Good Mornin’! Good Mornin’!
Saturday marks an annual event for Sunflower County hunters – the opening day of Dove season. Folks have been tending their Sunflower fields and such to draw in a crowd of feathered friends.
When Cordy Brake Hunting Club was in its heyday, a Dove Hunt less than 100 yards from my house was an event no one wanted to miss.
With plenty of room to spread out safely – decades before anyone knew what social distancing was – and a Bill Bennett tailgate to cover any hunger or hankering known to man, it was a day of fun and celebration.
There was plenty of hitting and missing and black and blue shoulders along with getting the limit. It always seemed that first opening day was the biggest and best even though the season runs from September to January these days. Once other hunting seasons opened like archery for deer, folks headed for the woods.
But there was one year in particular I remember opening day for doves. My cousin Bob Osterman and his family were visiting.
We were about eight years old or so and my dad had us set up with his single shot .20 gauge. Before heading to the field, he wanted to make sure we could handle the gun and set up a few practice shot targets in the yard.
Bob was set up first.
His dad crouched behind his youngest child giving some safety and aiming instructions. But being a bit scared, Bob slid the gun off and under his shoulder when pulling the trigger. His dad, still crouching, behind took the hit of the recoil and landed on his backside. After a few laughs and few choice words, the instructions were revisited and the proper shouldering of the shotgun was firmly in place, he took a few more shots and we were all good to go.
We got set up on the fence line near the road and waited for our winged prey to come into our now deadly aiming single shot zone.
We took turns firing away and I don’t remember if we actually ever hit one but we made quite a few turn toward the other hunters’ destinations. It was getting hotter and as I remember all I had on was camouflage pants and a hunting vest with no shirt. I needed a cool breeze and I have no clue or memory what Bob was wearing.
What I do remember is by the fence line was a small hole in the ground and it got stepped on accidentally in our quest for doves.
The hornets beneath the ground didn’t take too kindly to that and poured out of the hole with vengeance on their minds.
Now there weren’t a whole lot of them but it seemed like hundreds and thousands were swarming two 8-year olds who were now doing dance numbers.
One hornet flew up my vest and stung me in the middle of the back. I can still feel that pain. Bob had a few stings and the joy of dove hunting on opening day quickly vanished.
We spent the rest of the day grazing the Bill Bennett tailgate spread, drinking cold Cokes and nursing our wounds. A good ham and cheese sandwich works wonders to distract the pain of a hornet but I don’t recommend getting the latter to enjoy the former.
For all the dove hunters this weekend and beyond, I hope you’ve got plenty of shells, a great tailgate replete with mouth-watering sides and main dishes. Just look down before you start shooting and take inventory of any holes in the ground and adjust your space so you don’t rattle any hornets.
Get your limit and have a hornet free hunt!
