Alternative Method to Dove Hunting in a Field?

Are there any strategies for hunting Doves, but NOT in a field? Like walking around hard woods, or even just in more open areas? I know you wouldn't limit out or anything, but maaaybe bag a few over a day? Or do you pretty much have to have a designated field to hunt them? I'd like to go out to a WMA this Saturday, but don't really want to go to a designated Dove field, as I'd rather just be out there alone (or as alone as I can get). Any thoughts, let me know!

I really miss walking middles in cotton fields and busting them when they get up.

I’ve flushed them out of clearcuts when deer hunting. Doing that in September’s heat with snakes...no thanks...I choose life.

^^^^ late season clearcuts can really be hot spots.

Find you a roost

One of my favorite hunting methods is walking up doves in a clear-cut, but it's usually better in the second season. A key is often to find areas in the cutover dominated by ragweed instead of dog fennel.

Great info guys. Exactly what I wanted to hear. I figure it would be a good time to just get in the woods with the possibility of getting something. It seems everyone thinks that clearcuts are best later in the season. If I don't mind the heat and snakes, do yall still think there may be some doves in the clearcuts? Also, how fresh do the clear cuts need to be? When do you think they are too old to hold some Dove?

a watering hole like a pond in a pasture has worked for me in the past. May want a dog in case one falls in the middle.

Dr. B

This. One of the best hunts I've ever had was in an old strip mine.
Lots of shale, gravel, etc...and LOTS of Poke sallet berries., and water
nearby. Place was THICK with Dove. Spent several weekends walking
around that place. Killed more Dove than at any "Dove Shoot" ever.

I like riding dirt roads and shooting them off power lines

Best opening day shoots I've ever been on were in cutovers

They're a bunch that do...

I ruined a great spot as a kid by hunting their multiple Cedar tree roost by my Dads barn nearly every single afternoon after school for about 3 weeks. My bad! Didn't know any better. Dad warned me but at 13, who cares!

Yeah,you hunt a roost the last day of the season

With beer!

Find a first year clear cut and the dove will be there. Everyone you kill will have a craw full of croton seed.

If you find some Woolly Croton growing in a cleacut you can bet it will attract doves.
We have it growing on the cleacut edges by our roads. They are always in that stuff. One of the best hunts I’ve been on that wasn’t over bait was in a pasture where Woolly Croton was growing around some old Hay rings in Lowndes County. It was just plain murder. I think the ants ate better than we did.

Yes we call it goat weed. It's like crack rock to doves.

Another dove favorite is Johnson grass.

watering holes, power lines, clear cuts

I used to always hunt around a catfish pond at my wife's aunt and uncles and had pretty good luck. Would just always take my lab with me in case one fell in the pond which she loved and was good practice for duck season.