Sept 1st is a love hate deal. Love the gunshot start to the coming fall season. Football, cool temps, big game, glassy surf, excellent fishing, kids are back in school so crowds are down. Hate the heat, elbow to elbow shooting, and is it really "hunting"? Yes, its hunting. A special slot or niche.
In the olden days I would camp out in the back of my truck and catch catfish until I was too tired to keep at it. Sweat to death in the high 90s or low 100s all night, wait for sun up , blast doves, and go home. Now I'm old and fat and enjoy a bed and shower and AC, Sportscenter, and a refrigerator full of C-, Keystone, and Hamms.
My daughter crushes her own birds with her own gun. Shes been in the field since 6 years old. Got her license at 8. Older sister got her license at the same time at 11. Wife got her license this spring, and got her own turkey. All make great hunting partners, and doves is a fun way to get outside and do something. My daughter has a limit of doves, a few quail, a pair of pheasants, and some turkeys under her belt. Even whacked band-tailed.
Some catch Pokemons, my girls catch fish and critters. Pass it on.
2016 goals: Get my first D16 buck. Toss out a decoy spread and get ducks and geese. Quail and doves. Try and get band-tailed. Last year they were almost gone. The year before that there were thousands.