Coffee cup in hand and it's off to get my son up. It's been a long time since I woke him up. Brings back fond memories when he was a tad bit younger and a tad bit harder to wake up. He mumbles a few words and then it's off to the shower for him. While he's still waking up I load the truck with the guns and gear and then go finish my coffee.
He finally is ready and we head out to make our way to Robertos. It's around 6:30 am and the traffic is already building as we make our way through our side of BR. We laugh and joke about his work and talk about the guns we are going to shoot today. He is bringing his paw paws 870 wing master with a 30 inch barrel and a full choke. He loves that gun and loves the history of it. I have my 870 super mag camo edition that I bought in 2000 to duck hunt with. It doesn't have much sentimental value to me but it looks cool as hell and comes to my shoulder petty good. It also has synthetic furniture, plus with the camo dip it's a bullet proof gun made for the briars and ditches of South Louisiana.
We are the 3rd to arrive and pull in and greet everybody. Within 20 minutes everyone arrives and we are headed to the place where we will hunt.
The property is located behind a house on river road and it appears that at some point in time it was pasture land with the old fence post and barb wire still standing guard. The dogs are unloaded and it's off to start the hunt.
There are shooting lanes cut, but there is also thick stands of briars, locust trees, and tallow trees that will make for some interesting shooting today.
My son and I hang on the corner where we start and within 10 minutes we are seeing rabbits on the run. The first flies by like a jet and I don't even get a bead on him before he is gone. I see the second one and he's headed for my son. I hear the wingmaster open up and the first rabbit is in the bag. We are within talking distance and he gives me the play by play on how he bagged the rabbit. All of those days teaching him shooting skills and hunting skills have paid off and he is now a full fledged hunter. No instruction from Dad needed anymore.
Before we can talk too much the third rabbit flys between us and it's Dads turn to give it a go. The 870 glides to my shoulder and locks on to the target and the trigger is pulled and the rabbit tumbles to a stop.
He sees the old man take the rabbit and the talking starts up again.
We are then informed that we are moving and we start walking towards the beagles as they jump another rabbit. This one comes to my son also, but no shooting on the run as the rabbit stops in front of my son for an easy shot.
This will be his 2 bday rabbit of the day and his last. The rest of the day for him will be spent walking, talking and laughing with the group.
The group is made up of people from all walks of life. Some are my kinfolk, first cousins to be exact and others are kids of my cousins. There is also a doctor, a sheriff from South Louisiana, a couple of plant workers, 2 cane farmers, a lawyer/ state worker another Civil Servant (me), an occupational therapist and a house painter. There is no way this day would be boring.
We talk politics, hunting, farming, doctoring, family and bee keeping. From one patch to the next the topics change and before long we near the end of the hunt.
I still only have one rabbit for the day but the dogs are barking and the rabbit is on the run. This rabbit will be killed by me, but not before he crosses the dirt road bordering the woods we are hunting 4 times and gives the finger to a whole slew of people lined up to shoot him. Just by the grace of God I am in a spot where I can see him coming for his 4th crossing. He is moving at near light speed but I have the advantage as I have seen him before he has seen me. The 870 is up and swinging and the first shot is horrible and is a mile behind him, but the second shot will find the mark and and the rabbit summersaults after being hit and then comes to a stop. This shot is witnessed by quite a few folks and they all give me the thumbs up, but before I can relish in the lime light another hunter comes up and ribs me for letting the rabbit cross so many times without killing it. This brings laughs from everybody and this my bayou shooter peeps is what rabbit hunting is all about.
The hunt finally ends and a total of 16 rabbits are brought in from the field. We gather at the trucks to put the guns away, clean up, and take pictures. The BS is flying fast and furious and smiles and laughs can be seen and heard all over the place.
The last story is told and then the rabbits are divided up and people bid fond farewells to each other with promises of getting together next year for another hunt. The trucks start to roll out one by one and before long we are halfway home. My son relives the hunt as we make our way down Hwy 30 and comes to the conclusion that we had a pretty damn good day.
As my truck rolls into our driveway I know he will be gone soon and I will go about my day taking care of the house and yard and the other 1000 things I have on my to do list , but for just a few more minutes I will just enjoy his company and relish in the fact that he still likes to hang with his Dad. This my friends is something that I am grateful for and will never pass up the opportunity to spend time with my kids. To all you young bucks out there, take care of your kids spend time with them, teach them to hunt and fish and I promise you your life and there life will be way better because of it.
