Dove season is more than about hunting. It marks the moment when hunters across the country breathe a big sigh of relief because cool temps are coming and so are plenty of opportunities to hit the woods and water for our favorite game animals. In our neck of the woods, it’s almost considered a national holiday.
But, dove season also requires some careful consideration. While it’s fun and social, it also takes place during summer’s grand finale, with temperatures generally hitting the high mark on our thermometers. Today, we’re tackling a complete dove season packing list to keep you cool, comfortable, and ready to hit the trigger when birds start moving.
Dove Season Apparel - Open Areas
Depending on where you like to hunt, you may want to take a few different approaches when it comes to clothing. For the tailgaters hunting the nearest sunflower field, we highly recommend going as cool as possible. Any of our short sleeve shirts—including the Original Shirt, Explorer Shirt, TekCheck Shirt, MicroTek, and more—are perfect for keeping you cool and dry, with moisture-wicking properties and ventilation. Be sure to go for earth-tone or camo patterns.
For the rest of the equation, our Travel Shorts are the perfect option for more open environments, with plenty of range-of-motion, moisture-wicking properties, and all the comfort you’ve come to expect from GameGuard apparel. Lastly, check out our full lineup of GameGuard Caps in earth-tone and camo colors to keep the early morning and evening sun out of your eyes when the whitewings take to the air.
Dove Season Apparel - In the Brush
Sometimes, those birds simply don’t want to come out in the open. If you’re the type of hunter who’ll brave the mesquite trees and tall grass for your limit of birds, we’ve got some great apparel options for you.
The same rules apply when it comes to shirts, but we’d recommend going with our long-sleeve options to keep your arms protected from thorns and stray limbs. On top of our full lineup of long-sleeve shirts (Original, Explorer, TekCheck, MicroTek, and more), the Maverick is a slightly burlier option that will still keep you cool when you’re busting birds out of thickets.
Our SeaDrift pants may be great on the water, but they’re also a great option when you need a little more protection in the field. They’ve still got plenty of stretch for getting under low branches and will keep sweat and sun off of your skin. If you’re looking to beef it up even more, our Guía Grande Pants are an even burlier option, able to endure the toughest of hunts while still keeping you ventilated and comfortable.
Dove Season Gear
The gear you bring into the field matters in dove hunting. First and foremost, you’ll want to keep you and your bird dog as hydrated and cool as possible, particularly in the early season hunts when temperatures are high. The GameGuard Cooler Bag is perfect for holding all the water you could ever need, along with ice and food for a full day in the sunflower field.
Brush country can also be hard on your equipment, which is why we recommend the GameGuard Shotgun Case to keep dust, dirt, and scratches away from your gun. The last thing you want is a jam when the birds cruise in front of you.
Depending on the length and type of hunt, you’ll want either the GameGuard Accessory Bag for the essentials, or the Duffle Bag with plenty of room for an extra change of clothes, dog gear, and much more. Or, for a hunt on the move, grab the GameGuard Digital Camo Backpack for a lightweight, rugged option. Lastly, the GameGuard BirdBelt is an essential for any dove hunt. It’ll give you quick storage for downed birds so they can cool off and stay ant-free during you hunt, and will also tote along extra shells, storage for spent shells, and any small accessories you need to be successful in the field.
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It’s important to do dove season right, and packing the right gear and apparel will keep you comfortable. And guess what? Comfortable hunters tend to be successful hunters, and successful hunters get to brag over a grill full of jalapeño poppers while they’re unsuccessful friends sheepishly ask for seconds. If that’s not motivation to check all of your dove season boxes, we’re not sure what is. Good luck out there and we’ll see you in the sunflowers.
