Blood, Sweat, and Buzzing: Dove Hunting Without Getting Mauled by Mosquitos

There’s nothing quite like a Central Texas dove hunt in the early season. You’re locked in, shotgun loaded, sun barely peeking over the horizon… and then—buzzzz—right in your ear. Next thing you know, you’re swatting and scratching more than you’re shooting. What is the best mosquito repellent for hunters, you ask? Let’s see!

Let’s be real: mosquitoes are the uninvited guests of Texas dove season. You can scout the perfect flyway, drop doves like rain, and still walk away miserable if you’re lit up with welts and itching for days.

Here’s how to fight back—and still hunt like you mean it.

🦟 Why Dove Hunts Attract Mosquitoes

Opening weekend in Texas is usually hot, humid, and sticky—prime mosquito weather. Add in early morning dew, standing water from stock tanks or field edges, and maybe a little sweat? Boom. You’re the main course.

Places like creek beds, low spots in sunflower fields, and tanks where doves drink are also mosquito hotspots. And unfortunately, those are exactly where you want to hunt.

🎯 6 Field-Tested Ways to Keep Mosquitos Off You While Dove Hunting

1. Wear Long Sleeves, But Keep It Light

You don’t have to suffer in heavy gear. A lightweight, breathable long-sleeve shirt and pants can stop the bites without cooking you alive. Bonus if it’s camo and UV-blocking.

2. Use Unscented Mosquito Repellent

Spray up—but skip the fruity stuff. You want something with DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus, but unscented. Doves have sharp eyesight, not noses—but it’s still best to smell like the brush, not a citrus cocktail.

3. Thermacell = Game Changer

This little unit will change your life in the field.  Thermacell mosquito repellents create a small scent-free zone of death for bugs. Set one near your chair or blind and watch the swarm disappear. Just remember to bring extra fuel and pads.

4. Skip the Dawn Water Hole—If It’s a Mosquito Factory

If your spot is buzzing worse than a skeeter trap at a county fair, and you’re spending more time slapping than shooting, consider repositioning. Sometimes backing off just 30–50 yards away from water can keep the bugs down without losing the flight path.

5. Treat Your Gear with Permethrin

Spray your boots, vest, hat, and hunting pants with permethrin the night before. It lasts for days and kills bugs on contact. Just don’t spray it on your skin. This is what the military uses—and it works.

6. Move With the Shade, Not the Swarm

When the sun rises and the birds slow down, don’t hang out in the buggy brush just because you’re stubborn. Shift to a spot with a breeze or less vegetation. Mosquitos hate dry, moving air. You’ll be more comfortable and ready for the evening flight.

🧢 Don’t Let Bugs Ruin the Hunt

Look—Texas dove hunting is always going to come with a little grit. That’s part of the deal. But if you plan ahead and pack right, you can shoot limits and still leave the field without scratching holes in your legs.

Mosquitos don’t pay to be out there. You did. Hunt like it.

See y’all out there—itch-free and no limits!

—David Gray
Dove Blasters Founder, South Texas bred, Central Texas fed