The pics are me and my son and the crew with our rabbits. Take care !
He finally is ready and we head out to make our way to Robertos. It's around 6:30 am and the traffic is already building as we make our way through our side of BR. We laugh and joke about his work and talk about the guns we are going to shoot today. He is bringing his paw paws 870 wing master with a 30 inch barrel and a full choke. He loves that gun and loves the history of it. I have my 870 super mag camo edition that I bought in 2000 to duck hunt with. It doesn't have much sentimental value to me but it looks cool as hell and comes to my shoulder petty good. It also has synthetic furniture, plus with the camo dip it's a bullet proof gun made for the briars and ditches of South Louisiana.
We are the 3rd to arrive and pull in and greet everybody. Within 20 minutes everyone arrives and we are headed to the place where we will hunt.
The property is located behind a house on river road and it appears that at some point in time it was pasture land with the old fence post and barb wire still standing guard. The dogs are unloaded and it's off to start the hunt.
There are shooting lanes cut, but there is also thick stands of briars, locust trees, and tallow trees that will make for some interesting shooting today.
My son and I hang on the corner where we start and within 10 minutes we are seeing rabbits on the run. The first flies by like a jet and I don't even get a bead on him before he is gone. I see the second one and he's headed for my son. I hear the wingmaster open up and the first rabbit is in the bag. We are within talking distance and he gives me the play by play on how he bagged the rabbit. All of those days teaching him shooting skills and hunting skills have paid off and he is now a full fledged hunter. No instruction from Dad needed anymore.
Before we can talk too much the third rabbit flys between us and it's Dads turn to give it a go. The 870 glides to my shoulder and locks on to the target and the trigger is pulled and the rabbit tumbles to a stop.
He sees the old man take the rabbit and the talking starts up again.
We are then informed that we are moving and we start walking towards the beagles as they jump another rabbit. This one comes to my son also, but no shooting on the run as the rabbit stops in front of my son for an easy shot.
This will be his 2 bday rabbit of the day and his last. The rest of the day for him will be spent walking, talking and laughing with the group.
The group is made up of people from all walks of life. Some are my kinfolk, first cousins to be exact and others are kids of my cousins. There is also a doctor, a sheriff from South Louisiana, a couple of plant workers, 2 cane farmers, a lawyer/ state worker another Civil Servant (me), an occupational therapist and a house painter. There is no way this day would be boring.
We talk politics, hunting, farming, doctoring, family and bee keeping. From one patch to the next the topics change and before long we near the end of the hunt.
I still only have one rabbit for the day but the dogs are barking and the rabbit is on the run. This rabbit will be killed by me, but not before he crosses the dirt road bordering the woods we are hunting 4 times and gives the finger to a whole slew of people lined up to shoot him. Just by the grace of God I am in a spot where I can see him coming for his 4th crossing. He is moving at near light speed but I have the advantage as I have seen him before he has seen me. The 870 is up and swinging and the first shot is horrible and is a mile behind him, but the second shot will find the mark and and the rabbit summersaults after being hit and then comes to a stop. This shot is witnessed by quite a few folks and they all give me the thumbs up, but before I can relish in the lime light another hunter comes up and ribs me for letting the rabbit cross so many times without killing it. This brings laughs from everybody and this my bayou shooter peeps is what rabbit hunting is all about.
The hunt finally ends and a total of 16 rabbits are brought in from the field. We gather at the trucks to put the guns away, clean up, and take pictures. The BS is flying fast and furious and smiles and laughs can be seen and heard all over the place.
The last story is told and then the rabbits are divided up and people bid fond farewells to each other with promises of getting together next year for another hunt. The trucks start to roll out one by one and before long we are halfway home. My son relives the hunt as we make our way down Hwy 30 and comes to the conclusion that we had a pretty damn good day.
As my truck rolls into our driveway I know he will be gone soon and I will go about my day taking care of the house and yard and the other 1000 things I have on my to do list , but for just a few more minutes I will just enjoy his company and relish in the fact that he still likes to hang with his Dad. This my friends is something that I am grateful for and will never pass up the opportunity to spend time with my kids. To all you young bucks out there, take care of your kids spend time with them, teach them to hunt and fish and I promise you your life and there life will be way better because of it.
The pics are me and my son and the crew with our rabbits. Take care !
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