Even though there have been some cooler mornings recently, school buses are back on the roads, and pumpkin spice coffee has made its return with a questionable seasonal start date. Fall officially returned for hunters on Sept. 1 with the opening of the Pennsylvania dove season. Opening day for this fast-flying migratory bird has long become the welcome start to the new hunting season after a summer of beach vacations, bass fishing and checking trail cams.
Those who have at least one dove hunt under their belts know what a relaxed trip afield it is. The weather is welcoming and the action can be plentiful and bringing home a few of these birds yields a great meal with little cost in time and effort to prepare.
Images of a hunter or two sitting on a 5-gallon bucket or two over a fresh-cut field, or a local power line hunting doves can to some seem “old-timey” — like something your grandfather told you about from when no one had smartphones and gas was less than $1 a gallon.
Surely in these days of monster bucks and saving for hunting trips to Western states no one wastes their time hunting a bird that weighs little more than the shotgun shell you’re using to take it.
Every September though, as you drive the back roads of the county from Speedwell Forge to Muddy Run, you can still see hunters dotted along fence rows and cut corn fields looking to make good use of that $3.97 migratory bird stamp and spend their evening plucking, cleaning and cooking these birds that are as tough of a test for the wing shooter today as they ever were in generations past.
Believe it or not, the doves we have here, which are specifically mourning doves, are a migratory bird — with most birds spending their winters in the southeastern United States. It is true, though, that some doves will spend their winters here in Pennsylvania when the winter is mild and not migrate south, which is why you may notice them on power lines and tree branches all year long.
Mourning doves, much like whitetail deer, are very adaptable and agreeable to our landscape’s habitat — both natural and fabricated. Where there are farmers there is food, and in areas near neighborhoods there is habitat. This has left many states with high dove populations to pursue.
High populations of game birds allow for high bag limits; currently, in Pennsylvania, hunters can take up to 15 mourning doves per day with proper licenses and methods of take.
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How to prep, cook doves
So, let’s say you have a good day in the dove fields and are now the proud owner of some fresh wild protein. If you’ve never cooked and eaten them before, what can you expect for yourself or those you’re serving?
A dove is a very lean, dark-meat bird that most wild game chefs will recommend you cook until medium rare in the 130 to 135 F window, similar to duck or goose.
Presuming that you took care of your game meat in the field like we always recommend and did not leave it in a hot area like a car or truck for a long period of time (of course you didn’t) dove tastes very enjoyable, and is rarely described as “gamey.”
The classic dove popper is the easiest and most fail-safe dinner to prepare with doves. Dove breast meat, cream cheese and jalapeno peppers pressed together, wrapped in bacon then grilled checks all of the boxes for a satisfying taste of dove hunting success.
To clean and cook the whole dove, though, is not that much more work, and one that many are proponents of more and more to avoid waste and maximize appreciation.
There are dozens of dishes that you can use a whole dove for: Smoked, grilled, Doves a la Mancha, barbecued. You can even find recipes for doves cooked whole in an air fryer.
So, who’s right? Everyone.
What’s the best dish then? The one you like to make.
If you want to expand your culinary skills, try plucking your doves and cooking them whole on the grill with your favorite grilling sauce like barbecue, hoisin or honey. Since classics are classics for a reason though, below there is a recipe for the early season all-star, the dove popper.
As we move into archery, upland and waterfowl seasons, there is still time to have an easy-going dove hunt as the Pennsylvania season runs through Nov 24, and again from Dec. 19 to Jan. 6, 2024. Don’t forget that, in addition to your regular Pennsylvania hunting license, you will need to purchase an additional resident migratory bird stamp for $3.97, as doves are federally managed wherever you get your hunting license.
Be sure to know your surroundings before taking any shots. Be safe, and have fun.
GRILLED WHOLE DOVE
If you’re new to upland hunting, plucking and cleaning doves is the perfect way to practice these techniques that you can transfer later to larger upland game birds like grouse, pheasant and even wild turkey.
Directions:
1. Begin by plucking the feathers, doing your best not to tear the skin. Then take your game shears or knife, and remove the dove’s head and wings at the “elbow” joint. You can also remove the legs at the “knee” joint. Remove any remaining feathers. Dress the birds and clean them of their entrails.
2. If you have the time before you plan to cook your doves, submerge and soak them overnight in a salt solution of roughly 1 tablespoon kosher salt to 1 cup of water in a glass or plastic container. This will help draw out any unpleasant flavors from any blood left in the game meat and help to season it.
3. When you’re ready to cook, get your grill good and hot so you can sear the meat. Remove your doves from the salt solution, rinse them and pat them dry with paper towels. Place the birds on a dish, and rub them with a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper and any other herbs and spices you like.
4. Sear the outside of the dove on all sides then cook the birds, breast side up, for a few minutes with the lid closed on the grill, if you have one. Again, this is a lean bird that will overcook very quickly, so remember you’re aiming for your meat to be a medium temperature.
5. If you have a favorite grilling sauce like barbecue, hoisin, honey or maple syrup, feel free to paint it on the birds about 2 minutes into cooking. When the birds look medium, or are around 130 F, pull them off the heat to rest. You can paint them one more time with your grilling sauce while they finish cooking.
DOVE POPPERS
Adapted from a recipe by Cosmo Genova.
Ingredients:
• 5-10 dove breasts; adjust this recipe if you were able to get more doves
• 1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese
• 2-5 jalapeno peppers, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 pack of bacon to wrap the poppers in. Cut strips of bacon in half to make wrapping the poppers easier
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil
Directions:
1. Begin by removing the breast meat from the dove and cleaning it of dirt, feathers and shot. Rinse the dove breasts, pat them dry and mix them in a bowl with salt, pepper and olive oil.
2. Cut your jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Wear food-safe latex or vinyl gloves when working with hot peppers. Your jalapeno should now be like a little boat, ready for your cream cheese.
3. Leave the package of cream cheese at room temperature until it begins to soften. Then fill your peppers almost to the top with cream cheese. Place one of your dove breasts on the top of the jalapeno boat and wrap it evenly with one of your pieces of bacon. You can secure it with a toothpick if needed.
4. Place the poppers on a hot charcoal or gas grill and cook with the lid, down checking often to avoid flare-ups from the bacon grease or overcooking the popper. Wild game chef Cosmo Genova recommends cooking your poppers in a pan on the grill or in the oven. This helps keep the cheese and grease contained for arguably a much better popper with much less stressful grill flare-ups.
5. Pull the poppers off of the grill when the cheese is melting, the bacon looks cooked and the meat has an internal temperature of around 140 F.
6. Pair these tasty gifts from the wild with your favorite cold canned beverage. And that, my friends, is the perfect exit to another summer and the welcome mat to another fall hunting season.
