Let's be careful out there

 If a picture is worth a thousand words, I figure this one has got at least a dozen expletives in it.

4 feet of Mr. Western Diamondback would like to remind you that it's still hot, and that he and his brethren are still active.


No snakes, photographers, or Chessies were harmed in the making of this photograph.

The season begins

Gotta get taped up before the big day:

A couple of layers of vet wrap and some duct tape go a long way toward mitigating hot sand, grass burrs, and mesquite thorns.

We had a decent dove opener. One slow-ish day, one with plenty of opportunities. Booker even got a water retrieve:

Dad used his Ithaca 37 (49 years of bird shooting with that gun) to run a limit at 1.5 shells per bird. For me, it required 3.15 shells per bird (and, I just realized, 25 years of shooting my Citori). I didn't quite limit but it wasn't for lack of opportunity. A isn't discussing her average right now. She's only been shooting a shotgun for five years at this point.

Booker is just glad to get out and pick up a bird, even if it is a hundred degrees out there.

Hope everyone else had a good start to the best time of year.