More than half of Illinois' public hunting land consists of croplands. Photo by Windigo Images.

Dove hunting is a tradition that spans generations. Prairie State dove hunters await the season with a mixture of emotions ranging from mild anticipation to overzealous anxiety. The hours leading up to and culminating with opening day create a fever pitch of excitement for many hunters.

Yes, dove hunting literally comes in with a bang and quickly subsides. Most hunters invest maximum effort at the start of the season, but interest and participation fades quickly as hunting success diminishes and other hunting seasons come into play.

However, dove season doesn't have to be enjoyed just one or two good days then abandoned. With a little extra effort, hunters can find good shooting over the span of several weeks.

Obviously, private fields that are specifically planted and managed for dove hunting offer the most success. Fields can be designed to offer the maximum amount of camouflage, shooting opportunities and spacing between hunters. Additionally, most of the invited hunters know each other through family, friendship or mutual acquaintance, creating camaraderie among the participants.

Most of us, however, don't own a private field to enjoy. If we're lucky, we may be invited to a private hunt, but more often than not, we're relegated to pursuing our quarry on public land.

However, be of good cheer. Illinois dove hunters have plenty of great places to enjoy a day or two of shooting throughout the season. Good public land is usually nearby, but to reap the most benefits, it's necessary do a little homework.

More than 100 public sites are owned, leased or managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for dove hunting, with sunflower fields or other food sources specifically planted to attract mourning doves.

Hunters typically enjoy very successful hunting on these public lands. In fact, the most recently published tally of hunter participation showed surprising results. During the 2006-2007 hunting season, hunters on Illinois public lands shot more than 98,400 doves.

Here are some public lands to consider this season.

HORSESHOE LAKE
Madison County
Dove hunters near St. Louis have more than 3,000 acres of public land available at Horseshoe Lake, but not all is open to dove hunting or governed by the same regulations.

The property consists of several units, some federally managed and others managed by the DNR. The federal property is open under the statewide season and regulations for dove hunting, but the state property is much more regulated.

Hunting is allowed only in DNR-managed dove fields and is restricted to permit holders for the first five days of the season. Permits are drawn by advance applicants with standby hunting available if vacancies exist. Hunting hours for the entire season are from noon to 5 p.m.

After the first five days of the season, hunting is open through a daily drawing when more than 35 hunters are properly registered and present to hunt. All hunters must hunt within 10 feet of their assigned stake.

Although there are many regulations and restrictions at Horseshoe Lake, the hunting is well worth the extra aggravation. Plenty of birds are attracted to the area due to extensive management and wildlife plantings. The ample availability of food, water and roosting locations attracts and holds a good number of doves, especially early in the season.

The Horseshoe Lake properties are located about a mile from Granite City and are bordered by routes 111 and 162. Horseshoe Lake State Park is located at 3321 S.R. 111.