On WMAs like Peabody, where a number of fields are planted and they are some distance from each other, if that's where you've decided to hunt, it's a good idea to do a drive by at all the fields and see what the score is a day or two before the season opens.

This helps in two ways. One, it simply lets you see what fields may be pulling more birds. Second, it may give you an idea of where you'll want to try to be in those hotter fields, if you can watch for a while and see how and where the birds are flying. Sometimes on shoots where more than several gunners are present, being the guy who gets first crack at a good number of birds means improved success. If you're one of those guys every dove hunter loves, who can "dust" them coming straight in at 60 miles an hour and 40 yards out, it won't matter as much.

An alternate choice in this region of the state would be the Sloughs WMA near Henderson. You have to shoot non-toxic (no lead) shot on Sloughs, but this area has a number of agricultural fields and consistently good shoots, too.

WEST KENTUCKY WMA
Down Paducah way in the Purchase Region, the West Kentucky WMA is a top pick for good dove action. Pritchert says that lots of gray-winged speedsters will alight in the various fields planted usually on Tracts 1 and 5 of this 6,500-acre-plus public hunting area.

West Kentucky WMA consists of old fields, grasslands, wood lots and a number of ponds, along with food plots. It's bordered to the north by the Ohio River and has flat to rolling terrain. It's an area that provides doves everything doves need. The office on the area is about six miles off U.S. Route 60 out of Future City via state routes (SRs) 996 and 358.

"Because West Kentucky is so close to the city of Paducah, hunters can expect there to be plenty of shooters on these fields," said Pritchert.

"When it comes to doves, it's pretty hard in Kentucky to find public lands that have hardly anyone there during the first day these areas are open.

"But the nature of the sport sort of lends itself to a group hunting approach, and as long as hunters keep some spacing between themselves, there's usually enough action to get in an ample amount of shooting opportunities," he said.

"On a public field, if you knock down eight to 10 birds in an afternoon, that's considered a good day. In fact for most, that's a good day anywhere.

"Those who drop a limit of 15, and there will be several who do, just had an exceptional day. It all depends on the weather, bird numbers and luck in setting up and making good shot choices," Pritchert added.

GREEN RIVER LAKE WMA
Though this management area seems to be located more in the mid-portion of the Commonwealth, it falls into the Southeast Wildlife Region for management purposes. Green River WMA, outside Columbia, is one of Kentucky's largest chunks of public lands and encompasses more than 21,000 acres all together. Over 80 percent is forested, while some 11 percent is open fields and uplands.

Fields prepared on this area traditionally attract good numbers of birds, and this area sometimes picks up birds that drop farther south when a cold snap comes to the more northern counties in autumn.