{"id":1536,"date":"2023-08-29T14:52:11","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T14:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/americangunpeople.com\/?p=1536"},"modified":"2023-08-29T14:52:11","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T14:52:11","slug":"dove-nation-photos-from-three-dove-openers-across-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/americangunpeople.com\/?p=1536","title":{"rendered":"Dove Nation: Photos from Three Dove Openers Across America"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Mississippi<\/h2>\n

For the last three generations, the Hardys have been farming their land in Lowndes County, Miss. Mark Hardy\u2019s grandfather purchased about 10,000 acres with his brothers at the turn of the 20th century, and they founded the Magowah Gun Club around the same time. <\/p>\n

Every year for opening day of dove season, the Hardys open their home to friends and family for a weekend of fun and hunting. They share meals and trade stories from the past year. They also host an invite-only hunt for members of Magowah, which drew about 60 people last year. Though they are gathered to celebrate the dove opener, the number of birds taken isn\u2019t their primary concern. For the Hardys and their friends, the weekend is all about spending time with each other. As one hunter put it, \u201cNo one actually cares about the bag. If we did, we would do things much differently.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raymond McCrea Jones<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"young
Mallory Amos hoists a dove high. Raymond McCrea Jones<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"young
Davis Jackson carries his last bird of the day. Raymond McCrea Jones<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"group
Hunters pile onto a truck. Raymond McCrea Jones<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"diptych
Raymond McCrea Jones (2)<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"man
Each year, Jack \u201cJunior\u201d Henry cooks his famous BBQ for the gathering. Raymond McCrea Jones<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"two
Raymond McCrea Jones<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"hound
Raymond McCrea Jones<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Young
Hampton Tucker pauses between flights, shotgun over his shoulder. Raymond McCrea Jones<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kansas<\/h2>\n

Early on the morning of September 1, a group of friends and family gathered in a public hunting area not far from Wamego, Kansas. This small town of less than 5,000 in the central part of the state is surrounded by fields of alfalfa, wheat, and corn, and cattle pastures. Throw in some sunflowers and you have ideal dove habitat. <\/p>\n

Josh Wildin brought his 6-year-old daughter, Makenzie, along for the opener. \u201cHer favorite part is my favorite part\u2014eating the little buggers,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t want her to miss out on this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hunters didn\u2019t go home empty-handed. Before the shooting started, they plotted their strategy, posting up along rows of standing sunflowers to ambush the birds. Doves darted across the bluebird skies, shots rang out, and birds fell. An eager black Lab helped gather the birds, and then everyone pitched in to breast them out. The season could not have started on a better note.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"black
Maverick pitches in during the Kansas dove opener. Matt Nager<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"girl
Makenzie Wildin examines a dove shot by her father, Josh. Matt Nager<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"dead
Success. Matt Nager<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Hunter
Kris Boucher poses with a handful of birds. Matt Nager<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"diptych:
From left: Kansas maintains thousands of acres that are open for public hunting; friends pose for a group photo during a break. Matt Nager (2)<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Dead
A dove destined for the grill. Matt Nager<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"dove
Maverick pitches in during the Kansas dove opener. Matt Nager<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Diptych
Matt Nager (2)<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Texas<\/h2>\n

Dove hunting is serious business all across Texas, but on the Nooner Ranch, near Hondo, the birds are accorded royal status. But given that the host, Sammy Nooner, is known as the Duke of Dove, you might have guessed that. <\/p>\n

Few states encourage youth hunting with the same enthusiasm as Texas. Any child, as long as he or she is accompanied by an adult who has purchased an annual hunting permit, can hunt doves and small game free of charge. On opening day last year, as doves swarmed over the dried sunflower stalks, the young guns took to the field. One of them, 6-year-old Kate Friesenhahn, was armed only with a BB gun. <\/p>\n

The whitewings flew fast and hard, and more than a few managed to avoid the storm of shot sent their way. But the hunters connected well enough so that by the time they cased their shotguns, everyone had plenty of dove breasts to take home.<\/p>\n

\"Dover
A shooter swings on a darting dove. Tosh Brown<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"two
Tosh Brown<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"doves
Tosh Brown<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Three
Three friends wait for the next flight. Tosh Brown<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Yellow
A Lab helps retrieve birds. Tosh Brown<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Young
Kate Friesenhahn carries her Daisy Red Ryder for the opener. Tosh Brown<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"sign
Tosh Brown<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Three
Nooner Ranch hands cleaning birds. Tosh Brown<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"plastic
Bagged dove breasts. Tosh Brown<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Young
Jackson Friesenhahn stands ready to cock his single-shot. Tosh Brown<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Upland
Tosh Brown<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This story originally ran in the September 2014 issue.<\/em> Read more\u00a0OL+<\/a>\u00a0stories.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n