Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Here and gone

Dove season interrupted the summer nap on Labor Day, as usual sporting heat and soul-crushing humidity. But the birds were there and we were too, hoping for a barnburner, always hoping.

And as always, some higher power insists on turning everything fun into a learning experience. When the heat index approaches triple digits wearing short pants seems like a bright idea until a bird goes down in the trees and weeds. Teeth clench as the briars pick at bare skin, etching red lines that sting when the sweat finds them. About ten feet into the thick stuff that thought about poison ivy materializes. Remind me again why I think this is fun?

Date #2 came the birds stood us up. Never seen them disappear so early in the year, seemingly without a reason although that's never the case. Weather, lack of food, and hunting pressure are just about the only things that will move them out and other than a frog strangler of a thunderstorm none of these were in play. I'm still waiting for the "It's not you" phone call. Or text.

Some guys can't take a hint. Back at it again on Sunday..

4 comments:

  1. Similar experience here on the East Coast in Delaware. It was hotteren' Hell and the birds were scare. I only bagged 3 opening day. Then 4 on the following Friday and a few more Saturday...and they seem to be gone. I have bear speculation that the hard winter was difficult for breeding pairs and hatches.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If true it doesn't bode well for our second and third seasons. That's when we usually see the birds from up your way.

      Delete
  2. The Brits have the Glorious Twelfth. We in Georgia have The Glorious First Saturday in September, Not One Minute Before Noon. Our first day was a barn burner or more accurately for me, a shell burner of a day. Got in and out fast, but, oh, boy, was it hot. Good thing the humidity was high or I would have burst into flames. I carry my own shade into the field, a camo umbrella on a length of light conduit. It helps. I've worn shorts the last three hunts, but snake boots are on me as well. We have a lot of birds this year. We go back to the first field Friday afternoon and the birds are still thick in numbers. We'll see.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well I guess I know where our birds went. Weather should be a lot more in the hunter's favor this week, hope you guys have a good shoot.

      Delete