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A Boy and His Dog

3K views 26 replies 16 participants last post by  TJRANGER 
#1 ·
A little late with this post but had to share. I apologize for this posts length its long but had to share my experience. I worry a lot about the youth not being as involved in hunting as they were when I was a kid but I came across a youngster that gives me hope. Hope you enjoy the story and picture.

Opening day of dove season came and my group was ready. There were 9 of us and we had a good spot on public land. We got there about 630 that morning and got to our spot We were the first in the field. Shooting doesn't start until noon so we had plenty of time to kill. We had a great time and were excited as we were seeing a ton of birds.

10 minutes before shooting time a group of about 6 hunters walks up and sits in a spot that is basically cutting us off. It's public land but they should have known not to sit there. My whole group was aggravated and none more than me. Year after year to some extent the same scenario plays out on a public field. Their group consisted of 3 grown adults, one 20-something and 2 younger kids and a black labrador retriever. Based off past experience with retrievers on public land I figured it was going to be a mess. As mad as I was I knew there would be some action so I let it go. The first 2 hours were dead, and as bad as I had ever witnessed at that field. Just after 2 it was like a switch flipped. You hear a couple shots in the distance and before long birds were coming in. We had a problem though. We were in a awesome spot but little did we know or expect those 2 young kids were straight up killers!!!

Anger turned to jealousy that eventually turned to being extremely impressed. The older of the 2 boys was a good shot but my gosh the younger kid was a dead eye. If birds flew his way they were dead. I don't know how many times someone from my group would say "birds coming in" and before we knew it little man was shooting, the bird(s)dropped and someone in our group would say "nevermind". I watched 10-12 birds fly over when him and his brother dropped 5 of them.. Not only was the youngest a crack shot he was the one who was in control of the dog. It was so impressive to watch a young kid handle that retriever, it did whatever he told it to do.

When it was winding down I asked one of the older guys from their group if that was his boys. He said no he was an uncle. I asked if they were on some kind of shooting team at school or had lessons or anything. He said no we've just been bringing them to the dove fields since they were little boys and had them shooting their whole life it was all just natural. I could tell he was proud of the boys and he had every right to be. The youngest boy was 12 or 13 and his brother was 17. I congratulated the young men and told them my day in the field was sub par but watching them made the day worth it. They both were a couple birds shy of a limit which is saying something for young kids on crowded public grounds! I asked if they were coming the next morning and they said yes. I told them with all due respect I hoped we weren't sitting close to each other again!

The next morning came we were down in a different part and again the birds were headed our way. I clicked the safety and before I could shoot I saw birds falling from other people shooting. Next thing I hear is a young boys voice giving a command to his dog.."BELLA!" and I see a black lab run to the downed bird and back to the boy. It was him again!!! I stood up and hollered "not you again" and his uncle looked at me then realized who I was and said "he hunted you down didn't he?" Once again the boy was wearing them out. We walked over to them when we saw the uncle getting ready to leave. I asked him if they were heading out he says "I am but the boy wants to stay so I'm going to come pick him up later" This young kid was on a mission with his dog to get a limit and stayed there by himself trying to get it done. He trained the dog by himself and it certainly paid off.

It reminded me of when I was a kid just walking the fields and woods hunting all day. You just don't see that too much these days. This kid was like Daniel Boone davy Crockett and John wick all rolled up into one. He's 12 or 13 and he's my new hero! I enjoyed watching him and talking with him but felt bad when I got home. I wished I had gotten some contact info on the kid. I'd like to send him a case of ammo or something. I hope I run into him again sometime in the future and I hope he stays at it because "the sport" needs kids just like him. I snapped this picture of him with his dog. He had just came back from a retrieve when another bird was coming in. You can see the bird and both the boy and dog looking at it before the shot.

Again sorry for such a long post but had to let the world know about a dove killing machine named Jackson and his dog Bella.

Grassland Pasture Natural environment Savanna Plain
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#5 ·
I love to see young kids and teenagers hunting . A few years ago I bought 2 shotguns to lend and take kids and new hunters hunting . I haven’t found anyone that wants to go yet .

One of my dad’s friends use to take me hunting when I was a teenager . He is the one that got me into rabbit hunting . A few years ago he asked me to come over and cut some firewood for him . After I was finished , he said I am going to pay you back . I said JW , you paid me along time ago . Don’t you remember takings me hunting when I was young . He died this past April and I miss him a lot .
 
#10 ·
I really do hope to meet this kid again. All I know is his name is Jackson and I think they said they were from Hillsboro TN which isn't too far from me. The last time I saw him was on the second day of season. Everybody had left the field for the day at about 10 a.m. there was only my group of 4 and him there. We were getting hot and ready for a bite and decided to leave around 11. One guy in our group asked if we should stay just to make sure he was ok another replied and said if anything or anyone attacks that kid my money is on the kid!

