I've been thinking about hunting doves in an unconventional way and need some help/insight/ideas.

Thinking about setting up on a sandbar along the river (or off an island). Putting decoys out to simulate doves watering and/or picking up gravel and sand.

What time of day would work best for this approach? When are they going for water and sand/gravel?

I have better luck hunting water in the evening

I likes to thank on yore concept that later in the evenin' is gonna be yore bestest approach .... 'bout 30 minutes 'fo thay goes to roost which is gonna put you rite at ......... SunSet !!!!! GW Man don't like fo you to shoot at that time ....... but dang it can git GOOD !!!!

I will most certainly have the wind spinners, mojos & full body decoys in use, as well as the extend-a-pole with 4 docoys perched on top.

One time I shot one that wasn't sitting on the wire. A lot harder that way but I guess variety is the spice of life.

Sand bar mid morning should be a hot spot.

Capt we have a loading dock that handles alot of gravel,sand and grain during different times of the year. Right now its mainly gravel and sand but in a few weeks it will be mostly grain. Its on the Ohio River and what we do is pull up by boat to the loading area after the employees leave for the day and jack hammer the doves coming and going in the afternoon. The doves fly over the river from Kentucky and bomb into the gravel yard. Really nice pass shooting with most shots in the twenty to thirty yard range. Check your area for a similar area and have at it.
Randy