Early birds favored with feast at dove hunt dinner
SEELEY — The veteran hunter sees the sunrise hours before everyone and for dove hunters at the Sunbeam Lake RV Resort dinner 12 hours before opening season it was worth the trek.
About 50 hunters arrived at the Sunbeam facility Thursday to enjoy beer, wine, cheese dogs, hamburgers and catch up with fellow hunters, some in town from Colorado. Local merchants donated a variety of tools and hunting accessories and every hunter with a valid license was assured a prize and free dinner noted Ed McGrew Sunbeam manager.
“That’s a big thing, this facility is owned by the county and local business likes to collaborate with the hunters,” said McGrew. “Sunbeam Park is further maximized by scheduling private parties in the offseason and we like to thank Barbara Martin for her efforts booking the facility.”
“We’ve done about 45 events and had about 5,000 county residents participate in offseason activities,” said Martin. “We keep getting bigger each year since the dove season dinner began four years ago.”
Arriving from San Diego were Larry Anderson, Verda and John Eason and from Centennial, Colo., Bob Johanson.
The Easons already in town a week have scouted out the most productive looking fields.
“We’re going west of the railroad tracks close to Huff Road,” said Eason. “That’s where I’ve seen the most birds. Basically, we’re hunting White Wing, Mourning and Eurasian Dove.”
Anderson noted it was a little hotter than normal this year but the forecast called for cloud cover and that could be a good thing. Temperature at sunrise should be 75 degrees with sun coming up at 6:17 a.m. with shooting beginning a half hour before.
Andrew Hughan, information officer of the Office of Communications, Education and Outreach for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife requested to see hunting licenses as he arrived and shared precautions with hunters before dinner.
“If we never wrote a ticket, if everybody was compliant, it would be great,” said Hughan. “But the number one thing, you are responsible for whatever you shoot before you even shoot.”
Hunters are allowed a limit of 10 White Wing and 15 Mourning Doves per day but an unlimited number of Eurasian doves. “You must leave one wing full feathered on each bird so the warden can identify it,” said Hughan.
Hunters will be allow to use lead shot up until July 1, 2019. After that, they must switch to steel shot.
Asked to elaborate for the uninitiated, Eason explained a hunter needs to, “lead the bird into the shot,” aiming just ahead of its flight path.
And for good dining after the hunt, Eason likes to fillet the breasts, stuff them with jalapeno pepper and sharp cheddar cheese and wrap them in bacon.
When the bacon is cooked they are ready to pull from the grill.