Are you ready? Annual dove hunt set to begin Sept. 1

It may be hot and muggy outside, but that won’t stop our annual hunt from happening ... we all need to keep practicing to get us into the swing of things to be able to hit the doves as they fly over.

Be sure to mark your calendar for the annual pre-season shoot Aug. 26 at the Adair Park trap and skeet range, hosted by the Yuma Trap and Skeet Club. Here, you can get that much-needed practice under your belt to be ready and raring to get that first shoot in come safe light come Sept. 1.

Shooting will begin at 7 a.m. at the Adair Park range continuing until there aren’t enough shooters to fill a squad, no matter how hot it gets. Bring your eye and ear protection. Winners of the $5 matches will receive a gift certificate from Sprague’s SportShop along with a one-day shooting pass at their indoor shooting range.

Questions? Call Sprague’s at 726-0022. Questions about the shoot? Call Bob Avila at 919-0622.

When you feel you’ve gotten good enough at practice to be ready for a successful hunt, turn your attention online to NSSF. org to learn about shooting techniques you may not have thought about before, such as ‘not looking at the birds’ and ‘don’t look down the barrel.’ There are videos with Gil Ash and others that are well worth getting into. Then you can practice some more with new ideas that will fill your game bag without any difficulty at all.

For youngsters who would like to get in on the dove hunting with a parent(s) or responsible Jean Wilson adult, the Clint Curry Memorial Youth Dove Hunt will be held opening day, put on by the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club at the Moore Farm in Dome Valley, with sign-up at 5 a.m. followed by a hunter safety session prior to taking to the field. This year, with the large number of dove flying, the accompanying adult can hunt right along with their youngster(s). Mentors will also be on hand to keep the hunt safe for everyone. After their hunt, everyone will be treated to hot dogs and trimmings, cold drinking water and watermelons. I’ll have details on this as the time draws near, or you can call event chairman Brian Shadd at 2711234. Brian took over when last year’s chairmen could not continue and he is putting together an event well worth getting into.

This hunt is a great opportunity for a youngster to learn gun safety which is very important to be a part of. Our youngsters, at one time or another, will encounter something having to do with firearms and this event offers a perfect time to begin learning about firearms and safety as well as wildlife conservation. This hunt will be in a controlled environment where kids don’t have to compete with adults, just doing something together for a positive and rewarding experience. Go over the dove regulations to be sure of bag and possession limits and the do’s and don’ts while hunting. And be sure to take lots of photos so you can all get reminders of how rewarding hunting can be.

No matter where you hunt, make it a habit of leaving it better than you find it. As one avid hunter and former local farmer, Cushing Lord would say, “Pack it in, pack it out!” Always keep in mind to pick up all your spent shells, bird “leavings” and other trash to dispose of. You can put it in trash dumpsters or take it all home or back to town for proper disposal. This will help ensure keeping good relations with farmers and others whose property you hunt or cross on the way to your hunt area. It really goes for wherever you are or what you are doing. You’ll be a better person if you practice this at all times. Being a good, ethical sportsperson really counts and you’ll be much more productive and happier for it.

Don’t forget about the free XXX Big Breast Contest (yes, the 30th, as Richard put it) at Sprague’s Sports Shop, 345 W. 32nd St., Sept. 1-2. Over $2,000 in prizes will be on hand with sponsors Benelli, Federal Premium Ammunition and Budweiser. For the contest, bring your cleaned dove breast with one wing still attached for identification. The contest is for mourning and whitewinged doves only, no Eurasian’s.

There will be more going on when the dove opener arrives, one of which will take place the evening of Sept. 1. The 12th annual Mike Mitchell Memorial Dove Hunter’s Barbecue at Cocopah Bend RV Resort, 6800 Strand Ave. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. with dinner beginning at 6 p.m. You can bring the whole family for fun, win guns, gear and more! It’ll be a full evening with a great barbecue, live and silent auctions, games and raffles going throughout the evening with all proceeds to benefit youth and wildlife conservation efforts. Anyone who might want to become a sponsor and make a donation, call Cheryl Jones at (928) 9206934 and be sure to look for a flyer with complete information.

Check next week’s column for some tips that might come in handy while hunting doves this year and be on the lookout for this year’s Dove Special being completed and in print prior to the season opening, put together by the Yuma Sun. It’ll have all the events listed with lots to do about this year’s dove season. Chris Bedinger from Game and Fish Region IV said, “There’s really no other place in the country that gets behind dove hunting like Yuma. People who grew up here will stay pretty much local.” And that gives hunters coming into Yuma lots of hunt areas to check out and put to use. Hunters are always welcome, and that’s easy to tell with all the motels, hotels, restaurants and cafes putting out their welcome mats with so many things going on for entertainment and fun times.

Hunt happenings

• Arizona dove regulations 201819: Available online at www.azgfd. com/regs and at dealers in Yuma for anyone who plans to hunt doves this year. Check it all to be sure of all the do’s and don’ts, to be sure of doing it all right. It’s also a good idea to obtain your bird stamp when you pick up the regulations.

• Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshop set for Sept. 7-9: For women who just want to find out what the outdoors experience is all about, signing up for a Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) workshop is a great place to start.

The Arizona Wildlife Federation, in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, will conduct its next BOW workshop Sept. 7-9 at Friendly Pines Camp near Prescott. The workshop introduces like-minded women (18 and older) to outdoor skills in an enjoyable, no-pressure setting with expert instructors.

