Opening day in the Missouri River bottoms, about 25 mi. northwest of the City of St. Louis found about a dozen hunters, including several men and their sons, gathered at my friend's barn just before 6 a.m. shooting time for coffee and donuts. This Saturday morning was special, because it may well be our last opening day dove hunt on that farm together. For the past 20 years I have hunted dove there, and in past years teal, greenbacks and giant Canadas. This summer, while my farmer friend was vacationing with his family off the coast of Alaska, the local municipality wherein the family farm sits hurriedly passed an anti-hunting ordinance, effective September 2008. This was apparently in order to circumvent a new state law protecting hunting rights in 100 year flood plains throughout the state, which goes into effect this week. The city mayor and attorney have hunted on adjoining farmland for years. There was no input from landowners/farmers in the bottomlands-no one knew about it. The official line is that the city wants to protect its prospective development rights. What about private landowners' rights? We all had a great hunt and within a few hours or less had our limits. I took a friend's oldest son with me to one corner of the field and coached him on his first dove hunt. It was great weather. One of the first to limit prepared a breakfast feast for all. I have pictures and memories that I'll treasure for years to come. I'm not sure what the next generation will have. Sunday after the hunt the mayor was quoted as saying that the ordinance can be amended. My friend the farmer may yet be able to take his sons and friends and their sons dove hunting again. We'll see.
skatr2
