Dove hunting at Lantern Acres gets better after the season has been in for a week or two and is usually not as good the first weekend. Davis can't put his trigger finger on the reason, but said hunting gets better when the morning hunts begin after the second Saturday of the season.

"There are other crops on nearby farms, especially corn fields," he said. "You think they would stay in those fields. But instead, they head for our small grain fields later in the season."

The Edenton crew also manages J. Morgan Futch Game Land in Tyrrell County, located eight miles east of Columbia on Highway 64. It is a recent addition to the commission's public dove-hunting areas.

"Three years ago, we offered J. Morgan Futch dove hunting," Davis said. "The game land is a waterfowl impoundment and is contract farmed. The quality of dove hunting depends on whether the corn has been harvested. But we offer dove hunting there during the first four days of hunting season. We have 600 acres of farmland and moist soil units impounded for waterfowl. Most of the time, the farmer harvests the corn in August and that's the biggest draw for doves. We feel as long as it doesn't conflict with waterfowl uses, it's a good use of the impoundment and we flood it after the dove hunt."

J. Morgan Futch Game Land special dove hunting is by permit. However, it's a point of sale permit and unlimited numbers of permits are available. Anyone who wants to hunt can buy a $5 permit at any license dealer. Because the hunting area is a waterfowl management area, the use of non-toxic shot is required.

The Williamston crew manages the Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land. There are 60 acres at the Conoho Farms Tract, which has permit-only dove hunting. There is a quota of 50 people for each hunt. After the first two weeks, it is open two days per week during the early season. A small-game permit is needed for the non-permit hunts. For doves, the fields are planted with millet, milo, corn and sunflowers.

The New Bern crew plants Croatan National Forest in Craven County. There are two dove areas and both are in Jones County. The first is near Brice's Creek behind the commission's field depot on Brice's Creek Road. The Brice's Creek area will require permits for the first time this year. In past seasons, Brice's Creek fields were open for hunting without permits.

"There are several fields totaling 50 acres at Brice's Creek," Davis said. "Some of them right behind the depot will be permit only because of crowding."

The rest of Croatan is a six-day-per-week game land with no permits required for dove hunting. The other dove area is called the Hill Fields off Highway 58; it totals 20 acres. The crew plants corn, millet, milo and sunflowers. They also plant wheat in the fall and produce seed for the following dove season. The crew mows, disks and rakes the fields. Mowing is especially important to attract doves.

Most of the Hill Fields are millet. There is no corn planted because of the deer.

In Bladen County in the southern Coastal Plain, Suggs Millpond Game Land has a popular permit dove hunt. The airstrip and the waterfowl impoundments are planted in millet varieties that attract doves. Hunters must choose which field they want to hunt when they apply for permits. There is a quota of 30 hunters the first four hunt dates.

After the first few high-use permit hunts, hunters buy a $5 unlimited small-game permit and hunt doves.

There is a new addition to Suggs Millpond this year. However, hunters will have to check the Web site to see if the new fields have been prepared for dove hunters.

In Pender County, the Holly Shelter Game Land crew plants several dove fields. A total of 40 to 50 acres of dove plantings are scattered in fields throughout the game land. Several fields off Lodge Road on the east side hold doves. On the west side, the crew plants the airstrip and field near the boat ramp. Dove fields are planted with millet, mowed and disked before the season.

Located near Kinston, Caswell Farm Game Land is a 276-acre dove-hunting-only area. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission leases the game land from the N.C. Department of Agriculture. There is usually plenty of corn. The only hunting at Caswell Farms is two days of permit dove hunting with a quota of 100 hunters.

Fort Bragg has excellent dove hunting, with several fields planted on the U.S. Army post in Cumberland County to attract doves.

The number of hunters is limited on a first-come, first-served basis. When a hunter shoots his limit, another hunter is allowed to take his place.

Hunters must sit through a course specific to the post and must buy a Fort Bragg hunting license. For more information, check out their Web site at www.fortbragg.army.mil/wildlife/ regs-permits