Friday was the national holiday known as Opening Day of Dove Season, preceding Labor Day.
I woke up very early, headed out to our traditional opening day get-together at my cousin Sammy's almond ranch for our annual ham, biscuits and gravy breakfast graciously prepared by Sammy's wife Hope. This was our 33rd Opening Day celebration. Just as the sun began to show to the East, I said a prayer of thanks to our Lord in the memory and honor of Mr. Rick Courtright.
The action picked up within minutes and we got busy. My good friend Jerry had invited his SIL Devin alongand he brought his year and a half Chocolate Lab. Man, was she busy! She didn't care for the mouthful of feathers on each retrieve (this was her first dove hunt - she's a duck dog) but it did teach her to soften up. The first dozen or so retrieves were pretty chewed up.
We did alright. Lots of birds down, many more missed, insults and trash talking all morning long mixed in with sincere kudos for well placed shots (but mostly insults
). I managed to score a lucky double for the day's top bragging rights.
I hope Mr. Courtright approved of the day's results.
I woke up very early, headed out to our traditional opening day get-together at my cousin Sammy's almond ranch for our annual ham, biscuits and gravy breakfast graciously prepared by Sammy's wife Hope. This was our 33rd Opening Day celebration. Just as the sun began to show to the East, I said a prayer of thanks to our Lord in the memory and honor of Mr. Rick Courtright.
The action picked up within minutes and we got busy. My good friend Jerry had invited his SIL Devin alongand he brought his year and a half Chocolate Lab. Man, was she busy! She didn't care for the mouthful of feathers on each retrieve (this was her first dove hunt - she's a duck dog) but it did teach her to soften up. The first dozen or so retrieves were pretty chewed up.
We did alright. Lots of birds down, many more missed, insults and trash talking all morning long mixed in with sincere kudos for well placed shots (but mostly insults
). I managed to score a lucky double for the day's top bragging rights. I hope Mr. Courtright approved of the day's results.
