Fall/Winter 1999

Decoying Wildlife, Part I: The Dove
by James L. Cummins, Jr.

A great pleasure in life is being able to meet fascinating people. I never really understood this until I started writing several years ago. I remember late one evening at a social gathering in my home in Leland I was enjoying a drink with Julia Reed, a senior writer with Vogue Magazine. Also, I was enjoying the local music of Ralph and Humphreys McGee, specifically the songs entitled Panther Burn and Fried Chicken,and Jessica Brent (she sings the background for Mississippi Outdoors). Julia was talking about the people she interviews all around the world, from Barbara Bush to Richard Gere to Barbara Striesand. She talked about how they are sometimes portrayed and how they are in real life. Genuine people.

I, too, have had the opportunity of meeting a very genuine and caring person, Bill Lester of Dockery, Mississippi.

Like myself, Bill began hunting early in life. He first began hunting in 1957 when he was nine years old. Like my father, Bill's gave him a .410 gauge shotgun at this early age. Bill's father passed away the next year and his Uncle Bob (Aldridge) and Uncle John (Aldridge) began to offer him the opportunity to hunt in Estill. That's Mississippi. Actually, it's in north Estill.

"I was very fortunate to have been able to hunt with my relatives in this small town north of Hollandale. They took me under their wing and taught me how to hunt and fish the proper way. They instilled in me the ethical way of hunting," Lester said proudly.

Bill Lester leads a dove near his cane blind and decoy spread. Photo by R. Kim Rushing.

These two uncles also introduced Bill to dove hunting. You might say they gave him the fever. I think it is more of a disease, in fact, chronic for Bill. As with most dove hunts, this one was a big social event. (In fact, the tradition is carried on by the Aldridge family, specifically John and Robin).

One of the things that Bill realized early in life was that he wanted to hunt more than two or three times a year, which was the maximum amount of social gatherings that usually occurred. He craved more.

"I initially started hunting in fields by myself, and I might add, without much success. When reading several articles about using decoys, I purchased 12 plastic ones. After utilizing those in hunting situations, my success afield increased," said Lester.

"Sometimes, it is very difficult to hunt in a large field. I was able to lure doves into shooting range," continued Lester. He took the decoy idea and decided to make his own. He had several ideas to improve the decoys so they look more natural. He wanted to fashion the decoy so that it elevated off the ground, possibly catching more sunlight where doves can see the decoy better.

When it comes to construction, Lester states that there are two different types. One is a full-bodied decoy. The other is a silhouette. He uses only silhouettes. "Silhouettes are cheaper, lighter and I can carry about 25 in my hunting bucket," continued the dove fanatic.

When it comes to lumber, he uses 1" x 6' white pine. "It is easy to work with and is very durable," he admits. After one has drawn the pattern and cut it, drill a hole in the head and insert a 3/8" dowel rod. Glue in place. This keeps the beak from breaking. Next, cut the rod and stand so it is flush with the back of the head.

A great afternoon hunt! Photo by R. Kim Rushing.

When it comes to color, Lester paints them to suit his taste. After all, he is an artist and takes great pride in his work. His personal decoys are painted in such detail that they look better than the real thing!

However, he states that painting the entire body in a putty color and making their wings slightly darker is really all one needs for success. He also recommends painting their eyes or using a glass eye. When it comes to preparing a way for the dove to stand he states that one will need to drill a hole in the bottom of the decoy so that it will hold a dowel rod, which needs to be 3/8 inches in diameter and approximately 15 inches tall.

Dating back to Biblical times, the dove has always existed in our lives. And from Noah to Bill Lester in Dockery, Mississippi, a great interest has always been taken.

Bill's decoys are not just a piece of art. They are used for hunting. Lester states that one of the most important things when hunting is scouting. "People miss a lot of opportunities when they do not scout," he admits.

A variety of types of old dove decoys were made. Photo by R. Kim Rushing.

Lester prefers rice and soybeans fields since they are the most utilized by doves. He also states that fresh fields, of course, are the best. "With old fields, the grain has already deteriorated and there is not much food left," explained Lester.

There are plenty of places to go between eight and ten miles of Lester¹s home, and, with a little scouting, he is usually successful. Lester admits that scouting is the hardest and the most important part of dove hunting.

"I like to ride around between 7:30 and 8:30 in the morning to locate doves. Once I locate them, the next step is to determine who the landowner is and ask him or her for permission. A lot of times I just try to find doves that are on the wire. If I see 20 doves on a wire, there are probably 100 doves using that particular field," Lester confessed.

When it comes to the time of year, "One of the things that I have found is that doves congregate better in cold weather," Lester admits. "I used to not even know that the second or third dove season even existed. Now, that's when I hunt the most," continued Bill.

Lester also has several recommendations for setting up the decoy spread. He likes to put them in groups of four or five. "Doves always land on the outside of the decoys. Then they usually walk into the set to feed. Sometimes they will fly just out of range, and I will whistle like a dove. It will occasionally bring them in," expressed Lester.

"Fortunately, we live in a country where we can do things we enjoy. I like going hunting, sometimes with other people, sometimes alone. I enjoy big fields, open spaces and just being outdoors."

When it comes to blinds, Lester uses one made of cane. "It is natural, easy to carry and very simple to place," continued the Wildlife Mississippi member.

Lester admits that putting decoys out does not just mean you will be able to shoot many doves. This is still hunting. Lester states that it is very satisfying to lure doves to decoys that you have made with your own hands in your own shop.

"I remember early in the season I found a water puddle. In fact, it was about 10 to 15 yards long. Not too far away, I saw 200 doves fly from a lone willow. Instead of going and trying to hunt near that tree where they were roosting, I looked around the water puddle where the water had been decreasing over the last several days from the intense heat. I saw a lot of droppings and tracks. I sat my decoys out, put my blind up and within an hour, I took a limit of doves," stated Lester.

According to Lester, usually a hunt is not that prosperous. Whether he is fortunate enough to take birds or not, all of his trips are successful.

Most of the time he takes six to eight doves. "I do not consider myself an expert hunter, I just enjoy the sport and I enjoy getting outside," continued this Mississippi dove enthusiast.

"The idea of hunting near water holes is certainly a good one. Doves like to feed during the day and drink water near the end of the day to help them digest their food," said Rob Ballinger, Field Biologist for the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Bill concluded my visit to his home in Dockery by saying something that really hit home. In fact, I think it is the real reason that motivates us to do more for wildlife.

"After a hard day of work, it is always good to look upon the shelves above my desk and see some of my decoys and pictures that reflect memories of the past and say 'When I finish this paperwork, I will be able to go hunting again'"...Bill Lester.

Not only is Bill the Michaelangelo in the art of making dove decoys, but he has the utmost respect for wildlife and how he pursues them. This article was written by James L. Cummins, Jr, Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation.