LINCOLN, Neb. -- Thirty minutes before sunrise on the morning of September 1, an army of hunters will be in the field taking their first shots at mourning doves during the opening day of Nebraskas 2005 dove hunting season.

The quality of Nebraskas dove season is largely dictated by the weather. If we have a warm, dry fall, we have good dove hunting, but if the weather is mild and nighttime temperatures dip to around 50 or below for two or three nights in a row, many local birds will head south in search of warmer temperatures. Birds from North and South Dakota move through Nebraska and provide some hunting while migrating south, but if it is chilly when they arrive here they just keep going, rather than lingering to feed or rest. The number of daylight hours may also play a part in when the birds begin moving south.

Right now there seem to be more than enough doves in the state to make any hunters trigger finger itch. In attempting to cover all of the bases as adequately as possible, most dove hunters are crossing their fingers and hoping the warm weather lasts for at least a few more weeks and that the sun stays high in the sky as long as possible each day.

The mourning dove is one of Nebraskas most popular game birds. It presents a challenging target for wing-shooters in the field and provides flavorful meat at the table. Most people rank doves among the most succulent of all game birds.

There isnt much meat on a single dove. The average adult dove weighs only 4-6 ounces. Because the bird is so small, most hunters use only the doves breast and it takes 3-6 breasts to make a meal for most people. But, with Nebraskas limits of 15 doves per day and 30 in possession, a hunter can provide enough breasts to feed a family of four in a couple days afield.

Doves arent difficult to hunt because they habitually feed, water, and roost in specific locations. The hunter can take advantage of those tendencies by locating a flight path between roosting and feeding areas or from feeding areas to water, and the intercepting them as they fly from one area to another.

You have to be a good wing-shooter to consistently take doves. The birds fly very fast -- doves cruise at 30 - 40 miles per hour and are capable reaching 60 mph for short distances - - and are very difficult to hit because when alarmed, they can dart, twist and turn like a jet fighter making its way through a storm of anti-aircraft fire. The combination of small size, speed and evasive aerial acrobatics make the dove a formidable adversary for any shotgunner.

Doves are seed eaters and in Nebraska they commonly feed on sunflower, hemp, ragweed, rocky mountain bee plant, wheat, millet, and milo. The best hunting spot is open ground near these crops or in stubble fields where the birds can land in the open and walk to feed. Small ponds or other water sources between feeding and roosting areas also offer good shooting opportunities.

Hunters who set up within shooting range of a pond, stream, puddle of water standing in a field, or even an irrigation ditch may have shooting similar to shooting ducks over decoys. A few decoys placed on a tree limb or near the waters edge may help attract the birds, but arent absolutely necessary. What is necessary is that there be a shoreline free of vegetation where the birds can land and then walk a short distance to the water to drink.

Camouflage clothing helps conceal hunters who choose to shoot doves from ambush at a pond or along a flight path. A rough blind of just a few branches can be easily constructed, or squat down along a fence line to break up your outline to fool fast-flying doves.

The hunter must mark a dove carefully as it falls to the ground. Their small size and coloration makes them difficult to find in vegetation or even on dirt. A good retriever can be an invaluable aid in locating downed birds, though many dogs hesitate to pick doves up because the birds feathers slough-off so easily in the dogs mouth. The hunter should provide plenty of water and a shady spot for the dog to rest when hunting in hot weather. If the hunter doesnt own a dog, shots should be taken over bare ground, where locating downed birds wont be as formidable a problem.

Most any shotgun is sufficient for shooting doves, though a 12-gauge, semi-automatic model is probably the most popular, and standard field loads containing size 7 1/2 or 8 shot are usually the dove hunters choice. Many hunters choose an improved cylinder bore that provides a dense pattern at about 30 yards or less.

Wing-shooters who dont regularly shoot clay targets still have time to get in some practice before dove season opens. Shooting a couple of cases of blue rocks and practicing the shots that are the most difficult to make can make a big difference in the weight of your game pouch at the end of the day.

Before heading out to hunt doves, be sure to purchase a 2005 Nebraska hunting permit and Habitat Stamp online from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commissions web site at www.outdoornebraska.org, from a Game and Parks office or any of some 900 permit vendors across the state. All residents 16 years of age and older who hunt small game and waterfowl must have a Nebraska hunting permit and a Nebraska Habitat Stamp. All nonresident hunters, regardless of age, must have a Nebraska hunting permit and a Nebraska Habitat Stamp. The resident annual hunting permit costs $12, a nonresident annual hunting permit is $68, and the Nebraska Habitat Stamp is $13. Be sure to pick up a copy of the free 2005 Nebraska Hunting Guide, which has information about hunting regulations and public hunting lands across the state, and the free 2005 Nebraska CRP - Management Access Program Atlas which lists private lands open to public hunting.

A current Nebraska HIP registration number is required of all migratory bird hunters, including residents, nonresidents, lifetime permit holders, veterans and the over 70 fee-exempt permit holders. Only resident hunters under the age of 16 are exempted from registration. Registered hunters receive a registration number which they must carry with them while hunting. Register with HIP online at www.nehip.com, or by calling 1-888-403-2473.

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