Well....it's almost zero hour here and I don't have anyplace to go for the opener. I see online that several ranches east of me here are charging money for the privilege (~$100 per gun). If I was otherwise engaged I wouldn't much care but I'm at loose ends tomorrow. My other option is to go fishing or chase blue grouse but....Colorado has gotten so-darn full of new residents, all my old spots have largely been over-run. Nothing convenient anymore I fear. What should I expect if I pony up my money and go take my chances?

$100 is not out of line at all, for a dove shoot. Just keep in mind it may turn out to be a bust, or ....... could be a barn burner. No guarantees. Would be helpful if you could scout it before ponying up, but that's likely not to be a possibility.

I've never had to pay, personally. Been to Argentina a couple times on vacation. Shot doves mornings and afternoons while there, nice accommodations, great meals and evening entertainment. But no, never paid to shoot doves.

Spent tens of thousands over the last 40 years planting dove fields, but never paid to shoot them.

Bought out of state licenses for doves, but never paid to shoot them.

Can't imagine anybody doing that ............

I have, several times. Call ahead and get details.
JR

Yes I have several times. Most time it includes a lunch. Problem is most times the good spots are saved for friends or members.
All my dove spots are planted in soy beans and will not be cut till November here. But for some reason doves do not like soy beans.

Pay shooting is just recently making its way south to my part of GA. No problem with it except as stated above the good stands are all allotted on the buddy system. $100 is about right. Be one of the insiders...Geo

Up here in Illinois I still have a couple of places I could go. About the Best is a melon farm on the banks of the Mississippi, but I hardly get out hunting anymore.
I am retired, have the time, a Great wife who would never, never ever tell me "no". I have the guns, the ammunition, and my third Brittany - first pick of the litter from his father who was first pick of the litter of my first Brittany. Each of them very different from each other, but each was like the third bowl of porridge to me.
Prior to retiring, I purchased enough of the things I'd need to have a retirement full of fishing, shooting and dove and upland hunting. I planned.
What I didn't know is that most all of my shooting and/or hunting partners would develop bad backs, bad knees, move away, or pass away.
To go dove shooting these days for me, is to go alone. If I go up to South Dakota this year it will be just my dog & I and, well, I just might not go.
Not sour grapes - I have a head-full of fine, fond memories beginning with early mornings out with my Dad. But my legs aren't as strong; I'm not as sure of myself and,
I now realize how much of the enjoyment came from going out with a good buddy or two.
All you who are going out this season, punch a hold in the sky for me & tell that dove that was from me.

I will do that indeed, Bob Rowley. The first dove I kill Saturday afternoon, Lord willing, will be for you.

Mr. Rowley, I am sure that the message in your post above touched all of your friends here who are getting on in age. I'm only 73 but lots of my old hunting buddies have gone the way you described your own buddies. I don't know when the time comes to lay it down and start parceling out your sporting treasures. Not yet in my case, but I can see it over the next few hills.

Not wanting to quit is certainly a sign to me that neither of us is quite ready to do it. I don't want to hunt alone, but I'm lucky to have three sons in town who will put up with me, and more importantly come when I call if I fall and can't get up or on a better note to pull a deer out of the woods for me. I pulled enough of theirs to earn it.

I have also been blessed with some younger hunting friends to hunt with. I recommend that highly. Oddly enough many young guys think old guys know a lot more than we actually do. Try not to do anything to dispel that notion...Geo

Bob, I can understand why missing your friends has changed your outlook, and your drive to hunt. But, for me it is a bit different. Not better, or superior, but different. I love shooting doves so much that I have often, and will many times in the future (hopefully), shoot doves all by myself. I have spoken with others via these forums that do the same. It's different, but it's great in a different way. No one is in my way, there is no need not to shoot at a low bird. There is a challenge there, to decoy doves to one specific location in the middle of a huge field. It's more a game of wits than when there's other guys helping.

I wish you all the best in whatever your future is, but, I urge you to not give in to sentimentality, but to figure ways to enjoy the fields and streams with the less than 100% mobility you may have. I wish I could help in person, but possibly the only help I can give is to remind you of Churchill's commencement address when he said to the graduating class "Never give up. Never, never, never, never give up".

