From feathers to Feast

Sat morning bright and early I met up with some of the boys from work, east of town. We all met up at a truck stop next to a XXX store and headed out to get our BANG on. Sun rise caught us swilling a bit'o wiskey and slurping down a Nattie or several. The guy (Kenny) who has access to the place said they will be flying hard around 8:15 or so, and he was right. We were hunting on a scattered prairie dog town with about a 8ac playa on the north side, about 1,000yds from where we set up. Morning finds dove seeking structure, and structure was what was holding me verticle. We were setting near a fenceline leaning on some ole ranshackled corrals. Grass about 2' high around the corrals and not quite beer can tall except in scattered patches across the prairie. We had access to about 5 sections but only needed a scant few acres to ply the bloody trade of high speed Pb euthanasia. I was on the ole Ithica 20ga and put the loan out on the 870.
We had a wind out of the south blowing in at about 10-15. The first of the dove began to drift in at about 7:45 and I splattered the first one at a distance of about 5 yds. Left a dramatic puddle of feathers and not alot of bird. However, it does boost the ole confidence. From there we had a few driftin in, headed right to us. Kenny was right, 8:15 was the witchin hour and we proceded to let the ghost out of ALOT of dove. With them coming in against the wind, and headin right at you, it makes for dove shooting not dove hunting. One of the guys was on his first hunt EVER. I had coached him over some clays in the weeks before, and he got 8 or 9. Being the fine upstanding American I am, I helped him fill his limit.
Highlights: I got a double and also shot a dove one handed whilst taking a leak. When we began to become concerned about limits and started countin, I was rusteling about in my vest and a dove came to life, beat hell out of my back and found his way out of my pouch. He took to flight with the wind at his back, I shot at him twice and missed. Gone. That has never happened to me before. I figure I musta hit him with my wad and just dazed him, he slept it off in my pouch and woke up in horror. Imagine waking up in a pile of dead bodies with a HUGE hand rootin around amungst you. I'd flown the coop too.
But let me tell you dinner was good sat. night. I did the "only dove recipe" and Steve, remember when you gave me that box of latex gloves? Well I used it. I figured cuttin and corein 30 jalepenos, gloves would be something the misses would appriciate, and she did.