Mourning doves are abundant now, but finding those birds on opening day of dove hunting season might be a little harder than usual because of weather.

Dove hunting season in Kansas and Missouri will begin Sept. 1.

Annual surveys show about the same number of breeding doves as last year, which was above the 10-year average.

However, doves may not be as concentrated because fields containing sunflowers, one of their favorite foods, haven’t matured.

“Sunflowers have to be planted early in the spring to mature by opening day of dove season,” said John Schulz, a Missouri resource scientist. “Heavy rains prevented planting during the best time on many areas this year. Those fields won’t be ready on opening day.”

Moreover, Schulz said, dry weather has kept crops from producing. The result is spotty quality of dove fields. He said hunters should check the condition of fields at their favorite areas, see if doves are using the fields and plan accordingly.

Dove hunters looking for a silver lining in this generally dismal picture should remember that doves prefer to feed on bare ground, and drought-stricken dove fields offer plenty of bare ground.

“There will be decent hunting on lots of areas,” Schulz said. “If you can find a place with plenty of dove food, you could still have a fantastic hunt, but on a lot of our areas opening day won’t live up to memories of the best years, when thousands of doves flocked to the fields.”

Schulz advised hunters to remember that doves are drawn to other seed-producing plants besides cultivated crops. Patches of ragweed, wild sunflowers and other native weeds can provide excellent hunting, especially if associated with open ground.

Ponds also can be dove magnets in dry years. Even a tiny patch of water may draw doves after morning and evening feeding periods. Ponds with low water usually have bare soil exposed around their edges making them more useful to doves.

In Kansas, the first segment of dove season will end on Oct. 14. A second segment is scheduled for Nov. 1-16.