Best to you, Bob. First dove Saturday is for you.

How true, and good advice.

I got invited to a dove opener. $650 to shoot dove plus there’s some driven pheasant and some sporting clays w a ribeye lunch. Hard for me to bugger out on work,so I’m out. Seems a little high priced though?? But, I’m out anyways.

Stanton,
Your advice to Bob is spot on, and much how I feel as I approach my 75th!
Karl

That is high, Buzz. As much as I love shooting doves I'd be glad I had to work.

My life long hunting partner was my older brother. He’s had some heath problems over the last 10 years that have severely limited his mobility. I’m now 63. My solution was to find some younger hunting partners. I find it a very enjoyable way to go.

Never did need to pay in the Texas Panhandle. I did ante up $25 once with AmarilloMike but that’s all. I’m fortunate—have too much land available to pay. I’m old enough to have grown up in a time when ranchers begged hunters to come shoot all the deer they wanted in the hill country free. Now it’s thousands of dollars. Fortunately our ranch is covered up now with both whitetail and mule deer (and I haven’t shot one!).

Quail hunting has become expensive for those without land. Very expensive!

Bob, we talked last year about chasing grouse up N Mich. I would to try this year, as my back and feet are a little better. Let's talk.

Hunting/shooting Alone is one of life's Great Pleasures to me, and possibly others.....I am not a good participant in LARGE dove shoots.......Tomorrow morning will find me and young Nic (step son that blessedly came into my life) will try them on.....he will be putting his year old English Cocker gyp on her first live bird outing...... I am sending them to a field alone for multiple reasons, but mostly to let him make some memories of their own. I will let the Bird dogs out for their morning exercise, and then sneak out the oldest girl by herself and sit behind the barn and pass shoot some for her to mouth and half ass retrieve, a ritual she and I have shared for 13 openers..... realizing this is probably her last ( although she is remarkably good shape, and I feel she will make some appearances in the Quail fields later in the season) opener on Doves. I will try to match her standards and put a few down in spots that make for easy retrieves......
Best of Luck to all who are going out, and condolences to Mr. Hillis for having to wait until SATURDAY.......Politics in Georgia are Hell on you boys in so many ways.
As regards the OP here, I hope you can find a Dove Shooting opportunity that you feel is worth the cost..... give it a shot..... any chance to give them a try is worth the price$

Very well said, my friend, most particularly in Atlanta.

Best to you.

Don't forget to shoot one for Fox....

One thing to keep in mind unknowingly hunting over a baited field will not help you if the Feds show up.

You can get too old and cripple to do it, but not too old to remember doing it. The best thing about remembering having done it is, old long gone friends are still with us in the memories and we didn't miss a shot.
Remembering old friends.
Mike

I tried to get an older gentleman in that situation to come quail hunting sone years back.
My wife had my Pointer at the vet while he had one of his Setters there, and they got to talking.
He declined my invite to sone great quail hunting in the Panhandle because he missed his buddies and was afraid he couldn’t keep up with us younger guys.
Shame, really; he was a good guy.

I never paid to shoot doves and never will. If I am correct, wildlife is the property of the public and is not for sale. I've seen fields with food tents set up for those paying to shoot, but they are paying for the food, not the birds. Thin line of legality there, but it seems to be a way to circumvent the law. Stocked quail shooting preserves are OK by me, but not migratory birds.

So, you have a problem with paying a guide to put you on ducks, or geese?

There are some pay to shoot opportunities around here, not much more success than the public fields, (SC) according to anecdotal testimony, 100 bucks/day. No thanks. One thing to consider. When I lived in MN they opened a dove season, I think maybe 2010 or so. Lots of birds! Way different strategy. Not a social event with many shooters stationed around a field. Find a good "beach" and set up with decoys or watch for a flyway to and from food and water. Solitary shooting though, which is fine. Did some jump shooting off of harvested wheat and sunflower fields as well, you'd better be quick! I hunt with some friends occasionally, especially if they've got their own dogs. Split up a cover and get back together later for a social. Other than that I like to hunt just me and the dog.
Chief