Dove hunting is a social event, sometimes it gets to be a "serious social" event.
Serious is everyone tossing a $50 in the pot, shooters limited to only 15 shells for a 15 bird limit. Shooter whom fells the most doves, with fewest shells takes the pot. 28 gauge shotgun taking 15 doves with 12 shells fired, will take that pot. I gave the $600 to a kid in a Ped's hospital, what we were doing, shooting for money to give to chariety.
This year, Ladies and kids I assisted and worked with this summer, well for most the first time they have ever hunted.
Just a private spot, and just us few folks, with some close folks like grandparents,or parent.
Folks getting a bit excited:
Kid runs into the kitchen, one new LLBean boot on one foot the other foot , with only a sock, and hand flying "Mom this is going to so cool. You can fart, talk, belch, scratch your butt and everything while dove hunting!!"
"That is real nice honey..."
This is going to fun, got all the traditions lined up from do-nuts , jerky, BBQ and...got a bit of serious going on too.
See the smallest kiddo is 2.5 years old, grandpa was told that kiddo was going to fell a dove and all.
$20 bet.
What grandpa don't know, is that kiddo , mom and me gotta plan. Safety all observed and all, but kiddo and I been practicing.
Kiddo weak side on my hip, and I use a single shot shotgun one-handed, we took 15/15 taking clays from a thrower the other day.
Just one of the little somethings I've done forever.
Now one of the ladies, one I have shared about her learning and us hanging out more, well, she bet me I could not do that with her on my weak side.
Yep, she lost that bet. 1100 in 28 ga will take a pair of clays shooting one handed...
So she don't know the other ladies and kids gonna put money in a pot for me to hold her weak side and pop a dove, or two.
Them gray missles ain't hard to hit. I never believed that nonsense about dove hunting invented by shotshell mfgs to sell all them shells 'cause folks can't shoot. Could never prove it be me and my kind no ways...
Oh I gots a surprise for the ladies and gents too.
Ladies gonna have that "stud" on that lifesized cardboard display they get all hot and bothered over, stuck over in a spot for a range marker...
That other lifesized cardboard display , the one with the honey in bikini the younger fellas , well one plum walked into a end aisle display gawking at it at the grocery store. Cans spillling, him redfaced...
Gonna be something else for sure, I am just looking forward to the ladies , kids , dawgs and some parents and grandparents being in this private shoot, and having fun.
Oh these folks I mentioned, been doing a little something for folks up Michigan way in regard to dove hunting.
Even the kids, they wanted to.
Good bunch, going to be fun and memorable first time for most.