doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com cant wait for dove season

Chux- glad to hear "Old Dixie" is a holdin' dem ol' PETA feets to de flame- so to speak--in short, recalling a great song by the late Phil Harris (Der Bingle's hunting partner-man had good taste in wives and shotguns-shot a 28 gauge M12 for doves and quail) his classic song "And That's What I Like About The South" Me Too!!!

I was out near Canyon City a couple of weeks ago. Saw some turkey and a big covey of quail, but no dove that I recall. Hope you find birds. Are they mainly on the front range?

Pete

Just got back from the road trip to talk to the farmers we do our Dove shoot on. The good news is everything is lined up and there were probably more Doves then we've ever seen this time of year. Saw several Eurasians in a couple of the small towns we drove through. The general region we hunt is in north eastern Colorado around the town of Yuma.

The bad news is the main landowner that has been great to us for the past thirteen years is now in his mid-eighties. When we pulled into his yard we knew something was astray. Weeds in the driveway, yard unkept, etc. He greeted us as usual invited us in and then proceeded to tell us he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. During the conversation we could tell and see the effects of this terrible disease. He said he had to give up his drivers license and will be moving into town this fall. He then said his son would be taking over and moving into the house. Then he said don't worry, I've talked to my son about you guy's and you'll be able to hunt here as long as he has it. You talk about an absolutely heartbreaking visit. This is the type of guy he is: We camp in his old home place about two miles from where he lives now. During the summer it get pretty over grown, so a couple of day's before the opener he'll hook up the brush hog and mow the entire farm yard so we have a great place to set up camp. Colorado has a walk-in access program that he enrolls all his land into for Pheasant season, when the game & fish expanded the program last year to include Dove season, He told the G & F that he has a group that Dove Hunt's and if he couldn't keep his land out for Dove season for us, he wouldn't sign up for the pheasant season, so G & F went along with him.

When we drove out of his place it was real quiet in the truck for a mile or two. But then we started talking about how we need to do something special for him while he is still able to know how much he has meant to us over the years. Now it's just a matter of figuring out what that might be!

Your story really reminds me a lot of a similar experience my friends and I had about 20 or more yrs ago. We had been dove hunting the beautiful property up in the San Joaquin Vly of an older gentleman for yrs. One season we learned of his passing and that his family chose not to continue his generosity in allowing us to hunt there.

Happens too often! The old folks become infirm or pass and then the land becomes off limits or is sold off and divided for homes!

A cousin that lives in Butte was telling me the same thing yesterday! He's hunted antelope on a ranch around Dillon, MT since the late 60's. He said that last year the owner died, the place sold and now is off limits to all hunting!

dogon, I hate to hear that about this gentleman. Lets hope the son does not decide to sell everything lock stock and barrel like so many sons do these days. Maybe a clean up of his yard will go along way with the new owner. My hunting buddy and I took the time to fix a fence once for a elderly land owner and He allowed us and only us to hunt there untill his passing. Of course his daughter sold all the land after that.

dogon, I hate to hear that about this gentleman. Lets hope the son does not decide to sell everything lock stock and barrel like so many sons do these days. Maybe a clean up of his yard will go along way with the new owner. My hunting buddy and I took the time to fix a fence once for a elderly land owner and He allowed us and only us to hunt there untill his passing. Of course his daughter sold all the land after that.

I'm headed home to Southern Illinois on the 1st to shoot with family and friends. Spoke with Grandpa and he is keen to go, just got his eyes worked on and can see without glasses now. He was 90 as of our birthday so it's going to be a particular pleasure to see him out in the field.


Destry

That's a pretty good dove shoot. *wink*

DLH