead snags for birds to use.
“When you have all three elements—water holes, graveling sites and dead trees for perching—together in one small place, then you’ve got a topnotch dove-hunting area. If you can add to those a nearby feeding area—a field of sunflowers or grain close to the pit—then the shooting can be almost unbelievable.”
Peeler, like most hunters, does most of his dove hunting in harvested crop fields. Gravel pits, he said, serve primarily as back-up sites when field hunting gets slow.
“I usually hunt fields of sunflowers, corn, milo or other preferred dove foods in early morning or late afternoon because that’s when doves generally feed,” he says. “Around midday, though, doves usually leave the fields to [find] water and gravel, and the action tapers off. That’s when I head for the gravel pits.”
Peeler scouts the pits ahead of time to determine the birds’ activity patterns.
“I watch where they’re flying over, where they’re coming into the pit,” he said. “Then I position myself accordingly, hiding in the edge of timber or some high weeds. Camouflage clothing is important to help you remain undetected, and in the past few years, I’ve become a real believer in dove decoys. A few decoys set on bare branches or at the edge of the water help attract passing doves and draw them in close so I have a better shot. And a robo-dove with rotating wings added to the spread really seems to draw birds in. One of those visible to doves flying past will have them pitching in like crazy. You’ll get lots more opportunities to shoot.”
Peeler, who usually hunts gravel pits on his own Cross County property, stresses the importance of visiting with the landowner before you hunt.
“Nearly all gravel pits are privately owned,” he said. “Most folks probably won’t mind you hunting in or around inactive pits because there’s not any equipment or livestock to worry about, no houses nearby. Still, you should always take time to ask permission first and be sure it’s OK. State law requires you to have written permission on your person, anyway. Then after you’re finished hunting, it’s a good idea to drop back in to say thanks and offer the owner some of the birds you shot. It’s just common courtesy, and it’ll pay off when you want to come back and hunt again.
“You’ll want to come back, too. Sometimes when you’re hunting a gravel pit, the shooting seems like it’ll never end. Then there’s a lull in the action, and you realize that in 15 minutes, you’ve gone through an entire box of shells. Your barrel’s hot, your knees are weak, and you know, without a doubt, you gotta come back for more.”