DEC 2020 Blues Vol 36 No. 12 - 36TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

A tradition that I have

A tradition that I have enjoyed for the better part of the last decade is that a couple days after Christmas I load up my truck with my hunting gear and head to South Texas to enjoy one last dove hunting trip of the year with my two sons and many of my friends from Shell. There are a lot of reasons why this trip has become one of my most anticipated hunts of the year and such a great way to end the hunting season, not least of which is that Texas dove seasons open back up again in late December and runs into late January. First, most hunters will agree that dove hunting is one of the few hunts were it is ok to make it a social affair. I love the fact that you can hunt in groups and you can talk to your buddies in-between shots, either congratulating them on those amazing shots or give them grief when they miss the ones that seem to float right over their head. Dove hunting is also a great way to introduce beginners to hunting because it is easy to provide one-on-one coaching on gun safety and the art of wing shooting, while still being able to get some shots off yourself. Secondly, late season dove hunts can be very fun and very challenging, even for the most experienced shotgunner. See if you are hunting the early season opener you have a mix of immature and mature birds making their way casually in and out of the fields, unaware of the hundreds of small lead pellets about to be heading their way. While during the second season opener, these late season survivors have seemingly learned many evasive maneuvers to stay alive. On several morning hunts this year, the Whitewing doves would fly just out of shotgun range over our haybale hideouts only to see them get over their feeding grounds and dive down like Teal ducks dive-bombing to their favorite watering holes. If you have ever hunted Teal you know what I am talking about. Then after an hour of feeding, these late season doves come out of the fields equally as fast and full of quick turns and dives to avoid our awaiting guns. And for these memories alone of so many challenging flights, I love these late season dove hunts. However, the top reason that this trip has become a one of our family hunting traditions is that the place we go has the best dove hunting in the state of Texas and their lodge has indoor/outdoor spaces that are perfect for spending downtime with your friends and family. I am talking dove hunting like I hear about in Argentina, with plenty of birds to provide daily limits. Our host Sammy Nooner, called the “Duke of Dove” by Texas Sporting Journal, operates the Valdina Ranch and the Nooner Ranch. I have known Sammy for most of my 30+ years at Shell and our mutual love for the outdoors and hunting connected us from the start. Sammy PHOTOS BY RUSTY BARRON was a successful Fuel Wholesaler for Shell in South Texas for several decades before he turned his attention full time to his passion for the outdoors. Today, Sammy’s ranches have earned recognition as being two of the top deer and dove hunting operations in Texas. So if you have never experienced hunting late season Whitewing doves in South Texas, consider grabbing some family and friends and try it in 2020. You might be just starting a new tradition that will last for decades. 82 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 83