Ladies and Gentlemen,
The fall dove season came to an end this past weekend and we are still waiting on the northern dove to come down.
This past weekend, we had dove numbers but the dove were really spread all over the place (not enough hunters and dove spread to many milo and hay grazer fields – several hundred dove in my north field but 6 hunters on 110 acres??).
In 2019, the northern dove started to appear the second to last weekend and the last weekend of the fall dove season. Also in 2019, the first seven weeks of dove season were absolutely horrible in numbers of dove.
In 2018, the first few weekends were really good, then 20 inches of rain decided to come to West Texas.
In 2017, the first three or four weekends were good (limited hunts thereafter).
WINTER DOVE SEASON (December 18, 2020 to January 14, 2021):
My 110 acre north field is starting to fill up with dove.
Trying to hunt 110 acres with 6 hunters is like using a slingshot to kill dove.
In January 2021, we will more than likely be heading to Lubbock for morning sandhill crane hunts for one morning of each hunt,
then dove hunting in the afternoons and “pond hopping” the ducks on the other mornings.
We have sandhill crane in Winters, so I might have the “sandhill crane guides” from Lubbock come to Winters.
In addition, the pigs should be hungry in January and destroying winter wheat fields.
The following is a recap of the Fall 2020 dove season:
- First two days of dove season (1st and 2nd) – limits by all (slaughtered the dove);
- Opening weekend (4th, 5th and 6th) – limits by all (slaughtered the dove);
- Second weekend (11th, 12th and 13th) – limits by most, many others shot hundreds of rounds (dang good hunting);
- Third weekend (18th, 19th and 20th) – COVID took out hunters via being sick, no hunters;
- Fourth weekend (25th, 26th and 27th) – few outstanding shooters with limits on milo, otherwise slow (slow hunting);
- Fifth weekend (2nd, 3rd and 4th) – few with limits on milo, otherwise pretty slow (slow hunting);
- Sixth weekend (9th, 10th and 11th) – no hunting;
- Seventh weekend (16th, 17th and 18th) – decent hunts on Saturday (okay hunt);
- Eighth weekend (23rd, 24th and 25th) – one decent afternoon hunt, otherwise pretty slow (slow hunt); and
- Sleet and ice on Tuesday and Wednesday this past week:
- Ninth weekend (30th, 31st and 1st) – pretty slow weekend and birds scattered (slow hunt).
In September and October 2021, based on discussions with current landowners / farmers, 24 Outfitters LLC will have:
700 acres of black oil (new this coming year - 2021);
600 to 1,000 acres of milo (hopefully, one landowner coming back into the mix
(used in 2019, was out for various reasons in 2020) for 400 extra milo acres);
1,000 acres of wild sunflowers.
2,300 acres to 2,700 acres of fields, several stock tanks etc.
Hopefully, the election tomorrow will not destroy our right to hunt / bear arms.
In 2021, we will attempt to have the following:
Large numbers of hunters (many day hunters) on:
Opening days - September 1 (Wednesday), 2 (Thursday) and 3 (Friday);
First weekend - September 4 (Saturday), 5 (Sunday) and 6 (Monday);
Second weekend - September 10 (Friday), 11 (Saturday) and 12 (Sunday); and
Third weekend - September 17 (Friday), 18 (Saturday) and 19 (Sunday).
Other weekends – call me to discuss.
Full packages will be available, but there will be considerable more day hunters this next year (2021).
If you have been to my place, you know I can accommodate about 25 people in sleeping arrangements in the house / cabin.
We will make off grid accommodations for tents / RVs this next year to accommodate more hunters in early September.
Based on current returning clients and a large amount of ongoing advertising, we are anticipating way more hunters per each of the above hunts (i.e., several hundred hunters per hunt) in the early part of September.
Therefore, contact me ASAP or I would book your hotel rooms at the latest by the first of May 2021.
Hotels: Abilene, Ballinger, Winters, etc.
