Empty nest, thank God this year. Don't think ill of me for wanting be separate from my independent children. Without dependents, the dynamics of our winter campaign would be different my not having to do the 10 a.m. bugle call. I wouldn't invite those that could not camp anymore. We wanted to hunt solo with dogs, keep it simple enjoying the splendor, sights and sounds of late season doves without the call for, "what's for diner Mom."
I have a friend who fly fish with us in the Sierras and Montana and is game for adventure. He was invited with his single Brittany to join us. He is a self sufficient guy and never had to hover. In fact, he pitches in without ever being asked. I like that and being the son of a devout preacher man from the old school, he brings much humor to camp. He loves his simple camping style and enjoys the field with his dogs.
Doves were still up north so we had to find flights that were stable. We could shoot a fair bit but the roost or fields wouldn't hold much pressure. It was a just one shoot and had to find other roost. My young retriever was in training to mark and stay on heel until sent. She behave so valiantly always in command and her name was coined back in North Dakota when she managed to recover a double on grouse. I called her super dog because as she is the happiest dog I ever have trained although I have not collar conditioned her. Her disposition in part is due to her older companion Fe a German Wirehair who was imprinted by a famous lab mother daughter relationship.
I began shooting these high flyer with a 1872 Damascus 30 in bar action I. Hollis and Sons stunning wood/timber with high profile rebounding hammers. It is a pigeon grade/ weight and so I shoot 2 3/4 inch, 7/8 oz, 7 1/2. I restored after I discovered it in New Zealand. It has a deadly pattern. Next, I moved up an era and across the channel to a 1892 French bespoke FAVURE LePAGE y FILS PARIS MAKER with gold washed locks, ejectors and the finest rose and scroll engraving . This is the finest double made in the era under the tillage of Napoleon III. It is a finer constructed weapon than my Holland and Holland Royal and equal or exceeds in some feature my Purdey.
We were starting to devour many doves so I switched to my Browning O/U superposed to improve their odds, cheating but it was a gift from my wife. Soon we were in dove heaven and my 8 shot was bringing the high flyers down from 50 yard. I ended the season with my Hollands 20 bore royal but my last shot was with my 1876 WC Scott and Sons Premiere hammer.
We were broiling fine grain fed doves with a Chilean red with brown and wild rice and a garlic bread. Hard to beat camp food made in a slow cooking dutch oven. To finish it off we delighted in a homemade fruit cake.
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