Ladies and Gentlemen,
Wanted to provide you with a dove report and what we are offering on dove hunts this September. We might offer hunts in October, but I am going to wait and see if cold weather pushes down dove for October. Just by the way, the last two weeks in December and the first two weeks in January for dove, duck, and crane are an amazing time. Hope to have 5-foot terraces on my fields with flashboard risers and culverts by the end of June 2026.
Dove Report:
Most of the land around Winters, Abilene, Potosi, Clyde, Eula, Ballinger, and Bronte had a very dry December 2025 through April 10, 2026, so the winter wheat grew about 4 or so inches. It did not get tall enough to bale into hay or harvest into a crop. Therefore, most of the fields turned into an insurance claim, and cattle grazing thereafter. Then, on April 10, we had between 4 and 7 inches of rain. The rain will help finish out the “short” winter wheat and pop up the wild sunflowers. Assuming a few more rains this summer, I expect the wild sunflowers to grow very large, and we will have tons and tons of winter wheat (regardless of any more rain) lying on the ground. In other words, I expect there to be A HUGE SUPPLY of food for the dove to “flood” in around the above areas.
Dove Hunts:
Day dove hunts:
Up to 50 hunters per day,
$175 per day for September 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, and
$150 per day for September 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20.
Full package dove hunts:
The following list is the days for the FULL PACKAGE (up to 25 hunters) dove hunting in September 2026:
a. $1,125 per person for August 31 (Monday), September 1 (Tuesday), September 2 (Wednesday), and September 3 (Thursday);
a. 3 Nights Lodging,
b. 8 Meals:
i. Arrive August 31 (Monday after lunch) and evening meal on 31st,
ii. 3 meals on Tuesday the 1st,
iii. 3 meals on Wednesday the 2nd, and
iv. Breakfast on Thursday the 3rd,
c. Potentially 5 Hunts:
i. Tuesday morning, and if needed, evening,
ii. Wednesday morning, and if needed, evening,
iii. Thursday morning,
b. $1,225 per person for September 4 (Friday), September 5 (Saturday), September 6 (Sunday), and September 7 (Labor Day):
a. 3 Nights Lodging,
b. 8 Meals:
i. Arrive September 4 (Friday after lunch) and evening meal on 4th,
ii. 3 meals on Saturday the 5th,
iii. 3 meals on Sunday the 6th,
iv. Breakfast on Monday the 7th,
c. Potentially 6 Hunts:
i. Friday evening,
ii. Saturday morning, and if needed, evening,
iii. Sunday morning, and if needed, evening,
iv. Monday morning,
c. $850 per person for September 11 (Friday), September 12 (Saturday), and September 13 (Sunday):
a. 2 Nights Lodging,
b. 5 Meals:
i. Arrive September 11 (Friday after lunch) and evening meal on 11th,
ii. 3 meals on Saturday the 12th,
iii. Breakfast on Sunday the 13th,
c. Potentially 4 Hunts:
i. Friday evening,
ii. Saturday morning, and if needed, evening,
iii. Sunday morning,
d. $850 per person for September 18 (Friday), September 19 (Saturday), and September 20 (Sunday):
a. 2 Nights Lodging,
b. 5 Meals:
i. Arrive September 18 (Friday after lunch) and evening meal on 18th,
ii. 3 meals on Saturday the 19th,
iii. Breakfast on Sunday the 20th,
c. Potentially 4 Hunts:
i. Friday evening,
ii. Saturday morning, and if needed, evening,
iii. Sunday morning,
½ of the amount required for the hunt upon booking the hunt, and the remaining balance is due 30 days before the hunt.
Other activities:
Skeet shooting on wobbler (depending on numbers of booking- considering purchasing Promatic Grouse XP), rifle range (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 800, 1,000 and 1200 yard berms and targets and shooting house/benches), pistol range (double Texas star, Texas propeller, dueling tree, human dummies), fishing on 7 acre tank (bass up to 6 pounds – yellow magic, torpedoes, chuggers, Texas rig worms etc.), washers, horseshoes, corn hole, ladder toss, poker, ping pong, darts, college football on satellites / TVs, fire pit, rockers under pecan trees. Bring an extra blanket, as I turn the AC down.
Normal food:
Full breakfasts before you go to the field - eggs, bacon, sausage, wop biscuits, coffee, OJ, and milk,
Lunches are usually smoked burgers and dogs, chips, tea, and water
Suppers are usually:
Smoked brisket, beans, potato salad and desserts, tea and water,
or
Lasagna, Texas toast, salad and desserts, tea and water,
or
Ribeye steaks over mesquite on fire pit, large potatoes, salad, dessert, tea and water.
For liability reasons, alcohol on you, but only after evening hunt.
Look forward to seeing you this Fall.
Ryan Gardner
