Hunting seasons begin with dove and gravitate toward deer as September ends.

Story and photography by Bob Zaiglin

As the sultry days of September wane, the soft, pubescent velvet encapsulating a whitetail’s antler and responsible for transporting the mineral-rich blood to developing bone dries up and sheds, exposing a new antler.  Another deer season is about here, and sportsmen entertain a variety of outdoor activities to help pass the time.  None is more enjoyable than spending an evening under the shade of a mesquite tree at one’s favorite stock tank shooting dove. 

No game bird offers scatter-gunners a greater opportunity to employ their shotgun skills more than these little birds, but the ultimate attraction to this activity is the free-spirited manner in which it is conducted with family and friends.  It’s actually a highly anticipated social event, unlike the sometime protracted experience one must endure within the confines of a deer blind for several hours while awaiting the arrival of that particular buck. 

Wing shooting is a social event most often conducted by groups of friends with one objective — to have fun.  The point is, it’s an “event” and more importantly an affordable one, with the number of birds in the bag not quite as important as the camaraderie shared, new friendships established, and memories developed.