DOVE HUNTING IS FOR OLD MEN

[Mike Franzen]

DOVE HUNTING IS FOR OLD MEN

Sitting in the shade on a swivel seat, sipping sweet tea between shots and Connecting with a bird as it meandered by while ordering Lady to go fetch is about all there is to it. Right? Well, not if you’re in southern Georgia, the buckle of the Sun Belt. Two old men took to the field Sunday afternoon right about the time the mercury reached 103 degrees and the breeze wasn’t even stiff enough to move the wings on a wind powered Mojo decoy. These two looked like the types that would drink water from a garden hose, ride a bike without a helmet or go outside without sun screen. One of them had an injured back that caused him lean forward when he stood up like he was reporting on the imminent approach of the eye of the hurricane. The other, had a broke leg and was ordered by the doctor to take it easy and use crutches to keep the weight off it. Deemed too much of a bother, said crutches were discarded as quickly as the docs advice.

Sitting near the edge of the tree line they were taking their fair share of the game. No dogs were fetching their birds. Fearlessly they waded across the sunflower rows braving sand spurs, fire ants and Pig Weed to retrieve the quarry. The one with the broke leg, who was wearing shorts, decided to go stand in the middle of that hell garden so his birds would quit falling in the woods where the timber rattlers considered anything lying about to be their property. The other one shot a bird, went to the middle of the field and shot another one again that far away. Hurrying back to reload and throwing the dead into his bucket he dripped with sweat. His shirt and pants looked like he had lost control of his bladder several hours earlier.

But the birds kept coming. Crooked backs and broken limbs were of little significance. The old men were caught up in the circumstances. They didn’t seem to give a damn about the heat, the dust or the sauna like humidity. Shoot and reload. Shoot and reload. Hurry out and get the bird. It was a race against the fire ants to see who would be first to claim the prize. It went on for hours. And then, it was over. The Doves went to roost and guns went silent. After witnessing that I thought dove hunting is for old men.

[Dean Romig]

Hey - We’ve seen those kids before. Aren’t they related to Brother Davis?

How did that picture get into a story of crippled old men shooting doves? How do they fit into the story?

Wait, I see a Parker Trojan - now I KNOW there’s more to this story!



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[Reggie B]

Mike that is a great story! Great looking group of young adults too!

[Mike Franzen]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Hey - We’ve seen those kids before. Aren’t they related to Brother Davis?
.

Yes sir. Scout is his daughter. McKenzie and Sawyer are cousins and Brother Davis is great-uncle to Lewis. These are as fine a group of young people you will ever meet. While coming from three different families they share and practice the same values of respect, integrity and forthrightness. Plus they aren’t afraid to get blood on their hands when the shooting’s done.

[Joe Graziano]

Teaching them well. Good job!

[charlie cleveland]

we have a great bunch of young folks in our dove hunting group....they also dont mind getting their hands bloody....alls well for several years yet....charlie

[6pt-Sika]

Thirty years ago I had it in my head I wanted to take an 8 point whitetail in each state they were available , then I lessened it to “a” whitetail meaning doe etc . Never have come close to accomplishing it . I’m thinking now that I’m kinda lazy when it comes to tromping around I might set a new goal of dove in each state of the “Old South” and Eurasians once or twice in the Southwest And by no means do I think dove hunting is lazy it’s just a skoosh easier then going out after deer and as I normally do climbing 30-35 feet up a tree .

[Mike Franzen]

Originally Posted by CraigThompson

And by no means do I think dove hunting is lazy it’s just a skoosh easier then going out after deer and as I normally do climbing 30-35 feet up a tree .

Craig you might have hit upon a new strategy. Build a stand in the tree tops and hunt them at eye level.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Mike Franzen

Craig you might have hit upon a new strategy. Build a stand in the tree tops and hunt them at eye level.

Funny you should say that . We were damage control hunting deer on a 240 acre piece the Friday before the dove opener in VA for deer . The place is leased by a hunt club mainly for dove and it’s planted 75% sunflowers and the rest in corn . Anyway during daylight that evening I was sitting in someone’s 8-10 foot high quad pod stand . While sitting there the dove were so many and so close I am 200% sure I could’ve taken a 410 with one box of shells , picked my shots and gotten the 15 bird limit with shells to spare .