The second week of November, I packed my car and drove 18 hours South to go dove hunting with my dad. It has become a yearly tradition in the Salyer household. I love exchanging the drizzly grey Oregon weather for the dry warm air of El Centro, California.
This year I brought two rookies to the dove fields with me. I have been trying to get my boyfriend Matt into hunting. So far this year I have taken him turkey hunting and deer hunting without a successful harvest. I figured the dove fields would have enough shooting action to keep Matt interested. I also brought down our dog Elvis. Elvis is a treeing walker coonhound, not the typical bird dog, but he is not gun shy so I figured if anything he would enjoy the warm weather and running around the fields.
Me, my dad and Matt did a lot of shooting during the three days we spent in El Centro. Matt dropped a dove no further than five yards from Elvis. He trotted up to the downed dove with interest. I thought, this is it, this is where Elvis’ doggie instincts would kick in and he will pick up the bird and bring it to me. He sniffed the bird, looked up at me while I was cheering ‘good boy, bring it here.’ He again looked at the bird, then looked at me and walked away. The look on his face said ‘you get the bird.’
We all had a great time in El Centro. I can’t wait to go back again next year. I really enjoy spending time with the people that matter the most to me, sharing a great hunting tradition.
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