By David Hart
The first shot of the day rolls across the big cornfield five minutes after noon. Doves don't fly much during the stifling midday heat of a Virginia summer, but it's opening day, Sept.1, and the start of another hunting season. I'm slouched in the shade of a big cedar tree along a fence line next to the corn field, two friends at my side, waiting for the birds to start their daily routine. By three o'clock, the air should be alive with doves as they pour into this field to feed. There are always a few that don't follow the rules, which is why a dozen hunters have volunteered to guard the field at high noon, the start of legal shooting time in Virginia and many other states. Opening days always bring out the most optimistic among us. That first shot turns our attention from the cold Cokes at our side to the cloudless sky over the corn stubble. Did our friend across the field make the shot, or will the dove come our way? We only see barn swallows as they swoop low over the field, a sure bet that the first announcement of the hunting season turned into the first dove of the season.
Southern dove hunting is as rooted in tradition as Sunday morning church service and small-town Fourth of July parades. Although temperatures can top 100 degrees, thousands of hunters gather in large and small groups to celebrate the start of hunting season, often with a picnic lunch before the shooting starts and a round of cold beer or soda when the hunting's done. It's as much a social event as it is a serious hunting session. Some groups even go so far as pig roasts, a horseshoe tournament and family get-togethers that seem more like annual reunions than hunting trips.
Good Eats
Doves are easy to clean and can be cooked in a variety of ways. I simply filet the meat off the breastbone, wrap each piece in a three-inch slice of bacon (hold in place with a toothpick) and throw it on the grill for about five minutes, or until the bacon is done. For those who like a little zing with their food, add a slice of pickled jalapeno pepper and a wedge of cheddar cheese under the bacon.
|
By 3 p.m., my friends and I have split up and taken position along the weed-covered fence about 50 yards apart - far enough to avoid shooting at the same birds yet close enough to razz each other after each missed shot. That's the joy of an opening day dove hunt. Unlike a November deer season, hunters can talk, get up and walk around and generally have a good time without a single care. Find a hot field and there are usually enough birds for everyone to get plenty of shooting. Someone once figured the average dove hunter downs one bird for every five shots fired, a statistic that can only bring joy to a shotgun shell manufacturer.
I'm doing only slightly better than average, despite several sessions at a local sporting clays range prior to this celebrated day. The empty shotgun shells pile up at my feet as birds zip across the field from all directions. Most escape unharmed. I glance down at the empty red hulls at my feet and try to count them while watching the sky for incoming doves. By 4 p.m., I've burned through 26 Remington 12-gauge light field loads and have seven doves in the game pouch in my hunting vest. No complaints. But like a deer hunter who has already selected a spot over the fireplace for the upcoming season's trophy, I've cursed myself. My average drops as the empties pile up around my bucket seat. Singles, doubles and triples pour into the field over my cedar tree. Despite the fast action and a hot shotgun barrel, I've only added two more birds to my total and my supply of shells is running low. Other hunters have walked off the field, a 12-bird limit bulging the game pouch in their vests. As the sun dips closer to the western horizon, I feel a sense of urgency as the action slows dramatically. But after a few more shots, I finish out my day with a full limit, something that doesn't happen often.
As my friends and I sit in a circle and clean our birds and sip cold beers, we recall hunts from past seasons, make plans for the months ahead and strengthen bonds that are held together by a common love for hunting, especially an opening day dove hunt.