I can't lie I felt a little guilty leaving but I have no doubt that he was just fine and in his element. I bet he had a limit before too long and sat in the field working that dog until he was ready to leave. I thought about posting on a local dove hunting FB group but don't want to come off as some kind of weirdo or whatever trying to find him. I had my video camera both days and I wish I had just recorded him doing his thing because he put on a clinic as far as we were concerned!! We were hoping something would just get by him and make it to us. I think we are going to do 2 or 3 fields next year if time will allow it, hopefully I can find him and get him out to one of our shoots.

On a side note we got 21 the 2nd evening and only about 60 or 70 total for the year which is pretty low considering how many of us there are. My shootimg has been horrible this year its driving me crazy! Pics just to show a little kid didn't completely whip up on us although it needs to be said we had to hunt an entirely different field that he wasn't at to get these!!

Tree Plant Trunk


Dish Food Cuisine Ingredient Meatball
Food Cuisine Chimichurri Dish Ingredient
 
#12 ·
Chris: You told me one time that you would like to have a side business cooking and selling to the public. From the looks of those pics I would say you would do well with it. You are a very talented young man with a lot of future ahead of you. Maybe offer holiday specials. Have people bring their turkeys for you to smoke or Christmas hams. I am not good at grilling outside so I, for one, would give you a lot of business. The old Tater Box is up for sale. Ray Vaughn owns it. He just had the building painted and it seems to be set up very well. Maybe you and I should take a look at it. Let me know what you think.
 
#17 ·
Thanks Greenhaw I wish I had more info to give but I don't. Only other thing I can think of is I THINK he got his retriever from the kennel in Viola.


Larry I actually use to do a lot of BBQ gigs on the side and still do from time to time just not as often. About a year ago there was a guy who had a taco/burger stand on 55 down past Praters near Bridgstone that didn't want to do it anymore so I was supposed to set up shop there. We shook hands and agreed on a price. I had a name and logo picked out(yes it involved a beagle), I had to go boxes, and the whole 9. All my ducks were in a row and everything was ready. 1 week before I was supposed to take over he called and said he had to raise the price, I agreed because there was still a lot of profit to be made for me. The next day he called with another higher number I told him I had to think about it. The next time we spoke he had already raised the price again so I hung up on him and never returned another call. I was so dissapointed! I later found out he was related to some people I knew. I have no proof, but I believe they got in his ear and told him I had a pretty big customer base already and I was going to be making good money there so he kept raising the price. Either way once I walked away nobody has took it over and it still sits empty with a For Rent sign on it.

I had to sell my big smoker just to make back some cash I lost and that sucked. I had it all planned out. I was not going to be like everyone else I wanted quality over quanity. I wanted to make fresh Bbq everyday and hoped to sell out..I refuse to sell leftover reheated food. It was riskier that way but thats how I wanted to do it. I'll put my bbq up against anybodies around here.. Tater box has potential. As much as it's out of the way its still in a good area. You got 53, 41, and Fredonia (I think its Fredonia anyway)right there. It definitely would need some life breathed into it. I have a vision for a restaurant one day hopefully I can find some time to pull it off before I'm too old. My better half also has a culinary degree and I've definitely learned a lot from her.
 
#14 ·
Hi Greenhaw Just wanted to update you on the male i bought from you this summer ACE I will have to say it did take him a couple weeks to adjust to the scenting conditions here in MI But now he is on fire placed him last weekend in a small pack licensed trial Ran him again the next day with 4 field champions he held his own Just wanted to say Thanks
 
#15 ·
Gordon, I am glad you like him. I had a choice to make. I have been Blessed by Mr Will and Mr Dunn with nice dogs. You don't find dogs like him for sale very often. I was a little surprised that different conditions in other areas made that much difference. He ant never seen SNOW! He is a South Carolina -Tennessee dog. If you ever want a female to trial. Let me know. Thank You for letting me know.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I think its true about the youngsters. I have 4 and started them all very young fishing, hunting a long with all the sports A long with all my Nephews and cousins.. They all was hook early and most still are. Something they will always remember and enjoy hopefully pass it on im sure they do with there friends.. They do hunt more other game more now ..Fish ever chance they get but interest in rabbit hunting has when down. The still love to go and like the races get going. A lot to do with the rabbit hunting sport is been Dying out sport.In many areas especially around my part and lack of rabbit population and places to hunt.. It is a sad issue and getting Worse every year.. we have a lot of public land in about 25,000 acres a TWRA but they do nothing for Rabbit population ..Seems they’re more focused on deer turkey and ducks then anything else..
 
#21 ·
I ain't got no pics this boy sounds like my nephew, he's just turned 11 year old you don't wanna be close to him and rock on the dove field when they come in range he will sure put em down. He not only shoots dove he has several squirrel dogs ( black mouth kur) he takes with his 22, loves to run with my rabbit dogs, avid deer hunter, with bow, muzzle loader, and gun. It's been nice watching a young man grow with a love of the outdoors.
 
#22 ·
10AC, I think I have found your young hunter. I just need to know where the field was that you all shot. I sent two Loss Prevention Officers to the Big City of Hillsboro Tn today. They think they found him. His mother works for Rogers Group in Hillsboro. If this is the boy. There is Father at the house. There is an uncle he hunts with.
 
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