Tomorrow’s the first of several big openers for hunting season. I don’t hunt a lot of big game openers, because everybody else seems to want to get out in the field for those. I prefer a little more elbow room.
But the dove opener is one of those days you really need to get out there if you want to have any success. Seems like all the doves disappear on September second, so to have any hope at all of putting some on the table, you need to be out there where the doves are on the first.
There are a lot of great places to hunt doves throughout the state, and a bunch of them are open to anyone. Walk-in areas are privately owned, but the landowners have set up agreements with the Game and Fish to allow hunters access without having to ask permission. Pick up a walk-in atlas wherever you buy your hunting licenses and find a good place to go.
You don’t need a duck stamp to hunt doves, but you do need a current Wyoming bird license and a Harvest Information Program stamp. You also need a Wyoming conservation stamp.
Tomorrow’s also the season opener for blue and ruffed grouse. Access for these birds is even easier. Some of the best places to hunt grouse are national forests, so all you have to do is get there. Again, you’ll need this year’s conservation stamp and Wyoming bird license.
Other seasons opening tomorrow are many of the elk and deer archery areas, early Canada geese in the Pacific flyway, sandhill cranes, snipe, and Virginia rail. A few big game areas open for rifle hunters, too.
There’s plenty to hunt starting tomorrow, and it only gets better as the season rolls along. Get your licenses and stamps today so you won’t get held up tomorrow. Then get out there and get hunting.
