It all started Saturday morning when the dove began to fly. At noon when the season opened we were in the field and ready. I got 12 and my son-in-law split his between my and another guy. I ended up with 19. We all eneded up dehydrated. PJ (SIL) lost the keys to the vehicle until later in the day and it was HOT. We were in Section, Alabama. About 4:00 Wes, the other guy got sick but they got some water in him and he got better. Around 6:00 or so I started to get leg cramps, I could barely walk. They would come and go. On the drive home I had to sit sideways in the back of a GMC SUV to try to get my legs straight. I had really bad cramps. I got a 32 oz Powerade and drank that, took a potassium tablet when i got home. Cleaned the birds about midnight. Jumped out of bed at 2:30 AM and coulcn't straighten my legs, was like walking on my toes... weird and painful. I ate a three finger pinch of salt and took three TUMs EX to get some sodium and calcium. Then I took one of my wifes muscle relaxers... then managed to sleep, didn't have any more cramps but the muscles in my legs are still really sore from cramping... So.. all is well that ends well. I will carry my own water and Gatorade from now on!
J
 
19 dove:
 
Cleaning at midnight with some help from the cat:
 
Wrapped and ready to grill:
 
Okra from the Earthbox garden, ready to fry:
 
Beginning to cook:

 
The cook: (miracles DO happen) 

 
On the plate, couldn't wait...

 
My little meatatarian:

 
This one prefers hamburgers and hot peppers (from the garden):

 
I can't wait to get some more. I will never fry a dove again....
 
J
 
 

all that pain and wrenching seems to me like it's not worth it!!!
 
Hope you're feeling better!

Beagle
all that pain and wrenching seems to me like it's not worth it!!!
 
Hope you're feeling better!

No wretching, just pain... muscles are still sore from cramping. I'll make sure I have fluids from now on. I was going to get them when I found out he had lost the keys.. uhhh. It is still worth it!! I seem to get dehydrated much easier as I age. About a month or so ago I got dehydrated while cutting the lawn. My index finger and thumb on each hand bent hard toward my palm, toward the little finger and I could not move them without using the other hand to pry them back out. Then they would fold in again. It didn't hurt, it was just weird... some Gatorade fixed it right up. I'll be more careful in the future. I've really never had this sort of problem before. Oh... you said wrenching... well, in any case you can be sure that will not happen again.
Julien

So what does that work out too?
 
I'm guessing it is about $2 in gas per bird so you can have fun killing those marvelous little creatures?
 
That works out to about $16/lb of meat just for the transportation.
 
At least when someone bags a deer only one creature has to die and the reward is 30+lbs of food.
 
I wouldn't have mentioned my displeasure... but you have presented a image of the great hardship you went through without mentioning any appreciation of the grace which you obliterated or the pain you caused the birds.
 
Bummer.
 

I enjoyed shooting every one of them and will do it again ASAP... and it cost more than that.
 
Going on a quota deer hunt in December but dove hunting has been my favorite hunting since I was 16. The thing is this... with all the pain and cost... it was still worth it, well worth it. If you don't like it... well, I don't much care. I do and will be at it again soon.
 
J

You might be considerate enough to refrain from posting your photos of things you killed on a music discussion web site.
 
That is just common decency.
 
Maybe get a Facebook page or something.
 
Just saying.
 
best regards,
mike

mike_mccue
You might be considerate enough to refrain from posting your photos of things you killed on a music discussion web site.
 
That is just common decency.
 
Maybe get a Facebook page or something.
 
Just saying.
 
best regards,
mike

Why should I ? I see no reason. The sound of a shotgun killing a dove is music to my ears... and the only prohibition is politics and religion. As far as I know people have always hunted. Don't keep coming back and commenting if it bothers you.
J 

Yes, I figured you see no reason.
 
You demonstrated that fact in post number one.
 
It seems like a selfish proclamation of a selfish activity laced with a selfish focus on the pain the ordeal caused you.
 
I guess the only good thing about it is that you enjoyed eating the adrenalyzed meat.
 
I learned years ago that knowledgeable hunters don't take meat once it has panicked and is on the run. It sours the meat and leaves it full of adrenaline.
 
Lucky for you you've been on beta blockers for decades so you have probably nullified the effect.
 
:-)
 
best regards,
mike

Sometimes you are a strange one Mike but I still like you...
 
I posted it because I was really proud of it. I haven't been to a dove shoot in over 30 years and was not sure if I could still do it. I am really excited to have done well, except for not getting my drinks out of the truck and then not having access to them. That's all, proud of an accomplisment and surprised at your reaction but that is OK.
 
I went to a lot of trouble to touch up and crop the pictures as well as I know how... As far as the part about the cramps, well.. I just have a tendency to ramble a bit and say what I think. I would think that you know that by now. Other than that I am not going to take the bait.
 
BTW, thanks for keeping the post bumped!! I think I did a good job and am proud of it!!
 
J

Hey Mike, if you feel so strongly that he shouldn't post pics like this then maybe you should report him?  Let the mods decide if this is appropriate or not.
 
Personally I've seen so much worse left on this forum it has been unreal.  but of course, worse for me is relative with respect to everyone else.  what I find offensive is not the same as what you find offensive.
 
Julien - be better prepared next time, bud!  dehydration is serious stuff!