DES MOINES - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering a program to teach skills needed to hunt, field dress and cook mourning doves to individuals who have little to no dove hunting experience.
The workshop will be held on Aug. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Butch Olofson Shooting Range, near Polk City. Participants will learn basic strategies for hunting mourning doves such as proper equipment, where to hunt, safe shooting practices, and how to field dress, butcher and cook them.
The workshop also includes shooting techniques and time on the gun range for those looking to improve their shooting skills.
“This workshop will provide participants the skills and knowledge necessary to begin hunting doves, including techniques to field dress and cook this lean and healthy protein,” said Jamie Cook, program coordinator with the Iowa DNR.
The workshop is designed for participants 18 years of age and older. The cost is $35. For information on the workshop and to begin the registration process, go to https://tinyurl.com/4ks9csjh. Space is limited so be sure to register right away.
The program is provided through a partnership with the Iowa DNR and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. It is part of a national effort to recruit, retain and reactivate hunters due to the overall decline in hunting and outdoor recreation.