Got the call from my friend, the great Dieter Krieghoff, that a friend of ours was hosting a dove hunt at his farm in Bucks County, PA. This last-minute invite turned into an incredible afternoon of wing shooting!
What a gift this was! There were no planes or long distances traveled - just some friends getting together at a beautiful, local farm with a curated field primed for dove. And that afternoon the dove came in. We were amazed by the sheer numbers!
Each of us made our share of memorable shots and that helped to bolster our pride following the barrage of spent shells. The birds were supernaturally fast and unpredictable. I was glad I opted for my Krieghoff K-20 w/ the 28-gauge barrels as it was choked perfectly for these longer shots.
There is something special about a local hunt with wild birds. It is so much harder to find today than when I was growing up. But that evening with the four of us sitting on 5-gallon buckets for seats, cleaning birds, enjoying a few Yuengling or an Octoberfest while sharing stories - I felt both connected to the past and incredibly grateful for today.