Although final sign ups will not be known until after this article has been printed, he expects his region to offer hunters the usual average of six or seven good fields. His lowest number over the years has been four and his best was 12 fields. He hopes to exceed those numbers for the 2005-06 season.

Regardless, don't let the smaller numbers fool you. Some of them are top producers and have a very high average dove-to-hunter kill ratio. They also attract doves late into the season, well after they have moved off most of the fields in the state.

The majority of this region's leased fields will be spring plantings that are reserved strictly for doves, but there should be a couple of cut silage and late harvested hay forage fields available as well. With that variety to choose from, there's bound to be something the doves like. And don't forget, if they like a field, you'll love it!

Over the past several years, the Kingston Refuge, Yuchi Refuge at Smith Bend and Chickamauga WMAs have been the best WMA dove producers in Region 3.

Kingston is located in Roane County on the Watts Bar Reservoir near the Kingston Steam Plant. (Call 931/484-9571 for last-minute information.) Yuchi is located in Rhea County and is accessible from several improved highways. (Call 423/365-9166 for last-minute information.) Chickamauga is located in Bradley, Hamilton, McMinn, Meigs and Rhea counties. (Call 931/484-9571 for last-minute information.)

For up-to-the-minute information on Region 3 mourning dove-hunting opportunities, call their office at 931-484-9571 or check the TWRA Web site at www.state.tn.us/twra.

REGION 4
Region 4 is the top area in the state for doves. Not only does it support the most number of fields -- usually around 17 private fields and as many as 10 public WMA fields -- but it also offers the hunters the best harvest ratio -- four birds per hunter on opening day.

Unlike the other TWRA regions in Tennessee, Region 4 has a preponderance of cut silage fields.

Silage fields can be a feast-or-famine proposition. When they're good, they're real good. The doves absolutely love them. But when they're bad, they're real bad and it's a waste of your time to hunt on them.

This creates a unique problem for David Brandenburg, wildlife biologist for Region 4. He points out that while these fields certainly attract plenty of doves, the best fields and highest population densities won't be known until just a few days before the season opens.

"We just don't know until the last minute. That creates problems for us and for our hunters," he said.

Brandenburg has taken this problem into his own hands and has gone to extraordinary lengths to help solve it. He's created his own personal Web site, which will be updated on a daily basis until the season opens -- maybe even longer than that. This should help Region 4 hunters by reducing the lag time for updated information from the main TWRA site.

You'll be able to access Brandenburg's site from the main TWRA Web site at www.state.tn.us/twra. After that, put it on your Favorites Menu and you'll be in business.

"It's hard to say," was Brandenburg's reply when asked for the best spots to hunt. He reports that due to the high number of fields in his region, there are hotspots all around. "Most counties have one," he said. In 2004, the best private fields were in Greene and Washington counties.

The best public hunts were on the Lick Creek Bottoms WMA. It's located in Greene County. (Call 423/587-7037 or check Brandenburg's Web site for up-to-the-minute information.)

JUST DO IT
If you want some early fall shotgun action, give mourning doves a try this year. There's plenty of opportunity near you.

And one final thought: You might want to spend a day or two at the local trap range before opening day. Doves aren't the easiest critters to hit, at least not for some of us.