In order to know where to start looking for the perfect location you need to know some of the dove’s habits. First of all doves eat seeds such as sunflower, corn, wheat and oat as well as other grain crops. The dove’s will also include many weed seeds into their diet as well, like foxtail. When doves eat, they will do so on bare ground. Shortly after day break the doves will fly from roost to watering hole, then proceed to the feeding area until close to noon. At this time they are perching, watering or graveling; these within a prime feeding site is very promising.

Now, dove season starts first part of September nearly all across the country so, you will want to begin scouting in
August for potential sites. It is recommended that you scout your locale before each hunt to determine if that area remains to be a viable hunting area. You will want to start your scout before nine a.m. or after three p.m. ; these times you are most likely to see doves on the move. Look for an area that has most if not all of the areas listed in dove habits then begin looking around with binoculars. You are looking for places that doves tend to use for traveling lanes, such as field corners or a dip in the perimeter vegetation or trees. Also look at open mid-field humps were they like to eat or on power lines, ditches and between plowed ground and vegetation, fence and tree lines as well. If you see doves and more doves follow then you have reached your prime hunting location.

A feeding field hunt is very productive when there are enough hunters to stir the birds and keep them in the air. So keep in mind while scouting all of these areas and you are bound to kill your share of doves.