Scouting… Scouting, Scouting but given the birds migrate don’t do it until a week before season starts.
Most states have “dove field maps” for wildlife areas - get them… use them to scout.
Expect ALOT of guys - be courteous, and even friendly to other hunters…
If you hunt fields and tuck into tree lines with other guys you get the special pleasure of calling out birds flying behind them they can’t see so that they can shoot at them and speed them up for you..
Get spinning wing decoys - at least 2… 4 is better, put a couple of them up high, and a couple lower to the ground..
Take a bucket to sit on, make sure you have off & sunblock, morning & evening hunts are the way to go - but make sure you are on a tree line (if hunting fields.. wear camo & tuck into the tree line..
Shells & Chokes -
Most Wildlife areas require you to use Steel shot these days, so if you don’t have some decent choke tubes (like Carlson waterfowl tubes), it will benefit you to get some… (and don’t take lead).
The national average of shots on a dove to “take a dove” is crazy high … so get out and practice first, or take way, way more shells than you think you need. I used to shoot competition, and every year we have ALOT of doves - without fail one of the guys that comes with me for more shells… 8:1 is sadly not uncommon for newbs…
Zip lock bags, a couple gallons of water, paper towels, game shears - are all you need to breast them out …
Take a cooler with ice in it to cool the meat down.
Safety wise on fields - Don’t shoot below 45 degree’s… or below the opposite sides tree line…. Guys get tempted at shooting at low birds, but it’s
dangerous so don’t do it….
