Dove hunting

Hey all,

Just started to get into dove hunting this year since season opened up on the 1st. Great fun and tasty birds as well!

My question was, what is your guys way of cleaning them? Do you breast them or full on dress them?

My first round I cleaned them whole as I hate for something to go to waste but I just tried breasting this last one I shot and it was simple. However, I feel like I throw a lot of the bird away.

Also feel free to add recipes and pics!

Here is the first round of birds I got. Whole'd them and found a prickly pear bbq recipe. Delicious.

 

Nothing like a good dove shoot



We like to take the breast off of the breast plate, put cream cheese, japaleno and the other side of the breast, wrap them in bacon and toss em on the grill till the bacon is done.........mighty fine eating

 

Nice birds! Do you fillet the meat off the breast plate or do you slide your fingers through it to 'butterfly' it?

That sounds tasty. I've found that most recipes include bacon and jalapeño

 

We do it both ways, if there is a ton of birds its seems faster to just use your thumb, if not we will fillet them

 

Ill have to try it both ways and make sure I get as much meat as possible!

 

Was gonna mention the grilled bacon & goodies recipe. My grandma always stop two cups of brown rice in a dish with water, added cream of mushroom and cream of chicken condensed soups, dropped birds in the dish, stirred it up, covered and baked. She'd pull it out, add those onion bits on top and serve it up. We'd have cheese grits and biscuits as sides. Meanwhile, my grandad would grill them wrapped in bacon.

 

that sounds really good! My buddies make a dove chowder too, haven't tried that but sounds good

 

Opening day here in Georgia was last Saturday. I was supposed to go but unfortunately, my 4 hour trip to the farm was a 16 hour trip thanks to a four year old and four month old in the back seat. Missed my dove shoot.

 

Ah man that is too bad! Hopefully you can get out soon!

I got 5 today

 

Got a mourning dove with the white wings. I really want to get a Eurasian Collared as they are bigger but don't see any around, except on campus with the cattle which I can't really shoot there...

 

Good Hunting!

As for a recipe/prep, etc. on them, read the thread I had started, I give a brief detail on how we prep ours. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/dove-hunt-season.391136/

 

The best recipe I have found is the simplest. I pull the entire breast/rib cage from the bird. Rub them down with olive oil. Sprinkle them with Tony Saturies seasoning. Cook in the oven at 350 for no more than 15 min. I have found that when using recipes that include bacon, in the process of trying to get the bacon done I overcook the dove. I think it is best served cooked to medium.

 

Oh thanks man! I looked for a dove thread before starting this one and didn't even see yours! Nice birds

Damn that does sound good. I like having the taste of what ever meat I eat instead of just bog it down with flavors because I can just do that with any store meat. I'll have to try it.

I was wondering about when you know when the bird is done. I heard that rule that once the bacon is done the bird is done but I guess it makes it too dry?

 

Exactly. To me, cooking a dove is like a duck. Well done=dry rotted rubber.

 

I clean mine the same way you clean yours actually. Only taking the breast isnt using enough of the bird imo

 

It takes a lot of time but I only get a few birds every now and then so it's worth it. Even though the wings and legs aren't but a bit of meat, still makes me feel better about using as much as I can.

I've been saving the hearts and livers too. I do like chicken hearts if cooked right, just kind of a chewy little thing, but don't think I am a fan of liver. I'll try something sometime.

Like I said at the beginning, I like using as much as I can from anything I take but not much you can take from a small bird. Now... what can I do with feathers

 

How do you cook up the hearts? I have thought about saving them and sizzling them up. I just dont know how people cook them.

 

Haven't made dove hearts yet but chicken hearts just saute them for about 10 minutes on the stove over medium heat. Can marinate them in oil and garlic with salt and pepper.

Or just stick them on screwer over the grill. Probably marinate them before doing this one though

With dove hearts I would probably say cut the time in half as they are tiny haha

 

Do you get a lot of bb's cooking them up whole like that? My buddies and I usually just pull off the breast and cook poppers with bacon and jalapeno. The extra hearts I feed to the dogs sometimes, but I hear they taste pretty good

 

Nah not really. I can usually feel them out if they didn't pass or wen't taken out with the guts. Also NM just started to allow pellet guns of .177 cal or higher for doves and squirrels (ammo shortages was one of the reasons) so that makes it nice just to aim for the head and don''t have to worry about bbs and get to keep meat intact.

Also what I have been trying to do is archery shots. Bird point with the wires for on the wing or a bludgeoner on ground or tree. Still practicing that... Pretty hard hitting a head