At exactly 6:09 a.m. on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 5, a small army of men, women and youngsters bearing shotguns will be taking to the fields in North Carolina. They will be pursuing our state’s No. 1 game bird, the mourning dove.

The opening day of dove season is often described as being a national holiday because of this early hunting season. Dove hunters will have been spending their afternoons carefully watching recently harvested grain fields, watching for activity of these fast-flying birds. Sporting goods dealers will have been selling shotgun shells as fast as the shelves can be restocked.

Sporting clays ranges will have been experiencing a welcomed increase in their business, as hunters begin to sharpen up their eyes for fast moving targets.

As the opening day approaches, our state’s hunter safety instructors have been teaching more new hunters about game laws and safe gun handling, as our sportsmen desperately try and get that required hunter safety card to purchase that new license before the opening day of dove season.

Hopefully the dove hunters have made the appropriate written permission to dove hunt on the fields that they have carefully scouted and selected. Successful dove hunters have a lot of homework to do before dove season opens.

Several charitable organizations (and some private landowners) have realized all this interest in the opening day for dove hunting is a way to raise money. Hunters who want to really enjoy the holiday atmosphere of the opening day have found that by carefully selecting a sponsored dove hunt is the best and easiest way to enjoy that opening day activities. By watching the ads in the various newspapers, Craig’s List, bulletin boards at sporting goods dealers and through word of mouth from one’s fellow hunters, a super good dove hunt can easily be located.

One such hunt that many eastern North Carolinians will appreciate for the opening day’s hunt is sponsored by the Pink Hill Ruritan Club. For a $50 donation to the fund that this Club uses to help the local high school athletic clubs, Eagle Scout projects, academic scholarships and other civic organizations, a limited number of hunters will be able to participate in a dove hunt on 150 acres of corn, wheat and sunflowers. Youngsters 15 years of age and under will hunt for a $15 donation, as long as these hunters agree to hunt with a properly licensed adult. It’s stressed that this hunt will allow a very limited number of hunters to participate, so it’s smart to sign up early.

As with many sponsored dove hunts, these donations will include a pig picking meal (with beverages) and a guaranteed good time. For tickets and information, call Johnny Hill at 919-333-1044 or email him at johnnyhill@hillnation.com. Johnny will supply the exact directions to and details of this hunt.

A second sponsored dove hunt will take place after the opening day of the season. This well-known eastern North Carolina hunt is called the “Hunting For A Cure” and is sponsored by the Hyde County Chapter of the American Cancer Society (Relay for Life) in cooperation with local farmer and wildlife specialist, Jamin Simmons.

A donation of $100 (check or cash) to the American Cancer Society will enable adult hunters to hunt and enjoy the day. Youngsters 15 years of age and under will hunt for free.

The Hunting For A Cure dove hunt will begin with registration at 7:15 a.m. with a breakfast to be served at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19. A lunch consisting of a pig picking and beverages will begin at noon.

The Simmons Farm is located on Scrouge Road just off Highway 264, five miles west of Engelhard (near the Amity Church). Signs will direct the hunters to the site of the hunt.

For further details about the “Hunt For A Cure” Hyde County dove hunt, contact Tonie Marshall at (252) 542-1018.

Both of the sponsored dove hunts listed here are well-known and have assured hunters that all the regulations having to do with hunting migratory game birds will be observed on these lands. The bag limit for mourning dove is 15 birds a day. Hunters are well advised to be sure that their shotguns are “plugged” to hold no more than three shells and that each hunter has his HIP card and proper hunting license.