The Wild South

Watch Now: What’s in My Dove Bucket?

Our Wild South columnist shows you the items he always brings along to the dove field

Smell that pumpkin spice and gingerbread? That’s right, it’s the most magical time of the year—the week before opening day of dove season! Visions of bacon-wrapped dove poppers are dancing in my head. For a lot of hunters, dove hunting is a fun once- or twice-a-year excursion that requires little more than a shotgun and a tube of sunscreen. No surprise, I take things up a notch or three and go a little crazy with gear. A few years ago, my wife, Julie, gave me this sweet dove-bucket-gone-wild, with a swivel seat and specialized pockets for all the stuff that makes a long, hot day in the dove field downright pleasurable. I’ll probably hunt doves ten times a season, and this stuffed bucket is with me on every hunt. Here’s what I fill it with.


Peregrine Field Gear Venture Bucket. $110; peregrinefieldgear.com


MOJO Pocket Pick Stick. $25; mojooutdoors.com


Otis Leather Company Dove and Quail Carrier. $60; otisleather.com


MOJO Voodoo spinning wing dove decoy. $40; mojooutdoors.com 


Mourning dove decoys. $35 (pack of six); banded.com


Follow T. Edward Nickens on Instagram @enickens.