Nearing the summer solstice, meaning we're enjoying another few meals of the unprotected, but very delectable, Eurasian collared-dove. Idaho still has no closed season, no bag limit, on this invasive species. The bird, to me, tastes exactly like a mourning dove, but is twice the size. Anybody else out there taking advantage of them being around?






Breasted out, wrapped in bacon, cooked on barby, fantastic!



Plucked, thrown in oven with your favorite spices.

No protection here either they make a nice cage bait.

They have literally invaded my area. It seems they are pushing out the Mourning Doves. Constant noise starting from when the sun cracks the horizon until sundown.

First I was told by the DNR that I could kill them, then they reversed that decision. It took a little convincing but I finally have documentation from the DNR that I can, in fact, kill them as they are unprotected.

I did not want to take parents with young in the nest, but they appear to be flying in family groups at this point.

Can hardly wait to eat them. It's personal at this point.....

Moosetrot

I've seen them in Texas, But not here so far. I will be on the lookout.

Invasive species here no limits

Looks Good

Diggerman-I think you will hear them before you see them. Their call is very distinctive from the Mourning Dove. It is constant noise around here and NOT just during breeding season.

Moosetrot

They are common here, but nest largely in urban areas. We have never killed one on my dove fields, but commonly see them in town

Ha ha, that’s what I was gonna say! lol. Yes, they make the same mooing sound, over and over and over again, all year around. We haven’t had a really cold winter for several years, and I wondered if that would flush them out, but don’t sound like that will help either! I’m glad they’re good eating, I’m gonna go thin the herd one of these days!

They were gaining in population here about 6 years ago. Haven’t seen any recently though. The last time I was working in Petersburg they were everywhere, it seemed. They only seemed to be in residential areas.

Seems around here they prefer towns, but we have a few out here in the hinterlands. Mike -A couple years ago, I saw a few In Craig, Klawock, and Thorne Bay.

Jack

Sounds like a dove that was shot in the butt.

"Ooo-oogh-ooooooooooogh"....constantly.

Moosetrot

Same here but I'm sure Illinois will put a special season on them and charge us for it.

That's what I've seen here. They pretty much stay in town and not in the fields we hunt.

Noisy dang things. Not pieceful with them around. Smart too. They seem to know if your armed or not. Haven't eaten one, .17 is a little rough on them. Seems to be one pair at every homestead. No Mourning Doves around any more with the Collared ones taking over. I think they are democrates!

They really group up around the grain elevators here, especially during the winter. The Cooper’s, Sharp-shinned and Goshawks really work them over in town during winter.
Took this pic of a white one, not albino just a white phase that is starting to show up more.

I just sold a pair for $80.00 around half an hour ago. I've noticed in some places you can see all the colors commonly kept in captivity and others only the wild types. You hardly ever see the domestic ones for less than $40.00 to $60.00 a pair.

Doves are extremely easy to trap in a modified Swedish crow trap or in large, flat, bottomless traps with bobs. The voodoo market is very good on doves, virtually inexhaustible. I'm surprised that you guys with large feral populations don't trap them for resale. You could make thousands a week in a good area.

Keith

Nice shots, Jack, and all.

I bet they are good to eat. I've wondered about the Rock Doves as to eating too.

Someone post a link of just what those Collared Doves sound like, please ? I believe I've heard them, but cannot mentally hear that sound right now. Yes I'm lazy actually in the middle of a big job so I'm not stopping on that for long.

They make a laughing sound too. A lot of magicians, I sell white collared doves too, only buy females, because the males calling can ruin their tricks.

Keith

LOL thank you Keith ....I have heard that , in towns. Never here. That would drive folks crazy , hearing that non stop. At least they sleep at night, unlike a constant barking dog.

Tens of thousands of people keep doves as house pets in the US. I make thousands of dollars off of doves every year and could sell more if I had more to sell.

The owner was encouraging the dove to call in the video. It's probably the only dove in that household. Single doves and pigeons become neurotic. They call a lot more and try to mate strange things. Weirdly I have had 1 person tell me that they had a single male dove try to court and repeatedly mate a fake turtle by a pond and 2 others tell me that they had single male doves that tried to court and mate tortoises. One of the common names is turtledove, but not for that reason. Single, hand raised male doves and pigeons will often try to court and mate with people's hands.

Keith

Nary a one here in my part of the 100 acre wood.

ND made them part of your morning dove season. First it was no season or limit, now a limited season on them. I have seen four at my house in the last 10 years. I can see more than that in a few minutes in town 6 miles away. I wish they were in the country rather than just in town.

Thanks Keith, I did take note of how good a market there is in selling them.

Imma gonna keep an eye out for them in places where there are many. Getting the right trap as you described, the barn owner's permission, I could line up a buyer and sell them. Problem is, the nearest ranch with grain barn areas where I've seen pigeons gather is some miles from me. I'd have to plan that out with care if I ever got serious about it. For that matter, any place I would ever live near to that habitat , I could see what I can do . Helping ranchers and myself.

Here in rural Idaho, seems that numbers of collared doves has gone down over the last two years. Maybe we're whacking too many? I'm seeing just as many in town...

Jack

Thats as annoying as Greta Thunberg saying how dare you for an hour.

Do they kind of sound like an owl? I had a dove looking bird around here the other day that sounded like an owl but was twice as big as a dove.

I hear them irregularly, and because of that, I don't mind the sound at all. If they were incessant, Boco's correct; Thunberg copycat.

Jack

never seen one in WI. Are they really easy to tell from Morning doves?
Looks really good Gulo, I've had Pheasant wrapped in bacon and it was EXCELLENT, I would imagine the doves are pretty much the same.