For many hunters, Dove season marks the beginning of their upcoming hunting season and is always a much-anticipated event. This year is no exception. With the cool weather approaching and the birds beginning to make their way through the area, it should be another great dove season shared with family and friends.
After the hunt, there is always one more remaining task that needs to be handled: cleaning of the birds. Every year in the forums we receive a lot of the same questions about the methods that are used to properly clean dove. There really isn’t a wrong way to clean dove, but if you follow these steps you will soon find out there isn’t a much faster way to clean one that I am about to reveal.
Make sure you clean your birds promptly after the hunt. Do not leave them sitting around in the back of your truck in your game bag. Just like any wild game, it should be treated with respect and cared for properly. You will need a few supplies:
- Scissors (game shears)
- Trash bag/can
- 5-gallon bucket of water
- Latex gloves (if you aren’t into having dried dove blood under your fingernails for 2 weeks).
If there is more than one person cleaning birds, designate one of the cleaners as a wing guy/girl. His or her sole responsibility is to use the game sheers to cut the wings off at the ball-and-socket joint of the dove. This really speeds up the entire process. Grab one of the de-winged birds and place it breast up in the palm of your hand. With your opposite hand, place your thumb and index finger on the bird. Thumb goes under the breast and index finger goes up towards the head to hold in place and to perform another key role, which will be explained shortly.
Slowly, insert the thumb under the breastplate while simultaneously lifting up. While lifting, make sure to keep your thumb positioned along the breastplate to help loosen the organs. While lifting, squeeze the bird with the other hand and grab the head of the dove with the hand holding the bird and with one motion pull apart. If done properly, you should now be holding the dove breast in one hand and the remaining parts in your other hand. Throw the remains into the trash bag and begin cleaning up the breast. Once the breast is removed, pull off all the feathers and any remaining skin from the breast before placing it in the water bucket. Remember, practice makes perfect so volunteer to clean your friends’ birds until you have it down. I am sure he will not object to your hospitality. View the video below that will demonstrate what you have just learned. Good luck and safe hunting.