Hunting & Heritage  |  06/05/2023

Yuma Desert Doves — Women on the Wing


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QF on the Landscape in Arizona

By Catherine Thompson

The Yuma Desert Doves- Women on the Wing learn to hunt program is very close to my heart and it’s also my passion. Called The Women’s 5-Part Hunting Series, aka Yuma Desert Doves, this program has been active since 2019. At that time, my daughter and I realized there was a need in our area for a program to teach women how to hunt and learn shooting sports.

We established Yuma Desert Doves to provide a safe, comfortable learning experience for women by women. Although we do have men mentor some of our events, much of the time we have the same 4 to 5 female mentors. There’s no judgment in our program, and all the participants are at the same experience level: beginners, which provides a unique comfort zone.

The program tries to recruit approximately 20 women each year who are interested in shooting sports and hunting. Our structure is a five-month series beginning in May and culminating with a mentored dove hunting experience in September. The group meets monthly where quality training is provided by dedicated volunteers to prepare participants to hunt doves in a large group setting.

Training topics cover the full spectrum of hunting and conservation. Progressing from an initial trap shoot, participants receive instruction on firearms, archery, hunter safety, hunting rules and regulations, and finally an actual dove hunt. Concepts of wildlife management, dove biology, and wildlife identification are woven into many of the monthly sessions. The women also learn how participation with hunting supports wildlife conservation through license sales and excise taxes tax on ammunition purchases. 

Finally, the much-anticipated September dove hunt arrives, and each woman is provided all the equipment they need including a shotgun, ammo, eye protection, ear protection and a mentor. The program even donates dove belts that participants get to keep! Emotions of anticipation, excitement and maybe even a little apprehension are palpable as the group assembles for a pre-dawn meeting and travel to the field.

This year, as usual, the doves did not disappoint. As shooting light colored the desert sky, each participant quietly took their place along the edge of a farm field. Soon, the air was filled with doves and new hunters took their first shots at game, extending the legacy passed down for generations.


By mid-morning each participant had successfully harvested some birds and it was off to breakfast in the field and a raffle, provided by the program. Next, a bird cleaning demonstration was conducted, and favorite recipes were shared as a final step in enjoying the hunting tradition with family and friends. 

For those anxious to continue their hunting experience with big game, participation with a handgun, archery or muzzleloader (HAM) javelina hunt in February is offered through Arizona Outdoor Women. Recruiting new hunters is always a challenge and we feel extremely fortunate to have an amazing and diverse group of women who have attended our program.

Much credit is due to the skilled and dedicated women who spend their valuable time teaching and mentoring participants through the program. Building long-term friendships is one of the true rewards we enjoy and so worth all the hard work that goes into this program.
 

Catherine Thompson is a Quail Forever Chapter Volunteer.

This story originally appeared in the 2023 Spring Issue of the Quail Forever Journal. If you enjoyed it and would like to be the first to read more great upland content like this, become a Quail Forever member today!