Be a Gentleman in the Field.

BIRD HUNTING ETIQUETTE:

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Think of this scenario as from the hit TV show, What Would You Do? A lone dove hunter arrives at the local dove hunting hot-spot on opening day. The state managed wildlife area has several designated dove fields prepared for the onslaught of doves making their way across the country on their migration south.

The hunter shows up in the dark to anxiously await the rising of the sun for legal shooting light. The location they have chosen derives from weeks of scouting. Hours spent glassing watching doves dive bomb the local eatery in a field of sunflowers. Everything is perfect. Early morning distractions start with fellow dove hunters who are arriving. Hunting parties start setting up along the rows of sunflowers. No problem. They are spread out, making sure to give everyone a wide berth for shooting lanes and safety. Suddenly, the hunter hears the crashing of vegetation behind them. A father and teenage boy walk past and proceed to plunk their shooting buckets a mere ten yards away! Even worse, they proceed to set up decoys practically on top of the hunter's plastic dekes twirling away in the wind.

The hunter assumes there may be a small chance he was not seen and says, "Good morning." This is done in the hopes they discover the error in their ways of setting up too close and move to another location. Nothing is said in response. No introduction. No asking if it was okay to set up there. Nothing.