David Goes Dove Hunting

As a youngster, David was always easy to get along with and an apparent striver for
approval. One day in the "hunting season" David was home from school when my friends
Drs E and N were to go hunting with me. I asked David if he would like to go with us . "Yes!",
was the enthusiastic reply. So I donned my fatigues and David put on appropriate clothes ,
and we took off as soon as possible, and we joined my friends as we headed for Encino.
I had been the instigator after talking with one of my patients, Julio. He was enthusiastic in his invitation to hunt his birds. There were "too many", he said. --So while we rode the 40+ miles to the Encino area , where Julio had a grocery-cantina business, we speculated as to
the prospects.  -- I assured them that Julio seemed very enthusiastic about the prospects and
told me it should be very good! -- So that was my message to the good Drs. and David. David
was as quiet as the proverbial church mouse and his eyes approached the "saucer" size as
he listened carefully. (3rd grader)
So in about an hour or so, we arrived at the grocery-cantina. Julio was there--and ready.
With brief introductions and refusals of drinks around, we piled int he pick-up, for it was already
2:30 and hunting hours in a strange place would finish at about 6:15. So with a large amount of
anticipation, we took off with the Drs. in the truck bed and David and me in the cab with Julio.
Just after the second gate we disturbed a large number of mourning doves perched in
the live oaks and the brush . They took off in small clusters and perched in the trees and brush
nearby. -- The doctors couldn't contain themselves and begged Julio to stop and they would
proceed on foot, following the truck path. Julio explained and comp;aimed that they should
stay with the truck ---"It would be better!" --But no, the Drs. said, "We'll be OK!"
So, David and I stayed in the pick-up with julio for the next quarter or half mile and we arrived at a small pond or "tank" as they are called in South Texas (from the Spanish "tanque").
Here after a quiet half hour or so Julio, David and i had birds coming into the tank in
large numbers to get grit and water for the night. So Julio and David watched and I shot. In
an hour or so aft our arrival I had my limit(10) and so we talked while waiting for the others to
arrive. We heard very few shots. -- A bad sign for dove hunting is usual a "many shots, few
birds" type of hunting.

At just about dusk the Drs. joined us. Their total was 2 bites, by Dr E. Dr N had "almost
stepped on a snake" , which paralyzed his trigger finger, stopped his hunting, and saved his shells! (Therefore, no birds!). He even let the snake go its own way!
So Julio urged DR. E to take a few shots. So despite the darkening skies he shot a half
dozen birds more. (8-10 shots).
Julio said "We'd better get going, it's getting dark! " So we did!
So shortly, around a bend of the track what was there but a clean well painted truck belonging to the Parks and Wild Life Dept with a polite well-dressed man at the wheel.

"Julio! nice to see you again! Why is it that every time i hear shots after hours you are there?" "Yo no se." said Julio. "Hmm" "Gentlemen put your birds on the truck bed , please"

We did. total 18. Allowed limit for 3 shooters, 30.

"Well, since there's no limit problem, we'll let you go this time, but remember the laws!" "No after hours shooting after this, Julio!"
We headed home promptly, no "Good Bye"drinks and a quiet trip home. Not a peep out of those saucer eyes or that grimly closed mouth!

It might be well to indicate that the three hunters were "greenhorns" and didn't
give Julio credit for his superior knowledge of dove hunting. Neophytes may be like
that! -One of the best places to hunt doves is near a tank in the early morning or the late
afternoon when the birds are "filling up" .