I believe seasons of the year gives us energy. I think it would be much duller if the earth didn't tilt and wobble- producing the seasons. One season to look forward to-fall hunting- is coming up. The first is dove hunting, mostly mourning doves around here. With the season fast approaching here are some tips to help hunters in their fall hunting fling.

Hunting: Mourning doves frequently will light on snags (dead trees), isolated trees, or overhead wires, before flying down to feed, so these are good locations to intercept them. When shooting-just relax, cheek to the stock, and shoot where they're going. No pressure here. Recover your downed birds soon. Fire ants are very good at finding downed doves quickly if you don't. And a fire ant covered dove is a real downer for you or your retriever.

Specifics: Small size shot, 7 1/2 or 8s, and more open chokes, improved cylinder or modified work fine. And you don't need high velocity loads for the shifty speedsters. There are 3 split seasons in 2 zones, north and south. Our first split in the north zone is 6-28 September.

Daily shooting hours is ½ hour before sunrise to sunset, except on Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries owned and leased land, where the season opens at noon on opening day. Daily bag limit is an ample 15. The Eurasian collared dove and ringed turtle dove are included in that 15 bird limit if you fully dress them. But they can be added to that limit if you leave a feathered wing and head intact.

Heat: Also, be careful about you and your dog over heating. Some have lost their canine hunting partner to heat on opening day. Find a shady spot to shoot from. Take water for you and your dog, and drink plenty of water or a substitute (not beer). Take a break during the hot mid-day; the doves will. Cool off if y'all get hot. Small ponds that may attract doves to water in late afternoon may make a fine cooling, swimming hole for your retriever. But if you hunt a water hole, don't let the turtles get your doves.

Culinary: An appropriate way to end this column in Louisiana is a delicious way to cook doves. Doves are predominantly flying rather than walking birds. There's ample oxygenated blood in their flight muscles, so they have dark breast meat. Skin the breast. Then pull the entire breast, bone and all, away from the rest of the bird and cut it off. Fillet the breast from the bone into 2 pieces on either side of the sternum. Marinade these breast pieces over night in zesty Italian dressing. With each dove breast piece, season, add a piece of onion and jalapeno pepper, wrap in a short slice of bacon, and secure with a tooth pick through it all. Grill until the bacon is done. You'll like it. The lead shot is softer than the steel you use for ducks. But you still have to be careful your guests don't eat the toothpick too.

So enjoy the first fall hunting season in our sportsman's paradise. Down to the last bite.

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