I was removing the the tails off a bag of 50 shrimp the other day -- a tedious task -- when I thought of the anti-hunters who oppose mourning dove hunting, arguing the birds are too small to eat. The next day, dove was on the menu. I've managed to shoot nearly a dozen doves so far this season – a poor harvest compared to recent years, but still enough for a meal for three. So, after carefully trimming the meat from the bone with a filet knife, I marinated the dove breasts in Italian dressing, onion, garlic and other assorted spices. Later that evening, I wrapped them with onion, peppers and bacon – using a toothpick to hold everything together – and popped them on a hot grill. The key: Don't overcook. Small? Yes. But we ended up with leftovers. Tasty? Most definitely. Many dove hunters believe there's no better-tasting wild game.
