In the south, we have dove shoots & duck hunts, but when our hunt is for quail, it is universally referred to as “Bird Huntin’”. If someone does not know what bird huntin’ is either they are from too far north of the South or have spent too much of their life in a city. Thanksgiving Day is the opening day of bird season and has been all my life. It is one of the most delightful times of the year. By the time Thanksgiving holidays arrive the crops have been gathered and most of the farm work has been done. The weather is cool and crisp in the mornings and the delicious anticipation of friends and family coming to our farm for reunion, feasting and hunting is almost more than I can stand. Bird hunting is different than any other type of hunting in that it is almost impossible to consistently & reliably locate the quail which live in flat woods, along ditch banks and feed along the edges of fields without a good bird dog. Bird dogs are normally pointers or setters. Our family and friends have a long association with bird dogs for hunting and field trials. If ever there is a sight that will cause your heart to race, it is walking up to a brace of staunchly pointing dogs with the anticipation of a covey of birds exploding from cover. If ever there is a moment of abject humility, it is entirely missing any of the birds from a covey that just exploded seemingly from under your feet! We have known bird dogs to give condescending looks back towards their hunters when this occurs. A gentleman from Columbia and his young son joined my friend Buggy’s for a bird hunt last season. After a bit of shooting at several coveys of birds, his son expressed amazement that his father could miss so many birds in the air at once. Normally Buggy hunts with friends who are more in harmony with their shotguns so he can exclaim “oh, did you shoot too?” as he claims one of our fallen birds. Bird hunting is a civilized sport. Bobwhites do not venture forth to feed too early on cold mornings, preferring to take breakfast once the sun has warmed things a little. After eating, they will take a mid-day nap before feeding in the afternoon. In the evenings they will be settled in a secure sheltered spot before dusk. I admire their habits. My wife swears I hunt birds because I am just like them. That’s OK too, I don’t need to be wet and cold at 4:00 am and I like being home in time for a little taste with my friends before dinner. Teasing aside, there is very little that will surpass spending the fellowship of a day afield behind good dogs with good friends and family. I love this old bird hunter toast by an unknown author:May the sand in your joints turn to butter, May the ache in your back disappear, May your legs stay strong when the day grows long, May your shooting eye hold true and clear. May you hunt every fall with your friends And may you drink a toast to your peers! May your game bag never be empty, And your season stay open for years