I've read of some very successful opening day dove hunts so far this year. Congratulations to our colleagues who were able to open their seasons on the 1st and best of luck to those hitting the fields today.
We got up early (3:00 am) and got to our scouted field about an hour and a half before sunrise. We were beaten to the field by two other parties(!), and so had to set up at the end of the field. You guessed it -- our end was the only inactive spot on the entire field. Our "neighbors" enjoyed some sky busting fun, along with hollering constantly at an untrained lab. Such are the joys of public ground dove openers.
I carried an 1889 DH 12 with 32 inch barrels (this is a very early hammerless, "three dog" DH). I've had this gun for many years. I purchased it at a local auction in very rough shape. It was the first gun I took to Brad Bachelder and I had him bring it back entirely. Many would say that I put too much into the gun to ever be able to get it back, but I would say that I've gotten more from this gun than money could ever buy.
Later in the afternoon, I went back alone and did some walk-up hunting. I managed to scratch down some birds -- as many as we could eat in a sitting, and was satisfied to have opened the hunting season; my 61st. It's a far cry from my early hunting with Pop after squirrels where I eagerly served as his "dog." Sitting in a slow dove hide, you get a lot of time to reflect on your own personal hunting life. It's one of the things I do like about stand hunting.
Here are some photos from our hunt. I can't believe Elaine voluntarily came to sit with me, but it was nice to have a good buddy to chat with and admire the sunrise. The photo of her was inspired by Georges de La Tour and his famous use of tenebrism (you don't spend your life in the arts and not see connections:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_de_La_Tour). A nice irony to have Orion greet us before dawn as we listened to the hum of mosquitoes, thankfully warded off by our thermocells.
I'll go again a couple of times (including one hunt inspired by Stan, carrying a gun of a
caliber he might like), hopefully before the birds move on, but will shift gears to the teal season which begins at the end of next week. The best parts of the hunting year are to come.
Threaded Mode