Dove Hunters - Do doves see color?

[Jim Lauman]

Hi

My subject question is the result of a question
asked of me in Firearms Safety (Hunter Ed) last night.
I can't answer it - as doves are a song bird (protected)
up here in MN (no practical experience).

We were watching a "shooting situation" video -
and the situation was of 3 dove hunters (all
wearing drab colored clothing - but not camo),
where one of the hunters was swinging on a bird
and got well outside of his zone of fire.

So one of the kids in my class asked "Why
were'nt they wearing blaze orange?" - my
answer being "I don't know - possibly because
doves see color - as most game birds do see color,
such as waterfowl, turkey, etc."

Am I right? If not - enlighten me.

Thanks

Jim

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[Hatcher, Robert]

> So one of the kids in my class asked "Why

> weren't they wearing blaze orange?" - my

> answer being "I don't know - possibly because
> doves see color - as most game birds do see color,
> such as waterfowl, turkey, etc."

Birds tends to see a full color spectrum (and probably beyond what is
perceptible to humans.) Evidence the brightly colored mating plumages and
displays. Since doves are typically hunted by ambush or pass shooting,
blaze orange would hinder success. Certain upland game (i.e. pheasant,
quail, grouse, etc.) can also see color very well, but are hunted by
flushing, so blaze orange outerwear is common in many places while hunting
these birds.

Rob Hatcher

If it weren't for my beautiful wife, my wonderful kids, or this fabulous
job, I would be hunting or fishing right now.

[Rick Courtright]

Jim Lauman wrote:

> answer being "I don't know - possibly because
> doves see color - as most game birds do see color,
> such as waterfowl, turkey, etc."

Jim,

I know this won't really answer your question, but before camo became
the "in" thing for dove hunters in addition to others, the only "color"
rule I'd ever heard was to avoid white. Apparently pure white (according
to what I read and heard) is so unusual in nature where doves hang out
that they avoid it. My only evidence is anecdotal: I used to have a
white truck, my buddy a brown one, and when we'd park them 100 yards or
so from each other, the birds seemed to veer off from mine more than
his.

I've dressed in light colors--tans, greys, lt browns and greens--for
years hunting doves, including both open field pass shooting and jumping
'em along brush lines and the like, and haven't noticed they pay any
more attention to me than the camo guys.

I live in California, which doesn't have an orange rule for hunters, so
seldom see anyone in orange other than our CalTrans highway workers, but
the jokes are they move so slowly the doves just ignore 'em! Elk, on the
other hand, find them quite a curiosity!

Rick

[Ron M.]

I'm sure dove see colors as much as any other bird, but more than
anything else, they watch for MOTION. That's why white is such an
unpopular color for dove hunters... the slightest movement of a
snow-white t-shirt against a colored background will be seen half a
mile away. Logically, a dull color or pattern would be less
noticeable. That is, the dove probably wouldn't notice it unless it
moved, whereas they'd notice a bright color whether it was moving or
not.

Many, many times I've seen dove heading straight towards me over an
open area, then suddenly do a 90 degree turn when I moved my hand
towards the gunstock or turned my head.

That's the best advice I can give to later-season dove hunters: BE
STILL!!! At my current hunting spot, I see doves after the 3rd week
hopping from one tree to the next (trees are a couple hundred yards
apart), pausing for a few minutes at each tree to watch for unnatural
movement before flying to the next one. BE STILL!!!

Ron M.