Went and bought my hunting license and public hunt permit on Sunday, plus a case of shotgun shells for me and my son.  I hunt with the model 70 also but in the .243 WSSM cal, we got some big hogs at our lease in Benavides, last weekend  a 400lb sow was shot, that brings the total off 3 pigs killed over 350lbs in two years and a whole bunch in the 150lb to 250 range, we are expecting an even better yaer this year for hogs!!! My mind is on Dove hunting right now, I'm planning a trip to the RIO GRANDE VALLEY for the early whitewing season and I hear there are doves all over the place, flocks as big as 50 to 100 birds is normal!!!

I would like to Dove hunt, I have a Weatherby 12 ga. But I don't know enough about cleaning and dressing them, and don't want to waste any.

Dove hunting is the best hunting sport in my oponion because of several reasons, first the amount of shooting you can do in one afternoon of hunting (100 rounds easily), second you truly have a challenge in shooting a fast flying, high flying, darting target, and finally the reward of the harvest is great, doves can be cooked in so many ways, grilled, baked, slow cooked, fried, etc.  But cleaning is easy, you can do it two ways, quickest way is to brest them out, that is just stick you thumb up their butts and seperate the breat from the rest of the body, pull off the excess skin and feathers and then rinse.  But, I prefer to pluck and clean them like a whole chicken, just pluck all the feathers off, clip the wings and feet with sheer, then slowly and careffully cut from the butt of the bird up its spine and split open, pull out the inards and rinse.  With a whole bird like this I like to make slow cooked "Caldo" with the birds, just boil them for 30-40 minutes, add potatoes and rice and seasoning, makes a great winter time meal and is good for your health!!!