Yes folks. It’s summer again. The cool
of the morning turns to intense heat by 10 a.m. for many of us and the only
solution one would seek is to stay inside the four walls to avoid the heat.
But if you’re a passionate hunter, life’s too short to spend three months of
every year sitting in front of an air conditioner and dreaming of fall. Don’t
let the dog days of summer get you down. Here are the best hot-weather hunts
for Summer: June, July and August.
Collared Doves - shotgun is your best bet
One of
the biggest bird distribution stories in the Americas of recent times is
undoubtedly the dramatic expansion of Eurasian Collared-Dove. First
released in the Bahamas in 1974 and eventually found their way to the mainland
United States, these birds have spread across the country, and since they are
an invasive species most states have very liberal (or not at all) bag limits. Collared
doves make excellent table fare. Places to find: around agricultural fields
especially after harvest since collared doves regularly feed on waste grain.
Wild Hogs
Today
there are an estimated 5 million wild hogs in the United States that cause over
a billion dollars of damage to agricultural crops each year. In the southern
U.S., hogs do the most damage to rice fields, so concentrate your efforts there. Any
bullet and rifle combination you’d use for deer hunting will kill a hog.
Good choices are your big caliber games: 6.5 Creedmoor and AR-10 .308 style rifles.
Whitetails
A whitetail buck
is the trophy of a lifetime for any hunter, but there are few states that are
open to hunters in late summer. South Carolina and Tennessee are the most
popular destination for those looking for a buck in velvet. .300Blackout, .308 Caliber and 6.5 Creedmoors are excellent choices for deer hunt.
Antelope
The wide-open spaces of the American West are home to these
species. Wyoming is the capital of the world, and the season opens in certain
areas on August 15. Good goat cartridges run from the .243 Win and 6mm , both offered at Moriarti Arms.
Pigeons
Like collared dove, wild pigeons are delicious, especially birds from agricultural areas where they
subsist on a steady diet of grains. Pigeon hunting is a low-cost,
widely-accessible alternative to geese hunting. In most states there are no
season dates or bag limits, and farmers are usually thrilled to have pigeon
hunters on their property since the birds cause a lot of damage to machinery
and barns. .224 Valkyrie is a great choice of rifle to use for pigeons.
Canada Geese
Some states like North Dakota offer an early Canada goose season that begins in mid-August. This is a great opportunity to get a jump on the year’s waterfowl season and to stay in practice.
MoriartiArmaments.com offers a wide range of hunting rifles
for any taste and budget. Don’t be lazy in this heat and get out there and have
some fun! Happy shooting!