DOVE ECONOMICS

By Reis Ladd

Opening day for any sportsman or outdoorsman carries with it a palpable anticipation. One can almost taste it or seemingly run their fingers through it like a hill country creek. The dove season opener is the opener of all openers, marking not only the first day of dove season but also the “New Year’s Day” of the upcoming hunting seasons to follow.

Growing up, the dove opener was a holiday in the Ladd household. It was so much so that teachers at my small elementary school eventually stopped asking where I was going on September 1st. Instead, they started wishing me luck and asking for pictures upon my return. Every year, Dad and I would roll into the field on opening day after- noon and start unloading all of the neatly organized gear in the back seat. Never once did I think about where it all came from, when it got there, or how much it cost.

Each year between 300,000 and 400,000 dove hunters take to the field in Texas alone, producing an economic impact of over $300 million across the state. Second only to the white-tailed deer hunter in numbers, dove hunting efforts in Texas support a bolstering tourism scene and bring millions of dollars to rural communities every year. These costs are distributed amongst all facets of a dove hunt such as travel and access, but arguably the most interesting and nuanced is gear. Certain sects of hunters self-classify as “Gear Junkies” and acquire their necessities sporadically throughout the year, while others take a more “just in time” approach. Coincidentally these two usually hunt together. Regardless, our hunting supply stores must plan for both.

Timing

Unlike my dad, who is seemingly never under-supplied for a dove hunt, I am usually picking up shells just before the stores close the night before the hunt begins. This brings about the question of when our hunting supply stores actually begin stocking shelves with dove hunting gear.

Lance Coté, Wildlife Specialist for Mumme’s in Hondo, claims that although they begin stocking dove hunting gear in early August, the majority of their business comes later. “Yes, we start ramping up in August, but truthfully 75% of our dove hunting sales come the day of the hunt,” said Coté.

Bailey Dunks with Los Cazadores informed me that their ramp-up for dove season begins August 1st in preparation for opening day.

“Dove is the opener for our fall seasons, but we can’t even call it a soft launch. We are super busy!” said Dunks.

Neil Tyler has been a Hunting Manager at Scheels in The Colony, Tx since 2021 and stated the following.

“We generally roll out our dove hunting gear in the middle of June just around Father’s Day and will sell a few items that early. Our biggest push though, is the week right before the season begins.”

Interestingly this is Scheels only location in Texas, but it is the company’s largest store in the nation.

Supply Chain

In today’s day and age, there is still a looming concern of lingering supply chain issues, and for good reason. In the years post pandemic, the outdoor industry experienced general difficulties acquiring goods, especially ammunition. Shot shells for dove hunting were no exception.

“Although we ramp up our dove hunting gear in August, shotshell buying is 365 days a year. The supply chain has definitely gotten better in the last couple of years, but it’s still not back to what it was pre-Covid,” said Coté

Jason Hendrick, General Manager of Hoffpauir’s Ranch & Supply in Lampasas said, “we have ammo on hand yearround, but we pre-book large amounts of shotgun shells in February of each year and put up our dove hunting displays the first week of August.”

Top Sellers

While not often as technical as the majority of big game hunts, the Texas dove hunting culture undoubtedly takes pride in their favorite pieces of gear. Seemingly regardless of the size or location of the hunting supply stores across our state, the top five pieces of gear dove hunters buy from year to year trend as follows:

1. AMMUNITION

12 gauge, 20 gauge, and 28 gauge shot shells seem to be most popular among dove hunters today. 12 gauge is often readily available, but hunting supply stores are finding it difficult to keep 20 gauge and 28 gauge in stock.

2. MOTION DECOYS

The MOJO dove revolutionized the dove hunting market over 20 years ago and to this day, it, and others like it, remain one of the top-selling pieces of dove hunting gear.

3. DOVE BELT/VEST

Although probably not bought every year, the dove belt, or vest, ranks near the top. With all the customization options and designer brands available today, the dove belt or vest is the dove hunter’s chance to flaunt their fashion.

4. DOVE BUCKET/STOOL

From the 2 in 1 insulated pivoting bucket seat of the early 90s to the ergonomic options available today, dove chairs can range from as low as $10 to upwards of $200.

5. CLOTHING

More likely a result of the “might as well while we are here” mindset. Dove hunters continue to add to their camouflage repertoire year in and year out come the dove season opener.

Given the various pieces of gear potentially coupled with the excitement for the opener of the much anticipated hunting seasons, on average, the Texas dove hunter spends around $500 per year purchasing gear from the local hunting supply stores.

My father, the “Gear Junkie,” and I, “the just in time” purchaser may be in two different camps, but the questions remain, which is more common? Which is better?

Overwhelmingly, from stores as large as Scheels to locally owned brick-and-mortars Hoffpauir’s Ranch & Supply, Los Cazadores and Mumme’s, the vast majority of sales pertinent to dove hunting take place the week before the season opener. Additionally, many hunters find themselves in the store the day of their hunt grabbing last minute shells or gear they recently realized needs replacing. The current state of the market allows Texas dove hunters to find, at least, ammunition throughout the year, but if looking to replace any of the other top sellers in one’s dove hunting setup, mid-summer is a good time to start looking.

There is nothing quite like waltzing into the local hunting supply store in August and noticing the changing tides from summer heat to the impending dove season. Flats of shotgun shells displayed throughout the store, and dove stools standing in the place where the beach chairs once were. Whether you are a member of my dad’s camp and have been stocking up since last year’s close or are waiting until the day of like I so often find myself doing, the opener is finally here and it’s time to head to the dove field together.

Which is better? I hope to keep arguing with my Dad about it for many seasons to come.

Every year, DSC hosts its annual Convention that raises funds for grants in conservation, education, and advocacy. The four-day 2024 DSC Convention is open to the public and will fill over 800,000 square feet with 1,000 exhibitors featuring outfitted hunts, firearms, gear, wildlife art and much more.

Mark your calendars! DSC 2024 Convention – January 11-14