Mike Humphrey bought a section of land near Lamar, Colorado, and we hunted there from 2000 until he sold it in 2008. We shot a lot of doves at that place and we enjoyed staying at the Cow Palace hotel and, later, Mike’s newly completed hunting shack. Bodhi was never much for doves, but he tolerated it a few times, before I gave up on bringing him as he would start howling under the tree I tied him to as he really wanted to go chase the scaled quail which were also running around the property, but for which the season was not yet open. Robo-doves and decoys work great on doves, but the jury is still out on my new plastic dove call. In any event, a couple of tweets on it beats yelling, “incoming” to your awaiting partners.
New Mexico Green Chile Dove Poppers
- breast out the doves and de-bone the breasts
- take half a roasted green chili (hollow-out the seeds and the vein of pepper to remove heat, if you like it mild)
- place a teaspoon of cream cheese in the hollow portion of the pepper and wrap the breast around the pepper to seal in the cheese
- wrap in bacon and secure with a thick round toothpick
- place the dove-poppers in a bowl and marinade in orange juice, milk, or thousand island dressing overnight.
- place the dove-poppers on the grill
- cook until done
- drizzle pure maple syrup over the top and serve