By Bobby Dale Welch/Staff Correspondent
It’s about time of year. It’s time to bush hog those food plots, put the finishing touches on that dove field and don’t forget to fling some arrows down range.
A friend and I were talking this week about how much we used to practice with our bows. After much discussion, we realized that there were a lot of responsibilities in our lives now than back then.
I love to hunt, but I’ce noticed a change in my passion towards it. Now, I really look forward to getting the work accomplished.
Spending time with my sons and friends as we work to get things ready so we can enjoy a little time hunting is fulfilling and worth the sweat.
The smile on someone’s face the first time they go hunting and bring down a deer is something to be cherished. I’ve attempted to recount the number of “first deer” I ‘ve been a part of. I’ll never forget my boys’ first deer. The amount of excitement prior to the shot was hard to imagine. And the boys were excited, too! I’ve experienced grown men getting their first deer, and it is awesome!
North Zone dove season opens September 5 at noon. Get that shotgun clean, dig out your dove bucket and some shotgun shells, find you a field full of friends and go enjoy the day. You can kill 15 doves per day. Most of all, we can hunt! Don’t forget to call over to your buddy down the line when a bird is coming from his blind side. Keep those shotguns pointed in a safe direction; safety is the most important thing to practice when hunting. No animal is worth risking someone’s life for.
One more thing – when you sit that bucket or chair down, make sure it is on solid ground. I remember a dove hunt when I shot at a passing dove and my chair leg sunk down into the ground and went over backwards.
Be careful out there, and don’t forget to have fun!
Bobby Dale Welch was born and raised in East Gadsden and graduated from Litchfield High School in 1988. He is the founder of and partner in BD Welch Construction and currently lives in Ashville with his wife Tracie and sons Daniel and Dawson. He may be contacted at bobbyd@bdwelch.com.