In addition to being able to select from more than 30 classes, like horsemanship, geocaching, wilderness medicine, birding and hiking, participants also will have an opportunity to fulfill the field-day requirements to earn their Arizona Hunter Education certificate. The online course must be completed prior to the workshop, however, at www.hunter-ed.com/arizona. The evenings will be filled with fun and entertainment, like night hikes and guest speakers.

A pair of new classes also are being offered: a geology class titled “Name that Rock” and a class in primitive skills. Meanwhile, participants will learn how to catch crayfish, then prepare them along with other wild foods to be served at a game-tasting the first night of the workshop.

Participants will stay in rustic cabins equipped with showers and toilets. The workshop fee is $250 and includes all instruction, course materials, use of equipment, meals and lodging. For information, visit www.azwildlife.org, email awf@azwildlife.org or call (480) 644-0077.

Fishing clubs

• Desert Bass Anglers “The Fun Way to Fish”: Check next week’s column for results of Saturdays tournament or call Mac or Bobbi McDermott at 726-1984. The club reminds each of us to keep your live-well in good condition — check it often so those fish will be kept in good shape after weigh-in to be returned to the water for catching a next time. Keeping you cool as well is also a necessity when fishing so you can come back a next time. Note from Mac & Bobbi: Because of the early summer hours of tournaments this time of year, lights are now required at launch to prevent close calls at the boat ramp. Don’t violate the light rule — we’d like to maintain our no accidents or injuries record.

• Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club: I hope to get results of the latest Bob Hefner Memorial Bass Season Finale 2-day derby so I can report them in my next column or call Clint Fraser at 580-3231.

• Desert Draw Series Pro/Am Bass Fishing Club: Keep practicing on the water to be ready for the Aug. 18 tournament launching out of Fisher’s Landing.

Michael Obney is encouraging non-boaters to sign-up for tournaments as well as boaters. In essence, that is what the idea behind the draw is: pair non-boaters with boaters to exchange ideas — a win, win situation. Call Michael Obney at (928) 750-7081 with questions or suggestions.

• Yuma High School Bass Fishing Club: A great way for any high school to learn all about fishing for bass. Members of both the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club and Desert Bass Anglers assist the kids in providing them with boats and equipment as well as guiding the youngsters, both guys and gals, in gaining a share of fishing know-how’s. Call Terry Hurt, school sponsor, at 580-6567 or visit StudentAnglerFoundation. com to get started. Any interested high school student will be a part of an exciting year for our next generation of anglers at Fisher’s Landing/Martinez Lake. This bunch of super young people also help others with their fishing along the way by assisting at local youth events.

Shooting sports

• Yuma Trap and Skeet Club: Anyone interested in trap and skeet? Shoot 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays and Sundays at Adair Park, located off Highway 95, 15 miles east of Yuma, turning west onto Adair Range Road, 1st range on the right. Call Bob Avila at (928) 919-0622.

Reminder: The pre-season shoot this year is Aug. 26 set to begin at 7 a.m. with $5 match fees. Shooting will continue that day until there are no more interested shooters. Winners will receive a $15 gift card from Sprague’s along with a onetime indoor range pass for that extra practice.

• The Yuma Young Guns with the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP): The program will begin again when weather cools a bit. Call head coach H. McNutt at (928) 580-0918 if you are interested.

• 4-H Shooting Sports: The Yuma County 4-H training schedule for shooting sports will start on Sept. 20 with a safety class and answering questions about the project, open to any 4-H youth ages 9-19 that are a member of a Yuma County 4-H Community Club. Training will begin at the Yuma County Fairgrounds with archery and air rifle, then in December move to Dome Valley and add black powder, small bore .22 and shotgun with a training camp-out in January and end of the year competition in March. Call the Yuma 4-H office at 726-3904 or Stan Gourley at 344-0740 with questions.

• Renegade Archers of Yuma: If you’d like to shoot the trail of 3D animals with us at the Foothills Archery Range, call Kevin at 7260953 or Jean at 247-4450. Archery instruction for anyone interested is free! We’ll be glad to assist in their learning (call ahead so we can bring along extra bows and arrows). The practice area at the range is open (also free use) daylight hours all week for practice and enjoyment. You might be better satisfied bringing along your own target. People seem to be intent on tearing down the expensive cotton bales — do what you can to prevent vandalism while at the range so all can enjoy.

• Yuma Territorial Longrifles Club: Regular open black powder matches are 1st and 3rd Saturdays at the Adair Park range at 8:30 a.m. Call Roger Bickel at 726-7453 — ask about .22 matches.

• Cholla Gun Club at Adair Park: Call Glenda Graves at (928) 5800915 for shooting times. Watch for their shooting schedule to begin again this fall.

• High Power Rifle and Pistol Club of Yuma: Check with Joseph Murek at umpire1@q.com or Gerald Brooker at brookergerald@att.net or call (858) 349-1311 or Paul Lerma at 580-7456 to learn about shooting at the Adair Park big bore range. Club junior “Whipper Snipers” will begin their shooting activities for all ages again in September. Check club matches as well as Whipper Snipers news listed on the club website at hprifleyuma.net.

• Yuma Matchmasters: A variety of matches are offered each month at the range, all open to shooters at 7 a.m. with the steel challenge the 1st Saturday, multi-gun matches the 1st Sunday, IPSC combat matches the 2nd Sunday, cowboy fast draw the 3rd Saturday and SASS cowboy matches the 4th Saturday. Interested in cowboy action shooting? Call Irene Snyder at (209) 613-4598 or Bob Wiles at 920-2158 with questions.

• Southwest Bowhunters Archery Club: Archery is offered on Sundays with their practice range also open all week. Call Keith Parsels at 7821097.

Contact Jean Wilson at jeanrenegade@ gmail.com or call 247-4450.