This past Labor Day weekend was the first of many opening days for my wife and I as a family. Yes we hunted together before we were married, but this one was special. It was about starting a new tradition. Dove season for us signals the start of fall and that deer season is just around the corner. The “dog days” of summer are finally over and the thought of sitting around a camp fire gets us excited.
We were looking forward to opening day for quite some time and were excited to get away from thinking about work and just enjoy time with family. Plus, Kelly has never shot a dove before, so that was high on the priority list for the weekend.
Needless to say that task was a little difficult at first. The birds weren’t flying all that well and it was a little hard to get one in front of her. Kelly was shooting an old Remington 20-gauge that my father was letting her borrow. My 12-gauge shotguns were just a little too much for her still. After a little gun malfunction (which frustrated her) and punching a few holes in the sky, she finally downed one and was stoked. Heck, I think I was just as excited when I saw her pick it up and smile from ear-to-ear.
Once she knocked that first dove down she was hooked. She shot it at last light on our first evening and couldn’t wait to get out early the next morning to get after them. This is a prime example of what we are all about. We want to carry on the traditions our family has passed down to us and this is fueled by our passion for the outdoors. This picture right here is what opening weekend is all about for us.
At the end of the weekend Kelly and I were able to get a few birds in the cooler. We may not have gotten limits, but we did our dang best. Just a little rusty you know!? I think I’ve heard that one more than once! Overall, we had a great weekend starting this new tradition. We filled deer feeders, checked game cameras, and cooked up some mighty-fine bacon wrapped dove and jalapeno. My wife has started getting many of her firsts in hunting and fishing since we started going together. In fact, she got her first buck last year, which will be a great blog for another day. There’s quite a story behind to it! Keep up with us as we continue traditions, start new traditions, and make memories in the outdoors! Introduce hunting or fishing to someone new that hasn’t had the same opportunity as you and I.
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Start a new tradition with someone and create memories that will be cherished forever…
